All Forum Posts by: Leland Barrow

Here is my wisdom and I am not a Texas lawyer. If someone offered me two choices. The first is ten years of heartache, stress, and conflict that would be also be passed on to my kids, or the second choice is losing access to 1 acre parcel of land; I would choose to lose the 1 acre. Instead of 1 acre if it was 250k, I would pay the 250k even if I couldn't afford it. I have 70-85 years in this world why in the world would I want to deal with craziness for over ten years of it? In many situations no one wins. I would avoid those situations like the plague. A 250k education can be valuable or just a waste of 250k, it just depends on the person. The most unreasonable person we will meet in life is the one that stares back at us in the mirror.

Welcome and let me know if I can help in any way.

All markets have cycles especially LA/SD/SF. A house that is selling for 65k in the midwest may sell for 600k in one of those cities. You wont lose as much money on a %20 downturn in the midwest vs a 5% downturn in LA/SD/SF. The key to any market is finding a good deal. In a buyers market you can find deals on the mls. In a sellers market you will have to find off market deals. You give yourself more cushion in a sellers market. If you cant find a deal then you hoard cash and troll BP. It really just depends on your goals. It is hard to time markets so just shop for good deals and be patient. Also remember that markets are regional. Looking at national markets is a mistake. In every market there are hot areas worth investing in.

Welcome to BP, if I can ever help let me know!

Unfortunately East Austin is going to continue to gentrify. Being close to "low income" housing should not be a big concern. That is where the best value is at the moment. I have seen Austin change over the last ten years. East Austin was high crime and struggling. Now you see millennials jogging, riding their bikes, and walking their dogs. The demographics are changing but there is also opportunity for everyone. Property taxes motivate traditional residents to move, they sell, make money, and move to newer homes in the burbs. People on a fixed income that once struggled from check to check can make a couple hundred thousand. It is neither good nor bad and it is definitely not as villainous as some East siders make it out to be. The fact is that young professional males usually determine what neighborhoods will gentrify. That is one demographic that REI can follow with success. They are trailblazers and modern settlers. They can see the value in older neighborhoods that are near their down towns that they inhabit. East Austin is no different, young males moved and started changing the neighborhoods. They plant roots, marry, have kids and soon neighborhoods that were once run down are now the place to be. It is not sexism or racism it is simply a demographic that tends to be less afraid of crime and diversity. If anything it is benign because they chose to live where others would not, and with neighbors that others looked down their noses at. So gentrification is a bunch of hooplah over nothing. Just my 2 cents.

Austin does have issues that city needs to stop banning plastic bags and start widening roads. Thats what happens when Calomunists come and bring their politics lol. However, that is good news for the burbs that are picking up all the level headed voters. If those Californians would just bring their money and their dreams, and leave their politics back in the red state.

I just drove through a small town that is off the radar yesterday. You can buy river front houses where they are pulling record breaking bass out this year for 30-60k and it is within 15 minutes of one of these cities. People are thinking about hot areas today but the hot areas 15 years from now are not even discussed. What does that kind of growth really mean if it lasts the next twenty years?

Energy No state taxes Pro-business Panama Canal Port cities Coastal area Farming area (farming was huge last year) Cheap foreign labor Tech hub (Austin) Conservative politics Religious core Highway access (transportation) Centrally located Youthful and energetic (Austin, Dallas) Higher ed (UT, TCU, A&M, TSU, Baylor etc Education (13-15 students per class) Cultural significance (New dream state) Affordable housing (American dream) Raw land Sports (hunting, fishing, racing, NFL etc.) Theatre and arts Politics This is not all inclusive but Texas ranks high or top in all of these areas compared to other states.

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/blog/real-estate/2016/03/austin-homebuyers-are-moving-farther-from-city.html Something to consider.

Welcome to BP!