All Forum Posts by: Max Guerrero

More is not necessarily what I would go for. If it were me, I would replace some of the more generic pieces. If you're cleaning out the local Hobby Lobby or Homegoods to furnish your rentals it just looks stale.

 We recently used a professional to replace our edited iPhone photos. We didn't have great results and was a huge waste of time more than anything. Just make sure you're getting as much natural light as possible, stage using a couple of items with bright colors, and shoot some interesting angles/detail shots. 

Thanks for the links @Account Closed

I would recommend some decorations and unique pieces from the area to give the space a little more character. Looks like an older property, maybe the county assessor has old pictures of it you can print and frame. Even though these are 30+ day stays, travelers still appreciate an experience and it will help you stand out.

I love that tip and it takes a lot of the gamble out of the equation. These big companies are slow though, and might take years to get something going in a market with growing demand.

I would do some more research and see if there is a need for MTR in the space. You might get in early.

 Lots of good information in your presentation. 

Welcome to the Seattle community. There are creative ways to buy and invest in the area, if you're patient. You can take advantage of cash flow, appreciation, and living for free while getting your feet wet in REI. If you haven't figured it out yet, I'm talking about househacking.

I agree. This is a neighborhood and tenant problem. Bad neighborhoods might work best for entry point and cash flow but those are the drawbacks. If the tenant came with the property, that sucks. If you leased to them, it's on you. 

I've househacked 2 properties and worst we've ever had was Airbnb parties that got shut down pretty fast. The only LTR tenants I had were working professionals and one of them made more than me and my wife put together.

Know that furnished finder is on the low side of what you can get for monthly rents compared to Airbnb, at least in my market. I will take close comps for STR, in the area, use their daily rate, and then drop it by 10% for 30+ days on Airbnb.

With FF I just look at comps in the area and make sure I'm on the higher end of the range if your quality and amenities back it up. If you're sharing your space you probably don't want to cater to someone that can only afford the least expensive.

REI looks a little different to everyone. Don't get caught up on the specifics someone else is doing because it might not work for you, your situation, or your market.

Find what you want to focus on and stick with it. 

Read and participate in forums but nothing works as good as networking in person.