All Forum Posts by: Uwe G.

@Bob Malecki I can do that for you.  Just let me know the details, etc...

@Carter Thomas, 

Do you have great rates on the current mortages for these investments?  If so, you want to factor in the value of that cheap money if it is indeed cheap (vs refi or selling).  I would hang onto the Vancouver homes and see if you can replicate what you have done a third and fourth time so you can build efficiencies within your home market.  Vancouver is a market that provides cashflow and appreciation and has many appealing qualities looking forward when you compare it to Seattle, SF, and even Portland.  That tax location of Vancouver make it smart for more and more people move into the area which further supports increase cash flow and appreciation going forward.

I would look into tapping into the equity via a HELOC and using that money to continue to buy more cashflowing properties in the area since it appears you have a good handle on it. Or if you have a day job that provides cash to buy property I would continue to keep doing that and build scale locally.

@Viviana Ramirez  I am local to Vancouver WA and work within property management (we focus on single family and 40 units and less multi-family).  Feel free to use me as a resource to verify rents, run cap rates, or need recommendations for insurance agents, mortgage brokers, and/or contractors, etc...

@Kent Nielson I agree with @Carter Thomas.  I agree that if you find 1% properties those almost become no brainers but I have trouble finding those.  I focus on getting access to money at 4.75% or less and target cap rates around 6% in today's market in good locations only.  I will go lower on the cap rate (5.5%) at time of purchase if I think I can easily raise rents over the next two years to market or immediately with a vacancy.  The other method is if you find a 2 bedroom or 3 bedroom house that lays out nicely to easily add another bedroom for less then 5K all in (walls, doors, closet, eletrical, lighting).   If you have a day job that brings in great income I wouldn't mind going a little lower to start the investing clock sooner so you can realize the power of long-term compounding assuming you always invest in positive cashflow.

@Mike Nuss Sounds good!  Willing to help in anyway!

@Nick Rutkowski I think a recession will occur at somepoint but I think as it relates to real estate it will be much more location based vs. the previous recession which was centered around real estate across the entire country.  The upcoming recession will most likely be led my businesses not being able to fulfill their debts.  The corporate debt bubble is what will pop and that will impact jobs and have a huge impact on commercial real estate in the areas and sectors impacted the most.  Continue to invest in the migration trends of mild climates and low taxes (state income and property) and you will continue to make money if you buy prudently in those areas.

When a recession occurs I agree that if you have access to capital you will benefit greatly if deployed correctly.  More importantly you need to be in a position from a relationship standpoint to take advantage of any massive deals.  There is still a lot of liquidity sitting out there that is waiting and also supports current pricing.  So I recommend still doing deals to maintain and build the relationships that will help you do more business when the recession happens and you want to deploy massive amounts of capital.

@Kent Nielson I have a builder friend of mine that is pretty frugal and smart and he builds apartment grade at $105 per sq ft.

@Kent Nielson Rarebird in a good networking group but I think it costs money to join.  They are in Portland and I went to a couple meet and greets and was impressed with all the people I met.  An option in Vancouver is REVIN which meets every other Tuesday at Gobi Mongolian Grill at 12 PM off Mill Plain.  

Given I am local to Vancouver I would be more then happy to meet up with you for coffee sometime and discuss everything under the sun real estate.  My day job is working for Personal Property Management which is a property manager that covers Clark County for single families and smaller apartment complexes.

@Mike Nuss let me know if you need any help finding a tenant or need management given you are primarily working out of Portland and might not want to be on call and/or cross the river, etc...

Hi @Kent Nielson, I think most folks from Portland do tend to stay in Portland since there is so much more to do there then across the river.  I feel that it is more likely that you would have people from Vancouver crossing the river to go to Portland versus the other way around.  There is one exception I have found with real estate investors.  I am finding Portland follks are investing into buy and holds up in Clark County.  Flipping is not as much fun in Vancouver due to the excise tax when selling.

All in all I think it makes sense to continue networking with people in Portland because as time goes on more and more people will be moving across the river when their financial and family situation aligns with moving north.  It is hard to deny the appeal of 0% income tax and the overall quality of schools and infrastructure that is being put in place in Southwest Washington.  If you have a family, make a good income, and have the ability to work out of a home office it is a compelling move.  Also, if you are retired it makes a lot of sense as well.

It also depends on who you are trying to network with. Is it future clients, vendors, or partners?

Hi @Kris Hernandez, I very much agree with @Christine Kankowski's comment regarding getting your real estate license.  Many people are doing wholesaling sucessfully but I feel in the market we are currently in it makes more sense to be an agent and try and earn commissions and then be able to buy houses as a discount / reduced downpayment.  Also, when you go to sell your own flip you can sell it yourself to help out your margins.  For networking in Vancouver look up REVIN, we meet every other Tuesday an Gobi Mongolian Grill on Mill Plain.  Another great resource for learning would be RAREBIRD which is out of Portland.