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All Forum Posts by: William Sing

William Sing has started 0 posts and replied 268 times.

Post: Looking for a property manager to help find tenants

William SingPosted
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Portland, OR
  • Posts 274
  • Votes 135

Hey Dustin, You might want to check out Chroma Property Management - https://www.chromaproperty.com/. Let them know I sent you :)

Post: NE Portland, OR looking to connect seller with commercial buyer

William SingPosted
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Portland, OR
  • Posts 274
  • Votes 135

Do you already have the contract on it? Sounds like you are wholesaling it? I'd recommend you'd post it on the local REI group.

Post: Can I Short-term Rental my Portland House?

William SingPosted
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Portland, OR
  • Posts 274
  • Votes 135

@Gordon Watt One other thing to look at is doing a mid-term rental as well. Since you are near OHSU/Saint V's it might be another option as well. If you still want to go the route of Airbnb, I would recommend these resources: 

Airbnb Permitting Help - Melissa Wright at STRpermit.com or Descansa PDX can help as well.

If you are looking for more midterm rentals I'd look at FurnishedFinders - Create your own listing on a site frequented by traveling nurses/doctors. 

If you have more questions, just let me know and DM me :)

Post: Best lease breaking strategies

William SingPosted
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Portland, OR
  • Posts 274
  • Votes 135

I agree with @Nathan Gesner! I would recommend still doing everything you can to get it rented sooner rather than later and be okay with dropping the rent amount to be more attractive. Usually, you can start maybe mid-way through what you think it is worth and then do a larger price reduction of $100-150/month after the first week and then do smaller rent drops from there. Even offering one month's free rent has been something we have had to do up here in Portland. Another route if you want to wait it out until more favorable times (spring/summer) is to convert it into a STR or Midterm rental. Highly recommend furnishedfinders.com if you are going the midterm route. That is a lot more work though and might not be worth it.

Post: Seeking Clarification On Leveraging Debt

William SingPosted
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Portland, OR
  • Posts 274
  • Votes 135

You're on the right track in trying to leverage your initial investment to expand your real estate portfolio. 

  1. Initial Investment:
    • Closing Costs: You've rightly accounted for the closing costs initially.
    • 20% Down on 24 Homes: With $490,000, putting 20% down on homes valued at $100,000 each would indeed allow you to purchase 24 homes, leaving you with $10,000 in reserves.
  2. Equity Line of Credit:
    • LTV Ratio: Banks usually offer up to 70-75% LTV for non-owner occupied HELOCs. This means that with a 20% down payment, you wouldn't have accessible equity for a HELOC since your LTV would be 80%. To access equity through a HELOC, you would need to either increase your down payment or force appreciation of the property to increase its value and thereby your equity in it. For instance, if you put down $50,000 on a $100,000 home, you'd have $50,000 in equity. The bank would potentially offer a HELOC up to $75,000 (75% LTV), allowing you to access $25,000 through the HELOC ($75,000 - $50,000).
    • Additional Purchases: While your strategy to use a HELOC for further purchases is theoretically sound, it would be constrained by the LTV ratios and the actual equity you have in the properties.
  3. Equity and Debt:
    • Ownership of Equity: You would "own" the equity used from the HELOC in the second round of houses, but this comes with increased debt and interest payments on the HELOC.
    • Scaling and Risk: Scaling using this strategy comes with substantial risk, including over-leverage and the task of managing a large number of properties.

Where You Might Have Gone Wrong:

  • Equity Calculation: The main area where your strategy encounters a hurdle is in the availability of equity for a HELOC given the LTV ratios applied by banks.
  • Risk Assessment: Leveraging can amplify both gains and losses, so a careful risk assessment is crucial.

