I'm New to SF: Seeking Info Interview with Seasoned SF Investor

[Josh Fader]

Are any experienced SF real estate investors willing to meet with me for coffee to discuss this market? I am in my mid-20's and have been a part of the BP community for a while and am eager to take that first step and invest in my first property. I want to learn the strategies investors are using in this market and meet some of you in this community to start to develop my network here! Please reply to my message I'd love to connect. 

[Leslie Pappas]

Originally posted by @Josh Fader:

Are any experienced SF real estate investors willing to meet with me for coffee to discuss this market? I am in my mid-20's and have been a part of the BP community for a while and am eager to take that first step and invest in my first property. I want to learn the strategies investors are using in this market and meet some of you in this community to start to develop my network here! Please reply to my message I'd love to connect. 

Hi Josh,

I live in Silicon Valley, and I specialize in syndicated real estate. I can tell you what people here have done to set themselves up for retirement. There are two types of investors here:

1. Buy or inherit and hold for a long time, then cash out and redeploy equity into potentially higher cash flowing properties or other investments.

2. Buy or inherit and hold all their lives while working the properties for income.

I've seen teachers, firemen, software engineers and all sorts of people utilize both strategies successfully. One way or another, however, the investors must work to pay down loans, increase rents and decrease expenses wherever possible. One way or another, they are building their net worth.

Building net worth is how you may possibly retire with fewer worries. If your retirement utterly depends on having adequate cash flow from your properties, any downturns will cripple you. AND you must maintain adequate reserves to take care of the disasters that may happen.

Most of my clients fall into the first group above. If you are or become an accredited investor, you can buy into institutional grade $50-125M projects with as little as $100,000 and diversify. 

So my advice- build your equity.

Best of luck! Leslie