First real estate property-a trial of endurance.

First real estate property-a trial of endurance.

Investor · Columbus, OH · Member since 2011 · 24 posts · 8 votes

This website encouraged me to take the plunge this past February and purchase a 4 unit all brick multifamily home (three units 2b/1b, one unit an efficiency) in a great area south of campus in Columbus. Purchased with tenants already in place knowing their leases were up in April-June, but hey, this is my time to...garner my own tenants...

Loan wasn't bad. It was a 30 year 3/3 ARM at 5.25% with 2 points (not fantastic either). Not too much needed to be done to the property, and although this wasn't at the 2% goal for returns, it was in a great area full of young professionals and grad students (not a lot of undergrad students in this particular area) and was specifically purchased for the long haul as a rental.

So far I've had to replace one water heater, have a leaking roof repaired due to combination of weather and "critters" (still need replace the drywall from the damaged albeit removed area) replace the sewer stack and 12 feet of pipe ingrown with roots, and now I've realized that at least two of the electrical meters are routed to the wrong unit.

I'm in contract on my second property, 15yr 3/3 ARM at 3.5% no points . "If at first you don't succeed..." http://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/56-off-topic/topics/new#

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  • Lender · Tyngsboro, MA · Member since 2009 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    14y

    Congratulations on taking the plunge, Maximilian, and consider yourself lucky that you haven't had to evict anyone yet.

    I'd try to get a fixed rate if I could, if I were you, even if it's a little high. Rates could skyrocket.

  • Investor · Columbus, OH · Member since 2011 · 24 posts · 8 votes
    14y

    Meant to add...

    Any of you guys with my luck?

  • Real Estate Investor · IN · Member since 2009 · 21 posts · 4 votes
    14y

    Max - You're luck is more common than an exception! I just purchased 2, 4 unit bldgs in Indy this past July. Bought them on the cheap, but settled due to have decent plumbing, electrical, and structure in place. Since buying the houses, I've had a rash of bad luck...

    A) 2 - 20 yard dumpsters filled and emptied of old tenants trash
    B) Electrical fuse boxes and lines stolen from one home for the copper - $7500 to replace 5 breaker panels, meter units, shut off switches, etc
    C) Copper plumbing in second house stolen, replaced with Pex
    D) Multiple frozen / busted water lines throughout the houses, was never "winterized"
    E) And though the houses have been vacant for over 2 years, Indianapolis dept of health has found someone to pick on, giving me multiple fines for unsafe housing (missing gutter downspouts, cracked porch near steps, and get this...the plywood that was used to board up the windows was not painted the same color as the house!), etc. Code enforcement had me pull a permit for replacing exterior doors, windows, some siding, and I couldn't reshingle the roof without permits. Trying to fix the place up and make it much nicer than it was and I've had nothing but trouble from the dept of health / code enforcement.

    Good luck, keep the head down and grind away.

  • Full-Time Investor · Charlotte, NC · Member since 2009 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    14y

    welcome to the world of rental property...i think i had 6 evictions this summer, a few breakins, had a kid try to set fire to one of my houses, electric service ripped out and stolen, 3 HVAC's stolen, copper plumbing stolen...just a cost of doing business unfortunately..there are ways to mitigate these risks, but overall, i invest in lower to median income areas for high cashflow..with these areas come lazy thieving bastards

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