All Forum Posts by: Jake Knight

Hi Nicole, welcome to BP. Be sure to check out the podcast and set up keyword alerts if you haven't already. Two excellent resources! 

I am putting together some systems and teams to bring a few furnished rentals online, but out-of-state. In my first locale I've got a handyman (will find another 1 or 2, just in case), a PM who can run errands for me on a per-visit basis (I am not paying a PM in the normal sense though), a cleaning company and few other things. As mentioned above, an electronic door lock with WiFi will allow me to control access, and I'll have a lockbox in the garage that guests can access. I'll probably have some ADT signs thrown up but I'm not getting an alarm.This probably won't apply to most people but I'm hiring a home stager to furnish the property for me. I'll buy the furniture and pay her by the hour to go in and set up, then a photographer to take some really good photos. 

I'm torn on allowing pets. Since I can't be there to closely inspect things (such as leftover pet odors, bite marks in furniture) I'd love to stay away from it but on the other hand I don't want to lose too many renters. 

For marketing I will start with CHBO and maybe one or two other sites. There are a few local lead sites that I've spoken with but haven't decided yet. My current stage is market research, building a team and cold-calling as many local people as I can to get input. Since I am targeting the corporate crowd (and relocators), I've talked to some of the major employers in the area to understand what their needs are. Now if I can only find the right property! 

Doesn't seem to be linking to anything...

What makes Toledo a great place to invest? I am asking in earnest; don't know much about Toledo.

If you are planning to work with agents, they'll most likely want to know that you can get financed if/when you start submitting offers through them. Good idea to call a couple lenders and discuss your plans with them, see about getting pre-approved, and what their criteria are. Remember that an agent doesn't get paid up front so you want to give them some assurance that you are ready and able to close when a deal presents itself. 

Congras @Benjamin Barredo on taking action. The more calls you make the easier it gets and one great call more than makes up for a few bad ones!

Hi Alberto, 

Welcome to BP!

If you're looking for local groups, sign up for Meetup.com and search for "real estate investment." There are a few good groups that meet at Harry's Hof Brau, and another in Milpitas. 

What type of investing are you looking to do? I think that @Kenneth Kulpa, who is an experienced investor in the area, may be looking to connect with new investors in town and help them get started. You should try to connect. 

Wondering if anyone can recommend a good property manager for an SFR in the West Knoxville/Farragut area. Would much rather have a recommendation from someone than try and weed people out on google. Thanks!

How serious are you about online marketing? If you're just looking for a splash page, then go with Wix or something. When you are in a large market (as you are), you need to be committed to building out your site. You can't just set and forget if you have other folks in your area who got set up a year, three years ago, etc. Takes a sustained effort to get on that first page. 

I've been a carrot customer for ~4 mos and think they have great tools and a great platform. You need to add more original content, continuously, and learn SEO strategies so you can set yourself apart from the competition.  

#4 stands out to me as the "eye-catcher." That shade of blue is more modern and the text is more impactful. When I shrunk my screen size to see them all at once, #4 stood out. I'm not a big fan of the standard, corporate-issue navy blue.