All Forum Posts by: Ed B.

 I never said buy without visiting or inspecting the property. The question was should he see a property in person  before making an offer. If a seller rejects an offer only because the offeror hasn't seen it, then the seller is not very motivated.

there may be an annual limit to increases, but so what?  Increase them to what you think you need and let the tenant object if they want to.  You can always back off if the tenant objects and claims your increase is illegal. But chances are your tenant is unaware of any limit. Don't do their thinking for them.

It's a very smart question. Let's say you have to make 10 offers for every acceptance. Do you really want to waste time visiting 10 properties? Stop doing that until you get the answer to the most important question: "Is the seller going to accept my offer or at least be willing to negotiate?"  The time to visit it is after you get acceptance and you do your due diligence to ensure it's something you want to go through with. If your offer is rejected, at least you've saved the time and gas money driving for a person visit to kick the tires.

what exactly are they doing you don't like?

I run from anyone speaking in terms of "my team," or "assemble your team" as author David Greene apparently advises. Bullcrap! What a load of lousy advice! The only "team" you need starting out is yourself. Once you've proven you can perform, and run out of time to do things yourself, then maybe think about getting help. Not good to inform everyone you are a new investors. Yes, there are times in life where it doesn't pay to be completely honest, and this is one of them. I've been in the business not quite as long as Michael Plante, but like  him, I've never had a team.

I run from anyone speaking in terms of "my team," or "assemble your team" as author David Greene apparently advises. Bullcrap! What a load of lousy advice! The only "team" you need starting out is yourself. Once you've proven you can perform, and run out of time to do things yourself, then maybe think about getting help. Not good to inform everyone you are a new investor. There are times in life where it doesn't pay to be completely honest, and this is one of them. I've been in the business not quite as long as Michael Plante, and  like  him, I've never had a team, either.

Will, where can we see details of your projects that were failures?  Everyone has to have at least onethey're not so proud of, right?  I know I've got one or two

50% Upfront is a total crock. These tradesmen love to spout stories of  owners giving them dud checks or not paying, when there are probably more instances of contractors cheating the property owner.  You  have  good reason to worry that 50% up front puts  you in a weak position.  In  California, it's illegal for a contractor to demand more than 10% up front. Darn good law.  As for cost, you'll save  money by offering to pay by the hour for his labor only,and buy your own equipment.

Nathan, I have to take offense at your suggestion that possibly some landlords  "don't run a tight ship and Tenants are taking advantage of the situation?"  I manage properties in Oregon and California, and in both places evictions are stalled.  Courthouse in California isn't even open!  Nobody knows when things will reopen--it's up to the governors.  There certainly are some tenants taking advantage of the current ban on evictions, but blaming landlords is unfair when they are at the  mercy of the pandemic and