All Forum Posts by: Benjamin Cowles

I'm using chrome in the library here trying to get a date for a meeting from a conversation and all I see are little strips of each of the correspondences between myself and another user but nothing to click to open up the messages.

I'd guess it's just the rule in general with any road to success.  This could be a thread in any forum.  

Do you use a particular software/app? I'm using excel currently which is fine but requires a bit of proficiency and/or time to get it going reliably. So I'm just fishing around for ideas on what others do. Oh, this is for direct mail marketing, tho feel free to share methods of tracking for other marketing methods. Thanks

Thanks for all that. 

I like that I can log in here and get lots of free info but I really could use a  lawyer's advice in general. What should it cost to sit down for the first hour then subsequent hours if different? I've only heard scary rumors what it costs. Should I consider one of those websites that charge a monthly fee? Any advice on getting professional advice anyone?

Gotcha. Yeah, he's a friendly neighbor I'd call him and I do 'come in peace'. And I simply intend to "squeeze" myself between people's needs where of course there's room. And I can provide an equal or better value to the alternative.

And I could buy and rehab downgrade house for friendly neighbor and to prepare him to buy it I could also help him sell via methods mentioned with sufficient knowledge, hence my research. Otherwise if I just leave him to get with a realtor I'll be left at their mercy and would rather take some control in the matter and further increase my return.

If as soon as I inform him I've got him a house about to rehab for him to buy he can either look for a realtor to sell and risk losing house I'm holding for him if realtor doesn't sell in time and I sell elsewhere or...

for a non refundable option fee on his house so he knows I'm serious, we agree I keep downgrade house for him til I find a buyer for my option("flex/non-exclusive option"?) or he sell it himself first, in which case I get my option fee back. Or whatever we work out. I'm just looking at possibilities. But a realtor wouldn't be able to find and hold a house for him til they sold his first.

A license will have to wait. Following rules and maintaining accreditations/certifications/licenses etc is just not my forte. Just following my own rules and discipline is a struggle for me atm. Other ducks would need to get in a row first. But yes I see the advantage. 

Thanks. I appreciate your response especially with the tax part so I'll look more into TIC's. I read about them from Bill gulley I believe and he seems to know his stuff. He has some educational website. But I've not read about them elsewhere too much so that may mean something.

As far as the rest, I know you're not accusing me of being up to no good but somehow you're wording and reuse of my wording appears that you want to draw such a picture. And I don't get the ethical chasm. And c'mon, this is a forum about putting food on the table, not hooking your friends up. Not sure what your point was there. No offense. Thanks

 Thanks. By what exactly is the problem? I wasn't planning on getting a licence necessarily if I didn't need one. 

Suppose I find a house for a friend to buy and I purchase an option on it for ex. say 90% FMV less minor rehab at most and resell option to friend for say 10% plus I'd be funding it for him until I sell his house for a nominal cut. Should I buy an option from him in order to sell it or do a TIC agreement to sell it? How does the strategy sound overall? Or could we use a TIC with the first transaction too or not at all? I'd imagine with these numbers I could net 15-20k for helping three people get something they want.

I've just read about these terms and I've a neighbour who's looking to downgrade and doesn't appear to be doing more than thinking about the whole process so I'm trying to see how I could squeeze myself between some money. I've been doing some marketing and if this is a good direction it would be a good excuse to really focus my marketing efforts to particular neighborhoods. What do you think?

just keep your eyes open.  craigslist, I just missed a deal because I showed up a couple hours later than I could have after someone else showed up.  but i think they probably over paid. i missed another a few months ago simply because another investor took it without an inspection contingency, so depending on your experience, you may be able to take advantage of a quick one like that.  bandit signs.  I'm on a couple wholesaler's lists.  haven't been presented with anything attractive yet. well almost, but these guys were just slimy as f*** so even though the numbers looked good I just had a bad feeling about these guys.  i'm guessing most are  slimy.  but that's life right?   I'm not sure about them in "hiding" as john said, since I've easily found a few.  but maybe there are a lot more hiding.  I'm looking to rehab and flip at the moment, but will bookmark you for future reference when I decide to wholesale myself.

Ashley, I I'm new in this also, at least I have not done a deal but have been direct mailing for over a year, just not a lot so far, so for what it's worth :

1) I take my calls straight to my phone but using a Google number with its own ring tone so I keep business calls separated. 

2) you can sell it to me. As far as legality I'll have to defer to others who know better but seems like people do it everywhere and here also but they officially it's as they say a "grey area" so just keep honest about what you're doing and don't piss anyone off I guess. 

3) I just use a spreadsheet. Mind you I think I have the mind and patience for it, but with work it has worked for me. Better if you can and like to meddle with spreadsheets, otherwise shop around for some software. Without anything to compare tho I like to think mine kicks butt you're free to use if you want. 

If you have other questions for another local newbie I can offer whatever I got and am always open to making local connections as as I mentioned I'm looking to buy other's deals and sell my own  too. Good luck.