All Forum Posts by: Justin Phillips

@Van Ngo I agree with  @Kaiser Johnson Tempe is more similar to SD...as similar as you can get in the desert. Chandler is pretty similar to Gilbert, but it has a little but of everything; Old, New, Farm lots. 
Arizona is much different than SoCal in that almost all of Phoenix is pretty similar in look and climate. Where as east/west SD county have a huge difference in look and temp. 
If family friendly is your focus, east valley is a great area. To @Daniella Lamis point, there's been a lot of growth and there's room for more in Queen Creek. 

@Van Ngo Gilbert is an incredibly family friendly area, that's where we live. We moved over from Temecula, CA and it has a very similar feel. Gilbert is pretty pricey though. For appreciation potential, Goodyear/Buckeye will offer more. However, they're not currently as quaint as Gilbert is. Seemingly the whole state is growing and developing like crazy though! You can't go wrong. 

I had a similar start in my RE journey. Some of my biggest tips for self managing: 
List with Zillow, it's easy and free and potential tenants pay for Credit and Background checks. Be patient in your tenant search. Brandon/Heather Turner's book on managing rentals is helpful, nothing earth shattering, but they're thorough. Ask other landlords, and BP community tons of questions. 
I used one of my good buddy's rental blueprints, and it's worked out great so far! Congrats on making the plunge, excited to grow alongside you!

@Collin Smith Glad you're starting early Collin! For learning, my biggest piece of advice is to listen to the Bigger Pockets podcast. I had started listening to it way before I was ready to make any moves, but I learned a ton. I always took mental note of books recommended in the 'Famous Four' and would read books that I heard mentioned often. And as Jody said, save save save! That will help you be best prepared for when an opportunity presents itself to you. 

@Patrick McCandless You should be able to dispute, and present other pertinent information (Comps). That's strange they just did a drive by. Is this for an investment property, or your primary? 
I work for a company that specializes in 1st position HELOCs, and our program requires a full appraisal, because the line of credit that's set-up is based on that value. So with that 30-Year draw period we always want to maximize that appraisal and thus equity access for our clients.  

@Peter Pham Welcome Peter! RE is a fun world, glad you're jumping in! 

@Wai Fung Hey Wai, I doubt you're still on the search, but I have an answer for what it's worth! My wife and I got on an Offset mortgage for our investment condo down in Murrieta, CA. We loved it so much that I actually left my job in medical sales to join a company that specializes in them! We love the interest savings, and the 30 year draw period. It's given us a great deal of flexibility. When a good opportunity arises, we'll just write a check from our line and purchase in cash. The best part, each property is paid off faster than the last with the additional income. 
We're currently only licensed in CA/CO/AZ, but the loan is available in every state. Cheers!

Hey Jim, I'm sure this is long gone from your radar, but I figured I'd answer for anyone else looking for some information on Offset Mortgages in the states! My wife and I got on an Offset Loan, and we loved it so much that I left my job in Medical sales to work for a company that specializes in them! We're licensed in CA/CO/AZ currently, but the loan is available in every state.

@Brenda Maddox I haven't used mine for any Real Estate investments yet. With the market so high, I haven't seen anything intriguing at this point. It's a great time to set the HELOC though, as the high values provide for a larger credit line.
@Jon P. It really depends on your goals, and property situation. What's your objective? 

@Daniella Lamis Oh, that's so funny. We actually live in Gilbert as well, and Life Changer is based in Queen Creek. I'd be happy to get you all the details and see if it may be a good option for you. Reach out anytime.