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All Forum Posts by: Simon W.

Simon W. has started 47 posts and replied 1265 times.

Post: Interest and Opinions on Markets in Eastern PA

Simon W.
Posted
  • Real Estate Consultant
  • Lehigh Valley PA & New York City
  • Posts 1,315
  • Votes 641
Quote from @Kyle Hunihan:

Hello everyone,

I recently relocated to Eastern Pennsylvania, just outside of Philadelphia, and am excited to start looking for my first long-term rental property in the area. I've heard great things about markets like Reading, Allentown, and Lancaster, PA, but would love to hear your insights! Are there other areas I should be considering as well?

To give some context, my budget is around $300K, so any recommendations within that range would be especially helpful.

Looking forward to your advice and suggestions!


 Welcome to BP!

I am in the Lehigh Valley area. It really depends on what goals you are trying to accomplish and the type of housing you are looking.

My partner and I have our own construction companies that we work together and we've been helping clients to renovate to either flip or rentals. Sometimes the client will say they want to flip the property but half way through the project, the client will want to make it a rental. 

For your budget, is that $300K cash or you will be getting a loan? There are a lot of variables.

Post: Property Management Question- Accounting

Simon W.
Posted
  • Real Estate Consultant
  • Lehigh Valley PA & New York City
  • Posts 1,315
  • Votes 641
Quote from @H. Jack Miller:
Quote from @Nathan Gesner:
Quote from @H. Jack Miller:

Is there a need for accounting and limited property and CAM management on commerical properties?  

Are you asking if there is demand for software? I believe so. There are software platforms available now.


 Yes -plenty of software, but getting good people who know what they are doing is another thing.. 

I am unclear what this post is asking for.

There are definitely a need for accounting and CAM management. Yardi Voyager offers it and since it is commercial properties, Yardi kind of taken this market. Not many accounting and PM software do this but any accountant who understands PM and CAM will know what to do.

I've done my fair share of CAM recs. 

Post: Romeoville IL Flip

Simon W.
Posted
  • Real Estate Consultant
  • Lehigh Valley PA & New York City
  • Posts 1,315
  • Votes 641

22% CoC Return

Cash Invested $230K  

You made $50,600 in return

But the sale price is $275K

The math isn't adding up.

If you take $275K less that take home profit of $50600. It comes out $224,400 which is less than your cash invested. This doesn't include closing costs, commissions, taxes, and others.

Maybe I am not doing it correctly, but can you clarify. 

Post: Walking a Property Question

Simon W.
Posted
  • Real Estate Consultant
  • Lehigh Valley PA & New York City
  • Posts 1,315
  • Votes 641

When scouting a property as a real estate investor, these three factors are paramount:

Location, location, location: It's a cliché for a reason. Proximity to amenities, transportation hubs, schools, and job markets can significantly impact property value and future returns.

Condition: A property's current state is a big deal. Look for signs of wear and tear, structural issues, or potential maintenance headaches. While a pristine property is less risky upfront, properties in need of TLC often offer greater upside potential.

Potential: Don't just see the house; envision its future. Consider zoning regulations, nearby development projects, and market trends to gauge its potential for value appreciation or rental income. Could you expand it, renovate it, or capitalize on a growing neighborhood?

Post: Bookkeeping for long term hold rentals

Simon W.
Posted
  • Real Estate Consultant
  • Lehigh Valley PA & New York City
  • Posts 1,315
  • Votes 641
Quote from @Trenton Pelloquin:

Looking for recommendations for bookkeeping software to help manage my rental portfolio. 


My partner and I buy and rehab properties, then refi and hold long term (BRRRR). We also manage 2 other companies together that require accounting systems. We currently use QuickBooks but are transitioning to Sage. We pay for this software already and were considering using them instead of tracking on excel sheets. Some remodels can be >100K in work and it's a lot to track on sheets.

Is there any real estate specific software that would be better than sage or quickbooks?

Thank you!


 why are you transitioning to sage? are you doing construction? you are better off sticking with QB.

if you plan to go big, go with a PM software that has accounting module. There are literally hundreds of threads asking the same question you are asking. Just do a search.

As much as I love saving money, stick with one of those real PM software if instead of these "banks" offering add-on accounting for free. It's free for a reason. Time and time again, these free ones becomes "we have too many users now and our server can't handle it so we are charging for these features that you used to use" example is Stessa. Lendio shut down it's accounting product "Sunrise". 

Post: Easton PA - Looking for Contractor Recommendations

Simon W.
Posted
  • Real Estate Consultant
  • Lehigh Valley PA & New York City
  • Posts 1,315
  • Votes 641

sent you a request to connect. I might be able to help.

Post: Can I deny guests of my tenants from bring an ESA if I have a no pets policy?

Simon W.
Posted
  • Real Estate Consultant
  • Lehigh Valley PA & New York City
  • Posts 1,315
  • Votes 641

first thing first, how would you know about the esa?

if they told you, i wouldn't deny it if it's an overnight or two or just plain visiting.

Denying it would make you look like just an ____hole. Then that tenant will end up being a very bad tenant for you.

What are you exactly are you worried about? I highly doubt a day or two will cause that much of a damage.

Post: How do I make 1M net per month?

Simon W.
Posted
  • Real Estate Consultant
  • Lehigh Valley PA & New York City
  • Posts 1,315
  • Votes 641

win the lottery

Post: New Member from Allentown, PA

Simon W.
Posted
  • Real Estate Consultant
  • Lehigh Valley PA & New York City
  • Posts 1,315
  • Votes 641
Quote from @Arlette Seyossolo:

Hi there, I am a New Member from Allentown, PA. I am new to Real Estate investing and looking  to connect with new  investors. 

Thank you


 welcome to BP.

You should be looking to connect with experienced investors so you can learn.

Post: Here comes the new guy…

Simon W.
Posted
  • Real Estate Consultant
  • Lehigh Valley PA & New York City
  • Posts 1,315
  • Votes 641
Quote from @Salim Howze:

Greetings. I’m preparing for my retirement by becoming an a real estate investor. I’ve purchased land that I plan to build duplexes on. I sure could use some guidance along the way.


Do you have a construction team? A financial person to help you handle your books?

Do you have a construction loan in place? If not, have you started inquiring about it from banks? I recommend using local banks.

I have two clients in TX that are builders. Not sure how far away they are from Houston.