I was recently featured in a national publication, Money Magazine online. It was a great honor to have an article I wrote featured on the site. Since I write for BiggerPockets, one of my posts was picked up and published on Money.
I have noticed that since I now have national recognition, the paparazzi are continuing to follow me. They seem to disguise themselves as regular people, and act like I am just another person. I am sure they have a secret way of following me all around, as I never notice the same person following when I walk just a little bit away. It must be a secret code they use, similar to a baseball catcher, to switch followers. Now I know how a celebrity feels…
Keep pets, friends, and bad credit from ruining your shot at a nice rental
If you are a renter, you have many obstacles ahead of you. Landlords are full of horror stories, and you are just another potential horror story. You want and need to be the best renter the new landlord has ever seen.
No landlord really wants you, but they need you. They need you to help them pay their rental mortgage; they need you to help them pay their personal mortgage, they need you to help them retire early. But they do not need you to come around and damage the premise or cause them a lot of extra work. Here is how to be the best renter you can possibly be.
Read the rest of the article here
Wow its Linda hard to want to comment. I did a TV show 1st ears here in Westlake village. Anyhow what I noticed is few really successful people discuss success. I notice many comments are from those looking into the rental business or dreaming of being in not one day. I’d say landlord in today is hell compare to 5 or 10 years ago. Congrats on the article unless it turns annoying. I have seen many hang up the landlord hat but it is truly the easiest way to wealth. It beats out risky stocks because it’s a great hedge against inflation. I’ve enjoyed your words. Be safe my friend. Ventura county..California
Thank you for the comment!
Many people have asked me how to start over the past few months. It’s not easy, not is it risk free. But it is a great ride while it lasts, and I hope it lasts for a while. Of course I was kidding about the paparazzi, but I did feel flattered. All fame, no fortune. Not a single penny for me yet, but I did not start this to get rich, just to help other landlords.
I may have to come out and visit you in California, it’s below zero here…
You are a HOOT NNL! That was a solid article. I remember apartment living. It is certainly no picnic with nightmare neighbors. Congrats on the recognition! I’m not surprised though. 🙂
Thank you for the comment and great compliments! I have never lived in an apartment, other than for visiting people for a few days at a time. I am sure it is not fun, but it is a necessity for many.
Congrats on getting the national recognition! You absolutely deserve it and I’m always impressed and motivated by your work ethic. I haven’t had impossible neighbors, but I did get annoyed at the ones that stole my Sunday newspaper if I waited more than 15 minutes to grab it…this has nothing to do with a rental, but we literally passed up a beautiful home that was definitely priced lower than it should have been because the neighbors were annoying and having a pool party next door. Neighbors can make even the nicest homes and apartments difficult to live in.
I’m not sure if you have ever done this with your rentals or during any renovations, but have you ever worked with soundproof insulation? Sometimes I think a layer of soundproofing insulation makes a world of difference when you have shared walls and floors/ceilings.
Thank you DC!
If I am tearing open a wall, I may put insulation, generally there is a certain building standard when they are built. Nothing is ever sound proof, and kids tend to jump and make noise. It never seems to bother the parents though…
Land lording is great those who want independence, you must have vision, I have bought deals that no one else would touch and alls it needed was paint and carpet and a few knobs and fixtures. It’s all fun stuff to me. Anyhow I wanted to let you know I paid off my home mortgage today, wrote that big 368k check and it’s now done, house is worth 1.1million…, I’m so happy, now that 2k mortgage is cash flow and I even have offers in on other investments because I left myself plenty of money left. I just can’t see staring at 7 figures in the bank and keeping a mortgage. Also MAYBE this is a great time to elaborate on COMMERCIAL LOANS because I believe in commercial loans the property must qualify more than personal income. Of course credit will always come into play, which is fine.
I once had an investment club I joined and I eneded up not going anylonger because I learned nothing I taught everyone else. I also am on my 14th year mentoring 2 people, one doesn’t do well without me hand feeling him instructions and the other one owns 118 units and cash flows 50k a month after expenses, rents are 85k a month collected, TEXAS. I’m happy for her although it’s hard to mentor someone who passes you up. I am happy. I have kids so I cant go away for a weeks ….
Keep posting, oh one last thing. I”m a broker, well I have a license. I use a local MLS for 150 bucks when I want to expose my properties for sale to the public and realtors. I talked to the guy who runs the company, I’ve used his service 3 times and he said someone called yelling about Americans being bad etc… and I know he sometimes he uses home address. I must say, I think it’s getting risky to self disclose. I know you do it and LOOK at me do it now. But we are giving personal detail on what we do, about what we have or pay etc…. I think we must be more careful. It’s become a real concern in past month with society getting crazy. It’s sad, but I wanted to make you aware because you are like me, NICE and transparent, but I never want it to backfire. I appreciate all you do, Thank you very much and again, PLEASE ELABERATE ON HOW A COMMERCIAL LOAN MAY BE EASIER OR MORE DIFFICULT. how much down, perhaps rate of return or whatever else comes into play with commercial loans, even rates. THANKS AGAIN.
If you come to California I’d love to show you around. I have an offer in on a mobile home that sits on land that I’d owned in a community with NO HOA and it backs to the green on a golf course, 50k, California, I have an idea of maybe a module duplex since I can do whatever with 7800 sq feet of land , also great location on cart path. …… there are some bargains here and we never see snow in southern California. BE WELL
Thank you once again for the wealth of information.
I always figure there is some trail back to me, no matter how hard I might try to ‘hide’ my address. It is probably available via White pages, the Court system, property records, or even just Google. I know I can find out a lot of information for background checks in about 5 minutes for tenants.
The commercial loan will be base don the property value and income, but will require a personal guarantee. I am not excited about that much money on the line, but the risk is limited to the difference between what the property would sell for and the loan itself. Hopefully it would never be a negative number…
Congrats on getting national recognition!
I once shopped at habitat of humanity store, saw a couple, they have >50 units. Looked like they do very well. They invited me to come to dinner at the landlord group, I was too shy and a bit lazy to go. I just don’t want another social place where people drinking and eating bragging about themselves. That’s how the parties in my community goes. I didn’t like that at all growing, don’t want to sit through it as adult (my siblings are open/go to party each weekend).
I did have a mentor while I was in college, we discuss how I should buy a lot of properties, and trade them up through 1030 and don’t pay gain, and finally live in it, and rip the gain. At the time, I didn’t think much of the tax things, I’m reading and learning about it as I go. That’s why I like coming here for pointers. Keep up the good work.