All Forum Posts by: Jason Ong

@Anton Reimer Don't miss @J. Martin's Bay Area Summit this coming weekend.

http://www.sfbaysummit.com/ 

@Mike Schelske No problem. Helps me clarify my thoughts on the topic anyways. If I may summarize,

- Identify your unfair advantages and capitalize on them.

- Identify your constraints and work out a strategy around them.

@Mike Schelske Those questions are best answered by yourself as only you know your limits/constraints with regards to your near term finances and work situation. 

That said, let me provide an anecdote to the VA loan...

One of my favourite AirBnB host has a nice 4 bedroom newer house in Vacaville. He works in Travis Airforce so has access to the zero percent down VA loan with no PMI. Think he only paid $10k in total for the closing costs.

He gets housing stipend and I think it pays for the mortgage. On top of that, he rents out the extra bedrooms on AirBnB, raking in a nice sweet side income. All these while living in a nice house in a nice part of town that's still appreciating. Not a bad deal at all.

I asked him why aren't there more of his colleagues capitalizing on this clearly unfair advantage. His reply was most of them just suck at managing their lives...

@Mike Schelske If you do forum search for "bay area vs out of state" or similar keywords , you'll find a plethora of posts on this subject from veterans. Take your time to read them. Also talk to other investors at local meetups. Form your own strategy based on your constraints. Hope that helps!

https://www.realestateconsulting.com/8-big-housing...

TLDR;

1. Prime real estate will be unlocked for new home construction (parking lots, auto dealerships, gas stations).
2. Outlying drive-until-you-qualify housing markets will eventually reemerge once the majority of core infill markets have repurposed their prime real estate.
3. Urban employment should continue rising as prime real estate is repurposed for housing, allowing more people to live closer to city centers.
4. Density will increase, with the days of wide streets, massive driveways, and two-/three-car garages a thing of the past.
5. Construction costs will decline as transportation costs plummet for moving building products from manufacturing facilities/warehouses to new home construction sites.
6. Fewer home sales will occur, as the elderly will be able to stay in their existing home long after losing their driving rights.
7. Assisted-living facility demand will be less than most people expect.
8. Repair and remodeling will flourish due to seniors remodeling their homes to age in place. Millions of garages will also be converted to fully functioning livable space.

@Ethan Cooke @Micah M. Indeed, Brisbane is an undiscovered gem. 

Peaceful, quiet and a short drive to SF. Arguably one of the best weather in the Peninsula... something about the tail end of the fog meets Californian sun and shielded by the hills from high winds... 

Completed commercial developments in neighboring SSF gonna bring more biotech jobs (and traffic) and their marina area already earmarked for commercial + residential development.

I echo the others on screening guests for cultural fit.

 Here's another potential case study. Let's see how planting a small coffeeshop does to the neighborhood. 

http://richmondstandard.com/2017/08/24/the-wire-actor-announces-downtown-richmond-investment-on-twitter/

I was in your situation last year. While I don't know what's your goal, here are some things that I did that helped me in my journey.

- Set up BP keyword alert for "bay area". Great way to learn from the bay area veterans.

- Go to as many RE meetups as possible. Every knowledge acquired is like an onion peel.

After awhile, you'll quickly arrive at a conclusion that'll work for your situation. All the best!

 I can't think of any appreciating area without traffic woes? Great for owner or landlords in prime locations. Autonomous vehicles might make things more democratic in future.