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All Forum Posts by: Laureen Youngblood

Laureen Youngblood has started 8 posts and replied 161 times.

Post: I'm new here, but in it for the long haul

Laureen YoungbloodPosted
  • Interior Designer/Real Estate Investor
  • Eugene, OR
  • Posts 168
  • Votes 91

@Phil Ferranto

Welcome!  This is a great place to start.  I am also, just south of you in the Eugene/Springfield market.  Love it here and am also pumped about 2015 being a great year for investing.

Laureen

Post: New Member from Portland, Oregon

Laureen YoungbloodPosted
  • Interior Designer/Real Estate Investor
  • Eugene, OR
  • Posts 168
  • Votes 91

@Lucas Robinett

Welcome Lucas,

I am a local Oregonian.  This site is amazing and you will find pretty much answers to every question you might have about real estate.  Everyone is very helpful and friendly.  I look forward to seeing you around the site.  Good Luck

Laureen Younblood

Post: What makes a good buy & hold city?

Laureen YoungbloodPosted
  • Interior Designer/Real Estate Investor
  • Eugene, OR
  • Posts 168
  • Votes 91

I have a question to tag onto this.  I continually hear these questions being asked, not only for buy and hold, but as rehabbing and flipping strategies also.  

My question - Where do you look for this info?  What resources can I tap into that will give me quality, reliable info on these and similar questions?

Post: My Contractor/Investor Relationship - Opinions?

Laureen YoungbloodPosted
  • Interior Designer/Real Estate Investor
  • Eugene, OR
  • Posts 168
  • Votes 91

@Isaac Frost

Being in similar circumstances, albeit a different price bracket, I think it sounds like you are taking care of all the parties' interests with this split. As I have heard a number of times here and in other REI arenas - part of something is better than all of nothing. I am excited to see how this works out for you.

Post: Fortune builders

Laureen YoungbloodPosted
  • Interior Designer/Real Estate Investor
  • Eugene, OR
  • Posts 168
  • Votes 91

My business partner and I went through the FB 3 day seminar last September 2013.  We then purchased the Jumpstart Program.  I had just found BP at the same time, but had not done as much research about either as I should have.  A few things - Did I pay too much?  Absolutely.  Was the coaching and information helpful?  Absolutely.  Would I do it again?  Maybe.  I believed at the time that I needed someone to walk us through the process of getting started.  I could have just as easily done that here.  On the flip side of that - investing is not easy to get started in, especially without any money, as they make it sound.  Wholesaling is difficult.  As was mentioned above, I probably should have invested in our marketing strategy instead of the FB program.  I do know that the motivation of getting that money back has kept me from giving up as the going has been tough and slow in our market.  

Much of my motivation over the past 9 months has been BP podcasts and the unshakeable belief that this is what I am meant to do with my life.

Still working on closing our first real estate deal,  Remember they only show you the successes.

Post: Failed Property Inspection

Laureen YoungbloodPosted
  • Interior Designer/Real Estate Investor
  • Eugene, OR
  • Posts 168
  • Votes 91

@Nghi Le

 All sound information above.  I will third the caution about your contractor.  If he is good at what he is doing then you can probably keep using him for your rehabs.  However, if he missed the layers on the roof and is missing major items like that that can affect the sale you might reconsider.

I would try to remember, though, that he is a contractor, not a realtor or bank.  Final decisions like those should be made by you or someone in your area that is familiar with issues that will be detrimental to your resell.  Just because you can "get away" with something in a rehab doesn't make it right, nor does it mean that you won't have problems like the ones you are having with this project.  Go with your instincts and get second opinions.

Good luck.

Post: New Central Oregon(Bend) Wholesaler

Laureen YoungbloodPosted
  • Interior Designer/Real Estate Investor
  • Eugene, OR
  • Posts 168
  • Votes 91

Welcome @Arin Hanohano .   

I'm from the Eugene/Springfield area.  I look forward to hearing more about your investing in the Bend area.  I think its gonna stay a pretty hot market for a while as they build the new University campus there.  BP is a great resource in many ways - Networking, Education and just a great community of investors.  

Laureen Youngblood

Post: The Magical Trick to Dealing with Contractors?

Laureen YoungbloodPosted
  • Interior Designer/Real Estate Investor
  • Eugene, OR
  • Posts 168
  • Votes 91

@Nat C. 

All great advice.  I have some additions I would like to make.  It seems as if Florida has a similar set up to Oregon.  The Contractors Board that is overseeing licensing contractors is a good way to double check the contractors you are looking to hire as well as get some names.  As part of the oversight here, they will keep records of which contractors are current in both their licensing and their liability/workmans comp insurances.  In addition they will keep records of complaints, litigation filed and any other filed disputes.  Check for associated records to see if they make a habit of just changing names when they get caught.  You ALWAYS want to use licensed contractors.  It is one of the main ways you have legal recourse if something goes wrong.

I have also written a blog on finding contractors

Contractors - The Final Frontier!

Happy Hunting!

Post: Oregon passes recreational weed, is this another Colorado green rush?

Laureen YoungbloodPosted
  • Interior Designer/Real Estate Investor
  • Eugene, OR
  • Posts 168
  • Votes 91

@Matt R.

I am actually curious...what does happen when they add legalized marijuana to the equation?  I live here and would surely like a heads up to what might be coming over the next year as it relates to real estate.

Can you...and maybe some investors from Colorado share their experience?

Post: Best sources to find contractors

Laureen YoungbloodPosted
  • Interior Designer/Real Estate Investor
  • Eugene, OR
  • Posts 168
  • Votes 91

Checking with someone you know in your area that is a contractor or works with contractors.  Once you find one they will usually lead you to others.  Checking with other BP investors in your area will get you some good referrals.  Also, I have a blog post that talks about how to find good contractors.  Contractors - The final frontier.

The problem with Angie's list and other similar sources is that the contractors pay to be featured on there.  The reviews are worth checking out though.  It is a good back-up source.

Good luck...