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All Forum Posts by: Tom Ott

Tom Ott has started 941 posts and replied 4593 times.

Post: Can you truly get ahead by buying turn-key homes

Tom OttPosted
  • Equity Raiser and Turnkey Provider
  • Cleveland, OH
  • Posts 4,766
  • Votes 1,368
Originally posted by @Christina Tkacs:

I want to write the title in quotes because it's not like I had much of a strategy to start with. I bought a duplex and a turn-key SFH at a normal price for houses in the area. Both were conventional loans with 25% down because they're investment properties. All three doors are rented at the high end of rents in the area.

I can't keep paying 25% down on homes - it's cost me nearly $160,000 cash so far and of course that money is all tied up until it makes sense to refinance. 

Am I missing something, or is buying a home at appraised value an effective strategy?  It's killing my savings account.  25% down is a lot of cash.  I want to buy another house as a short-term rental, but I don't want to tie up another $80,000 in cash - I'm not that rich.

(I'm looking to BRRR at some point as soon as I can catch the deal fast enough)

 I now many investors who use Turnkeys to invest OOS and get a footing on some passive income. It can be a good place to start. 

Post: Best Cities to invest Ohio

Tom OttPosted
  • Equity Raiser and Turnkey Provider
  • Cleveland, OH
  • Posts 4,766
  • Votes 1,368
Originally posted by @Pwin Kumar:

HI I am looking to buy multi unit property in Ohio state I need help in understanding which city is bets for map CAP rate

Cleveland has some of the most affordable properties to invest in. The suburbs are amazing as well. Most population graphs do not account for the population in the suburbs of Cleveland and they only measure within the city limits. I would suggest doing some digging into the suburbs of Cleveland. 

Post: How to Get Financially Free by Purchasing SFRs

Tom OttPosted
  • Equity Raiser and Turnkey Provider
  • Cleveland, OH
  • Posts 4,766
  • Votes 1,368

Most people dream of becoming financially free … and most people aren't exactly sure what path to take to get there. If you've got cash to invest, where should you put it? Should you start a small business, buy stocks, or invest it in real estate? What about purchasing SFRs?

Many experts agree that it should be the latter – and they point to single-family residential homes (SFRs) as a way to get the most for your investment dollar.

Purchasing SFRs — What You Need to Know

Better Financial Leverage and Diversification

Unlike many other types of investments, purchasing SFRs allows you to maximize far beyond the dollar amount you have to spend. If you have $250,000 and use it to purchase stocks, for example, you can only purchase up to $250,000 across any given stocks.

By using that money to finance SFRs, however, you can invest in a value that’s far greater than the $250,000 you put down. Even better – you can spread that money out to make down payments on several different homes, diversifying your investments across properties and even various areas. This will help insulate your investment should property values drop in a specific area.

Make Passive Income

Regardless of real estate market ebbs and flows, a SFR will increase in value over time. This will happen due to supply and demand, fiscal inflation, drops in home interest rates, as well as factors in any given area that suddenly make it more attractive (such as the development of new shopping, offices, or infrastructure projects that increase the quality of living for residents in the area). The long game in real estate investing is, of course, to take advantage of these increases to make money on a sale.

One of the best things about purchasing SFRs as an investment strategy is the potential to make passive income in the meantime. In fact, people who purchase turnkey SFRs are ready to generate cash flow from day one; some turnkey properties even come with renters already in place. As these properties increase in value over time, they are able to fetch an even higher rental rate.

Renting out an investment home may sound like anything but a passive investment to someone who isn't excited about becoming a full-time landlord. Hiring the right property management company will ensure that you can fully focus on your full-time job (or retirement, when you reach that point) as your SFR investments generate cash flow month after month.

Higher Rental Income

While passive income is rewarding, passive income from SRFs is particularly so. This is because SFRs tend to command a higher rental rate than multi-family properties. This may vary depending on size and location, but many SFRs have more square footage, more bedrooms, and more bathrooms than an average rental in a multi-family building.

In addition to the extra space, tenants are willing to pay higher rent for the extra amenities that come with a house. Items such as a garage, a porch, and a fenced yard come at a premium when it comes to rent prices.

Get Tax Deductions

Another reason many investors choose purchasing SFRs as a strategy is the ability to take advantage of helpful tax breaks. Owners of pass-through businesses (including rental businesses structured as LLCs) are able to deduct 20 percent of their business’s income. This is particularly helpful for investors looking to build long-term wealth and become financially free.

Work with a Turnkey Investment Company

Investing in SFRs requires choosing a property that will see a good rate of appreciation over time and generate enough passive income to cover expenses and even turn a profit. This is why it's helpful to work with a knowledgeable turnkey investment company, especially if you're investing in an area where you're not incredibly familiar with the real estate market and trends. The can help you get on the path to successful SFR investing ⦠and on the road to financial freedom.

Post: Considering a Career Change

Tom OttPosted
  • Equity Raiser and Turnkey Provider
  • Cleveland, OH
  • Posts 4,766
  • Votes 1,368
Originally posted by @Michal Kolenda:

Hi all! I recently was notified I'd be getting laid off after Labor Day, which sort of works out for me. I'm 27 and I've been thinking about changing my career direction and this is a good opportunity to try something new. 

