9/2/12: Ask The Guys – Making the Move to More Units

In this, yet another exhilarating edition of Ask The Guys, we take on several excellent listener questions! Several (but not all) had to do with making the move to more units, so we look at this as anecdotal evidence that investors are feeling good about this market. After all, it wasn’t that long ago that we were dealing with questions about loan modification, credit repair, strategic default, bankruptcy and foreclosure delay. Fun.

Are happy days here again? We think so. It’s hard to think of a better time to be a buyer of investment real estate.

Proudly pontificating behind the platinum microphones in The Real Estate Guys™ stellar studios:

Your fully brilliant host, Robert Helms
Your semi-dim co-host, Russell Gray

Diving into the email grab bag, we pull out several excellent questions:

With only $20,000 to invest and living overseas, which U.S. markets make sense?

Does size matter? A Minneapolis investor is enjoying great cash flow on smaller properties, but feels the urge to go big. Should he?

A Texas investor is stacking up cash flow properties and wants to retire to Belize in 12 years (great idea!). Should he accelerate his loans or leverage into more properties? And what’s the shortest path to “critical mass”?

A New York investor wants to know if she should use off-the-shelf deal analysis software or build her own spreadsheets. Decisions, decisions.

A rookie investor from Minnesota is flipping his first deal – a single family home. He wants to know how to build a true investment business with multi-unit buildings. How can he go from forcing equity to collecting piles of passive cash flow?

Another New York investor with 12 residential propeties wants to move up to commercial properties. What do commercial lenders look for? How can he make the leap?

A land owner in New Jersey is looking for investors – presumably to help develop the property. He’s tried investor clubs, bars and dating services (just kidding) with no luck. Where can he go to find the funding partners he needs?

A California couple have an expensive home that’s paid for, a bunch of cash in a low rate CD, and a half million in retirement accounts. They’re doing great…but want to own more real estate. How can they get there from here?

We love your questions! To submit yours, just click on Ask The Guys!