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All Forum Posts by: Matthew Harper

Matthew Harper has started 6 posts and replied 20 times.

Post: Obtaining the address of an unmarked vacant property. (Lafayette, LA/ Baton Rouge, LA)

Matthew HarperPosted
  • Residential Real Estate Agent
  • Birmingham, AL
  • Posts 20
  • Votes 4

@Nick Deshotels 

If you have coordinates for the site, I can find an address for you.  Let me know if you still need help.

Post: good sites for aerial images?

Matthew HarperPosted
  • Residential Real Estate Agent
  • Birmingham, AL
  • Posts 20
  • Votes 4

@Jay Hinrichs ,

Not exactly.  Pictometry flies aerials from biplanes, shooting not only a straight down image but also multiple 40 degree shots as well.  These shots are useful on their own even as 2D images because they give the allusion of depth and are a sort of cross between a bird's eye view and feet on the ground.  Stitching these images together allows for assessment of 3 dimentional attributes such as slope of a roof.  If LiDAR is also stitched to the imagery, then the accuracy is greatly improved and 3D models can be generated with the images used as the "skin" for the model.  Some of this has been done and is available publicly for larger cities but in most cases not, since it is pretty pricey.

Here's an example of an oblique image:

Post: good sites for aerial images?

Matthew HarperPosted
  • Residential Real Estate Agent
  • Birmingham, AL
  • Posts 20
  • Votes 4

@Martin Z. ,

I agree with @Jay Hinrichs that most county assessor's offices now have a GIS portal through which you can search for tax records.  Most counties have either obtained or partnered with other entities to obtain periodic updates to their imagery.  Of course, this is all dependent upon the county.  These sites can usually be found by googling [county name] GIS.  Some counties also have external GIS data that you can use through other mapping software if you have access or through arcgis.com which allows free access for basic web mapping applications to the public.  Arcgis.com also has a wealth of public data that other users have uploaded as well as imagery, though most of their imagery is obtained en mass from the same sources as Google and Bing.

I assume that you invest where you live, which is Los Angeles County.

Here's your goldmine:

http://egis3.lacounty.gov/slv/?Viewer=GISViewer

Looks like they have stocked imagery for 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014 for the entire county along with loads of other data.  They've also given you the ability to link to Pictometry imagery, which is a huge plus, but do not provide you with access solely because they have linked to it.  Pictometry is valuable in that, along with an overhead view, it also provides oblique imagery from four different angles, allowing you to really assess the property.  If you are hurting for some obliques in the future, let me know as I have Pictometry access.

If you are ever looking for historic imagery, hit up USGS's portal:

http://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/

Hope this helps.

Post: Birmingham, AL - Real Estate License

Matthew HarperPosted
  • Residential Real Estate Agent
  • Birmingham, AL
  • Posts 20
  • Votes 4

That'd be great, @Matt Leavell !  I'm actually meeting with @Account Closed on Monday.  Would love to grab lunch with you soon as well.

Post: Birmingham, AL - Real Estate License

Matthew HarperPosted
  • Residential Real Estate Agent
  • Birmingham, AL
  • Posts 20
  • Votes 4

Hi all,

As I became interested in real estate investing a few months back, I was convinced by a friend and broker to obtain a license and hang it with them to learn the business as an agent in my spare time.  I've done that and honestly hate the stigma that follows being labeled a "real estate agent," though the work can be rewarding both personally and financially.

I would much rather use my license to focus on the investment side of real estate, which is my true passion.  In the future, I see this as beneficial in my own deals.  In the present, I would be better served to work with other investors to help locate properties.  This would help me to learn what it is that other local investors are looking for and expand my knowledge of the Birmingham real estate market.

I am trained in geographic information systems (GIS) and have an insatiable desire to hunt value and analyze data. I want to use this in the real estate field and would love to work with anyone in the area that may be in need of MLS scouring or other GIS data to locate trends or generate lists and leads.

Feel free to contact me if interested.  Thanks!

Post: What are some ways to promote my website without paying for Google AdWords?

Matthew HarperPosted
  • Residential Real Estate Agent
  • Birmingham, AL
  • Posts 20
  • Votes 4

@Dev Horn and @Jerred Morris , thanks for the ideas!  I don't even have a website or a remote goal in life but I'm loving the information!  Followed a few rabbit holes from your original link, @Jerred Morris and am initially loving these two articles:

http://pointblankseo.com/creative-link-building

Specifically love the idea of using a hoax to generate traffic as in the Ivar's Billboard Hoax example.  Something slightly absurd so as not to be deceiving but still generate interest.

http://moz.com/blog/the-complete-guide-to-link-bui...

I also love the idea of promoting or planning an event in your target area.  Is there possibly a better way to reach your target audience than to lure them out of their homes and meet them in person?  I think this gives your business a much needed human element that is often lost in mere postcards and website advertisements.

Post: Buying partnership shares

Matthew HarperPosted
  • Residential Real Estate Agent
  • Birmingham, AL
  • Posts 20
  • Votes 4

@Joe Fairless , I most certainly will!  My mind is like a broken steel trap,  but I do recall this being mentioned briefly in one of BP's podcasts.  Guess I'll just start back with episode 1...

Post: Buying partnership shares

Matthew HarperPosted
  • Residential Real Estate Agent
  • Birmingham, AL
  • Posts 20
  • Votes 4

I believe it was a podcast or possibly a dream I had where someone was speaking about sending mail to limited liability partners who had shares in apartment complexes or warehouses.  Does anyone know what show or person or dream of mine that was? Or has anyone dealt with this process before?  I am in the process of working with one general partner to buy out the remaining partners who invested in the project in the 80s solely as a tax shelter and that are now in essence losing money the longer they stay in as they are depreciated out and there is little cash flow in the project.  I am wanting to look into other situations like this and remembered it being mentioned briefly in one a BP podcast (I think).  Ring a bell to anyone?

Post: Scaaaaary Seller Financing Deal!

Matthew HarperPosted
  • Residential Real Estate Agent
  • Birmingham, AL
  • Posts 20
  • Votes 4

@Wayne Brooks On hindsight, I think you're absolutely correct.  Why would anyone take that deal?  Which makes sense because while I was talking with them another investor offered cash and they accepted.  There was no mortgage on the property.

@Brandon Turner I definitely ran numbers (and do often) through you wonderful calculators, found exclusively at BiggerPockets.com.  One area that I am still extremely uncertain about are repair estimates.  I may be jumping the gun a bit on going after projects, but it never hurts to fail!  I plan to devour J Scott's books and find some more investors and contractors to shadow in the area to get a better feel for it.

Thanks for the comments guys.

Post: Where would you move?

Matthew HarperPosted
  • Residential Real Estate Agent
  • Birmingham, AL
  • Posts 20
  • Votes 4

Growing up in Alabama, it has always been my goal to live ANYWHERE BUT ALABAMA.  That being said, it has recently grown on me, especially Birmingham for its small town attitude with a huge upswing in what all of your cities called progress about 20 years ago.  (We're a little slow here).  Birmingham's greatest addition in the past few years has been....alcohol!!!!  Specifically, many of our archaic regulations regarding high alcohol content in beers and breweries really held back what I feel is a MAJOR economic boost to any city.  Once the laws were changed a few years ago (http://www.freethehops.org/), breweries began to pop up in the ghostly Main Streets of yesterhood and have brought with them an onslought of small business and renewed interest in living downtown.  I'm babbling now.  I'd move to Portland.