turned $15k into $65k in 3 years investing in tax liens.

[Sam Bagwell]

It has taken 3 years to get to this point, but I have now flipped a two-unit rental, bought, foreclosed, quieted title, and sold a commercial property from a tax sale, done the same for a residential lot also purchased at a tax sale, and today, I'm selling again, after completing another tax sale quiet title.  In all, just from tax sales, my partner and I have turned approximately $15k into $65k in 3 years.  We hold one more lot under a tax sale, which we're running out the clock on now.  In the meantime, 2 months ago I closed on my first buy/hold house, which I bought for $65k, with a $399/mo mortgage, and I'm renting it out for $800 per month, with no headaches so far.

I'm ashamed at how long I sat on the sidelines.  As a real estate attorney and former real estate agent, I have the knowledge base, but had always let my day-job get in the way, helping other investors do these things, but I had just never taken the time or financial risk to do them myself.  I finally identified that while I had very good technical and procedural knowledge, I lacked confidence in knowing a very specific market, and whether any particular deal was a good one.  So, I niched way way down, and only have looked at properties in Cumming and Gainesville, Georgia, in 30040, 30041, 30504, and 30506, all of which are zip codes where I have worked and lived, so I'm very familiar with them.

At any rate, for the last 36 months I felt like I was "faking it until I made it," but now, on the closing of today's deal, I'm pretty excited, and my confidence has gotten a bog boost.  Thanks to everyone here who posts frequently and provides some inspiration to others.

[Sam Bagwell]

Thanks everyone;  @David Kenny, I'd be happy to grab a coffee anytime you're around.  My office is downtown off of Green Street/West Academy.  @Tony SanFilippo; My best deal by far was a tax lien purchased for $1,200.  This was a landlocked commercial lot in downtown Cumming.  I had a small connection with an adjacent property owner (a small grocery store), and knew that he needed to expand his parking lot for his delivery trucks.  We did the foreclosure of right to redeem, and a full quiet title action (since I handle quiet title cases for my investor clients, I had no costs on this), and then sold the lot to the grocery store for $30k.  The entire process only took about 18 months, and turned $1,200 to $30k.  It was awesome!  IT was definitely risky, as there were really only a few potential buyers for the landlocked lot (the adjacent owners), so they sort of had me over a barrel, if they wanted to, but it all worked out!