The Double-Edged Sword that is HGTV
Sunday, May 22
Flip or Flop, Property Brothers, Rehab Addict, Income Property, Fixer Upper, 5 day Flip, etc. That’s a lot of TV shows dedicated to real estate investing. Although the majority offer good entertainment, I thought I’d outline a few very important expenses all of these shows fail to include consi...
The 7-Eleven Secret
Sunday, May 15
A few weeks ago I was showing a rental property down in Tacoma to one of my investor clients. The property was inexpensive, produced very attractive cash flow, met the 1% rule (contact me if you would like to know what that is), and was in a good location, at least on paper.Typical of me, I arri...
Inventory and Interest Rates - Getting the numbers right
Monday, April 11
Recently I was at a networking event hosted by my local chamber of commerce. There must have been 30 or 40 people present and surprisingly, only one other was a realtor. He was from another firm, a highly respectable firm that’s quite noticeable here in Whatcom County. I have met him before an...
A message to Canadians who bought US real estate
Tuesday, March 01
As a Canadian myself, I understand the needs and wants, hopes and desires, dreams and aspirations, of my fellow Canuck. We appreciate the use of the word “eh,” we love our Horton’s, poutine, and wear shorts when it’s sunny no matter how cold it is. Despite the reputation, we're actually not par...
Some Lesser-Known Mistakes With Real Estate Investing
Thursday, January 21
Most of us involved in real estate investing know there are common mistakes most beginners make. For instance, many don’t allow themselves a large enough contingency reserve. Here is a list of mistakes that are not as widely recognized but still critically important:NOT ACCOUNTING FOR THE RISK-...
The make-up of an offer: Price vs. Terms
Wednesday, December 09
When buyers draw up an offer to purchase real estate the first thing that comes to mind is price. But price is not the only thing that makes up an offer. In fact, with inventory so low these days, sellers can be very picky and demanding. For instance, making an offer without proof of funds or a p...