Author: Anibal Group LLC RealtyNetWorth.com

Portfolio Real Estate Brokerage Officer - For Your Bigger Picture

Assisting with the sale of an Elderly / Retired Person’s home.

August 25, 2017

When is it time to sell? For everyone its different. Frequently we begin to consider relocating when:

  • We become ’empty nesters’
  • We retire
  • A major change in health of one or more homeowners
  • Loss of spouse
  • New opportunities

Really, there is the possibility for great strife in moving, even for young and strong. So much more are the concerns and emotions as the years go by and we have been in one location longer.

Great care needs to be given in how and who assists in the orchestration of relocating those in our circles of great value, that being a mom, dad, neighbor, aunt, uncle, or dear older friend. You should be ready to give acknowledgement to:

  • Someones increasing physical &/or mental fragility.
  • Their great reluctance to surrender not only the home but so many personal treasured items that may need to be sorted through, sold, donated, or lovingly adopted by others.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

“The house was a symbol of her independence. She was extremely frightened to let it go,” one person said in helping a senior with her real estate transaction.

Nearly 40 % owners over 65 haven’t moved in over 30 years. “For an older person, a home represents their life story.” its been said. Think of holiday gatherings, dinners, or a wall of photos.

There is destination/ relocation planning, tax considerations, seasonal timing to avoid bad weather, coordination of helpers, the list goes on. This is a time to pick a real estate professional with a skill set that fits the situation, think compassion, some experiences with older persons – perhaps an immediate family member(s), and related wisdom is of extra benefit if not sometimes crucial. e.g.:

  • In our office one of my assistants is a retired hospice care nurse – has worked with challenging situation involving medical needs and interaction with the children.
  • My 96 year old mother was recently relocated to a elder care residence after being independent at a Florida condo for many years. We needed to coordinate 3 children in 3 states to assist in the challenging process.
  • We’ve assisted many clients & their family with referrals regarding estate planning, and income tax planning/ filings.

Here are a few suggestions for the children of seniors who want to assist their parents in making a smooth move:

 

  • Show sensitivity when helping seniors sort through their possessions.
  • Be careful before committing to the sale of your parents’ extra belongings. Instead, your parents might prefer to donate their extra belongings to a charity they respect, such as the Goodwill or Salvation Army.
  • Consider showcasing certain select items at your parents’ next home. The display can also serve to jog fading memories or to spur conversations with visitors.

Go back

Your message has been sent

Reminder Emails

Value: Assessed, Market, ‘Zillow’, Taxable

July 25, 2017

That’s an ‘uuugly house’. It was my 2nd investment & I was a 20 y.o. junior in college. It was also the highest ROI realty investment I ever had!

Market Value = house specific, current, based mainly on aesthetic appeal (new kitchen, Anibal-Affiliates-Realty_NetWorth_3134birchrow-eastlansing-mi-1982-bwonderful yard, location, etc.)

Assessed Value = neighborhood average, historical (old), based mainly on exterior mechanics (size/ age).

Now that we have that established, lets proceed.

Whether helping a seller set a price or helping a buyer write an offer, they want to know my opinion. “So how much it the place ‘worth’?”

  • A seller always picks a number that is highest – e.g.: ‘Well such n such says my house is worth $bla bla bla’.
  • A buyer always picks the lowest number (surprise) – e.g. ‘Well this says its only worth $yada yada.’

Opinion? Not so much, I prefer to provide information. With me & numbers I’ll give you various methods I use & crunch the numbers on YourSpace – YOU choose the value. My accounting & finance degree and nurture of broker fathers background with an economics masters has dictated this style as my preferred approach.

