All Forum Posts by: James Marszalek

Definitely. Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions. I've been on both sides of that coin for a while. Good luck! 

Hey @Ben Lukes. I'm prior military. Spent 7 years in the Army, and deployed twice, and lived off base almost the entire time. In almost every base across the country, in order to live off post, you have to be married, or a certain rank (typically higher ranking). Single guys that would otherwise live in the barracks are normally required to live on post, meaning that the majority of the people you will be renting to is a family, not a single soldier. Also note that the Military Clause in a lease agreement simply allows the soldier to break the lease without financial consequence. The clause doesn't say you have to hold the unit for the soldier while they're deployed, that wouldn't be reasonable. In this situation, the military sends a moving company to pack the contents of their unit, and puts it into storage for the term of the deployment. When the soldier returns, he/she secures new housing and they deliver the household goods to the new location. That explain it? Good question man. 

As far as not being able to find a replacement, I've never had that problem here. I rent in popular neighborhoods that also happen to be convenient and close to the base. Also note, with a base as big as JLBM, it's highly unlikely the base would ever be 100% deployed at the same time. There's Always people incoming and outgoing. Unlike one of my other duty stations: Fort Wainwright, Alaska. 90,000 population total for the base and city. When we deployed, we ALL deployed, about 8,000 soldiers. Turned the city into a ghost town. So, there's a polar opposite for you. Don't buy rentals in Fairbanks, AK unless you have a plan B! 

That is correct. It's true for any lease, even if that language is not in your lease. It's also true for program's like Home Partners of America, which is a "Lease with an Option to Purchase". It applies to PCS orders (Duty Station Change) or Deployment Orders. 

 Hopefully we can be graced with your presence at a future event. We'd love to have you swing down and talk for a bit! I've got a great space for a nice crowd of about 30 people. Let me know if you ever have time and I'll set it up! 

Just to clarify, the title "South Sound Investor Network Event" is just a term to describe the event and those who invest in this area. It's not a "group" that you have to be a part of, this event is open to everybody. We're all here because of Bigger Pockets, and that's what this whole event revolves around. 

Let's stand back from our digital platforms for an hour and meet in person. Whether you're an agent, investor, money man, contractor, or just someone interested in the investor world, this is a great opportunity to meet like minded individuals, and pick the brains of people who are actively investing in real estate in Pierce and Thurston County! 

I will be the host for the evening. We'll discuss the upcoming webinar on how to find incredible deals in a competative market. If you aren't registered for this free event, you can do so here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/webinar. Snacks and drinks will be provided, free of charge. Please note that although I am a Real Estate Agent and Investor, this night is all about networking. Let's build relationships, share stories, experiences, and participate in an open forum of what is working, and what lessons have been learned. 

I'm definitely looking forward to meeting you all! Please don't hesitate to reach out with questions or comments! 

This event is great for those in the following markets: Tacoma, Lakewood, Puyallup, Spanaway, Graham, DuPont, Yelm, Roy, Lacey, Olympia, Lake Tapps, Bonney Lake, etc. 

Hi Maria, 

I agree with Hans, Seattle is over inflated, and it's more and more difficult to find a deal that the numbers actually make sense on. As you move across the King County/ Pierce County line into Tacoma, the median house price falls almost $150,000. With Joint Base Fort Lewis/Mcchord  (JLBM) that has several cities surrounding it, military rentals are in high demand, and the military gives soldiers a stipend for house that ranges between $1,300 and up. I'm former military, and understand that process well. I'd be happy to explain the benefits of it further if you need. I see a lot of multi-families in this area that are very well priced, with low vacancy rates and great positive cash flow. The link includes just a few multi-families around the JLBM area, just to give you an idea of what the market is like here. Let me know if you have any questions! 

Multi-Family Examples around JLBM