http://la.curbed.com/archives/2015/03/housing_crisis_los_angeles_construction.php

Nice Cali perspective for anyone interested… It is just starting to really kick ass:) Plenty of time still to get in before it gets crazy.

Just give them the contents of your bank account – will save a lot of time and anguish.

I did see that Cirrus! You know the nick name for the Ocean between Hi and Ca is the Indian Ocean because its full of Chieftans, Navajo, Warriors and Seminole?? Can’t remember if I joked about that with you earlier?

Really sad so many locals lost so much but so many in the US lost so much more I guess. Pity is the Aussies losses were generally…[Read more]

Jay, problem with selling is Au tax which as a resi I get hit with. I really can’t sell or I get crucified the simple way I set it up, and even structured carefully once you use the cash you get hit eventually. I just got offered US$1m more for a property than I bought in ’09 (only put down $150k which is the kicker:)) but after all is said and…[Read more]

Funny looking on this site after so long. I was finally allowed back (though haven’t checked for a few years) after truthfully stating the hygiene habits I had experienced with local non-indigenous LA Notaries.

I’ve done well, pretty much retired, my sister works 2 days a month (but at least 2-3 hours each of those days) is building herself a…[Read more]

ITIN is fine for borrowing, pre or post GFC. Of course it takes time to get a credit rating – use VF to get financed into a property, much easier dealing with people than banks.I have never had (nor want) residency and have never lived in the US. I have a good FICO but would probably struggle to get resi loans. The only reason I would consider…[Read more]

kylermrice wrote:
that's why it pays to fight fire with fire, lets just say i don't ask and my property manager doesn't say. 

quickchick wrote:
From our experiences of selling US property while living in Aus,

A US notary is easily located by going to the website notarypublic.com.au
You just put in your location, and the closest notaries to you will come up.
Most notaries in Aus are solicitors.

You do not need to go to a US Embassy.

But you will need to pay, $50-100…[Read more]

Freckle: That makes Kyler the one in the dress – No wonder he gets picked on by tenants:)
BTW there is a very interesting Bloomberg article today suggesting housing has bottomed in th US – I can’t get the link right now, but it kind of backed up what Jay, Alex, Cheeves, Kyler the dress wearer and Emma have been saying.

Debra, it’s not all scary.…[Read more]

Aside from the feelings of loathing towards the US that engenders in me (idiotic airport security pisses me off, more so just because I need someone to watch me sign a form!), this particular loan had to fund prior to Jan 1st when the US consulate had no notary bookings available until mid Jan. An anonomly, but annoying!

Also – some Notaries…[Read more]

One thing you also must consider (aside from the not inconsiderable expense as Jay very correctly always points out) is the time a ‘little trip’ to check up on things takes out of your life. When I go on a ‘property trip’ I am wrecked when I get home. It is usually 3-4 weeks of bloody hard work. It takes a week to find out what the problems are,…[Read more]

My sister makes things easy for people. She acts like my property manager and overseer (manager 7ish% – overseer maybe $20-30kpa) in one, but for my stuff in LA I can say that I conservatively visit around 30 times a year and things still go wrong. I nearly choked when someone on a different thread boasted about having visited the US for a few…[Read more]

Thanks for that great post Jay – it was (as always) far from advertising.

I’ll check out your online store – could save me filling bags from OSH, Lowes, HD etc and taking them home myself…

I will point out to people that (so far) my sister (emma171) has had great management success hand picking tenants and being very careful with their…[Read more]

I thought A3 was mainly domestic type staff – not aware of it having an investment arm, any link?

Not interested at all in living in the US, but 3% down has great appeal and $500k isn’t a huge hurdle…

I have to comment on the driving:) Driving in Aus is like driving in reverse. I drive 50/50 Aus/US a part in the UK and occasionally priviledged to enjoy Germany/Italy. Far from having nerves of steel in the US I feel people there actually use a car to move from a – b rather than as a surrogate way for governments to tax the already over red taped…[Read more]