Back to definitions:

  1. Assessed =
    • neighborhood average,
    • historical (old),
    • based mainly on exterior mechanics (size/ age).
    • The assessor used a complicated ‘multiple regression analysis’ to take all properties with in the ‘taxing unit’ and give approximate values to the ‘components’ of homes.
      • i.e.: bathroom #1 is worth $2000, bath #2 an extra $600, #3…$250, etc.
      • 1000 s/f = $XX per s/f, 1001-1500 is worth $X per s/f
      • New roof = $XX less $X for each year its been there
  2. Market =
    • house specific,
    • current,
    • based mainly on aesthetic appeal (new kitchen, wonderful yard, location, etc.)
    • This
  3. , ‘Zillow’ = a computer model spits out this often ‘train wreck’ of a combination of #1 &2.
    • I’ve seen an $165k Zillow value on a home listed at $80k. I’ve seen the opposite, which can confuse a buyer obviously. Just a block away, 405 Oak St had ‘Zestimates’ of $183k to $93k to ‘Unknown’ all in the same year. I listed and sold it $150k ?? Figure that one out.
    • After all, ‘Zillow’ never walked the neighborhood, smelled the basement, met the neighbors, or saw the standing water in the spring time.
  4. Taxable = as it says. Forget using this number as a value. Your only concern here is if its too high, then you need to protest it. Its a ‘multiple regression analysis’ value.
  5. Bigger Picture RealtyNetWorth Value ? = Have you every booked a flight online? IntegrationCapNotice it says ‘save money by being flexible with travel dates’, yes? If your timing, tax situation, stage of life, & non-financial intangibles aren’t being considered, you may well need a better qualified ‘resource(s)’.

So whats a wise person to do?

The model I use for buyers and sellers is a spreadsheet approach that uses input from both the assessment – which considers the interaction of house basics, and current market sell prices from ‘as close as possible like-kind’ homes. To use one aspect without the other is a huge absence of a critical treasure of data.

Related:

Go back

Your message has been sent

Reminder Emails

When to hold a rental, when to flip a house.

July 20, 2017

You invest in property. You’re approaching it as either a residence, retreat, rehab, or rental. But which came first, the property or the label? And more importantly, why did you choose one over another?real estate agent broker screening referral advocacy paul anibal team alloverusa__michigan_to_florida_california-to-maine

With such a substantial investment, I hope you have an idea of how you are evaluating on the way in based on your plan for use/ resale/ or rental afterward. So many clients start out with the “well this happened along our path one day so we just…” approach. Maybe o.k. for a garage sale find. But this randomized thinking potentially leaves dollars on the table and years of your life wasted.

Example:

  1. Customer wanted to sell a unit. “Why did you buy it?” I asked. “Well, it was a great deal so we bought it. then we rented it out”. ( A great deal for what ?)
  2. Customer wanted to have a unit inspected. “Why are you interested in this house?” I asked. “Well, I heard rental property is a good idea.” I asked, “Why?” …. he said “I don’t know.”
  3. Customer had a rental. “Why did you buy it?” I asked. “My friend called me and asked if I wanted to buy it.” So I asked, “do you have other rentals and why do you want this one”. He said, “no, first one, we want others”.

None of these folks had a strategy. They stumbled into their situation. In each case, I sat with them, started ‘at the top’, looked for customer strengths/ weaknesses/ and ideal goals.

  1. For customer #1, I said “so you want rentals?” Actually, it had never been profitable as a rental. They sold it for a profit, but the title choice drove up their tax burden. Further, had they made some specific improvements, the profit would have been better. They sold to a hustler by owner, but fortunately we took a better strategy going forward.
  2. For the 2nd scenario client, I tried to not completely make fun of the poor choice of home he wanted to – and almost did had he not called me – buy. Instead, I showed him only 1 more property. We spent an extra 60 minutes of his time, got a house in a better location, less money, newer, better heat/electric + 2 car garage, 2 decks and shed. That property more than doubled in value in a matter of months, and has had only 1 tenant in the 4 yrs. he’s owned it, bringing a good profit from rent and appreciation. The other property – still a mess and not worth much at all.
  3. In situation #3, we sat down and looked at how there is no profit from holding. Further, because of his skills, he’s better suited to rehab than to hold a loosing investment. All profit available on his held house will come from moving it, not holding it. Timing the sale will be the extra expertise I offer.

