All Forum Posts by: Hayden Reed

Hi all,

I've been looking at rentals on Zillow for the past couple of months in an area I'm looking to invest in. The main purpose is to get an idea of what types of properties are being rented and for how much. Here's the deal: I'm looking to start with a duplex/tri/quad and follow the BRRRR method. However, whenever I get on Zillow, there are roughly 250 or so houses for rent but only a handful of townhouses (5 or fewer). This doesn't seem to be a normal ratio when compared to similarly-sized cities in the region. Would you think this is because there is (a) high demand for townhouses, so few on the market, (b) low demand for townhouses, so few available, or (c) some other reason? I know I should ask a realtor, I just haven't found one I like yet.

Hi all,

I'm in the process of creating an investing plan/guideline that will help me visualize the property acquisition process and serve as a checklist to make sure I'm doing the right things in the right order. I'm currently working on the "research" section and wanted to ask for some suggestions. There are four sections: national trends, state trends, city/area trends, and neighborhood trends. I haven't included individual property research yet as it will be a much more comprehensive and detailed section. I've included some preliminary questions/topics, but I know I'm missing a lot of important information. Any suggestions as to what should be added would be much appreciated. Once again, I'm not getting into specific property characteristics or valuations just yet. Thanks!

National trends:

• At what point in the real estate cycle is the market currently? What are the economic outlooks and predictions for the next six months? Year? Five years?
• Should I be concerned about a bubble? Where was the bottom of the cycle? Where should I expect the top?
• Is there any legislation coming down the pipe that may affect the real estate market?

State trends:

• Does the state real estate cycle differ from the national market? If so, why? What is the economic outlook of the state?
• What state-level trends might have an effect on real estate prices? Is the state experiencing a change in immigration/emigration?
• Are there any legislation changes that may affect the real estate market? Might this require a change of strategy?
• How will property taxes affect my strategy?

City/area trends:

• How does the current zoning situation affect property prices? Are there planned changes to the zoning policy? Does this create an opportunity?
• How have the city’s population demographics changed over time? (race, ethnicity, median income, housing prices, rent levels) What changes are forecasted?
• Is there a sector of the market that is currently underserved? Can a need be filled? Where does the demand exceed the supply?
• What are other investors in the area doing? How can I tailor my strategy to pick up their slack? What are they doing wrong? What are they doing right?
• What areas of the city do I want to focus on? (property values, school districts, rent value, proximity to attractions)

Neighborhood trends:

• What is the demographic profile of the neighborhood? How is this profile likely to change in the near future? Distant future?
• Is the neighborhood moving up or down? Is a trend reversal likely to occur?
• Where is the neighborhood located in proximity to the necessities? (schools, work, stores, entertainment, etc.)
• What is the crime rate in the neighborhood? How has this changed over time? Would I feel secure living here?

Jarred,

Any update on your progress? I'm moving to Corpus Christi soon and looking to house hack in a duplex/triplex/quad and I was curious how your deal is going. Feel free to message me if you'd like. 

Thanks, Hayden

That sounds great Jake. Once we get rolling maybe we can meet up and swap ideas or something. Best of luck to you.

Hi all,

I'm Hayden Reed, a fresh graduate from the University of Alabama with a bachelor's degree apiece in biology and geography. They aren't particularly relevant to real estate investing, but I suppose that's what books and this forum are for. I love hunting and fishing and spending time outdoors. I've been trading my time for money for a grand total of three weeks and I've already decided that there has to be a better way than the W2 route alone. Not looking to get rich quick, simply looking to make informed, intelligent buy-and-hold investments that will cash flow and appreciate over time. I haven't read a whole lot about it yet, but the BRRR method and house hacking really appeal to me. I'm sure my investment style will evolve over time, but I plan to start my investment career with either a middle-range single family home or a duplex/triplex. Because I got a scholarship for school, I didn't have to use the $50,000 my parents had saved for my tuition. They graciously gave that money to me and I plan to use it to help fund my real estate investments. I'm a numbers guy, so I will likely have many questions about all the essential real estate ratios and formulas. I'm looking forward to learning from some of the experienced professionals on this forum and I appreciate any knowledge I can get.