All Forum Posts by: Kat Rich

@Clay Warinner - What Voicemail Drop Services have you seen which are equipped with a built in DNC list free of charge? 
Also, thank you for bullet pointing how the RVMs are compliant. 

Also, regardless of personal philosophies on what is or is not RVM.... Does anyone have any tips or experience with what it sounds like when a prospect might be trying to trip up someone who accidentally called a DNC or a reassigned number? Meaning, what types of things would be said or done to try to charge the caller?

What measures have you taken to protect yourself?  What kind of phone number do you use?  Do you use your real or generic name, do you say a company, or maybe someone else's voice...?

Anyone have an update on this thread?

Does anyone have any tips or experience with what it sounds like when a prospect might be trying to trip up someone who accidentally called a DNC number? Meaning, what types of things would be said or done to try to charge the caller?

What measures have you taken to protect yourself? What kind of phone number do you use? Do you use your real or generic name, do you say a company, or maybe someone else's voice...?

Anyone have an update on this thread? I would like to try SlyBroadcast, however, I'm not sure if it's "legal" anymore...and if it's not 100% legal, I want to make sure I have some protections in place. 

Does anyone have any tips or experience with what it sounds like when a prospect might be trying to trip up someone who accidentally called a DNC number? Meaning, what types of things would be said or done to try to charge the caller? 

What measures have you taken to protect yourself?  What kind of phone number do you use?  Do you use your real name or maybe an entity name instead? 

Today is my last day of being Real Estate licensed in Florida because of this reason. My brokerage does not want to be associated with anything except the higher end retail market and sales.  They've said for me not to use their name on any distressed solicitations like foreclosures, divorces, code violations....I don't want to list other people's properties or search for  properties for other people, that takes my time away from my own investing work.

I want to buy properties for myself and my own needs. I originally chose to get licensed as my first step into the real estate direction. I knew I wanted to invest, but was new to the area so I used it as a way to learn more. I heard Brandon Turner say that it would give him some advantage. I'm going unlicensed aka "Voluntary inactive" because I've had such a hard time with the uncertainty of moving forward with advertising. 

I'm glad to have found this thread. 

I may be wasting the money It took to get licensed, pay the MLS fees, pay the realtor fees, but I'd rather move forward and I'm too nervous to move forward being licensed. If I miss it, I'll go back to a brokerage, but I want to

I can't seem to figure out how to find probate, foreclosure, or other listings in Florida which I know are "public record." I'm in Hillsborough County in Tampa, FL, but will look at any county... Does any one know where to find this list that I know is public info, but not sure how to find it. 

Were we able to figure out the best way to address the envelope? 

I'm mailing Pre-probates and I don't have the Executor's name yet. I only have the decedent's name and property address. I've mailed previously as "To the family of Mary Smith" ..... I'm thinking about trying out , "To the executor of Mary Smith..." but that doesn't seem personal and doesn't seem that someone would want to open the letter. 

I'm also thinking of writing "To the estate of Mary Smith" but that impersonal touch also is a flag that I am sending solicitations. I don't want to encourage anyone to not open or throw anything away. 

Is there anyone who thinks they have something that works? 

@Colin G Murphy, Thanks for your response. That's good information to stay away from vacation rentals. You're right, it would be more maintenance and upkeep....ok.

What do you think about investing in Tampa, per say, from the location of Dubai as a first time deal? 

I spoke to one of my brothers there who is also interested in real estate investing but has not the finances to do it himself and he says he can do the property management aspect. 

@Bill Florence - Thanks for the advice about investing far away, I agree, I would like to be near the property. Plus, I would feel more comfortable investing in an area which I am familiar with.  

I'm stuck on WHERE to get started. I've got a good grasp of the big picture of real estate, I've been a part of various real estate groups as well as read/listened to many books/audiobooks on real estate. 

I've been an international teacher for the past 6 years, so I've lived in several different countries, but not in the US. My last gig was in Dubai where I am at the moment. 

My question is WHERE do I choose to invest? 

The pros and cons of 3 cities: 

Richmond, Virginia. 
Pros: It's the town where I grew up, went to high school, college/university and where I visit when I return to the states because my parents still live there. This is a pro because I have a network of friends, a familiarity of the community, and the city. It's in the US, I'm a US citizen and the legalities are more straightforward. If I choose to invest here, I'll need to get a job to support myself while I get through the "starting out" phase. 
Cons: Income tax, my parents are moving to Tampa, Florida for retirement next year. I do not currently reside here. 

Tampa, Florida
Pros: My family (2 brothers, nieces and nephews, and my parents) will be there and if I'm living in the US, I'd like to live near them. Could be a fresh start. Could be good for vacationers rentals. It's in the US, I'm a US citizen and the legalities are more straightforward. No Income Tax. If I choose to invest here, I'll need to get a job to support myself while I get through the "starting out" phase.
Cons: I'm unfamiliar with the city having never lived there. I don't have a network of people I know outside of family. I do not currently reside here.

Dubai, UAE
Pros: It's where I'd prefer to invest because I'm currently in the city, I'm a member of a cycling team, I've got a current network of day-to-day friends, athletic clubs I'm a part of.  I have a pilot boyfriend who I live with and financially supports me which enables me to focus on important things instead of going to work. Dubai is Tax free. I'm semi-familiar with the city as far as socio-economic areas. My current strategy would be to lease and sublet because I do have money to be able to do this on my own, or to buddy up with others to buy a property. 
Cons: The market is not affordable for the amount of money I have, fees for everything are so high. Because I don't have a job, I can't get a mortgage. I do not have a residence Visa with prevents me from doing legal things. LTV is 25% for first mortgage and 35% for second mortgage. As a teacher making $4,000/mo, my salary wasn't even high enough to qualify for a mortgage.

General questions: 
How important is it to be in proximity of the first investment property? 
Is it wise to do an investment property for the first time with partners? Is 3 other partners too many to start out with?
Is the Tax status of each city something to be concerned with? 
What other advice/thoughts do you have?

I feel frustrated because I feel that if I were in the US, I could buy a property deal outright with cash and a business plan that it could cashflow and pay its own mortgage. But if I move to the US, I'll have to start paying taxes and get a job. I'm driving myself crazy going back and forth on investment decisions between the US and Dubai. 

Has anyone had any experience with wholesaling in Dubai? Do you know anyone who does? Do you know any reason why it would not be possible?

I went to a real estate meeting in my hometown Richmond, VA and the topic being discussed was wholesaling. I learned what this is, but given that the discussion was in the US, the laws and restrictions discussed were US and Virginia specific. I currently reside in Dubai, so I was wondering if anyone knows about the laws, restrictions and what's possible in Dubai.