All Forum Posts by: Skye Parker

Hey all,

I'm an architectural designer/draftsman and have some money to put into a good spec build build project. I've drawn probably 300 house plans with Revit over the last 10 years and have seen builders making money doing single family residential spec homes around me. Problem is theres just not a lot of buildable lots around me and the good ones are $500k just for the land. I would love to put maybe max $400k (total cost) into something that could be sold for...more. I've decided to post here because there is really no reason this needs to be near me. I work remote on all projects anyway so this could be in any state in the US. So if you're a builder and you see an opportunity whether its a house, duplex or unique Airbnb stay. I'd like to know about it. I can help with design renderings and plans and create something we can present to a realtor so they can tell us how much it will sell for. You can check my portfolio at https://www.behance.net/skyeg3 or connect with me on Linkedin. 

Well as you can tell my understanding of the process is - lacking. Now I understand why builders love write-offs. Thank you guys.

This is probably a bonehead question but I've been talking to some spec home builders and they are paying taxes on all profit from a spec home at personal capital gains tax rate. A heavy hit on a big project. I'm just curious - it seems like a big housing developer like Landsea homes for instance would take all proceeds from a development sale and count it as assets on the company balance sheet, then deploy that money on the next project. Isn't that what big companies do? Like a car maker for instance. They don't count profits on each car as income then pay taxes on that. They just collect that money on their balance sheet so they can use it to build more factories or reinvest in the company. Isn't that how it works? If that is how it works - Can that business structure be applied to a developer? What business structure is required if this is possible?

Hey All, I'm looking on advice for vacant lot shopping in my hometown. I've found a few lots I'm interested in and have gotten the mailing addresses on the lots. I don't have enough money to buy the lots myself so I was thinking about sending a letter that reads something like...

"Dear owner of parcel APN 000-000-000,

Do you have plans for this lot? I am a local draftsman and I think this property has development potential. If you are interested in selling, I would be interested in connecting you with a buyer. Please send an email to connect further."

If I did get an email from someone interested in discussing price I would then bring the deal to the developers I know.  Any info I can get on navigating these waters would be greatly appreciated! 

Thanks.

Thanks Charlie.

Thanks for the thoughtful responses. Charlie that is intense and this is a very wet area as well. This lot is incredibly steep. I'm planning on minimizing impact on the site by building on piers so all water just runs under the house as natural. Parking I'll need to ask the planner about.Thanks again. 

Hey All. I'm looking into buying a lot on the downhill side of the road. Its 23' from the edge of the street to the property line. This is heavily vegetated hillside and the slope is about 50% (28 degrees). I'm thinking of providing a couple of off street parallel parking spots with a retaining wall and then building lower on the property with stairs going down to the house. My question is what are the rules on creating parking spots? Can they be right off the street and not on my land?

Hey all, I do drafting and architectural visualization. I've done several residential and small commercial projects in the San Francisco Bay Area however I can work remotely. My ideal client is a new construction spec builder who doesn't quite need a licensed architect but needs plans and visualization. Please have a look at my portfolio to get a feel for what I can do and lets connect.

https://skyeg3.myportfolio.com/