Post: Tax Professional that Specializes in Real Estate

William SingPosted
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Portland, OR
  • Posts 274
  • Votes 135

Hey @Jonathan Kang! I recommend using Toija Beutler (https://www.firstexchange.com/) to help out with the 1031 exchange since there are a lot of moving parts to it. She is really knowledgeable about this kind of stuff. I'm not sure if she does much on the side of the regular taxes. 

For the CPA, I'd talk with Jon - https://www.latscpa.com/

If you want to connect further, let me know! 

Post: Son not approved for enough

William SingPosted
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Portland, OR
  • Posts 274
  • Votes 135

Hi Nessa! Congrats on your son being ambitious enough to make that first step. 

I agree with @Theresa Harris that it would be a good idea to get a cosigner on the loan. The DTI is the biggest factor for loan programs these days.

Since you are in Oregon, I'd also talk to lenders who have access to the Oregon bond program. It is supposed to help first-time home buyers and may be able to give them higher flexibility. 

Depending on how far out he wants to go, I'd look into using the USDA loans potentially. 

Talking with a lender about what he would need to do in order to increase that amount would probably be a good idea so he can see if he can position himself in the future to be pre-approved for more. 

If you need any lender recs, I'd talk to @Julee Felsman since she is in the Oregon area. If you need any recommendations in Albany, let me know too and I'd be happy to connect you 😊

Post: New to REI, exploring idea of investing in Oregon

William SingPosted
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Portland, OR
  • Posts 274
  • Votes 135

Hey @Andrew Tistadt,

Congrats on taking the first step into real estate investing! It's a great avenue to explore for long-term financial security. Considering your interest in starting with a short-term rental (STR), there are some important aspects to consider.

First, think about how passive you want the investment to be. While no real estate income is completely passive, different types require varying levels of involvement. STRs can be quite time-intensive due to their service-oriented nature. Mid-term rentals might require less ongoing effort but more initial work to set up. On the other hand, long-term rentals generally demand less overall involvement if managed efficiently. Remember, even if you outsource tasks, it's still a business that requires attention.

Another factor is your investment budget. In Portland, where real estate costs are relatively high, investment loans usually require a substantial down payment, often around 25%. Keep in mind that Portland's market leans more towards equity growth than immediate cash flow, making it less favorable for quick returns. Owner-occupied loans could be an option if you're open to moving every few years and require a lower down payment.

Understanding your ultimate goals is crucial. Real estate offers various tools to achieve different objectives. Whether it's accumulating properties for a 1031 exchange into a larger complex or building assets for future resale, your goals will guide your strategy.

Feel free to reach out if you'd like to discuss things further. Real estate is an exciting journey with a lot of potential, and it's great to see you considering it for your financial future!

Post: First Post of an Aspiring First Time RE Investor

William SingPosted
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Portland, OR
  • Posts 274
  • Votes 135

Hey @Federico Costa

First off, major kudos for stepping into the realm of real estate investing! 🏠 It's a path filled with opportunities and learning curves, and I'm thrilled to be part of your journey. 

When it comes to investments, there's a world of options. If you're aiming for a lower down payment, house hacks might be your golden ticket. Especially if you are in the Portland Metro area.

Your enthusiasm for Airbnb and multi-family rentals is spot on. Just remember, Airbnb can be a bit hands-on, so be ready for that adventure, and is more of running a full-time business. If the sellers for small multifamily have equity or a small loan amount, there are some creative ways you can still make them cashflow in a year or two. 

There are a couple of lenders in Portland that have some specialty loans that might be a big help too! If you want me to connect them to you I can, but no worries if not :)

Cheers,
- Will

Post: Should I build duplex or 2 single units?

William SingPosted
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Portland, OR
  • Posts 274
  • Votes 135

Hey @Brittany Wilkerson! Insurance-wise, it is going to probably be similar in terms of cost. The taxes will probably be higher if you are looking to build two separate units depending on how your county calculates taxes. I think it would also be a good idea to look at the long-term play as well. Usually, individual units are easier to sell, but this is also location dependent. Hope that helps!