Hey BP community!

[Guyoz Golan]

Guyoz here from Jerusalem, Israel.

Been lurking around for quite some time, loving the info and especially the podcasts! As for anything, it's true that taking the plunge and join the discussion will always be better than be a passive user, I know this from personal experience in different subjects (and common sense).

My main business is a performance based internet marketing company. Naturally, we always strive to promote better and bigger products and ideas, real estate seems to be a natural progress and sort of an 'end game' (though there is always a next step).

Being successful in marketing, the idea of promoting short term vacation rentals is appealing, having a higher return while getting into the deep water of RE and hospitality. I think that if things take a 'bad turn' I could always find long term tenants as an exit strategy. Currently I am browsing europe looking for good RE opportunities, only to find out that short term regulations is getting more difficult with time. 

I know that starting off with first purchases near where I live is a rule of thumb, but the prices in Jerusalem / TelAviv are really on the peak, making average yield very low and barrier of entry high. Not ruling anything out though.

Overall, in it for the long run, interested in buy to hold, making the money when going in, understanding structural taxation better (will be investing via an LTD) and international investments. 

Thank you for all the help and information up until now. Looking forward being an active member here on BP!

[Saul L.]

@Dev Horn the market in Israel is totally different to the US. 

Wholesaling is non-existent, seller financing is non existent, private hard money lending is called the "grey market" because more often than not it is controlled by semi criminal elements whom you don't want to be involved with, rehab-flipping is almost non existent (compared to the US), the SFH market is very small compared to the amount of apartments and is more often than not exorbitantly expensive, taxes and regulations are very inhibitive, realtors are less professional and less regulated, transaction costs are very high- In short a totally different market and not one very suited for the small time investor looking to make a full time living.

There are investors here who with careful research,excellent credit and alternative income, can get bank financing to find buy and hold apartments and if they get 6% ROI, they think it is fantastic. Over the last few years appreciation has saved this strategy but as we know that may not last.