All Forum Posts by: Seth Hochberg

@Sam Lewis

That's interesting! Spoken from a real estate agent, I'm curious why you say that's so. I think wholesalers can make a lot of sense if good deals are hard to find (or if it's a competitive market). Would it be fair to say wholesalers are riskier for a first time investor?

@Gayle Melnick

Charles Village. I actually went to Hopkins for undergrad. What's your experience there - have you been renting primarily to college students? If so what has that experience been like.

@Alan C.

For sure that's what I've heard as well. Just starting out, my goal is to have my finances lined up and an agent I like by the end of this year. If the housing market becomes a buyer's market soon - now seems like a perfect time to getting into the game.

Agreed with what everyone said already. The only benefit paying off a house early is peace of mind, but there's a huge opportunity cost in not investing that money elsewhere, and you lose the tax benefits that you receive from paying off a mortgage (even if your tenants are the ones paying it off).

In response to number 1, how else would you manage the property if you don't want to be a landlord? I think there's some benefit to being a landlord for some period of time (to better understand what a PM does), but if you want to scale in anyway, or if you simply don't want to be a landlord, then it sounds like you know what you want =)

@Ozzy Sirimsi Thanks for the reply! Hypothetically, if we were to ignore the price range, would you agree those neighborhoods have a strong (and stable) renter's market? 

Also, as a real estate agent familiar with the area, what neighborhoods are buyers looking to buy (the hot markets)? Are there any neighborhoods that scream at you (or anyone else) to be a good area to invest (ignoring price point, for now)? I totally understand putting in the work to find and analyzing deals/markets - just asking for a nudge in the "right" direction.

Hello Baltimore community! As you can see, this is my first post on BiggerPockets and I have tons of enthusiasm for investing in real estate, but also tons of questions. I currently live in DC, but I recently moved here after living in Baltimore for 8 years. While Baltimore doesn't seem to be a hot investors market like Kansas City or Cleveland, I think investing where you know has a lot of value. Also, living in DC, I could make regular weekend trips over if need be (at least to start off). I've made a goal for myself to BRRR a single-family-home / duplex in 2021. If that goes well, I'd look to doubling that every year (but I don't want to get too ahead of myself). I'd be looking at an all-in price point of 100k, but that can go up if I look for more financing options (if it makes sense).

What neighborhoods are people investing in? While I'd love to go back 30 years in time and buy properties in Canton, Fells, and Fed Hill, where are those B, B+ neighborhoods in Baltimore that make sense to invest in? Where are places I can see a stable renters market and opportunities to BRRR? I know Baltimore is very block by block, but I'm still curious. These are areas I, someone with 0 investing experience, would guess make sense that are "up-and-coming". I'd be looking for properties that fit that 1% rule, and avoid chasing the 2% properties. Can anyone with experience give feedback on this list? Any obvious areas I'm missing or areas I've listed that are terrible ideas?

• 3 block radius of Patterson Park
• Remington
• Bolton Hill
• Upper Fells / Butcher's Hill
• 2 block radius around Bayview Medical Center
• Charles Village 
• South of Hampden (Wyman Park?)
• Highlandtown
• Pigtown

Also, what do people think of surrounding county areas like Catonsville, Dundalk, etc.? They might be good markets, but then I lose the competitive advantage of knowing the areas as I rarely left the city. 

Also, I was thinking, later down the line, it would be interesting to pick up a few properties in Cherry Hill to play the appreciation game. I worked there for a few years and as morally conflicted as I feel about this happening, I feel it has potential for gentrification. It's the last area by the water to jump in home values (Canton, Fells, Fed Hill, Locust Point, etc.). Just an idea - feel free to shoot it down.