Contractors - Atlanta Metro Area

[Nigel McFarlane]

Hi,

Does anyone know a good general contractor in the Atlanta metro area? I've recently started analyzing potential BRRRR properties and I would need a contractor that could bring the property to it's highest use and value.

I currently live out of state but my business partner lives in the area and could meet with contractors for quotes.

Looking forward to your responses.

Thanks

-Nigel

[Jay Ragland]

Hello

[Curt Smith]

I get all my contractor referals from the local REIA I belong to, GaREIA.com , they have a google group/email list where I can ask for what ever trades I need and another investor will share who they are using. Since you are remote, the google groups would be very useful. $149 to join and $99/yr. Probably the best $149 you'll spend if you will be buying/rehabbing/renting in an area. Look for REIAs in your other areas too.

But a tip about contractors,,,, Atlanta is hot, everyone is working and busy.   its tough to get a good contractor and even tougher to get a good price.   GC's are rare so us locals all self manage the rehab / subs.

The BP rehabbing book by J. Scott might have some tips / learning re remote rehabbing.  For me, my last 13 rehabs are all around 2 hrs away and I remote manage because I found a fantastic local contractor who finds his own subs (sort of like a GC).  What I found in Chattanooga is difficult in Atlanta,, finding that fantastic trust worthy person.   

Another route would be to partner with a local,, who then has a vested interest that the project finishes and rents up.

Read on BP about doing a remote rental / rehab  business.  Its NOT as simple as getting a plumber referal.

[Todd Ortscheid]

When you say Atlanta Metro, which part are you referring to? Atlanta is about 2.5 hours driving time across, so a contractor who serves Roswell usually won't serve Newnan. Some areas are hot and harder to find people, some areas are easier.

[Dougie Barnard]

Nigel I am also looking for GCs to work with on a BRRRR. I am in Atlanta but new to real estate investing. Thanks for your question. @Jay Ragland I will be teaching out to you shortly. @Curt Smith very sound advice. The annual dues were keeping me from joining REIA, so it's good to hear that you find them worth the cost and much more.

[Curt Smith]

@Dougie Barnard  My business partner / wife and I spend about $5k / yr on investing into our education and will continue at this investment rate till we are dead.   The most valuable dollars invested are the dollars you spend on self education and putting yourself in groups of more advanced then yourself.   You make money not from houses but from knowledge AND your network,,,, deals and profit flow from knowledge and network.

I'm going to assets101.com Advanced strategies this week end, as I do every Jan, and about 5 other high performing events per year.  you are the average value of the group you hang with.   The every Wed at 10am deal makers group at http://gareia.com are a high performing group of advanced investors and the educational events I pay $$$ for off assets101.com and other top trainers per year.   

The best to you,,, curt

[Dougie Barnard]

@Curt Smith Thank you for your detailed response. I am very encouraged that you've had such a positive experience with investment in your real estate education. As a new investor, I understand the potential value of paying for information and access to networks, but I've also been told to watch out for "pay to play" opportunities because so much information is already out there for free. But the opportunities you're describing sound quite different from the webinars, sales courses, and coaching programs that take many newcomers for an expensive ride. You've reminded me that not everyone is out there trying to "help you" under the guise of lining their pockets. Just like analyzing deals, we should analyze the value proposition of educational/networking investments. GA REIA sounds great and I will certainly reconsider.

[Anna Watkins]

Ditto the GaREIA suggestion for Atlanta-area investors.  Yes, membership is $149 (the first year, $99 after that), but it's in no way a disguised sales event.  The monthly general meetings may have speakers with something to sell, but they also share valuable info for free in the meeting.  The real value is the information, advice and networking through weekly and monthly subgroup gatherings (Dealmakers, New Investors, Landlords and many more), and the associated Google email groups.  For new investors (or new-to-Atlanta investors), know that Curt is a highly successful buy-and-hold landlord who's also incredibly generous in sharing his hard-won knowledge and time.  In value per dollar over a year, GaREIA would still be dirt cheap at twice the price!

[Mo Adeleye]

Like Nigel and Dougie, I've also been looking for contractors in the Atlanta area. It's definitely been a challenge to get contractors since most are working and busy as previously mentioned.

@Curt Smith @Anna Watkins, does the GaREIA group make sense for remote Atlanta investors who are not always able to be on the ground? Are the mailing lists active enough to still be of value for someone who's remote? I agree with Dougie, that in the past, dues have made me hesitant to sign up for those opportunities. 

@Jay Ragland I'll send you a note separately as I'd like to learn more about your team's work.

[Greg Kurzner]

Our sister company Property Pro Services is a licensed General Contractor.  Work with investors on rehab projects as a specialty...let me know if you want me to connect you.

[Curt Smith]

@Mo Adeleye The deal makers google group can refer you contractors, property managers etc etc.   I'm certain there's non local members just for this google group.   Here's my view;  only new folks who aren't doing deals ask this  kind of question.  Experienced folks know that your personal value is the average of your network and finding a local group of expert/experienced investors for some small fee is of high value.   

