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All Forum Posts by: Tom Ott

Tom Ott has started 941 posts and replied 4593 times.

Post: Is Euclid, Ohio a solid area to invest?

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

I'm curious if any of you guys have experience in this area? Currently looking at a brick duplex, 2/1 each side priced at 117k. It's turnkey which is a positive but the price seems steep. Can I get 800+ per month in each unit?

I may offer around 100k, I don't feel comfortable spending more in a C neighborhood in Cle.

 Euclid is a solid B area. I do plenty there and always see good returns. If it is a Turnkey, I would vet the Turnkey Provider. Make sure they di all of the renovations in-house and they will supply the management after closing. They should also make sure it is occupied prior to close. Good luck to you! 

Post: Good TurnKey provides and positive experiences?

Tom OttPosted
  • Equity Raiser and Turnkey Provider
  • Cleveland, OH
  • Posts 4,766
  • Votes 1,368
Originally posted by @Johnny Wolff:
Originally posted by @Michael Bangsal:

@Tom Ott

Why do you suggest turn key providers not use third-party management? 

Because if someone sells you something, you ideally want that same person to be on the hook to repair it when it breaks.  If they aren't going to partner with you long-term then there is a risk they offload a subpar product and then bounce.  Means their interests don't align with yours.

If the Turnkey Provider is just going to push you off on their "trusted partner" then they kind of are just acting as an agent. Yes, I agree, you want to be able to home someone accountable is 3 months in you are experiencing a problem. All of a sudden the TK provider may not be picking up the phone for you. Management is the true relationship. 

Post: Memphis Invest turnkey? Experience with them?

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

Anyone have experience working with Memphis invest? I’m looking into the turnkey market, And would love to hear of people’s experiences good and bad. TIA.  

 Plenty of people have worked with them on here. Keep searching the forums. 

Post: New Investor in Cleveland, OH

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

Hello BiggerPocket Members:

My name is Isabella Sanchez & I would like to introduce myself to the community. I started interning in Commercial Real Estate under a mentor & also have a RE license in Los Angeles. I found Bigger Pockets & have found a passion with personally investing in out of state multifamilies. I am researching & looking for what cities make the most sense to me but I would love to read some opinions from investors.

I would like to get my foot in investing by the end of this year. I have looked into Cleveland, OH & seen some properties that cash flow through the rental analysis. I wouldn't consider them home runs but I have just started looking within these past two weeks. I prefer states closer like in AZ or NV. Are there any other great cash flowing cities that you recommend starting out in?

California is beyond my budget for cashflow, but I do have a silent partner that is willing to put $ down if the deal makes sense to him.

I would love to read & have conversations with your experience in starting out in this journey!

 Hello and welcome! Best of luck to you. Cleveland is a great place to invest. 

Post: Good TurnKey provides and positive experiences?

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

Hi All, I am new to real estate investing and looking to buy my first rental. I am considering buying a Turnkey property. How do I find out good Turnkey providers as most of them always have "mixed reviews" online. This is my first post, not sure if I can ask per BP policy, but could you please refer me good providers with whom you had positive experience in the past?

 I would first decide on am market where you want to invest. From there, look for a Turnkey provider that is local. The key is that they need to do everything in-house. They should own the property first (not just be an agent) renovate it in-house, place a tenant, and then stay on as the manager after you purchase it. They should not use third-party management at all. Everything should be passive and in-house.

Good luck!

Post: Looking for a Real Estate Agent in Cleveland

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

Hey everyone!

I am looking to connect with an agent in the Cleveland market to find a small multi-family (2-4 unit) house for my fiance and me to move into. We currently live in NYC and are looking to relocate to the Cleveland area to begin our REI journey. First step is finding home base.

If anyone has any referrals or recommendations, please let me know! We're planning on coming out to Cleveland 7/25 - 8/7 and would love to view as many properties that fit our criteria as possible while we're there. Lunch on me!

 Throw a rock and you will hit one of us! Good luck!

Post: Deployed Over Seas (New to Real Estate) Can I Buy Long Distance?

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

Hello, I am currently deployed overseas and with my new paycheck I am deeply interested in starting real estate...only one problem - I'm here for a year! Anyone recommend if it's smart/wise to start my real estate empire overseas, aka buying remotely without physically being there in person? What do you recommend? What resources should I look at? Has anyone done this before?  Thanks!

 Hello.

Many investors in your shoes invest with Turnkey Providers. The idea behind these is that the TK provider will own the house first, renovate it in-house, place a tenant prior to closing, AND stay on as the property manager after closing. The key is that everything will be done in-house and for you. It should be a passive investment.

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: Does turnkey exploit the 1% rule?

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

Hello BP Mates,

There is an ongoing debate (and I've read the majority of posts about this) if turnkey providers offer a good product for investors. I'm not here to debate this, but what I find interesting is that the vast majority of turnkey companies that offer "like new" fully rehabbed properties in "cashflow" markets list the target rent at exactly 1% of the sale price. It is overwhelmingly like this. I'm a bit skeptical about this coincidence and I'm wondering if they are exploiting the 1% rule that many new investors hear about on BP and other REI podcasts and websites. Perhaps the property could achieve a 1.2% rent-to-value, but the turnkey company sells it for another $3,000 more because it hits the 1% rule exactly and that is the demand driver? Of course, an appraisal can keep them honest, so my next question is:

Does anyone have experience getting an appraisal on a turnkey product and it appraises for less than the sales price? Did you use your own appraiser or the one the turnkey company recommended you use? What happened? 

 Some may be accidental. I would say it depends on the market. In Cleveland, for example, most of ours are around 1-1.4%, but that is just what the market calls for. 

Post: Best Locations for flipping

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

Hey Everyone,

I have been looking into the Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio market for flipping. Do you all have any suggestions for areas that are good to flip in?

Thanks,

Tosh

 Cleveland has been great for flipping for a few years now and it has only gotten better. I would stick to the suburbs where the prices keep rising and so is the rent.

Also, check out: Cleveland Is a House-Flipping Hot Spot, and Covid Adds Fuel