All Forum Posts by: Chad W.

Thanks everyone,

Quick update. In the process of finalizing the first on my VV home. Getting it done at current rates as a primary residence and looking forward to improving the property (overdue maintenance) and using the rest as down payment on a property or two!

I was in one of these for about a month until it came back that I tested positive for tobacco (I used to chew, yummy huh?) so they thought I was a "smoker" and I ended up cancelling it instead of paying the higher rate. My investment adviser was absolutely furious the next time I saw him and I finally figured out why, he was out some SERIOUS up front fees and future percentages.

Scott Burns does a series of articles called Annuity Watch where he compares returns vs. low cost mutual funds. Good read.

http://assetbuilder.com/blogs/tags/Variable+Annuity+Watch/default.aspx?GroupID=6

Hello everyone,

I have been lurking around here for a few weeks as I try to put my head around my future as a landlord. I am in that phase where I am reading and learning as much as I can and trying to figure out exactly how I want to "get into the game."

Currently I am 8 years into a 30 year loan on my primary residence and am a joint tenant along with my grandmother on a paid off home in Vacaville.

I will soon have access to enough cash (a new first on the VV property & existing HELOC) to get a running start (120 - 200k) and am starting to look at property and run the math through my head.

My biggest challenge right now is fear of making a mistake and a general inability to estimate make ready costs. I literally have no idea how much various repairs cost.

I have a good friend that has several properties and I am hoping to duplicate his success. With that that said, I also need to find my own way as I don't have the handyman skills or the flexible schedule his work allows. On the plus side I have 800+ credit and access to much cheaper credit than most people so, I am hoping to leverage that smartly.

Any advice appreciated and thanks to all of you for your thoughts, posts and articles here.

Wow, this thread really hits close to home, literally. I hope you get things turned around or at least get out of the house without losing too much money.

My wife and joke that that best investment we have in our North Natomas (Sacramento) home is the flood insurance.