All Forum Posts by: Don Van Nguyen

@Brian Foster forgot to mention But maybe it is a preference deal. I predicted job and area menities were top fo the list, but maybe the sampling set Rice University didn't target the suburban area enough? I know for my wife and I, crime and school was one of the most important factors when we bought our primary schools.

I would counter their research by saying if I was in the 18-27 years old then yeah school would be number job and amenities will be number one. However, if I am 28-40 years old I would say the school and crime will be way up there in the top 3. I would drive 1 + hours if my child has a great school and we live in a safe neighborhood.

@Mark Sewell an interesting and maybe a noobie point for my side. But I like to look at Starbucks, Targets, and other big companies opening in smaller cities. I figure if the big corporations are investing millions of dollars in buying land and construction of new retail stores they vet out the area way more than any of us can. They probably have an army of analysts crunching the numbers to the higher-ups.

Big assumption but every time I see a decent Starbucks or other retail store open up in a city it definitely catches my eye. You think this is smart to do?

@Ronald Rohde interesting point and well stated. I'll take it into consideration, appreciate you.

@Khanesia Washington  thank you for the input!

@Brian Foster glad to see you on BB! I hope we find a good deal together where the numbers make sense in Houston. I like Houston the most due to the economic drivers and know the market very well. Just a matter of time I hope.

@Aaron Beauchamp I am finding the same issue on my side. As a new investor and not a solid network (despite having Real Estate Agent representatives in each city) the deals are not just there at the moment. I'm patient and can be aggressive at the same time. A lot of the investment properties deal is at a break even, negative or barely at the $100 ish cash flow per month so for a $100k-$230k investment not worth it IMO. 

I know international investors don't mind those kinds of numbers but for a first purchase, I'm a bit more patient. I can continue saving cash and wait for a deal or a reduction in pricing.

General question - Do you take into account of the amount and size of businesses close by to your potential  property rental investment? If so, how do you do check this quickly (best way I found is Google Map)?

General question, I know, please bear with me. When looking at properties in Texas the usual factors of looking at schools, crime, places to do, and demographics are the common areas to look at. But as an investor and to possibly protect the property from a recession period I also like to look at all the corporate and small business close which correlates to jobs and tenants paying rent consistently without issues. I looked for all of the usual websites (zillow, trulia, etc.) but didn't find an easy way to do so. Thank you for in advance or input!

Hi, alright first deal. I ran a calculator and numbers are shown below, it so far check marks most of the items I am looking for in regards to property appreciation potential, location, strong rental numbers, school, crime, and other small checklist. I used a 1% for vacancy allowance as the rental is strong in this area, and 4% for repair allowance as it just got completely rehab. What do you experts or non experts think?? Thank you in advance for any input!

@Shane Melanson Tons of goodies and details in your post will have to reread it a few times. Thanks for the valuable input. Wow investing for 15 years, could kill for that experience! Fully agree with being close to the property as that is one of my biggest factors however the cash flow numbers look so much better outside of Texas such as TN or Arkansas. I have kept that option open-ended and working with a few turnkey investors.

Agree on the tenants, I was expecting if I go with PM then I would definitely review the tenants and vet it fully. Working in the corporate world and being on the recruiter side for a few years definitely will help with vetting the right tenants. 

Interesting point on the SF and agree, the numbers just not working out at the moment and stopping me right on the spot! I might have to expand beyond SF, I just wanted to be safe and conservative but numbers not working out these days after looking at a dozen properties.

I will have to look at your math a few times to understand it but it is a bit close to my estimates too. Yes, the agent is pretty tough at this point as there are plenty but I want an investor-friendly one especially for a newbie like me. I had a horrible experience with the last agent so don't want to repeat it.

Best replies to the post to date, thanks again!

@Matt C. Love it, great strategy and will definitely explore this option to expand a bit more outwards!