So the basic questions will still be, what do you have:

  • More or less skills.
  • More or less time.
  • More or less funds.
  • More need for current income (you are in a lower tax bracket), or more need for future (retirement) income, (you are probably in a higher tax bracket).

Based on these answers, there are very specific properties, areas, price ranges, and portfolio management styles (e.g.: you/ us) you’d be better suited for.  Decision time

I meet w/ clients a minimum of 1x/ year. This is a great time for a no-cost initial meeting to chat about what your real estate ideas are. Contact me via the feedback form to set a time & day !

In the meantime, I’m inserting text from an earlier post of mine:

In the early 80’s I picked up a very honest yet motivational ‘how to’ book on real estate investment. In my senior year of college I was set to invest. I actually drove to NJ, looked up as many of these homes as I could, took pictures, and tried to take notes in my then ignorance. After reading the book I bought a shack for $17500, w/ $1000 down, gutted the kitchen and bath, and placed into service what was one of my most successful investments to date.

I’ve used these & other techniques I gleaned from my broker/investor dad, and have shared them with clients for 3 decades.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

It comes down to humble work, patience, time value of money, and good mentors – I had my dad ! I keep a few copies of the book for clients I work with. Let me know if you’d like one.

Go back

Your message has been sent

Reminder Emails

What kind of ‘Fixer Upper’ ROI is possible when we’re your Portfolio Brokerage Mentor?

March 20, 2017

How much can I make rehabbing homes?anibal-group-llc-realtynetworth.com-thenetworthlife_paul-ask-anything-appreciating-wealth-build

There are many different approaches. Are you in a high tax bracket and want appreciation, taxed and withdrawn at a future date (like retirement) and wish to accumulate rentals? Or, are you in a low tax bracket/ want maximum returns now/ hence ‘Flips’ make more sense? Looking at our charts, you’ll see cheaper homes are better suited for rentals, but all properties are usually better suited for ‘flipping’.

‘Flipping’ homes is not for the faint of heart, nor for a novice. The TV shows are for entertainment – turn them off. I’ve never watched even 1 episode and I’ve ‘flipped’ houses since 1981. Yes, I’ll be glad to share my entire portfolio results to date with you.

The vast majority of folks loose money on rehabs, making lots of cash for ‘wholesalers’. So how do I know when to use a professional ‘Portfolio Broker’ Mentor? (that would be us). Perhaps when said mentor has a track record going back to 1980 and will say “NO” more often then “MAYBE” OR “YES”.

Prefer ‘hands off’ approach? We ‘joint venture’ with clients – you bring $’s, I bring expertise, your principle comes out first, we split the balance at closing. (there is a formal agreement letter but that’s the short version).

For every property I recommend, there are about 25 that I tell the investor “NO” and then tell them why. I want this to be educational as well as profitable for you – it helps us both!
—
Anibals-Realty-Net-Worth_2016_EOY_JV_ROI

If you click thru on the link below this photo, you can compare with last year EOY results. There has been some year over year appreciation.

  • In this market, this will plateau and makes these ripe for selling to reinvest a better part of proceeds.

Anibals-Realty-Net-Worth_2016_EOY_RENTALS_ROI

VIEW IN PDF:  Rental and Flips ROI Calculations – EOY16

Rental and Flips ROI Calculations – EOY15

Active client of ours? Request a copy of the below spreadsheet to compare your investments year to year & within your portfolio. This can assist in planning ‘which to keep’ vs ‘which to cut loose’.

  • Non-clients: ‘Remote in’ installation & setup available, or stop in – you don’t even need to bring your laptop.

Go back

Your message has been sent

Lets talk further ... :

This is not an offer of a guaranteed return. Always do your due diligence before investing.

Passing Your Home to Your Children.