A little background: I graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering and have been working as a project manager for a general contractor for about last 4 years. Most of my projects were college dorm renovations (50 - 100+ units) and building mechanical upgrades. After starting that job, I started saving money as fast as possible to house hack and renovate a 3 flat in Chicago. I genuinely enjoy doing carpentry and minor plumbing/electric, so I did much of the work myself. Now I'm fully rented, which covers my mortgage and close to all expenses, so mission accomplished. 

I would really like to hear some other avenues I could explore. I really did enjoy working construction management, the experience and knowledge gained from so many different commercial projects can't be beat, but the job was very consuming. I still think about using my degree and going towards the engineering route, but I have a feeling being in the real estate realm would expose me to more future opportunities to invest. I like the idea of going the Appraiser or Realtor route. My skills set is probably better suited for Appraiser, however I am open to learn sales or whatever is needed. But I'm very interested to hear what other paths are out there that I haven't even considered! 

If you've been or are in a similar position please share! I very much appreciate any feedback, advice, or wisdom you throw my way. 

 Agents, appraisers, inspectors, etc those are all solid careers. Investing in RE full-time is not something to just jump in to. Many do it over the years while they work a regular job and then make the jump after they have built a decent portfolio.

Post: Newbie from Queens NY

Tom OttPosted
  • Equity Raiser and Turnkey Provider
  • Cleveland, OH
  • Posts 4,766
  • Votes 1,368
Originally posted by @Brian Boodoosingh:

Hi All! I'm a new real estate investor based out of Queens NY looking to buy a multifamily home in the Raleigh-Durham area. Being new to REI and also being out of state seems tough, but my fiance and I both have great jobs in NYC with the ability to work remotely and the flexibility to fly down to the area whenever necessary.

Ideally looking for a triplex or 4plex in a nice neighborhood that is cash flow positive. Our plan is to live in a unit to qualify for an FHA loan if the home is nice enough, or rent out all units with a standard mortgage if we're not crazy about living in it.

Looking to build a reliable team. Any advice is appreciated. Really looking forward to networking! 

 Hello and welcome! Best of luck to you! 

Post: Turnkey Rental experience?

Tom OttPosted
  • Equity Raiser and Turnkey Provider
  • Cleveland, OH
  • Posts 4,766
  • Votes 1,368
Originally posted by @Kyle Wahl:

Are turnkey rentals worth it? I’ve seen some situations that seem too good to be true. Anyone have any experience with turnkey either positive or negative? Any information would be great. Thank you!

 Turnkeys can be great for some investors and not so much for others. It depends on what you are looking for. If you are looking to invest OOS and/or you work a 9-5 and do not have time to be a landlord, many go with a Turnkey. It also really helps if you are in it for a buy-and-hold long term. Ideally, the Turnkey Provider owns the property first, renovates it in-house, place a tenant PRIOR to closing, and then they remain on as the property manager ALSO in-house (not a third party) The idea is that everything is done in-house and with one company. This way when you close you are off running and it is cash-flowing. 

Good luck!

Post: Areas that with houses for 50k

Tom OttPosted
  • Equity Raiser and Turnkey Provider
  • Cleveland, OH
  • Posts 4,766
  • Votes 1,368

Cleveland can dip that low, but be prepared to do some renovations! I would say make sure you know some good contractors out here or you may get stuck. A renovated property can be about $85k-$110k if it is found in the suburbs. Good luck to you! 

Post: Turnkey income producing multifamily for sale?

Tom OttPosted
  • Equity Raiser and Turnkey Provider
  • Cleveland, OH
  • Posts 4,766
  • Votes 1,368
Originally posted by @Malia Dangtayan:

Hi there,

Any suggestions on Turnkey income producing multifamily for sale? Or legit business that sell these type of investment properties? I am new to multifamily investing and therefore thought this would be a great way to start.

 Turnkey can be a great investment if you are looking OOS or if you work a 9-5 job. The idea is that it is meant to be passive and a long term investment. 

Post: Long Distance Landlord - Avoiding Management Companies

Tom OttPosted
  • Equity Raiser and Turnkey Provider
  • Cleveland, OH
  • Posts 4,766
  • Votes 1,368
Originally posted by @Matt Cianci:

We are a group of investors from NY, NY, TX looking to buy a duplex in FL. Many of the deals we evaluate are showing 7-8% cap rates, which works well for us, but once we stick a management company fee on there it is wiped away. My only property I own is also in another state, but my partner lives local and is able to drive to the property as needed when something goes wrong.

What are some things we can do to avoid paying a management company? I've thought about finding a local handyman I can leave keys with or even just replace the lock on door with a keypad to avoid lock-outs all-together, for example. But what might I be missing here?


Thanks! 

 I would never try to manage from OOS. You need someone who knows the ins and outs of the market, not just a handyman.

Post: Wholesalers in Cleveland

Tom OttPosted
  • Equity Raiser and Turnkey Provider
  • Cleveland, OH
  • Posts 4,766
  • Votes 1,368
Originally posted by @Jay Bailey:

@Michael Ohara are you still wholesaling in Cleveland? If so I would like to connect.

 I'm pretty sure Wholesaling is pretty much illegal now in Ohio. I would double-check.