All Forum Posts by: Chris Jensen

@Lucas Brown, welcome to BP. I'm from Bettendorf and have really enjoyed raising our family in Iowa.  How exciting that you're moving into real estate investing.  Sounds like you're off to a great start.

We have a couple buy-and-hold SF rental homes in Bettendorf, and over all they've been a great investment. A successful tactic for us was to begin with a target renter profile first and then look for a property that fits that profile. Knowing who our target renter was allowed us to focus our search and not get distracted. Found it to be extremely effective. Best of luck on your REI journey!

@Don Spafford thanks for the tips on tools and reading. Definitely much to digest and learn. I went to college for a period of time in Rexburg, and I love that area. I'll definitely remember you if I get looking for properties up there.

Thanks everyone!

@Justin Taylor, good tip on local meet ups.  Definitely plan to do that.

@Dmitriy Fomichenko, thanks for some good tips on making the best use of BP.

@Derek Johnson, I'm at Deere as well.  Great company.  Good luck with your application and finishing your last year of school.  It does sound like we have similar goals.  Wish I'd gotten started younger like you!

@Michael Pease, definitely want to connect and discuss further.  Thanks for reaching out.

Hello BP community, my name is Chris Jensen from Bettendorf, IA.  I discovered BP several weeks ago... started with the podcast and then the site.  I've been so impressed with what I've seen that I decided to join.  The feeling of BP reminds me of the alumni network of Notre Dame (where I completed my EMBA) - everyone is passionate about connecting with and helping others, it's great.  And I can't wait to connect with many of you!

I'm an accounting/finance professional, and my wife and I decided 3 years ago to take the plunge into real estate investing.  We have 2 SF homes in Bettendorf, which are doing very well.  We're feeling prompted to take our little business to the next level and shift focus to multi-family.

Our ultimate goal in going down the REI path is to fund our daughters' (we have 6 of them!) college and wedding expenses, and then at some point be able to retire. Haven't decided yet if income replacement is a goal, but having the option would sure be nice!

My immediate needs with BP are to learn the most effective ways to identify leads and obtain financing, along with tips and tricks on buying and managing MF property outside my local market - this is a big desire but also a big concern, not having done it before.  Our target markets are Mid-West (e.g. states bordering Iowa) and Mountain West (e.g. Utah, Idaho, Colorado, and Nevada).

One way I hope to give back is to provide insights and perspective to outside interested parties on my local market the Quad Cities (Davenport IA, Bettendorf IA, Rock Island IL, and Moline IL).

Thanks all!

Interesting. I've considered broadening my horizons beyond the QCA. Just curious... the "line" you got on your first multi-family deal, was that a listed property recommended by your broker, or was it off-market?

@Richard Biechler, I live in the Quad Cities and am a fairly new real estate investor that's brand new to BP. I'm intrigued by this thread. Can I ask... are all your properties in the Dubuque area, and are you currently looking at deals in other markets?