All Forum Posts by: Raul R.

Originally posted by @Scott Trench:

@Account Closed , I have 100% respect for you in wanting to protect children from being taken advantage of. No one wants that.

This is a great community, but it is an online community and fake accounts will exist, along with criminals, despite our efforts to the contrary. This is a fact of life with virtually any major social network, and anyone with an email address can sign up for BiggerPockets. I think we do a great job here at moderating our forums, but that is no excuse to fail to use common sense and watch over your children's online behavior with strangers over the internet. Parents should not allow minors to join the community if they are unwilling to accept the responsibility of engaging in appropriate online behaviors and taking appropriate cautions, just as they would in joining any other online community such as facebook, linkedin, or reddit.

I believe other online communities in our industry (the social network industry) have age requirements of 13 or 14. I have no idea if that's the right age for allowing people to join social networks, just as I have no idea if the age to give teens the ability to drive a missile (car) down the street at high speeds is 16, or if a 19 year-old has the worldview to vote for the men and women who will lead the country. I'm sure all of these ages are or were up for debate at some level. But 13/14 seems to be the norm in our industry, and I believe that privacy policy was written by our excellent legal counsel. At some point, I guess this is a rite of passage - accessing the internet's online communities and the freedom and responsibility that comes with that access.

I'm a 27-year-old man, I'm over 200 lbs and I play rugby in my spare time, and I do not meet strangers I meet on BiggerPockets or elsewhere online in places that are not public for my own safety. I believe that this is a staple precaution for any adult networking, and I don't understand why a minor would EVER meet someone they met online without their parents, really for any reason. 

Again, I totally respect the thought of this thread. Just saying that I really don't think that BiggerPockets has a solution to this particular issue other than what Facebook, LinkedIn, and other larger, more well-capitalized businesses seem to be doing. I think it comes down to parental supervision, and diligence as a community to point out bad behavior as it appears. If you see an account of someone that is younger than 13, please let us know. 

And, just throwing this out there, but I have a feeling that if we banned 14-year-olds from the site, or restricted their access, that they'd simply tell us they were 18+. Trying to block me as a 14-year-old from accessing the internet in the manner I wished was not a battle that anyone was going to win. 

 @Michael Kantar Believe it or not our opinions are very similar. Somehow the point I was trying to make got lost in the noise. I agree w Scott its great how you and your parents are on same page. You may not know this, not only is Scott a Rugby Player (Who gets injured often :) ), he is also a pretty cool author. You might want to ask your parents to check out his book.

@Scott Trench I really appreciate your comments, coming from you that means a lot. I see that you took the time to actually read my posts & even took the time to read Michael's post. This is a great Community, I find it so interesting that someone from Sioux Falls, Idaho & a guy from NYC has so many similar opinions and I got a feeling we both have very different backgrounds.  Yes I'm aware many didn't agree with my post, but I got a feeling they didn't take the time to read my original & Second post and just read the title & whoever posted last. That's on me I did a poor job on title,  its only my 2nd Discussion I started if I decide to do it again I'll spend a little extra time to make sure my title is clear for no misinterpretations. (For those not caught up, my discussion was specifically about Minors looking for mentors in BP not a discussion about Younger members being able to be in BP or being banned)

I took some time to review BP Privacy Policy that you provided. Yeah it is clear, and the Privacy Policy is well made.

You're right there's no quick or easy solution, if there was one I would PM you and Mindy right away with an answer but I don't have it.

Keep on writing books Scott, I look forward to your next one..

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Is 400k just for Purchase price or does it include rehab cost? Keep in mind taxes, as I’m sure you know taxes are high in Westchester.. Look for a good closing attorney, if you don’t have one your agent can suggest. BP just came out w Leases & Documents for NY state review by NY lawyers for $100. Once you’re at that step and if you will be managing your own properties look for these documents in BP, $100 is worth it because they are reviewed by lawyers and whatever you find online is probably not..

To all,

 I never mentioned that anyone should be banned for being a certain age. Maybe the title was a little misleading, some understood like @Joe Splitrock & other members.

The idea of having age Limits or age requirements was so BP can better manage minors accounts on BP. As I stated I don't believe Minors should be looking for Mentors on BP or any Internet forums, there are places where Mentors can be found for minors I mentioned these places on original Post. Like it or not  by reading their posts these young members are looking for Mentorship and Guidance, this should not be the place for that. I'm all for having everyone access to all research materials in BP, Blogs and even being able to read forums but minors shouldn't post in forums is my opinion. A minor can be taken advantage of looking for mentorship, thats the point I was trying to make.

