Sure. But I think it takes a lot longer to learn by reading then it does by doing. The most important thing that I have learned about investing through my work is what not to do. I learned this mostly by having to make sense of a huge mess of a deal that someone had put together. (I don't mean to plug my own thing, so forgive me, but I am putting…[Read more]

Sounds like you know what to do and are not going to do it if the numbers don't work. I see a lot of lackadaisical diligence from developers in what I do. Let's put it this way… I have never met a developer that was not extremely optimistic. Cheers,Tom SiegelCommercial Appraiser

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And you are exactly right, either build –  total cost approx 560K rental $800 week 6.80% lets say interest only loan works out to weekly repayments of $732 so it would be cash flow positive by $70 a week without taking into consideration rates. Hold on to them and sell them down the track as there is going to be a housing shortage for…[Read more]

So the net rent is the same? Are you adjusting for market vacancy in the two different areas? Properrty near the water generally has more potential to hold its value in a bubble burst or even continue to appreciate.I don't know the market so I can't say for certain – just generally speaking. Food for thought. I hope it helps.Tom SiegelCommercial A…

Terryw wrote:
I would be inclined to say do neither, unless you want to work in the industries.You would be better off just buying some books/internet and reading in the areas of interest.

Agreed.I took a real estate appraisal class to find out more about investing in real estate. I guess it worked I know a lot more about investing in real…[Read more]

I appreciate this discussion. Thanks for the posts guys. I see too many investors getting into situations such as a possible subdividision that they assume is going to be easy and profitable. However, often times something doesn't work out the way they expected it too (a lot of times I'm the thing that didn't work out. Ooops! I just call it how I…[Read more]

You definately have to keep your head on straight. I see a lot of developers just going for it. There is a difference between a positive mental attitude and ignoring reality. However, those lines seem to get skewed at times. I watched developer after developer get into waterfront condo developments at the END of the boom in my state. All of the…[Read more]

I see most developers requiring a 15% to 25% premium on the back end to do something like this and that is how I would appraise it too. Assuming your figures are accurate (and as an appraiser I never really do that), you are looking at a $65,000 profit. That barely qualifies at 16%. Your figures have to be spot on (i.e. I would like to see buyers…[Read more]

I just found a good one here:http://www.realestatevaluationsecrets.comsign up and you can get the software under tools.