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All Forum Posts by: Herbert Lewis

Herbert Lewis has started 15 posts and replied 45 times.

Post: First Buy and Hold/ Exceeding the 2% Rule!

Herbert Lewis
Pro Member
Posted
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Baltimore, MD
  • Posts 45
  • Votes 34

Investment Info:

Townhouse buy & hold investment.

Purchase price: $30,000
Cash invested: $5,000

This is the first buy-and-hold property I purchased in 2018. The area is a C- area, but I was making $1,200 per month on rent. I decided to sell the property to another investor and reinvest the money in other houses.

What made you interested in investing in this type of deal?

I was interested in this deal due to the 2% rule and the acquisition cost was low.

How did you find this deal and how did you negotiate it?

This deal was brought to me by a real estate agent I met at a meetup meeting. I told him that I was interested in looking at rental properties in the Baltimore area. Since then I became an agent and started looking for properties after this transaction.

How did you finance this deal?

I used money from 401K and savings.

How did you add value to the deal?

I offered the buyer all cash for the transaction if we could close the deal.

What was the outcome?

I purchased the property and received a great first-time rental. I needed to put about $5,000 to get the house rent ready. The house only needed cosmetic fixes to make it stand out.

Lessons learned? Challenges?

My lesson learned from this is no matter the area there is always a market for all types of tenants. It's just a matter of how much time commitment you have to put in depending on the market you invest in. I purchased a few more houses in the area but I looked for better blocks. In Baltimore, you need to know the blocks well. One block can be a war zone, but the block on the other side can be a B+ neighborhood.

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

Yes, the agent became a close friend. I eventually joined his brokerage as an agent.

Post: Sell or hold in California?

Herbert Lewis
Pro Member
Posted
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Baltimore, MD
  • Posts 45
  • Votes 34

@Brandon Leffler

I was in the same situation in California in 2017. My property was in Manteca, Ca, and I brought the property in 2011 when the market was still low. I decided to sell the property and use the money in Maryland, where I purchased a 4-plex and two SFH. In the end, the decision was better to sell and reinvest the money in a different market where I achieved better returns. In the last real estate crash, Stockton, CA, was struck hard and the city filed for bankruptcy.

Post: A Buy and Hold Investor Looking to Pivot to Note Investing.

Herbert Lewis
Pro Member
Posted
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Baltimore, MD
  • Posts 45
  • Votes 34
Originally posted by @Tracy Z. Rewey:

Welcome to the world of note investing @Herbert Lewis  How about an oldie but goodie?  "Invest in Debt" by Jim Napier.  You can't get "Pensacola Prime" any more but the basic concepts still apply.  I have 21 Tips for New Note Investors that I'm happy to share as well.  

Hi Tracy,

Please PM me the 21 Tips. I am looking to learn as much as I can about note investing. Thank you 

Post: A Buy and Hold Investor Looking to Pivot to Note Investing.

Herbert Lewis
Pro Member
Posted
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Baltimore, MD
  • Posts 45
  • Votes 34

@Jamie Bateman

Hello, I have read Lienlord, Note Investing made Easier and Invest like a Bank. I appreciate the book recommendation. I was thinking about signing up for Note Investing Academy. Did you do any course before you got started? I would love to give you a call to discuss how you made the change. I will be flying back to Maryland from California this upcoming Friday. Thank you

Post: A Buy and Hold Investor Looking to Pivot to Note Investing.

Herbert Lewis
Pro Member
Posted
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Baltimore, MD
  • Posts 45
  • Votes 34

Hello BP.

I am a buy and hold investor with 10 rentals in the Baltimore County/Harford County, Maryland. I am in the process of moving to California, where the numbers do not work for me to continue to buy and hold. I want to continue investing for cash flow, so I am looking at note investing. Can anyone recommend an online course or book to continue my education? I have read several books on Amazon discussing note investing and now started listening to podcasts. I appreciate the help! Thank you 

Post: Notify the tenants of non-renewal.

Herbert Lewis
Pro Member
Posted
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Baltimore, MD
  • Posts 45
  • Votes 34

Hi BP Community! 

How long of notice do I have to give a tenant that I am not renewing their lease in the state of Maryland? I inherited both tenants and they have been late several times. The contract is coming up, and I would prefer to find my own qualified tenants. Thank you 

Post: Answering service for tenants

Herbert Lewis
Pro Member
Posted
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Baltimore, MD
  • Posts 45
  • Votes 34

Hello BP Community,

I am currently self-managing my eight rentals and working a full-time job. Does anyone have a recommendation for an answering service that can take the calls 24hrs a day and relay the information to me? Thank you for your help.

Herbert  

Post: Eviction notice on inherited tenants.

Herbert Lewis
Pro Member
Posted
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Baltimore, MD
  • Posts 45
  • Votes 34

Thank you for the responses! With each unit it's on separate 2bed/1bath do I have the evict the guy who is paying?  

Post: Eviction notice on inherited tenants.

Herbert Lewis
Pro Member
Posted
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Baltimore, MD
  • Posts 45
  • Votes 34

Hi BP Community,

I just recently brought a property a month ago with three tenants that I have inherited. One of the three paid their rent on time and the other two months to date still haven’t paid. We notified them in advance where and how to send their payment. My questions

1. Do we start the eviction process and get them out?

2. Do I have to honor the current lease, or can I give them 60 days to vacate the premises since it is under new ownership? 

Post: Yellow Letters

Herbert Lewis
Pro Member
Posted
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Baltimore, MD
  • Posts 45
  • Votes 34

Should, I put my last name on my yellow letters?