All Forum Posts by: Kai Van Leuven

@Kyle Robertson

Dude, JUST DO IT!

I left my job in March. The hardest thing was just walking out the door.

I wanted to leave my job from day one but I had tons of buddies and made good money. My job was also pretty easy and my total comp package was probably around 125k a year.

The biggest problem was I never saw my family. I have a 7 and 2 year old. With the exception of Sunday I was always working. They were growing up and I wasn’t around.

One day I looked at the 3 houses I had sitting vacant and turned to my wife and said. “I am quiting tomorrow. Is that ok with you?” She gave her approval and I walked in the next day and quit.

Benefits: you stop being so lazy about your business. I would always say, I am not going to raise rent because if they move I don’t have time time to work on stuff. It was killing my profitability. Now we are at market rents.

Fear should be every persons enemy. Make your choice based on love. How much better will your life be with 50 hours back and time with your kids!

If you are really having trouble read 4 hour work week. It has a few pages that talk about quitting.

I would say good luck but I think “Just Do It” is more appropriate!

@Nathan Smith

I have a kid that has been working with me for a few years and wants to invest. We talk about this often. This is the thing, right now is not really the best time to jump into buying property. This is a great time to become educated.

I dropped out of college multiple times from 2010-2016. I felt like buying property was a better choice than going to school.

My brother got a Juris Doctorate from 2005-2009 ish and was able to move into a great career. He makes a ton of money.

My point is that depending on the market should dictate your choice. If you chose to get a degree. Get one that pays. I don’t think the business suite degrees pay. Look into Engineering, IT, teaching, ect.

You are looking for an ROI on your degree/choice.

@Steven Robillard

In Washington I am at about 16k on a pretreatment pressurized 4 bedroom system aka pretty complicated.

I think a new drain field is less than 10k.

@Marian Smith

I thought FEMA was my only flood insurance solution but I went through Lloyd's of London and received a policy that was 1/3 the cost. I don't know if you have that coverage where you are at but it might be a nice option.

@Bjorn Ahlblad

It’s a fill in section. I think I am at $50-75/hour.

For some reason I have read that thing line by line too many times... lol.

@Bjorn Ahlblad

In my lease agreement it states I can charge for hourly work. It was provided by Washington Landlord Association.

@Brian Ellis

Congrats on leaving. When I was making the choice to leave some lyrics from the Lumineers helped “it’s better to feel pain, than nothing at all. The opposite of love is indifference”. Every day for 8 years I dreaded working in a factory. I would rather experience the pain of failure than the dulling effect of “punching a clock”.

Go out and “crush it”!

@Michael Cabaña

No, they are looking at the condition of the property at the current moment and comps. If anything mentioning that you want to remodel signals *to them* your house is not that nice. Just my 2c.

I am a straightforward dude but walk on egg shells with appraisers. You have to feel out if they are open to your thoughts.

Usually I will carry a folder with me with some supporting comps and information just to be prepared.

@Michael Cabaña

Have it be clean and presentable. Be prepared with some comps. I use the line “I have been investing for a long time and feel like the value will come in well”. Usually they will prod and ask what I feel the value of the home is and I will say “probably around XXXXXXX, I was able to pull some comps that show XYZ”.

You can’t be pushy. Appraiser’s are an interesting breed. They can’t be corrected, just guided.

@Hannah Reichert

I have had so many doubters over the years. When the market was down in 2011 and 12 I had so many folks told me I was an idiot for buying. I had agents tell me to stop calling them because I didn’t have any money. Bankers laugh when I asked for big loans. Folks tell me that I should be “satisfied” at my age. Everyone thinks they know what is best for you, but the only one who know what is yourself.

I love listening to stories of people who have “made it”. It inspires me, opens me up to new ideas, and most importantly, I look at that person, see they are just as average as me, and know I can do it to.