Granite slabs being thrown in the dumpster
Wednesday, January 08
Today I visited a granite (natural stone) fabricator. They take whole slabs and fabricate them into kitchen counter tops, bathroom vanity tops, etc. What they explained to me is that they typically have a small number of whole slabs in stock that they use for jobs. Many times whole slabs ha...
How I got into real estate investing
Sunday, January 05
A few people have asked me how I got over the fear of making the first step in investing in real estate. When you do anything the first time, it can be a cause of fear. Think back to when you went on a first date with someone -- you wanted to impress them, but not appear too desperate, and ...
From ZERO to SIX FIGURE gross annual income in 2.5 years!
Tuesday, December 31
Back in March 2013, I wrote a blog post to publicly announce my goal of achieving 6-figure gross annual rental income in 2.5 years. Since that time, people have been asking me, "So, how close are you to your goal?" or "Did you hit your goal yet?" Posting goals publicly is a great way to k...
The things kids say!
Saturday, December 28
Being a landlord is not 100% fun -- it's a business, after all. But there are a few times when it can give you a little laugh. I bought a side-by-side duplex from a private seller in June 2011. One side had existing tenants that I still have to this day. The prior landlord did keep the ma...
Giving tenants with a prior eviction a chance
Friday, December 27
I do my own property management for my rentals. As such, I have control over who I let live in my properties. I have the showings, I take phone calls, I answer emails, and I talk to people in person. One consideration that has come up a couple times in the past is whether or not to rent to ...
Overcoming Analysis Paralysis
Saturday, December 21
When I started in real estate, I got myself into quite a pickle because I invested with and trusted someone that was family and who wound up screwing me over. Obviously, in hindsight, I should have did more research and would never have wound up partnering with this individual. I wound up los...