February 24, 2017

When/ How/ If: I Should Deed My House to the Kids

There can be some benefits, but also drawbacks to both the gift giver and recipient(s).

(Speak to your accountant/ lawyer/ lender/ and insurance agent for specific advise – the following is excerpts from counsel received and not to take the place of paid advisers in their respective field of licensing.)Anibal-Group-RealtyNetWorth-Senior_Services_woman-elder-2

Some will:

  1. Add the child’s name onto the existing deed.
  2. Make an outright gifting over.
  3. Deed over but reserve a life estate.
  4. Will the property, i.e: a “transfer on death”.
  5. Others consider a revocable trust, irrevocable trust, or a family LLC.

#1, Possibly Tax Disaster.

  • Set up an office visit. There are good reasons, but often more bad reasons to use this strategy.

#2, Outright Gift.

  • Irrevocable, the parent loses control and legal right to stay in home. Perhaps the parents will rent back.
  • Ends the parent’s right to claim any preferences on property tax bills, e.g.: the homestead exemption, being blind or over 65, hardship/ low income exemptions.
  • This can dramatically increase property taxes.
  • If real estate transferred to a child is worth more than what was paid to purchase and improve it, then the child pays capital gain tax on the sale of the property. (The $250k/ $500k MFJ primary residence exemption is not applicable unless you own and live in the property).
  • Children’s (ex)spouse and creditors may have the ability to seize the property.
  • vs. Will at death.
    • If a parent’s Last Will and Testament leaves real estate to a child, parent can change their mind w/ a new will.
  • Additional Parent Considerations.
    • To remove the asset for Medicaid qualification, remember that a transfer of your real estate can make the parent ineligible for benefits for nursing home expenses, depending on when you enter the home. The length of time ineligible depends on the value of the real estate, whether it was transferred outright or retained as a life estate. Generally, its a five years look back.

A transfer of real estate is a “gift” and will no doubt require filing Tax Form 709 with the IRS.

#3, Gift with Retained Life Estate.

  • During life, the parent has the right to live in the property, and at death the life estate ends. Property transfer effectively at that time.
  • Some want to avoid probate after death, and possibly to avoid any court administration of their estate.
  • If the recipient child dies first, the child’s share in the real estate could pass to the deceased child’s spouse, rather than to the grandchildren.
    • vs a parent’s Last Will and Testament may provide that an inheritance would go to grandchildren if a child died before the parent.
  • The parent still loses a significant degree of control. If the parent sells the property, the proceeds belong to the parent and the child (remaindermen), split according to the percentage of ownership determined by IRS life-expectancy tables.
    • Capital gain tax would be owed by the child on his or her gains.
  • If the parent retains a life estate and the property is not sold before the parent dies, then under current law there would be no capital gain at the time of death because its cost basis is “stepped up” to the property’s market value on the date of death. This is a good thing for the recipient !
  • For Medicaid, the parent is deemed to own the entire interest in the real estate for five years after a deed execution retaining a life estate. They will also be the owner of the life estate interest thereafter, the value of which is calculated at the time of application for Medicaid.
  • RE: inheritance tax, the date-of-death value is taxable to the child – not lovely. But, the child gets a step-up in cost basis (easier if inherited at death in my opinion).

#4, Will the property.

  • Call the lawyer. Ok, now, plan for the child to do back flips on how much taxes you just saved him/her/them.

#5, The ‘entity’ approach.

  • The nuances will require coordinated input from your lawyer, CPA/ accountant, insurance agent, with some feedback from a real estate broker and your banker.

Bottom line.anibal-affiliates-realtynetworth_deeding-property-to-children-b

  • The when/ how to transfer should involve your accountant, lawyer, insurance agent, banker/lender at a minimum.

As I’ve told clients for decades: “You’re not dealing with a candy bar.”

More:

 

Go back

Your message has been sent

Lets talk further ... :

ROI Strategies for Real Estate ~ Cash now or cash later?

