All Forum Posts by: Sarah Kartsher

Does anyone have or know of someone who is in construction accounting/project accounting? I have a job opportunity and I am not sure if this is the best move for me??

I have had a strong past work history of property accounting in commercial and the multifamily sectors but I have been offered a new opportunity as a project accountant with a construction company in Phoenix. Before I buy my first househack my goal has been to stay in the real estate industry with my career and learn as much as possible about all different real estate niches to figure out which one suites me the best. 

My hesitation with this job is that 1.) I have only been at my current job for 8 months = job hopper title

2.) after reading the job description this job seems somewhat confusing as I do not have experience in the construction industry???

3.) this is a growing company so I am hoping there will be more opportunity for learning and taking on more responsibility but I am not 100% this will be the case. The company is very small so not much research can be done online alone.

Also - on a side note: my goal is to buy my first house hack before April 14th. If Anyone has any insights on this job situation I would really appreciate it!

@Wes Blackwell

Hi Wes, I am not looking at anything more than $300,000. And that is really pushing my comfort zone. The property at 4008 N 20th Street looks like something I would be interested in. I like this location and I think the price could come down a little more...

@Brad Koegel Hi Brad - yes I have looked into it but you also have to consider sometimes consolidating loans will have an effect on your credit score. I did look into it but I have made a plan and stuck with it and the loans will be paid off by the end of this year. Have you read the Book Set for Life? Its a good book for young professionals to read for a foundational understanding of the hows and whys of personal finance and starting in Real Estate Investing.

@Wes Blackwell

Currently I am looking to find a multifamily in Central Phoenix. Mesa I have looked but I am not familiar with the area or any properties that I do drive by I would not want to live in those areas. It seems that the majority of the multifamily residences are in areas I would not feel safe in.

Hi Brad! I am having the same dilemma - I have around $23,000 in student loan debt and I am 28 years old! By the end of this year they will be paid off though! Thank goodness. I plan on doing a house hack situation myself. However, in Phoenix this is a bit challenging - as there are few multifamily residences in the area. 

If you found the right deal, you could probably pay down the student loans with the money that you save  on rent while house hacking.

Can you get financing from a credit union? Usually they will have different standards than banks.

Have you looked at vacancies in the area? I was born in Springfield and I know for some years it has had a declining population. 

Hi  @Andre Bouquet - 

Although I currently live in Phoenix, I plan on moving back to Columbus to invest. Since I am more familiar with the market there and have more connections than in Phoenix I think its the way to go. Not as sunny as Phoenix but the market is so much cheaper.

Good luck on your real estate journey! 

Another thing to consider in regards to employers - what if the employer goes under? Will the whole town go under? It could be a potential Detroit situation. 

If the economic health of the city/town is dependent on one employer this is something to be aware of.

Does anyone have an opinion on which market would be better for starting out on a house hack? For the past year I have been looking on the MLS in Phoenix for a multifamily to house hack with little to no luck with good deals. There are not many multifamily properties on the market today in Phoenix.

On the other hand - Columbus Ohio(where I am originally from) has many duplexes on the MLS in better areas than in Phoenix and are about the same price.

After doing a quick and dirty analysis on a few properties - comparing Phoenix to Columbus it seems like Columbus has better numbers on Duplexes. 

Would you agree?