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All Forum Posts by: Brandon Pelfrey

Brandon Pelfrey has started 25 posts and replied 80 times.

Post: Duplex house hacking tax strategies

Brandon PelfreyPosted
  • Boise, ID
  • Posts 84
  • Votes 41

I've got a duplex under contract that will close on the 31st that I'm planning on house hacking - what should I do to prepare from a tax perspective?

Any experience or guidance out there on what I can do to maximize the tax benefits and minimize my tax liability would be greatly appreciated!

Also, in case this has any bearing on what I should do: the orher side of the duplex is currently in a lease with under market rents until September. After the lease is up I plan on trying it out on Airbnb.

Post: Meridian, Idaho Airbnb?

Brandon PelfreyPosted
  • Boise, ID
  • Posts 84
  • Votes 41

@Corby Goade I just PM'd you!

Post: Where to find employees to hire

Brandon PelfreyPosted
  • Boise, ID
  • Posts 84
  • Votes 41

@Chris C. I've used Craigslist to find manual labor before and have actually had some success with it. My main issues with it though are that they recently just started charging for posting help wanted listings and sometimes it just seems a little sketchy. But, with that being said, I just used it and within the 30 minutes ago that I posted this to now I found someone on it that should be able to fit my immediate need!

Thanks for responding!

Post: Where to find employees to hire

Brandon PelfreyPosted
  • Boise, ID
  • Posts 84
  • Votes 41

@Kelly DeWinter

I'm curious in general, but right now I'm looking for someone to do manual labor.

Post: Where to find employees to hire

Brandon PelfreyPosted
  • Boise, ID
  • Posts 84
  • Votes 41

Where do you guys go to find employees to hire? Is there a particular service, website, and/or technology you use to help you with this?

Post: Wearing out an agent

Brandon PelfreyPosted
  • Boise, ID
  • Posts 84
  • Votes 41

@Joe Splitrock Thanks, gotcha, not planning on wasting anyone's time

Post: Wearing out an agent

Brandon PelfreyPosted
  • Boise, ID
  • Posts 84
  • Votes 41
Thanks Anne. Could you explain these steps you mentioned to me? 

Originally posted by @Anne T Tanner:

Its all about letting the agent know your plan. That way the two of you can discuss when to call, when and how to explore on your own.  If you like your agent there are steps you need need to follow so you dont end up "tied" to a different agent.  A good agent will take the time to explain these steps to you 

Post: Wearing out an agent

Brandon PelfreyPosted
  • Boise, ID
  • Posts 84
  • Votes 41
Thanks Russell, really appreciate your perspective on this. Sounds like you are a great agent! 

Originally posted by @Russell Brazil:

I am an agent. I am a very high producing agent. I am an agent that works primarily with investors.  I work with investors of varying skill and price levels, from first time purchases buying a cheap $150k condo, all the way up to multimillion dollar deals. I do an amazing job for my clients. 

I say all this to preface, someone like myself who does a lot of business....we typically interview the client to see if we are going to take on the client. I turn down a lot of business. My time is limited, and I dont take on clients who I dont think are going to close deals. I can usually size someone up pretty quickly if they are going to close something.  If they want a property at a certain price, I tell them A) if that is possible, and B) If it is, we craft a strategy to get the property at that price.  If they want to make an offer where their price is not possible....I might do it once, a second time, I fire them. 

I dont show someone 100 properties.  They tell me what they want, what their criteria is.....I either know where to find a property that meets that criteria, or it doesnt exist in my market.

I spend a lot of time educating buyers on properties, the market, renovations....but its typically going to be at my leisure if we are in the education phase and not the buying phase....and Im usually going to have them come to REIAs and meetups for that.  If they want to look at a property they are not going to buy, if I happen to have the time....sure. But most of the time, I dont have the time to show properties unless your actually interested in buying, in which case I send them to the open house.

But the flip side is, I make my clients a ton of money.  Had a client this past year, got him $250k off the list price. (It was obviously an expensive property). Just got a deal under contract last month, $75k off list which was 18% off.  Big discounts like that though, those are usually several months of process involved

Post: Wearing out an agent

Brandon PelfreyPosted
  • Boise, ID
  • Posts 84
  • Votes 41
Thanks so much for your response Peter. I really like the idea of being upfront, working with the agent until you buy or they leave, then moving on. And I'm totally with you on the hassles of getting your license not being worth it (at least at this point for me).

Originally posted by @Peter M.:

Yes I fully understand your sentiment. When I tried being a full time agent a couple investors wore me thin and didn't end up buying anything. One actually drove around on his own and walked into a house that was being renovated that happened to have the listing agent there and bought it right there without me. So I am much more conscious of wasting agents time now that I don't have MLS access. Even with wholesalers I try to run all the numbers and due any due diligence I can before going to the property to cut down on wasting mine and their time. Just a balancing act, be honest with the agent upfront and work with him/her until you buy something or they start ignoring you. Then find another one. You could always get your license to ease your conscience but is that little voice in your head worth the classes, fees, CE, and broker fees? In my case its a no so I am just judicious with which houses I see.

One thing you could try doing is contacting the listing agent and tell him/her that you will go unrepresented and they will get the whole commission. Sometimes it works or they assign you a buyers agent from their team and do a dual agency transaction. 

Post: Wearing out an agent

Brandon PelfreyPosted
  • Boise, ID
  • Posts 84
  • Votes 41
Yes that's exactly the idea (the investor wants access to the properties and info about the properties without having to inconvenience the agent or coordinate with them). I feel like oftentimes the regular home-buyer decides they want to buy a home so they go and try to find a house that they like as quickly as possible, whereas an investor is focused much more on finding the right deal without the emotional factors that go into it. The issue I've seen is that agents don't necessarily understand that mindset and are more used to the mindset of a regular home-buyer.

That's interesting that your husband has his license but doesn't act as an agent for anyone. Do you use him as your agent on your deals?


Originally posted by @Tahra Wright:

If you are working with an agent that works with investors, they know the drill.  I prefer agents who are also investors because they can right away help you to analyze the deal based on what you want and tell you yea or nay.  We were more concerned about getting access to properties on our timing and not having to wait for when the agent was avail.  So my husband got his license just so we have access to the mls.  He does not help other ppl buy or sell homes.   With mls access we can get the showing instructions and go see the property on our own time.  Plus we can go direct to the listing agent and let them out the offer in for us. It’s a better way to build relationships with a lot of realtors!