All Forum Posts by: Mark B.

@Scotty Grider, i was actually just thinking the same thing

Not sure if this is a dumb question, but what is the problem with other people throwing into your dumpster? Do trash companies charge by the pound? I'm not sure how dumpster pricing works.

Also, potentially you could even just add a fence or something around that area.  Anything that would make it a bit more annoying for random people to come to the area.  They might just be doing it because its easier for the them. By making it harder to get to , yours may not be the easiest anymore.  

I'd have to agree with @michael ablan (not sure if tag is working) about not paying for a course.

At first i thought you meant you hadn't gotten started in real estate, and then I started thinking that you meant you have but you want to get more serious about it.

If you haven't started yet... I would start by reading the Ultimate Beginners Guide (https://www.biggerpockets.com/real-estate-investin...) . Then start coming to bigger pockets every day and reading as many posts/discussions/blogs you can on the site. Also start going through the podcasts and listening (LOTS of great info there). 

If you wanted to actually spend money, I'd grab the 4 hour work week as well as other books.  I'm not sure how expensive those coaching classes are but something tells me your money would be better spent if you just bought books and read them thoroughly instead.  

Either way good luck!!

This is insane... How do people with 20k worth of jewelry leave windows open? Even in a safe neighborhood I wouldn't leave a window open if that's what was in my house.  

Not sure what to contribute but sub'ed to see what advice others offer!

No offense but like others said... your pictures are somewhat horrible and unappealing.  As someone who recently rented for college, i wouldn't call about that apartment either.  

i would try to get pictures like Jon S. has.  they are beautiful! I'd imagine that would help a ton to get people in the door.  Also, like someone else mentioned, if its a college area, you probably missed your rental window and not many people will need an apartment till next september.

Good luck ! subscribed for updates!!

@Joe Butcher , that was a good one!

Also, I would be careful about which kind of high risk like others were saying.  Evictions/low income/late payments are one thing, but I'd still stay away from professional tenants and people who have sued their landlords in the past

Not sure if it has a timer system, but you could look into one of them.  Potentially ask them if they wouldnt mind you installing it.  Could have it turn down a bit when they leave and turn on fully an hour before the plan to get home.  

Also, I'm pretty sure that turning off heating/cooling fully is not the right way to do it.  It takes more energy to go back to the desired temperature that way.  For my last apt, we would turn the AC up 82 when we left in the morning, and then set the timer to go to 76 around 4pm.  Seemed to work very well for us

I'm not really sure its possible to make money on high risk tenants. But then again insurance companies make money on high risk customers all the time so. I do have a few thoughts...

For marketing... to attract these kinds of tenants, I'd imagine all you'd you have to do would be put in the ad something like "No credit or background check, prior evictions are okay".

As for making money on it? I'd assume the only way you'd stand a chance would be to charge a premium.  I think there are housing laws regarding the amount of the security deposit you can take, but I don't think there are rules regarding pricing? So potentially you could charge an extra 100-200 a month in rent.

A last thought would be to use shorter leases.  I'd think (and I hope someone else with actual knowledge chimes in) that its easier/quicker to remove someone with a 3 month lease than a 1 year lease.

I'm not sure what the legal ramifications of denying him would be, but I would HIGHLY suggest you find a way to reject his application.  At least in my opinion, having people who don't know each other live together has too many potential issues as is, let alone mixing sexes in an apt.

Potentially let him know that the current residents are all female and are very against having a male living there? Although that would probably be very clear discrimination?

For me it was timing.  I graduated from college and moved back home. During the year I lived at home I started to get more and more interested in RE.  However I knew work was going to relocate me for a year across the country.  I ended up using that year to read/learn more about RE until I just got back home about a month ago and am now working on my first deal!