All Forum Posts by: Crystal Hoover

Hello, this may be a silly question but.. learning curve. I posted my home for rent on zillow and got an application today for a prospective tenant, whom passes all the criteria I laid out. However, I believe I will be receiving another application today from another prospective tenant who likely will also pass the criteria. However, the difference is, the second one can move in earlier. Is there a law/rule about processing tenant applications despite the date of move in availability or am I free to choose the tenant that best fits the timeline of my rental availability even though the first applied sooner? Thanks for the advice! 

Hi, I have a question about service animals. I have a short term furnished apartment I rent out and I have a tenant inquiring about it who has 2 dogs.

The space is very small so I only allow small dogs or cats. She has 1 small and one pit bull (for size reference, not breed shaming). She says “the pit bull is a service animal but was her sons who is now 18 so she has the dog”. I know I’m not legally allowed to deny rentals to someone with a service animal and it’s not my business why the son doesn’t still need the dog suddenly after turning 18. But is it legal for me to deny renting to her because the dog is not for HER disability. I’m under the impression that the law pertains only to those with the disability (which I’m happy to accommodate for), not for the animal itself. Thanks!

To add to @Joel Bullock ‘s question. Does anyone know the market for renting out just a room or two in your house in Okc/Norman area for house hacking? Is there a market outside of family/friends?

I have also been looking mostly to buy a MFP or place with a studio/apartment unit but they seem to be nonexistent.

Switching my mind over to potentially a SFP and house hacking as I am only “home” about a month of the year but need Oklahoma to be my primary residence. Thanks in advance for helping us newbies learn!

Crystal Hoover

@Lisa Eckman Thanks so much! I think i'm a great credit risk too but i'm a little biased haha.

@Account Closed Thank you! The issue is that my W2 only shows a little over 1/3 of my actual income. About 2/3 of my income are tax free stipends. But I guess I could potentially show pay stubs for the last 2 years. I appreciate the help.

@Brian Gibbons Those forms are helpful! I will fully look them over this weekend. Thanks again!

@Lisa Eckman I receive a W2. I work for a company and am contracted out to different hospitals for 13 weeks at a time though that company. But typically stay for almost a year each time. However, its complicated. I duplicate expenses both in my home state (Oklahoma-@Brian Gibbons) and where I am working at the time, so I receive tax free stipends (including housing) during my contract. My W2 does not show this income. 

I have looked on numerous travel nursing forums and majority consensus is that we cannot get approved while still doing contract work. 

Derek Dombeck, Thanks for the insight. That's really helpful to know and a great strategy! I guess my issue is this particular seller is quite old so I am not sure that would work for them. I just am not sure if banks would deny my financing in the case of still being a contract employee. 

Guifre Mora, I don't understand. I am not self employed. 

I'll try to make this short. I am a traveling nurse and while I make good money and have great credit, banks see my job as a liability because it is contract work. Therefore most travel nurses have a hard time getting a traditional home loan. I want to potentially go into a seller financing deal with someone on an investment property and understand that the balloon clause is typically 5 years. I am unsure if I will still be working as a travel nurse in 5 years or if I will have settled down as a "traditional" staff nurse. 

Does anyone know: If I go into seller financing with someone and am able to show on time payments with the seller loan for 5 years if the bank sees that as enough to finance the loan from there? Or would my job "liability" still trump my good loan history?

Thanks in advance!

@Alyssa Dyer I will likely be looking around OKC area! Or Norman. I grew up in Norman but lived in OKC for a few years before starting my current travel job so those are the areas I am most familiar with!

Thank you all for your input and advise and kind words! That was super helpful for me to understand a bit more of what I am getting myself into. I definitely still have a lot to learn. I really appreciate it!

Crystal 

Hi Bigger Pockets community!

My name is Crystal and I am a mid 20’s traveling nurse currently living in Los Angeles. I love my job but I’m looking long term and wanting to get into investing in real estate. Long story short I’m a newb. I’ve been reading a bunch of discussions and learning what I can but there has also been a lot of different opinions on when in your life the right time is to actually pull the trigger. I’ve paid off my student loans, don’t have credit debt, and just recently paid off my car so I am debt free. Also have a high 700’s credit score.

I would ideally like to buy a multifamily property in Oklahoma where I am from and get some cash flow from it but would be open to other state’s as well. Long story short I won’t be living in the property that I buy but will still be renting wherever I am working in the country at that point. All in all I’m just kind of lost on where/when to start..

I guess my main questions would be:

Is starting with multifamily too bold?

Should I be afraid of houses that need a little bit of work?

How much money/percentage% should I have saved up before starting this journey?

Where do I even start? (Find a house, ask for financing, property managers, etc.?)

Thanks for your support in helping us newer people navigate all of these questions that we have!

Crystal