DC Rowhouse Buy-Hold Serendipity

[Brendan G.]

Investment Info:

Single-family residence buy & hold investment.

Purchase price: $808,000
Sale price: $860,000

1890s two-story row house. 3BR/1.5BA, 1300+ SF, with private parking. Held for two years. No additional investment. Sold off market to private investor for tear-down, rebuild.

What made you interested in investing in this type of deal?

Location and land perfect for buy and hold

How did you find this deal and how did you negotiate it?

Private investor knocked on my door to discuss capping my chimney due to planned tear down on rowhouses abutting mine. Asked if he was interested in purchasing mine for addition to expand.

How did you finance this deal?

Investor paid cash for purchase of my rowhouse

How did you add value to the deal?

Put no money into the place after living in it for two years. Natural property appreciation due to location and investor need for location and land.

What was the outcome?

Made $52k for buy/hold strategy for two years. Also received 3-months free rent back while purchasing new place ($12,000 mortgage savings). So $64k made on total $177 equity, 36% ROI.

Lessons learned? Challenges?

Buy and hold is great but when opportunity comes knocking and the money is right, you have to know when to hold ‘em and know when to fold ‘em.

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

Kara Johnson, Realtor, Keller Williams DC