All Forum Posts by: Manly Souza

@Diane Trotter

Hawaii is unique in that the land is very expensive due to the space available. It seems as though Hawaii's prices will always go up and the crash didn't affect us like it did elsewhere. Hawaii is rebounding pretty well from the crash in 2008. The average condo is still over a quarter million and the average SFR is three quarters of a million so it's a little scarier investing here relative to somewhere like Oregon or such.

@Curtis Steineke

I always tell active duty people to do one of two things:

1) Buy wherever you go and lease it out when you leave

and

2) Utilize the BAH and COLA of one area to invest in a place that is lower than the current station. Hawaii is a good example of this. With BAH being so good here, take the money and invest elsewhere like Ohio and Indiana.

@Rachel Huang

Why is Hawaii on your radar to invest in? I always listening to a podcast where the girl was making a killing in northern California.

If I can help in any way let me know.

@Jennifer Griffin

It's good to save a lot first. From the investing side of things, banks will require heavy down payment. I personally haven't gotten into flips yet as I am a buy and holder, but for sure it's on my radar to get into in the future.

@Monika Haebich

You're right. I know some people in the VRBO business that are making a killing with their studios located at separate spots all over the island. I'm like, "you make how much with those studios!?!?!?!?!?"

@Brandon Potter

That's something I want to do as well. I currently am buying properties, living in it for a year and then leasing it out. I want to buy a SFR, live in it and fix it up while I'm living in it and then sell it at the end of the year.

@Joseph Inge

Networking is a big one. Out of all the characteristics I would say drive is the most important. I would say, in my experience, 9 out of 10 people only talk about being real estate investors or business owners for that matter. Taking the leap is hard for a lot of folks. You have to develop a mindset with no excuses and have a drive that cannot be stop. It's truly the only way. 

@Lawrence Lloyd paclob

Your plumbing trade will come in handy big time. I always gotta call contractors because I suck at upgrading anything. I can find the deals and close on them, but my trade skills lack big time. In fact I'm going to attempt to paint one of my units this weekend and I'm terrified I'll mess everything up and somehow the entire unit will end up bright yellow.

@TJ Plotkin

Nice dude another realtor vet. I always tell vets to buy property because it is so much easier for us. I'm Air Force and have utilized VA multiple times. The VA is a huge advantage for us to invest. I would go as far as to call it cheating in a way.

What vets are doing in the mainland with the fourplex I'll live in one and utilize my VA technique is a good example.

@Account Closed Hawaii is unique when it comes to real estate. I don't think we should worry as much as the mainland. Hawaii's market is really unpredictable as well, so attempting to forecast is folly IMO. Just a few years ago I wouldn't have predicted that things would be flying off the market like they are today. I've been working real estate so much and coming home late at night just because the hustle is real now. Properties are being sold within hours of being put in the MLS. It's insane. Most realtors like me have multiple people trying to either buy or sell at the moment.

In my experience, real estate hasn't been much of a try to predict and strategize type of business. It's more of a roll with the punches type of business.