All Forum Posts by: Justin Wotring

Haven't personally read it yet (it's on my list), but "The Book On Estimating Rehab Costs" by J. Scott is in the BP Store. @Brandon Turner @Joshua Dorkin Any chance of an audio version so I can listen on my commute?

Thanks @Ed Emmons!

Hey everyone!

So I'm not at the point to start investing in properties with my own money (not enough capital), but I was wondering how I could utilize my current skills (or learn new skills) to be able to potentially help put a deal together and/or network with experienced investors in hopes to partner with them down the road. Being a homeowner, I'd describe myself as a decent handyman. I try to do as many of the repairs/improvements to my home as possible before looking to a professional. I'm also very good with Excel, which I use the majority of my workday. I love numbers and data and trying to figure out ways to apply that data to my daily life.

With all that said, I recently saw that the website Udemy.com is having a sale on all courses for the next couple days. These courses include categories such as business, design, marketing, office productivity, etc. I have a degree in biology with a minor in chemistry, so my college experience doesn't translate well to the business/investing world, but I love to learn new things! 

My question is in two parts: 1, has anyone taken any courses from Udemy, and if so, which course(s) would you recommend for my goal listed above? I'm leaning more towards the accounting side, "Introduction to Finance, Accounting, Modeling, and Valuation" by Chris Haroun, and "Beginner to Pro in Excel: Financial Modeling and Valuation" by 365 Careers. 

I could be totally off on what an experienced investor might want to outsource skills for, but like I said, I love numbers and I feel that's a strength that I could utilize if applied to the REI world. Other thoughts are in the marketing category, but I haven't had much prior experience. Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks in advance!

See my post a few months back. Has some good info in it.

HELOC on Primary Residence for Investment of Rental

@Anton Ivanov Thanks Ivan, I'll let you know! Nice job!

Congrats!

@Lara Chinarro forgot to mention that the reason the water heater leaked was due to the accumulation of soot that @Darren Lenick described in his reply. Draining the heater every 6 months helps prevent the accumulation of this soot.

@Lara Chinarro my water heater began leaking all over my garage the day before my birthday last year, so I gave myself an awesome birthday gift of a brand new $1K water heater ON my birthday (sarcasm implied). Not sure how old the water heater was, as it was installed prior to me owning the house. After the new one was installed, I set reminders on my Google calendar to drain about 5 gallons every 6 months as preventative maintenance (recommended by the plumber). I do this at night before bed so we don't run out of hot water when someone's trying to shower. Sorry I can't answer your question about the life of a water heater, but I believe preventative maintenance is key to getting the most life out of it.

@Adam Mittermeier I've been loving the free trials of the BP calculators! Can't wait to go Pro!