All Forum Posts by: Uwe G.

Hi @Travis Nebeker

Welcome to the world of RE and investing.  I have been doing it for over 10 years and finally make it my full time passion and job.  I am local to Vancouver, WA and focus on helping investors out primarily via Property Management.  I do come across deal flow as well but as other have mentioned...finding deals is tough but it is something that takes persistence.  For your first deal I recommend using a Real Estate agent that understands an investors approach and make sure you a fully financially qualified before you seek their help.  Let me know how I can help you...I am eager to network, connect, and work hard alongside all the other Bigger Pockets friends.

To answer the following question:  "Wont the new Trump/GOP tax plan reduce demand for housing?"

I think housing demand is tied ultimately to population growth overall.  I believe that the demand for housing will increase in low income tax and low property tax states.  And the inverse will be true for the high income and high property tax states.  It seems to me that FL, NV, TX, and WA would be more appealing now (they were appealing before, but this is icing on the cake).  They all have good job markets and climates that appeal to the demographics of the population.  People that were considering moving may now actually do it.  It will be interesting to see the migration trends within the US over the next 5 years and how it compares to the last 5 years.

Hi @Steven Mak

Would love to help you out as well.  I am local to Vancouver, WA and a full time real estate professional focusing on property management of single family homes.  My wife is a real estate agent and we focus on working with investors.

Hi Maria,

I believe Vancouver, WA would be a good choice.  If you want to private message me we can connect and I can fill you in on more information over the phone.

@Brian Eastman

Thanks Brian!  I agree with your prudent way of thinking.  I also agree with not cutting retirement funds in half (I would never do that too!).  I feel people need to be more strategic around that.  Depending on the tax bracket or short term situation the actual tax effect from cashing out of a retirement account can be manipulated down to an effective 10-25% tax hit based on what happened in the current year or immediate plans for the next year.  Basically like most complicated matters...it really depends on all the variables and moving pieces.  No one sized fits all approach is applicable to this matter.  Working with a team of trusted advisers is excellent advice.  The hard part is finding them!

Thank you again for providing such great insight and education on this thread!  Couldn't agree more with using professionals when in doubt.

@Brian Eastman 

Thanks for the feedback! I need someone to educate me a little more on the topic since it appears I am not thinking through this correctly. I was under the assumption if you want to invest in real estate, don't do it in a retirement account. So maybe I have been misinformed on how to use funds. I have been learning through the Rich Dad Advisor's and might have misinterpreted some of the material. I am coming to that same cross roads where I will have the opportunity to use the combination of 401K and IRA money. Currently I hold a dividend portfolio but was thinking of doing the cash out to buy cash flowing real estate. Can you help me understand what I am missing? My natural inclination would be to pull the money out now and pay the penalty and taxes and then use that money for down payments and never pay taxes again on the cash flows. So my overall return calculations are based on three principles: Does this move increase my ability to use banks to borrow more money in the future (am I increasing my income)? What will be the cash flow effects net of taxes? Will taxes be higher in the future?

@Account Closed had the best advice.  Cash out, pay the 10% penalty and taxes now.  Or if you can spread the cash out over several tax years.  Then you can use leverage and deprecation to your advantage moving forward.

If you are looking to move your 401K and keep it in the equities markets I highly recommend transferring it to an Interactive Brokers account and then buying some REITs with it.  Then on a monthly basis reinvest the money from the REITs to buy more shares.  My only caution would be to stay away from apartment REITs.

Does anyone have any recommendations for insurance providers in the State of Washington for LLCs?

Thanks Rumen and Doug. So you both are not turned off by the high fees of mortgages like I am? I was thinking that being able to make all cash offers makes me a much stronger buyer with the ability to also close much more quickly which can be attractive. I would be curious to hear thoughts from the pros on what I am missing when it comes to this type of logic. Maybe I am just having a hard time finding deals that I deem good enough in the SFR space.

Hi Vancouver WA BP folks!  I am currently living in Chicago but looking to buy rentals in Vancouver, WA because that is where my fiance and I would like to end up.  If anyone is looking to sell their property let me know!