All Forum Posts by: Russell Brazil

Welcome to BP. The forums are the best place to learn anything in real estate you can think of. 

Im assuming you mean ESA, Emotional Support Animal. Under the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988, ESA's are a subset of service animal for the purposes of residential real estate. It is important to note the difference between FHA 1988, and the ADA, Americans with Disabilities act which governs Public Accommodations. Both laws use the same terms, but define them in completely different ways.

I find it best to reference HUD's guidance memos on the subject.

https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/PA/documents/AsstAnimalsGui...

https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/PA/documents/HUDAsstAnimalN...

https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/FHEO/documents/19ServiceAni...

The amount of the EMD only matters if you don't actually plan on closing.

@Scott Trench Ive bought office spaces in the last few years as the market has collapsed in that sector.  The big thing Id be looking at is what the local vacancy rate is over the last 5 years. In my market, its over 20%.  So just go in eyes wide open that it is a risky sector right now. But thats also exactly why there are good deals in this sector.

Joe is a good friend of mine. Top notch investor. I can't speak to the quality of his course though as I've never taken it. He's been a speaker at my real estate meetup many times, I've had him on my podcast. We invest in the same neighborhoods. Etc

 Just keep in mind for those high production agents....the builders who treat agents well, those agents treat the builders well right back. 

I work with one builder....every deal I close with them in a calendar year, the comission on each subsequent transaction goes up. 

Im pretty sure you have to be an agent to list on Loopnet and Crexi. Both ask for my license numbers.  

As of right now, the estimated pay out per claim is about $8. I've filed the claims. Funny enough I'm a defendent and a claimant in the suits. I'm hoping that the money I receive as a claimant pays off what I owe as a defendent lol. 

Federal law. You can not charge anything extra for a service animal. No breed restrictions. Even breed restrictions imposed by local law do not apply to service animals. Prince Georges County MD loses a lawsuit on this about every 5 years or so because Pitbulls are illegal there. Federal government doesn't care. PG county gets hit with a large settlement bill every time.

Sellers are still paying the agents at the same rate as they were before. It merely is includes in the offer now as opposed to being listed on the MLS.

There are pluses and minuses to this. Top tier agents are making out substantially better in the new system. Weak agents are washing out of the industry. (Which is also good for top tier agents) 

To the consumer, there are also pluses and minuses. The plus is less of the hobbyist and bad agents to deal with. The con is it is putting upward pressure on the cost of service.