@Mindy Jensen

@Scott Trench

I wasn't expecting a response from Mindy & Scott.. I most sound like an old Landlord that doesn't like Kids. I'm only in my late 30's, I don't think I'm that old :)

Maybe if I gave you a little insight about myself you will better understand where I'm coming from.

When my kids were younger I was a head coach for my son for 3seasons, & 1 as an Assistant Coach and for my Daughter I was a head coach for 1 year. Oh Boy, coaching Pre-Teen girls was an experience.. In my brief not so Glorious Coaching Career I developed a great appreciation and respect for Teachers and people involve in Youth Athletic, referees, Coaches, assistant you name it. I also learned Mentoring Youth should only be left for certain individuals, it takes a certain person to be able to Mentor our Youth.

Fast forward to 2017, now my daughter is a Freshman in College and riding the NYC subway everyday to go to school to Dad's horror. Unfortunately as @Shiloh Lundahl reminded me I don't even have 4 Properties in my Portfolio so I'm no Rich Dad just a newbie (No hard feelings Shiloh, I see your Post as being Positive gives me more of a reason to kick *** in 2018 in NC, NC better be ready an Investor from the Bronx has more motivation now) . So I need my day job and can't drive my daughter to school everyday so she can avoid the Unique People she encounters in our Wonderful Transit System. I have a great relationship w my daughter, she tells me everything (or just about everything) and feels me in with her encounters on Subway, they are rare but they do happen. I won't go into details lets just say if I could take her to school with a baseball bat I would.. Yes I know now I sound like the crazy overprotective dad so be it... 

With her experience I now see there are a lot of creeps everywhere, maybe I'm seeing the World a little differently now. 

BP is becoming "bigger", a wise Uncle once said with Great Power Comes Great Responsibility. Unfortunately the bigger BP gets, the more trollers, the more scam artists and more Undesirable members will be joining our community, I wish that wasn't the case. 

After writing my original post I came to a realization, I sound just like my Parents O.M.G  the day finally came they warned me it would :)!!! 

Brenda in NC, if the landlord does everything properly the sheriff will be knocking in tenants doors within weeks not years.. It’s sad that in our local market landlords are always painted as the villains, you remember seeing the report of “100 worst NYC Landlords”. I believe it comes out once a year. I wish they made a report for “100 worst NYC tenants”.

@Anthony Gayden Just curious you think Rich Dad would have mentor Robert Kiyosaki if he wasn’t best friend with his son? I don’t think he would...

Joe It’s not easy but I can assure you from my own experience it can be done. You have the right idea, use any leverage you might have. I went to NC a couple of years ago w no contacts not knowing the city at all just the research that I did and I have no regrets. Unfortunately in our local market it’s hard to invest for cash flow. The few investors that I know in NYC invest mostly for appreciation and some have made good profits doing that but I don’t believe this is the time to be investing for Appreciation especially in our local market.

It’s always a good idea to have a lawyer review your lease but with that said $350 sounds a bit too much. For some Landlords that can be the finders fee for a PM finding a tenant.. I manage 1 property myself and other properties I have a Property Manager. You can find leases online a including here in BP. You can also find State Specific leases online. Soon but not soon enough for you BP will have State Specific leases. BP just came out with NY states leases reviewed by NY State lawyers. What I did was found a generic Leases In BP that I could edit and compared it with my Property Management lease and and added to my lease State Specific Requirements.

Did they specify that they are looking for you to pay for damages??

If they didn't I wouldn't even mention it..

They should contact their Car Insurance or Home Rental Insurance if they want car repair, you should not be responsible.. If garage opener was not working correctly that would be a different story.

You did your part by making sure Garage Opener is functioning Properly..

Let me clarify.. I’m not sure about a tenant staying in their property for 4-5 years but I know for a fact a savvy tenant in NYC can extend the eviction process and stay for close to a 12 - 18 months talking to Landlords in NYC. A landlord told me sometimes they get pregnant on purpose to extend the eviction.

Yes, that is one of the reasons why I went South to NC. Red States are more landlord Friendly than our local Market, it’s a shame.. I give credit to beginners who start investing in our market. Even though being an Out of State investor is challenging..