February 6, 2017

If you expect real estate should involve ROI, then there’s some basics to the outline.

  1. Acquisitions – some we have control, others not – e.g.: inheritance.
  2. Holding – short/ long/ entity/ self held/ purchase for child/ etc
  3. Approach: add value/ flip/ wholesale/ rent/ vacation/ family lease to/ residence with business inside

Most properties will be held for cash income OR appreciation. If you can get both, then neither will probably be optimal.

Regardless, upfront considerations must include:Anibal-Group-LLC-RealtyNetWorth-Senior_Services_woman-elder

  1. What you need from the property: income now or later (cash flow vs appreciation)
    • I look at these like ‘a job’ or
    • ‘retirement investment’
  2. I will invest more:
    • cash or
    • time & talent

So there will be many vehicles and considerations. SD IRAs, set up LLC, Corporation, etc. One of my favorite realizations is that PROFIT is usually made on the way into an investment in THE BUY. Further when you SELL, what can you/will you do with the funds ? Make sure you have another opportunity lined up if you liquidate a great rental. Make sense ?

‘Later’ is not the preferred time to plan.

More:

Go back

Your message has been sent

Lets talk further ... :

Local large city property taxes are often far over assessed. v2017.01.24

January 24, 2017

I’m updating this article.michigan real estate paul at anibal-group-llc-realtynetworth.com-thenetworthlife_paul-ask-anything_alloverusa

Below is the original posted 3 yrs ago. This has long been a problem. Why? While I can appreciated ‘work load’ as a reason, it eventually becomes and excuse if its not dealt with on the assessor/ local /state government end. Assessors by-pass state law &/or take advantage of their position to frustrate property owners into being unfairly over taxed. Via interviewing property owners and walking thru the process for clients, I witness first hand the ugly side of the process. I’ll not speculate to far on the gov’t employees side of this – you can figure it out for yourself – but what is the results of over taxation and undue burdens associated with ‘tax protests’ ?

Instability. Show me one neighborhood that prospers from having homeowners uprooted. Getting these properties properly and fairly assessed brings a long term increase in the value of an area. At that point, values and assessments can rightly follow. Why is this so a hard message for the local assessor and his boards of review to understand ?

Recent links:anibals-realtynetworth-realt-estate-brokerage-consulting-relocation-management-property-tax-protests

Original article from 2004 –

According the Detroit News, there is a large inequity from property to property. This is true in most large cities in MI. Further, the local board of review personnel often doesn’t know how to or refuses to assist you, the taxpayer they work for, in the process. The article leaves out important details of interpretation. Don’t assume the house you buy will change property taxes for the better – DO assume they will change with ownership change. We can chat further.

=========

Detroit— Detroit is over-assessing homes by an average of 65 percent, leading to higher tax bills, according to a Detroit News analysis of more than 4,000 appeal decisions over the past three years by a state board.

Go back

Your message has been sent

Lets talk further ... :

Lead water in the pipes – since 1986

January 13, 2017

So much talk of lead in the drinking water in Flint MI these days. Well, I’ve owned 2 homes Great-plumbing-ideas-lead-in-water-flint-miin Flint. I have the same wisdom for those folks as anyone who buys a home built pre-1986.

I recall when I built a home, coincidentally in 1986, that I had to switch from a lead solder to a tin solder. It doesn’t flow the same. But, the point is, per “The Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1986”, homes built before `86 tend to have lead joints so it makes sense to drink & cook with filtered or bottled water. I do.

The law prohibited use of lead solders, pipes, and flux in drinking water systems. Plumbing solder lead content was set at 0.20% maximum. ( previously 50/50 mix w/ tin). It also included wording to require states to enforce the provision.