Tai Lopez: The 65 tips guy; spend 1/3 of your time with folks below your level, 1/3 with folks at your level, 1/3 with folks above your level.  You need to find where to find that 1/3 above your level.  Group think amoung the 1/3 below your level might be holding you back.  :)

Go to events by Dykes (assets101.com), Dave Tilney, Pete Fortunato (google these guys). Find local REIAs in your area, join them all, sort which ones work for you... REI requires a Masters Degree (10,000 hours) amount of time and money spent on orgs, education and all those services you need to sub to: skip trace, lead gen, CRM, direct mail etc etc.

Contrary to what folks might say, to become successful in real estate takes a large investment in education (10,000 hrs and $$$).  I quit my day Engineering day job 3 yrs ago via buying enough rentals.  Now I really like helping new folks  buy their own portfolio.  So I hear and see a-l-o-t of misconceptions.  Tonight I'm speaking at the Gwinnett county sub-group; how to find rental deal, my favorit topic.  :) :) :)   I really like helping new folks....   

[Mo Adeleye]

Thanks @Curt Smith! And yes, I am new to this, so appreciate the tips :)

[Anna Watkins]

@Mo Adeleye - Yes, yes, and yes.   As Curt said, joining the GaREIA is all about networking and education.  If you're out of town, I'd even recommend flying in for the next 2 or 3 day Bootcamp (on the GaREIA calendar) -- even with airfare, it's gonna be cheaper than some guru course, it's in the actual location where you're investing (or want to invest), and you'll meet many of your online connections in person.

Same goes for anyone wanting to invest remotely elsewhere. Find out what's the best REI group in the area, and join!

[Mo Adeleye]

Thanks for the recommendation @Anna Watkins! 

[Dionte Shaw]

Hello please reach out to me for more information

[Robert Mitchell]

Hi

DM me. what area?

[Helmut Forren]

@Curt Smith, I like what I read from you hear, as well as from others and their interaction with you.  I'm hoping you're above my level and I'd like to include you in my 1/3 above group.  To this end, I'd like to query you a little and tell you a little about myself.  My wife is big on privacy, and out of due diligence, I'm a little concerned with how much detail I give on this forum, vs how much I would tell you directly, via message or in person.

When I first read your comment about $5k/year on education, I felt like @Dougie Barnard.  Simply put, I've seen too many education solicitations that are either low-information-content or crooked.  I wanted to ask how much money you're earning in investment relative to that $5k/year investment in education.  However, reading your other posts on this one thread alone have somewhat answered my questions.  You left your Engineering day job.  You've done 13 rehabs.  @Anna Watkins seems to perhaps personally know you and says you're a "highly successful buy-and-hold landlord."  So, surely your earning more than the tuition back, and I hope 10 to 100 times more.

ANNA also sings your praises about your sharing of info.  Thank you very much, sincerely.

DARN. I'm reading this Wed before lunch, but too late for the dealmakers Ga REIA meeting. I hope to be there next week. I think you said there was an email list, too. I don't easily find that. Might you be so kind as to give me a little more detail on how to find that?

Now, about me...

I'm a moderately experienced buy-and-hold investor with my own RE salesperson license that I've used substantially for my own purchases over the past 5 to 15 years. I'm looking to branch out into fix-and-flip. I built my own residence with my own two hands and I manage all the turnarounds of my rentals (which were by intentional design mostly move-in ready at time of purchase; a different discussion for a different time).

What I *believe* I'm looking for is (A) assistance finding properties*, (B) assistance finding cheaper quality labor because my rental handyman has gotten too expensive and I'm not going to do personal labor, and (C) additional sources of funding. These are I think in priority order. Beyond those things, I think have it all under control. Of course, it's always good to keep an open mind to new and better things that I didn't think of already.

Be aware that I'm 60 years old. I'm an Electrical Engineering hourly consultant; my wife is a certified User Experience Engineer employee (higher level than Software or GUI). We both work from home. I had a quad rental from 2005 to 2013, but it was just too old and I moved away when I built my house. We've built up 12 SFR's since then, and they're generating enough income to account for 1/3 of our anticipated semi-retirement income, into which I'd like to get in 2 years. Our current standard of living based on both family income and family assets is in the top 3% for the USA. This gives you a hint at how much we currently earn and we want the same amount in semi-retirement. The last 1/3 of semi-retirement income is "working".

So, with only two years to go, I want to ramp up a new "working" talent.  I don't want to continue as an hourly consultant.  It scales down over the short term (like during a transition from consulting to investing), but it doesn't easily scale down long term.  The rentals have done us well, so I'm thinking "RE".  My one rehab over a decade ago netted $450, but I'm much more savvy now than then.  I want to investigate buy-and-flip again.  At a minimum, I want to do a very small number of the next couple years, ending up doing just one or two in semi-retirement.  This will leave lots of international vacation time.  Beyond the minimum, It would be nice if it took off enough for me only to switch from engineering for half our income to flipping.  But remember, that means an income of half of what a top 3%-er family earns.  Even beyond that, it would be nice to earn enough to pay the house off earlier (most of the reason for the 2 year timeline) and semi-retire even earlier.  

So, that's me, where I want to go, and what I think of and questions for CURT.  I ask for answers from CURT and comments from everyone else.

Thanks very much,

Helmut

[Adah N.]

@Greg Kurzner

Pls connect me. New to RE investing, learning as much as possible and looking to buy my first BRRRR.

Thanks