All Forum Posts by: Stephanie Dobbs

@Muoki Musau in my opinion, there’s always opportunities within NOVA, you have to look really hard for them. Look at older communities built in the 90s (especially in Woodbridge, Centreville, and surrounding areas), and you’ll see homes that haven’t had yard work complete or show other notable signs of distress (damaged/dirty siding and what not). Those are good options to start with if you want to stay closer to your area.

@Brian Ellis wow that’s awesome! Great way to take things slow, evaluate the opportunity, and find what worked best for you before taking the leap and now you can jump with ease! Congratulations!

In a typical proforma you have gross revenues calculated then subtract the vacancy rates (typically a percentage) which creates the effective rental income. From there you deduct operating expenses and then you have the Net Operating Income, or NOI. I would calculate in excel and see if you see much of a difference, I don't foresee you will, as either way the deduction is made. I hope this helps!

I've heard about this, and it's really a sad one. Every landlord/condominium management should be mindful that tenants are still people! What an awful position for those people and the company that should've took better measures to ensure bills were paid in a timely matter. Such a small concept turned into a huge mess!

Welcome to BP!! How many units are you looking for in your next deal? I plan to purchase a multiunit myself within a year's time for the cash flow benefits. There is plenty to learn, but you did great to take action while you were willing and not just sit on the information. Everyone makes mistakes along the way, but such mistakes will provide you with lessons learned that will prove valuable so you don't endure losing much more money later down the line. 

Hi Sheree! Welcome back to real estate and welcome to bigger pockets! There is tons of information that you can learn from and essentially earn from the tools provided! I was in the same boat and enjoy the freedom that real estate permits! I hope all the best for you! 

Hi Amber!! There is tons of great information here, and books by Gary Keller! Your investor friend was right to tell you to consider your future, as I was a hair stylist once, and as soon as carpal tunnel (sorry if misspelled) set in, then I knew I had to find something different! Happy learning and earning, I hope all the best for you! 

Thats awesome!!! Take some time to learn some info as BP has plenty of great resources from podcasts, to forums and articles, and especially people. If you search some of those professions, you'll find great people to interview from BP alone! Take action and have fun in the process (while learning of course)! You'll get to where you want to be, it just takes initiative. Get going! Happy investing, learning and earning! 

@Russell Brazil provided great advice! He knows what he is talking about so I would listen to him. There are few opportunities in PG County and Baltimore City, but Baltimore City can be quite fee heavy, so be sure to ask about the taxes and other fees up front before pulling the plug. 

You definitely want representation, an agent that will consider your interests, and 

@Jennifer Lee outlined great questions to ask, and all really focus on the numbers. Be sure to conduct your research as well, as sometimes information may be fluffed, and not as accurate as it may seem. You may also want to reach out to the tenants, and inquire about their experience in the space, or evaluate the likelihood of increasing revenues if no rehab will take place. Could you bring in another anchor that would drum up more interest? Should you bring in more mom and pop shops that have interest already garnered? Really think about your goals and how the particular strip mall will fall in line with your objectives prior to pursuing the purchase. Happy investing!