Go back

Your message has been sent

Since I can really contact you anytime about anything ... :

Rental house ROI & remodeling budgets

January 11, 2017

Jumping into investment real estate this year ? Good info with a Michigan Real Estate vacation cabin cottage for sale Anibal-Group-LLC-RealtyNetWorth All Over Michiganquick easy read, my basic criteria for useful information:

Here’s a huge oversimplification of the article links shown below:

ROI – your rent should be at least 1% of the purchase & set-up cost of your rental. e.g: You paid $85k to buy and rehab, it better rent for $850. Further, expect around 50% of the rent to be expenses (less if you have a mortgage).

My add to the thoughts: Annually evaluate your properties against each other AND against what else you could swap the lesser performing houses for. i.e: You can sell it for $200k/ it rents for $1250/mo., find another that will rent for the same that 1.costs less OR 2.costs the same but will rent for far more.

Renovations – Think practicality and ROI. Don’t go cheap for cheap sake and don’t over pay because its so snazzy. This is a business, not a glossy magazine.

My add to the thoughts: MANY. We’d need to sit down for this as each person, area, and property has different types of strengths and weaknesses. These need to be evaluated up-front BEFORE buying. I still believe that ‘the profit is made at the time of purchase’.

Go back

Your message has been sent

Since I can really contact you anytime about anything ... :

Married folks note: ‘The Demise of Dower – State Bar of Michigan’

January 9, 2017

Every year I give feedback to people AFTER there has been a life changing event in their family. I strongly recommend that everyone who buys/ sells/ marries/ has children, etc, 13975257_547728985400158_1961526686294140869_o[1]seek a consultation asap with (at a minimum):

  1. Legal counselor
  2. Insurance agent
  3. Real estate/ tax consultant
  4. Estate planner

‘Dower rights’ have changed in MI. A widows automatic 1/3 interest in her husbands real estate will be altered in April of 2017.

Plan accordingly.

More:

Go back

Your message has been sent

Since I can really contact you anytime about anything ... :

 

Storms/ Trees/ Insurance/ Liability

December 6, 2016

As always, this is NOT to take the place of calling YOUR agent!

What happens if:who pays for trees falling on house Anibal Group LLC Realty Net Worth fenton linden holly byron michigan florida

  1. My tree falls on my house.
    • A: my insurance should pay
  2. ” and the ins.co. had asked I remove/trim it beforehand.
    • A: I pay
  3. My tree falls on neighbors property.
    • A: their insurance should pay
  4. ” and the tree was dead/ dying.
    • A: I was negligent, I will probably pay
  5. A neighbors tree fell on my house.
    • A: living tree – I/my insurance pays, dead/dying – they/their insurance pays.

You already know that no matter what you asap inform your insurance company with “notice of an event which could give rise to a claim”, even if you’re sure there will be none. Why? You are not the insurance expert AND you don’t know what the future holds. Contact them now.

Basic point: Check your yard for hazards, check with your agent for coverage gaps.

These are short answers.  Again, you are best advised to at a minimum QnA your: Insurable risks professional, accountant, lender/banker, realty professional, legal adviser when changes happen or are anticipated.

If you’d like me to assist further, contact me w/any questions or comments. Recall, using anyone in my referral network qualifies for reimbursed services (FREE) on your next buy/sell activity.

More:

I’d like more info per name and contact information provided below …. feedback_todo_checklist

Go back

Your message has been sent

Please seek you own professional legal, tax, real estate, and insurance advice – not to the reliance of this article.

Office:

  • Elder & Concierge services – Michigan & Florida – moving buy sell relocation transitions Fenton Linden Holly Byron Hartland Michigan

copyright Anibal Group LLC 2024 all rights reserved

Great Car Enthusiast Garages – ‘with attached house’ !

October 18, 2016

Are you one of Michigan’s thousands of ‘car persons’ ? I’ve brokered for 3 decades and owned many classics myself.

If you’re a local, you’ve seen my office just down the street from Boomers Shark Club, home of the famous huge weekly car cruise-ins, or the Dream Cruise in Flint, or the Fenton Dream Cruise ‘tune-up’, or even in Brighton MI (below). If you’re a dealer, you’ve seen me all over the country at dealer auctions searching out sweet unique rides for clients.

anibal-affiliates-realty-net-worth-greatcarcaves-car-show-brighton-michigan

As a local 30+ year real estate broker with loyal clientele & lots of hands on construction & car experience, I’m also great source of hot rod & other car related referrals.

