All Forum Posts by: Zachary Bellinghausen

I am and have been a member of a large national "Big Box" bank and am in the search for a small credit union. With my current bank it is impersonal and you never speak with the person making the final decision it seems. I have definitely been rubbed the wrong way on multiple occasions. Having a relationship with an outfit that keeps all their loans in house seems like a better way of doing business. I have a significant amount of collateral and savings I would like to transfer to keep in house. It would be a win win for both parties. I plan on purchasing multi-family assets in central/north Florida and would like to start reaching out to local Credit Unions and Savings & Loan operations. I would be so appreciative of any body who knows of investor friendly businesses out there that seems to fit this description. What better place to start, than bigger pockets. Thanks!

I will be there. Looking forward to it. 

I have had my MacBook Pro for 9 years now and still works and looks brand-new. I will buy a new one next year. I paid more upfront but definitely got my moneys worth out of this computer. I would cast my vote for the Mac

I have narrowed down my top 5 cities in Florida to do further in-depth analysis in order to find the best market for what I want to do. I am interested purchasing small, to mid-size multi-family properties. I have Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, Cocoa Beach/Cape Canaveral, and Miami areas on the radar at the moment.  I will be compiling the last five years of unemployment, population, population age, job diversity, supply & demand, and the top employers in each city. I have never done an in-depth analysis like this and am asking the Bigger Pockets community for any pointers on efficient ways in doing this, or things that are often overlooked. Looking forward to any feedback. Happy Investing!

@Nathan G.

I spent tens of thousands of dollars on my college degree “education” which I have and never will use. It was a total sham but today they pump all these high school students minds with the idea they need college when I make more than everyone I graduated with, without my diploma or degree. I couldn’t agree more with your opening paragraph, so true!

I really hope my tenants are not members of Bigger Pockets! I offered to come down $30 dollars a month for a total of $360 a year. They have not accepted yet but are still discussing with their parents, aka "the bank". I feel they will stay given the hassle of moving is a chore and people tend to make a nest and like to stay. With median rent being $1355, this is only $15 dollars more, which I feel is worth it considering the area, building, and the in-close proximity of the college/hospital. I will find out soon. 

Thanks for all the posts!

@Alex Harshman

Absolutely, it is by no means a fiction book and I re-read many chapters going through and highlight certain points. It certainly helps it sink in better. Feel free to reach out anytime to share insights on it. Happy Investing!

I have a condo rented walking distance to classes at University of Utah. It is in a small 12 unit condo complex. The rental is  2 bedroom, 1 Bath, 837sq ft. I have had it rented at $1400 for the last year to two college students that have never missed a payment and have zero issues with them. They texted me yesterday telling me that they were interested in possibly renewing the lease for another year but were wanting to know if I could renegotiate the price of rent. I know when I listed the unit last I started high asking for $1400 and was somewhat shocked when these two students/parents were eager to rent. I have contacted a local PM and they told me that they actually have two units in my building rented for $1250. I did a rent analysis on RentoMeter and based on the last 12 months, within a .75 mile radius average rent is $1355. So....would you drop rent and keep tenants, or tell them no and HOPE to keep your tenants?

@Aimee Knier

Having coffee to discuss that is not professional. Keep business business with tenants. It is easier to make the decisions that need to be made without all the personal attachment and emotion added by having a conversation over coffee. I would place a “pay or vacate form” in their mail box and save on the $5 caramel mocha late with sprinkles.

@Philip Johnson

I have properties in Utah and I have placed tenants entirely, with the exception of one, from over a thousand miles away. I have a maintenance man who can show the units if they are empty, but many times the current tenants are more than happy to show the place before they move out. I have never run into any problems. I make sure they are quality candidates before showing. Property managers will eat a too much of profits in my opinion, when I feel I can do the same thing. With technology today, it’s not too difficult, but if I had more units, I would probably be singing a different tune