All Forum Posts by: Kyle McCane

@Ryan Patrick Can you share some specific insight?

Thanks

Hi all, 

What do you look for when doing research at your county offices?

In my case I've been doing some driving for dollars and have identified multiple properties that are of high interest. 

I'd like to maximize my time and value when I go to the county offices. I'm assuming a couple of things that I can get:

1. Current ownership information 

2. If absentee owner, gaining that owner's address and contact information

3. Tax information (available online in my county)

4. Lein info (available online)

5. Other property history?

What other info should I be looking for?

Thanks for the help.

I have been doing some driving for dollars and came upon several properties that were of interest. The county (Alameda, CA) doesn't have an online tool to get the ownership information...or maybe I haven't found it yet.

I stumbled upon blockshopper while searching for address information. The site seemed to list the owner's names and some additional sale information. I'm wondering how current that information is. Has anyone had any experience with the accuracy of blockshopper

My father has a reverse mortgage on his home. I don't know much about them.

The home is in relatively good shape but there is some definite deferred maintenance needed like a kitchen/bathroom remodel, removing the wall paper from 1978, floors/carpets, swimming pool refurbishing, etc.

Property values are good in the neighborhood. It's a pretty desirable place to live in his city.

He is at a point where it's time for him to move out and probably come live with me and my family. I understand that he/we have 1 year from the time he moves out to sell or refinance to pay off the reverse mortgage.

What strategies I should be thinking about:

- Take out a loan and do a complete refurb and refresh of the property to sell?

- Try to sell it "as is"?

- Take out a loan and refurb to make it a rental property?

- other suggestions?

- Partner with someone that knows what they are doing???

Any advise will be really helpful. 

@Rick H. Absolutely agree. Since I'm just starting out I want to try and do this initial leg work myself. I can't direct someone to the county offices if I don't know 1. which office to go to or 2. what information I can find there. 

Thanks for the tip re: PropertyRadar. I hadn't heard of it (why I love BP. learn something new everyday)! Just taking a quick look around the site it brings up another question. I was just about to push the button on listsource to pull a list for my yellow letter campaign. Do you think I could kill 2 birds with one stone by subscribing to PropertyRadar? I like that it has a mobile component for the times I go driving for dollars. 

Thoughts?

@Account Closed Ha! I could just image myself walking around the county buildings randomly declaring "I'm a real estate investor and I'm here to make MONEY!"

Thanks for the advise. I will definitely hone my focus before I go there. 

@Colleen Chapin SCORE. The county had a website that allows me to get the records for the notice of default (and other issues). It doesn't list address. At least I will be armed and ready when i go to the county offices and do the research. 

@Hasan Hamdan I like the idea of hiring someone to do this tedious work. My college aged kids and/or their friends would be PERFECT! :-) I'm hoping to learn this first time so I can understand all the resources. 

@Alberto Cordova Yes, That is the goal at this stage. I'm looking to get a target list for yellow letters plus gain some insight on some of the specific properties. I will probably end up using listsource. Is there a way to look specifically a for NOD via listsource?

@Colleen Chapin doh! didn't even think of that. newbie move. I will check it out. 

@Account Closed  Alameda County California. 

Great ideas! Thanks. That makes perfect sense. I will have different lists and questions prepared and go from there.

Alameda County, CA is the office I will be going to.