All Forum Posts by: Account Closed

@Russell Brazil

Great and simple advice. Well put!

@Steven Aguirre

Amen, i did get hooked despite my best intentions. Good job Steven

@Clare Cheney

Oh yeah, the book. RK is a smart man. He is selling ideas with little overhead and minimal risks. I have not read it but it will be like all his others—make as much as possible by doing as little as possible by leveraging as much of someone else’s money as you can.

So in Real Estate this means brokering deals, passive investing, high interest short term lending or selling inherited free property. Don’t forget to coach, sell training programs, and get clicks for selling some dream on you tube. Then take the money you hussled and invest in a few REITS with high dividends and lease a Mercedes.....so easy.

Sorry for the cynicism but there is no easy money in RE unless you already have a lot of money.

@Scott Mastin

Scott—good point. I have read enough to back out too. One great book on this topic is “The Millionaire Renter.” It gives an interesting and informative second side to the American Dream of homeownership.

Buying a primary residence often works out but the numbers never lie. To say no money down and VA LOAN makes it worth it is to ignore the subsidy. Free moves, relocation cost assistance and free services for military/government folks often make the purchase appealing but someone without that assistance may not benefit the same way.

One thing this post proves is some people are more interested in being right than they are about learning the truth—nothing new.

@Kevin Wolfe

Formatting was bad-sorry. In the cheap option I meant to type 3-5 inches, not 1-2. Whatever you do compact the soil prior to adding gravel and then compact the gravel after it is in place. I have done the cheap option in cold climates. Can get a little mushy in spring and winter but it works ok. Good luck!

@Heather O.

Looking at the pic, there is a significant culvert and likely a drainpipe under the entrance. That is there because there is major water flowing from somewhere.

It needs to be sloped to the left or ideally crowned and graded. This will involve minimum of 12” excavation and permeable gravel at the bottom—start with 3-4” rock at 3-5 inches. Compact and then add smaller gravel at 3-5 inches...compact and then add final layer in of gravel mixed with dust. Use a compactor or roller. Go to HOUZZ and look at gravel driveways in New England-they have it down and many use a granite atone or paver border-This is best and aesthetically pleasing.

But, if you want budget friendly, there is a cheap fix. It will not be the best and may not last forever but it will be ok for a while. Hire or

rent a skid steer and remove 4 inches of top soil. Have a truck deliver and spread 57 stone (1-2 inches with or without dust) and spread it evenly. Get a cup of coffee and drive over it about 50-100 times to pack it down and you will have a mediocre fix—very cheap.

Best of luck

@Chai Jonn

Yes, but only outside and kept in the barn. Sorry, my dad was raised on a farm and taught me early the rile of a cat.

But seriously, I would go to where they are currently living...walk in the door and breathe. If it smells clean then they are good pet owners. If it wreaks of cat poop and pee then no. The rent will never offset the drywall and carpet replacement.

@Ashley Henson

Find an Oil and Gas Attorney who works in that area. You will need to locate and review deeds and leases to see what is in place and then you can determine what you are able to do to protect your clients best interests.

@Evelyn Castillo

You don’t. Heloc can ruin your life based on what you are saying. If you focus on saving 20 percent of your purchase while ramping up your income you will be much better off.

You can do this. Please don’t take it as negativity or discouragement but sometimes the timing just isn’t right. Patience and planning will pay off. Maybe in 6 months or a year you will be ready and the deals will be better.

Best!

@Stephen Brown

I am a licensed salesperson without a Realtor designation or Broker affiliation. With this status, the license can be activated within a week.

All things considered, don’t waste your time and money is my recommendation. If you affiliate with a good Realtor, you can get set up on listing feeds for free or cheap. If you are buying your own properties just factor it in the price of doing business.

If you want to schlep buyers around or list homes then take the exams and affiliate with a broker.

Money aside, here is why I recommend this: the effort, energy and stress of getting a license you don’t need is just not worth it. When evaluating whether to go active when selling your own property, it is cheaper to just negotiate the right brokerage fee. Plus, once you get licensed, you are held to a different standard regarding your knowledge and disclosures about real estate. This is not legal advice, just a perspective.

Best