All Forum Posts by: Trey Burns

I live in Spartanburg and work in Anderson. Send me a message and I can connect you. 

Morning @James Hong! I just recently attempted to purchase a home without an agent. The market is so absurd right now where I am that everyone is becoming an agent. I have friends I love dearly becoming agents, but there's no way I want them buying and negotiating for me. That was a lot of my hesitation. 

A majority of the listing agents were baffled I was buying without an agent, and started telling me all the horrors and how dangerous it was. I don't make decisions based on fear, so that was more validation for me going my own route. However, one of the listing agents knew me and didn't try to convince me how dumb I was. We talked life and I learned they had been a realtor in the area for 20 years. I'm such a rookie that I had no idea I pay nothing to the agent as a buyer, and they shared that info with me (none of the others did). 

I closed on the home with this agent and referred an out-of-state friend to them a week later who is now under contract for a rental. The relationship makes all the difference. If you're about to invest six figures in a different state, it's worth the initial flight/drive to meet with multiple local agents in-person to find the right fit. 

@Alec Meredith I 100% agree with you on low quality and unaffordable. I think it takes a group of people with the same vision to commit to finding another way and not stopping until it is finished. It's also going to take us as a society to quit buying so quickly and to think through what's truly best for our families long term. Do we really need 2,500 square feet when we don't use half the home? I'm personally approaching it three ways:

1) We will be the first new building permit pulled in this area since city and county building codes was founded in 1985. The area is about 70% renters in old mill homes and we're believing our home will bring hope to the community and spur on even better ideas for home ownership. These people don't have "credit" and a down payment, but have been the most consistent renters for decades, so why not use that for preapproval, for example? We're also looking to inspire city and county codes to update so that building smaller becomes normal. 

2) I'm currently sleeping on an air mattress while renovating a 1950s ranch home in Spartanburg to learn how much it really costs and what's really feasible. No one tells you about the compact washer/dryers until you have a stackable in the kitchen and need to move it with limited space and start researching yourself, for example. I'm also loving this mature neighborhood with actual trees and houses with character.

3) I'm property managing for a friend's rental to learn more of why people rent and if there's any desire to own a home. Renting isn't a bad deal when you look at interest saved and not having to save for a down payment. Just looking to learn while making a few bucks. 

I believe ordinary people can afford it, because I'm ordinary. It just takes some sacrifices. But what if our children didn't have to make sacrifices for an affordable home and could spend money and energy elsewhere!?

I'm in it to add value to people and their cities...to change the way people think about housing...to blow up the "housing box" the majority lives in. 

In Upstate SC, the housing market is booming at an unsustainable pace. Large plots of land being bought, every tree bulldozed, and tract homes being slapped and squeezed together for $110/square foot. We Facebook "owning" a home while paying a bank to live it in for 30 years after paying 75% of purchase price in interest. People just accept it and think that's the only option. 

It takes someone going first to show the community there's a different way. We've sprawled our way to all kinds of infrastructure, environmental, and financial problems and if we don't frontier an alternative, my children and grandchildren will be left picking up the pieces. I'm in it to restore cities and families one house at at time.  

@Ruben Anthony thank you! Two friends of mine are up in Charlotte flipping in the city. The neighborhood escapes me, but they've seen it revitalized without gentrification. One of them was born and raised there and is extremely passionate about it. I'm learning from them as I try to bring some of the principles to Anderson, SC. 

Thanks @John Hovanec! Currently living in Spartanburg while working in Anderson. Involved in a project in Anderson in building and then donating a house to a nonprofit in an effort to inspire an affordable housing model. Doing some property managing in Spartanburg, as well as renovating my current home to learn how to do it before deciding to rent or flip in the future. Have also been boots on the ground for investors in finding deals based on their criteria. 

I'm honestly new to the "game" and having a lot of fun along the way as I decide which avenue to take long term. I have no idea what a creia meeting is, so no...haha! What's your approach? Would love to meet up and discuss if you would like. 

I'm in South Carolina with a home in the $120k range. Demoed the half bath myself last week with zero experience. Took a day to get it to the subfloor. I'll most likely get a subcontractor to replace the subfloor & add trim to be safe, but will easily be able to add flooring, fixtures and free standing vanity for remodel. Plumbing is simply buying a pipe wrench and taking the pieces to Lowe's to match. Bought a $2 pack of o-rings that fixed my leaking shut-off valves. 

I'm not sharing this to say don't get a contractor, but more so as an encouragement in case you're feeling overwhelmed like I was a couple weeks ago. Until I got in there to look at it, got to work, and started pricing things (like the very well done list above), I was thinking it would cost me a lot more than it actually costs. Now I've gained some confidence and much needed experience as I go forward. Believing the same will be true for you!

I admire the boldness in starting off with an entire village, but perhaps starting with one or a few first would be better? Maybe buy some land and build a few side-by-side to show that it works and iron out the kinks before going after a village?

A group of us is building one "tiny home" now and then giving it away to a nonprofit. Our codes are pretty behind in SC and 700 sf is about the smallest allowed currently in this particular city. Our hope is to get these changed to open up more solutions for affordable housing/tiny homes in our area. There's been talks of villages, but right now a lot of eyes are on us to see us complete ours. We've raised $40k of the $78k turnkey cost through single residents and businesses in the community. They'll happily give to a nonprofit with a vision for the local people. I had someone approach me a couple weeks ago about being director of a nonprofit if they created it specifically for affordable housing, so maybe creating a 501c3 would work for you?

In my area, I've learned a lot of people are interested in housing, but very few will actually commit to it. They'll talk about it and admire the problem, but will not sign on the dotted line when it comes to committing. If you have a few successes in hand before going for the big financial ask, I'm sure it will serve you well. 

Closed on a home in the Hillcrest area (East side) of Spartanburg two weeks ago that I'll be living in for a while. I agree with what Toby says. I only looked in Districts 2 and 7. The agent I used has been active in Spartanburg for 20 years and got my friend from Hawaii under contract this week for a rental. There's a group focusing on the Northside of Spartanburg as well. I'll be happy to walk the streets for you if needed. Have done so in Atlanta and Anderson for investors. 

Newb here (as we used to say on Halo). Been following BP from a distance, but finally took the plunge after realizing I'll never fully be "ready". Can someone let me in on the unspoken forum rules? I also assume a lot of people are like me: filled with big vision but lacking capital. What are the ways not to approach those conversations in the future? Also, anyone here in Upstate SC? 

Sorry to bombard all you incredible people with questions, but it is a forum and you all seem really nice.