All Forum Posts by: Andrew R.

@Christopher Paulson yes, I am! On our way out though. Moving to Connecticut this summer.

Hello!

Just found out my family is moving to Kodiak! We are beyond excited to get back to AK, but I know little about the Island, and even less about investing there. We will have 2 kids under 2 and are hoping to house hack a 2-4 unit in a safe/family friendly neighborhood. In the little research I have done it seems like everything comes off the MLS or is a FSBO?

Any advice on locations/opportunities would be greatly appreciated!

Also, any recommendations on investor friendly realtors, banks, property mgt, plumbers, ect.....send 'em over! Long distance networking sucks!

Looking forward to ramping up our search. We will be on the island end of May.

Thanks for reading.

Andy

Welp, change of plans....Kodiak, AK here we come!  Thank you all for your assistance and insight.  If you happen to have any insight on investing on remote islands in AK, please let me know.

We are very excited for the adventure!

Thank you Russell! We are looking forward to getting back to Mass. but don’t know South Coast very well. Are you finding most deals off the MLS? New Bedford and Fall River have a huge inventory on MLS but other areas seem pretty slim. In your opinion, where is the best place to invest? Where is the best place to live? And, is there somewhere we can get the best of both worlds?

Hello BP!

I'm active duty and it looks like we might get orders to the South Coast! I'm originally from the Cape and excited to be closer to home after AK, FL, and currently VA. We will have 2 kids under 2 and are hoping to house hack a 2-4 unit in a safe/family friendly area within 40 minutes of New Bedford. Right now we are focusing our research in New Bedford, Acushnet, Fairhaven, Dartmouth, and Mattapoisett. We have found some great investment opportunities but it's hard to find one we would want to call home.

Any advice on locations/opportunities would be greatly appreciated!

Also, any recommendations on investor friendly realtors, banks, property mgt, plumbers, ect.....send 'em over!  Long distance networking sucks!

Looking forward to ramping up our search.  Planning a trip this April to start looking.

Thanks for reading.

Andy

@Ron Boling: Love AK as well. I traveled quite a bit before joining living in NH, CO, LA, and FL and have been stationed in Sitka, AK, Fort Myers, FL, and Norfolk, VA. Haven't lived close to home in 15 years and now have a 1 year old...it's time!

The New Bedford job would also be great career wise.  I'd love to hear more about specific neighborhoods in the area.  Looking to keep my commute within 30 minutes.

That's why we need to be 6' tall to join!

@Bryan C. Good to know! is that where you are invested?  How has it been dealing with property mgt. while moving?

@Jen Etten Thanks! I would love to get back to SE AK!  I was on a buoy tender and we pulled into Ketch often.  I will definitely be in touch if that is where we end up.

@Matthew Hudson Hyannis?? I grew up in Marstons Mills.  We absolutely love Seattle but finding a place to live without giving myself a 1.5hr commute will be difficult.  Thanks for the input and especially the vanlines survey, I had never seen it.

Ron and Aaron, I am in the Coast Guard. One of the many benefits is living in smaller "non military" areas. I'm originally from Cape Cod and my wife is a Vermonter.

Christian, yes, pay changes by location. Basic Allowance for Housing.

Hello BP,

I am an Active Duty O2-E and facing that magical time of year....TRANSFER SEASON. Searching for any input on the below locations from an investment standpoint. If you have any pros/cons on an area, know of great neighborhoods to look in, or want to take a crack at ranking these billets, anything helps! Researching all of these locations from an investment standpoint is a much larger task than I expected!

My wife and I want to purchase a duplex, tri, or quad to house hack using the VA loan. We need at least a 2br for ourselves and are looking for some forced appreciation in a B- to A+ community. Proximity to walking/downtown area a plus! Our next tour will be 3 years, and we are looking for a long term hold, requiring property management upon our departure.

Currently, we do not hold any properties. We had a quad deal in Norfolk that fell through at the last minute. I truly feel it wasn't meant to be and am grateful for the learning experience! Disappointed, but excited for the next opportunity.

To the list! (this is my current ranking based on location and job, real estate investing not considered)

1. New Bedford, MA

2. Fort Macon, NC

3. Santa Barbara, CA

4. Cincinnati, OH

5. Kodiak, AK

6. Ketchikan, AK

7. Wilmington, NC

8. Seattle, WA

9. Anchorage, AK

10. San Pedro, CA

11. Duluth, MN

12. Baltimore, MD

13. San Fran, CA

Thanks for your time and input!

Andy

We are in the process of purchasing a multi-family home, and will needs to implement RUBS to ensure a profit.  We will split water and electric (used for common area lighting and water heater only) based on occupancy.  We plan to take on 15% of the water bill and 30% of the electric, and split the rest of the cost based on occupancy (# of people and days rented).  This all falls within legal limits in Virginia, as long as it is written into the lease.  One unit is currently vacant, and the other two will have new leases coming up in the next few months.  We are looking for a letter of some sort explaining the process and benefits (better than raising rent, environmentally friendly, simple billing as payment adds to next rent rather than 3rd party) We would like to replace faucets/showers/toilets with low flow options to help curbs costs as well. Would love to hear how you have implemented RUBS, if there is another formula you swear by, or any concerns in the process.  THANKS!