My friend the real estate agent says there are NO deals in Tacoma

[Angela Jossy]

My friend is a well known real estate agent in Tacoma and I met with her last week to tell her of my goal to invest in a 4-plex (house-hacking) to start my plan to become a real estate investor. She said she has been hoping to do something similar but there are no deals in Tacoma. She said the market is so hot that she is just swamped trying to find houses for her clients. She said I should keep saving money so that I have at least 25k to cover my FHA down payment, home repairs and any vacancies. She said in a year or two the market may change and then i would be able to find a good deal on a 4-plex. She also said that I will still have to pay part of my mortgage myself because even with 3 renters, it probably wouldn't cover the whole thing. My question to you is - is she right?

[Matt J.]

I agree with Joshua. Positive things happen to positive thinkers.

Now, that's not to say it's not a hot market because it is. You may need to get creative with how you find a deal. Drive for dollars, network with others, mail to off market owners, etc. Listen to the podcasts, several of them address the topic of how to find good deals other than the MLS. If you send me a Note I'll forward a Word doc I've put together with ways to find deals (this list was compiled from the podcasts and my experience, I am by no means an expert though).

Above all, stay positive and remember "there is no shortage of success" (Grant Cardone)