All Forum Posts by: Craig Bellot

Hello Joshua,

The first steps I would recommend as a new investor, no matter where you invest, is to get a handle on analyzing the income, expenses and ROI of these properties in Bridgeport CT. Connecticut in general is in a sellers market. You will need to be creative in negotiating to get the price / terms you need.


You can use the Bigger Pockets calculators to start. Right now rents are strong, you can get $800 for a 1 bed, $1100 for 2 bed, and up to $1300 for a 3 bedroom. Use Zillow and rentometer.com to get data and analyze a few from your home to see what type if returns there are.

If these meet your investment criteria then start looking in person by contacting the listing agent.

Let me know if you have any questions.

-Craig Bellot

Hey Joe!

The first steps I would recommend as a new investor is to get a handle on analyzing the income, expenses and ROI of these properties in Bridgeport CT. Connecticut in general is in a sellers market. You will need to be creative in negotiating to get the price / terms you need.


You can use the Bigger Pockets calculators to start. Right now rents are strong, you can get $800 for a 1 bed, $1100 for 2 bed, and up to $1300 for a 3 bedroom. Use Zillow and rentometer.com to get data and analyze a few from your home to see what type if returns there are.

If these meet your investment criteria then start looking in person by contacting the listing agent.

Let me know if you have any questions.

-Craig Bellot

Hey David,

The first steps I would recommend as a new investor is to get a handle on analyzing the income, expenses and ROI of these properties in Bridgeport CT. Connecticut in general is in a sellers market. You will need to be creative in negotiating to get the price / terms you need.


You can use the Bigger Pockets calculators to start. Right now rents are strong, you can get $800 for a 1 bed, $1100 for 2 bed, and up to $1300 for a 3 bedroom. Use Zillow and rentometer.com to get data and analyze a few from your home to see what type if returns there are.

If these meet your investment criteria then start looking in person by contacting the listing agent.

Let me know if you have any questions.

-Craig Bellot

Hello Stephanie,

Welcome to Real Estate Investing! The first steps I would recommend as a new investor is to get a handle on analyzing the income, expenses and ROI of the properties.

You can use the Bigger Pockets calculators to start. Use Zillow and rentometer.com to get data and analyze a few from your home to see what type if returns there are.

If these meet your investment criteria then start looking in person.
Let me know if you have any questions.

-Craig Bellot

Hey David!

The first steps I would recommend when investing is to get a handle on analyzing the income, expenses and ROI of these properties in the states you are looking for.

That being said, if you are looking for a hot state, Connecticut is on fire right now due to the mass exodus out of New York. Connecticut in general is in a sellers market. You will need to be creative in negotiating to get the price / terms you need.

You can use the Bigger Pockets calculators to start. Right now rents are strong, you can get $800 for a 1 bed, $1100 for 2 bed, and up to $1300 for a 3 bedroom.

Let me know if you have any questions.

-Craig Bellot

You're welcome @Abel Curiel

Hey Kassandra,

Welcome to the fun world of real estate investing!

The first steps I would recommend as a new investor is to get a handle on analyzing the income, expenses and ROI of these properties in CT, I personally focus in Bridgeport.

You can use the Bigger Pockets calculators to start. Use Zillow and rentometer.com to get data and analyze a few from your home to see what type if returns there are.

If these meet your investment criteria then start looking in person.

Everything is affected right now but you can still find deals, you just have to look.

Let me know if you have any questions.

-Craig Bellot

Hello Chuck, 

As an agent you will need to begin building your identity as a trusted advisor in home sales and purchases. I think you will get great training at either office. But a rule of thumb as far as real estate is if you can, work where you know your market in your own back yard. 

That being said, in either area you want to market yourself, and it is just easier when you know the area inside and out.

I would begin marketing myself on Facebook. With social media, or any type of marketing, you need to understand the VRIN scores (which really helps if you know your market):

V stands for value.

R stands for rarity or how rare it is.

I stands for inimitable.

N stands for non-substitutable.

Value means you are giving your followers what they are interested in. Your posts need to be reaching your audience's values. I know my audience values growing their wealth safely, so I create content that shows how we do that. People value the payoff of real estate and investing, so I post my numbers, analysis and all the great tips that my businesses have profited from.

Rarity is how many other accounts are out there posting similar content. The more content that you provide that not many people get to see, the more excited people will be when they see it. It’s common sense. Rarity is the amount of emotion that people get when they see your post.

Inimitable means your post is hard to recreate. It means that not only is it rare, it’s unique and genuine. People can tell when what you’re posting is trying to be like someone else. You have to be unique, so others can’t reproduce what you’ve created.

Non-substitutable is similar to rarity, but it also means that what your posting is relatively impossible to be replaced by something new. You need to create timeless content, so as time goes on, your post is still relevant. If you master these, your business will grow and you will create a loyal audience, because you understand why your audience follows you and engages with you.

All this is just easier when you know what you are dealing with, rather than a relatively new place where you have to essentially get your bearings. 

Keep us posted on your decision.

Let me know if you have any questions!

-Craig Bellot

Hello William, 

Not sure if you have gone down this avenue but you could look at trying homeadvisor.com or Thumbtack. You can write in your criteria as far as what you are looking for in an agent.

The responsive agents, that understand what you are looking for will respond quickly. 

Explain your vision and move forward from there. 

Hope this helped in some way.

-Craig Bellot

Hello Christopher,

That's quite a story. You never know where you next (or your first) deal will come from. 

Glad everything worked out in the long run but what a mess, but that's how we learn.

I believe the key is to act quickly, know your numbers and your buying criteria.

That being said if you want a more traditional way of finding a deal, there are tons of deals on the MLS in Connecticut where we invest.

For instance if you know you want single families with 3 bed 2 bath, set up an alert for that and get your paperwork ready to offer once you find one that.

Awesome story though! Thanks for sharing.

-Craig Bellot