All Forum Posts by: Don Johnston

Some people will read this and say, "What?  That ain't no success story!"  And others will say, "Wow, I hope to get there one day!"

I have passed two mile stones in the last two weeks.  1) I flipped the switch in my brain from "I can't do that" to "Now...how can I do that!"  And 2) I pulled the trigger and upgraded to the annual Pro account here on BiggerPockets (but not without putting in the promo code that got me a 20% discount and a bunch of bonuses :-)  )

For those of you who might be in the first category (that ain't no success story) I will quote to you a saying from a linguistics teacher of mine who was a real stickler for being grammatically correct (no saying ain't, or "got no..." etc).  She would say, "Remember the pit from which you were digged!"  

For you category 1 folk, remember that you too were in my shoes at one time and that many, many others on BP are in those shoes.  Remember how you felt just before making those first infant steps before you were brave enough to take those baby steps.  Yeah, you remember...scarey, then BAM! excitement that you did it.  

Now you category 2 folk, just take that first infant step and flip on that switch in the brain so you start thinking "I will!" instead of "I hope to...".  KNOW that the answers are here on BP from your peers.  When you start thinking "now, how can I do that...", stop and go to the appropriate forum and type that in on a post and add whatever "that" you are trying to figure out.  Your next baby steps will soon follow as you get involved here.

Success is not an "end point" but the whole journey.  

Hi!  My name is Don Johnston and I have taken my first two steps on my journey of success.

I lived in Valrico and worked in Tampa for 12 years.  Looking to move back when I am free of my obligations here in San Diego where I grew up.  Oh, and welcome to BiggerPockets and to Tampa.  BTW...get the a/c tuned up.  You will need it soon if you don't already.

I am interested in what multi-family properties are around USF.  Looking for 2-4 plex units.

@Christina Arango  You are absolutely right.  San Diego can be down right cold in the winter compared to Gainesville or Tampa area.  But not this year thanks to El Nino.  Your agent's name would be appreciated.  BTW...my son in Ft. Lauderdale comes up to Gainesville once a month to attend classes for his masters degree (the rest of the month the classes are online).  He stays at an air BnB.

@Tim Hall @John Kent  Thank you.  I will be in touch.

I agree with @Dominic Lucarelli , call local thrift shops (if you have that type of stuff in the house) and see who will come the soonest and who will even take the trash and dump it for you (they sometimes have their own dumpsters behind their stores they can use.)  At the very least, you will get rid of a % of the junk and will cost you less at the landfill.

Thanks @Paul Timmins  Email sent.

Ok...so I have an entry here in this forum somewhere buried under at least a years worth of others' introductions.  I have been MIA off and on over this time span but plan on being on here regularly from now on.  

I currently live in the San Diego area of California and lived in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for 12 years.  I also lived in Littleton, CO for a half dozen years.  Yes, extreme heat and humidity to freezing cold to Goldilocks-Just-Right-San Diego...but extremely expensive.  I am 63 and my goal is to live off social security and the "passive" income from 2-4 plex rentals in Central to North Florida.  I am halfway through "The Ultimate Guide..." and I am reading @Brandon Turner 's Book on Rental Property Investing and after that his book on Managing Rental Properties.  I have been a renter.  I have owned 4 homes...one at a time and one after the other.  My "fall-back" job is construction and handyman.  I have been a computer programmer.  I have $20,000 to invest now (but that is the cart before the horse...need a little more "education first") and will have another $50,000 when I sell the townhome my ex is living in in Littleton.  I am thinking/researching student rentals near universities in Orlando, Tampa, Gainesville or Tallahassee.  I have married kids in Tallahassee, Port Orange and Ft. Lauderdale and as I mentioned, I lived in the Tampa Bay Area.

I know there are great and knowledgeable people on this site as well as just plain "normal" people.  You ALL have something to offer and I look forward to hearing from you.  I will freely share what I have to bring to the table.  If I come across negative or critical on any post, call me out on it.  I don't like that in others and hate it when I fall victim to my own "non-filtering" of my opinions.

When I am no longer needed as caretaker of my mother here in San Diego, I plan to move to Florida to be near my kids and investments.  AND, no matter how big or small a unit I live in, it will have air-conditioning.  I remember the summers.

Thanks and looking forward to "meeting" many more of you on this site.

@Account ClosedI had to do my own house, including the roof and all walkways.  Add the value of your time to the expense column.

@Account ClosedI lived in Valrico for 12 years.  Check the roof carefully.  It's a flat roof I believe.  Hot mopping isn't cheap neither is "rubberized" roof sheeting.  Scuppers can leak inside walls so check carefully where they go through the parapet.  I am assuming that the outside is "real" stucco because of the age.  I learned from my son in Tallahassee that there is a synthetic stucco that is not good at all.  If you are a do it yourselfer, buy a gas powered pressure washer or remember to include that in the annual maintenance of the exterior.  Good luck!

@Jacob MyerThank you!