All Forum Posts by: Enrico Bertini

Hi, I am really attracted by the idea of investing in RE but I am uncertain which way to go. Here is a summary of my situation and constraints.

- Just moved to Brookline, MA where I am renting. Properties are really expensive here
- I have some small amount stashed away I'd like to use to get started (in the order of a few 10k)
- I am considering two options: house hacking or short-term rental properties nearby (including NH and ME)

House hacking seems hard because we do not want to move to a different area and properties are quite expensive around here. We are also a family of 5, which means we would need to find a pretty big property in order to have a duplex. But maybe not impossible?

Regarding STR properties, I like the idea to find a nice area around here and rent it on AirBnB. It seems more doable to me because the amounts are much smaller.

As a side note, I am not planning to make RE investing my main occupation. I have a good job and I am happy with it but I would be excited to start in RE.

What advice do you have for me?

Thanks so much Bruce! Very useful!

It did not even occur to me borrowing from 401k could be an option.

I am considering buying a small apartment in Rome, Italy. I am Italian and I am from Rome. My plan would be to rent it with AirBnB throughout the year and spend 1-2 months over summer with my family. The apartment is pretty small and in a very promising area (close to all the attractions and very well connected with public transport).

However, I have no idea how to fund this investment. Would you rather try to find a bank funding my investment in the US or in Italy (I am a US permanent resident with income only in the US but I am also an Italian citizen). Are there ways to get the necessary funding from a US bank for rental property abroad? Also, do you have any info on how taxation would work?

Thanks!

Yeah I will definitely start with checking the numbers.

My idea was indeed about buying a duplex, rather than buying a fixer upper.

I have a couple of basic questions (I am a total beginner):

1) What are the best resources to learn how to look for an understand the numbers?

2) How do I understand what are possible area in NYC that could be viable candidates?

I have been browsing through Trulia and Zillow but I am not sure whether these are good site and exactly what should I look for there.

I hope you won't mind for my very basic questions! I am here to learn as much as I can.

Thanks!

Thanks so much Ali, this is actually very useful. I does seem to confirm I may not be able to make major changes unless the numbers add up. I am going to read the articles you linked ... Thanks!

Hi I am just starting this magic world of rental property investing and I am super fascinated by house hacking.

However, I am wondering if I have any chances to house hack (or use similar strategies) in New York City with a family of 5. We currently live in downtown Manhattan in an apartment subsidized by my employer. There is no way I could afford anything similar in this area if it was not subsidized. As things stand now we are spending in the ballpark of ~4k every month which feels totally wasted (this is the amount I could put towards a mortgage also).

However, if we were to target areas we can afford we would have to completely change our lifestyle (as far as I understand from checking house prices in Manhattan). We also have lots of friends in the neighborhood. So I am left with the dilemma: should I completely change my family's lifestyle or give up the idea of making a smart investment with our house? Or is there actually a way to make a smart investment in a very expensive area like the one we live in?

For instance, while moving to a completely different area would have a huge impact on our life, we would not mind leaving in less space (we are in a 3 bedrooms now).

Thanks!