Let me walk you thru your Buy/Sell situation knowing the value of a Great Car Space !

Bonus: Here’s some exceptional adaptive use spaces for Great Car Caves, Showcase Garages, Wrencher Spaces, and Daily Driver Comfort Zones. How do you rate them ?

My dedicated webspace for car lovers ! Great Car Caves – custom garage spaces in MI and FL

 

Go back

Your message has been sent

Since I can really contact you anytime about anything ... :

For your friend at a time of loss.

September 10, 2016

Remember when you first realized you need ‘something more to offer’ when friends are at a hard time ? I remember well. I felt empty that I didn’t have deeper compassion for a grieving neighbor at a time of traumatic loss in the family. It was time to turn off the entertainment and read.real estate agent broker screening referral advocacy paul anibal seniors and veterans specialist__michigan_to_florida_california-to-maine

Here is a nice starter list for you to develop deeper empathy and your loved one. I especially like C S Lewis books. He experienced an early loss of a spouse married late in life, a compassionate deep thinker who is easy to follow.

15 Grief And Loss Books To Help You In Your Healing Journey

I guess the ever growing family counseling library I have is why I’ll sometimes call myself ‘your financial therapist’. If a loss was yours, “….what you are feeling is normal, and you are not alone.”

More:

 

Go back

Your message has been sent

Since I can really contact you anytime about anything ... :

When to use a real estate lawyer

August 13, 2016

Well, anytime you want to is the short answer.

feedback_thinkAboutIt

Further, most brokered transactions involve standard forms that have been drafted by lawyers. These are the same lawyers that produce materials and workshops the local attorney uses as reference. So do you need a lawyer ?

There are certain client situations that I’ll simply not move forward until and unless my customer/client consults with legal counsel. For privacy concerns I’ll not discuss them here but will chat in general terms with you and share more information to help you in your decision.

One local ‘go to’ real estate attorney I’ve used over the years is (request contact info). More oft than not, I’ll be part of the initial meeting to assist my client in clarifying what we are dealing with.

Working with the same professional over time creates a ‘default’ set of assumptions each have w/ the other, meetings tend to begin at a more advanced point. Its often optimal if

CL_ad_mug

you can pick pros that are slightly older than yourself – they will tend to be in a stage of life that you are about to be in.

(Speak to your accountant/ lawyer/ lender/ and insurance agent for specific advise – the following is excerpts from counsel received and not to take the place of paid advisers in their respective field of licensing.)

More:

Go back

Your message has been sent

Reminder Emails

Like Chip & Joanna Gaines of Fixer Upper, remember to seek wise counsel.

February 19, 2016

Investing in property ?Anibal-Group-LLC-RealtyNetWorth
Like Chip & Joanna Gaines of Fixer Upper, I recommend you seek wise counsel ‘and all these things shall be added unto you’ says Biblical scripture.

When there is more that 1 person as part of the buyer / seller / ownership  package, I take just as seriously the ‘non-financial aspects’ of the transaction. A move is a top stress item per every counseling material you read and study. Since its part of my business, I’ve studied family counseling materials for decades, taken counseling workshops (outside of my profession) and consumed countless hours of programming relating to, well, relating.

I think these kids have it right in the interview link. When the purpose is shared jointly and above either of you, the ‘team’ approach brings you together, not in competition with each other.

Go back

Your message has been sent

Moving forward:

Real estate auctions, can you trust them

February 16, 2016

Those flipping TV shows can’t be wrong, can they ? Oh my. If only customer/clients

realized they are buying a house, not a candy bar. (photos of actual house shown to client).

“If it was that easy…” right ? Here’s some of the better article excerpts I’ve found.

  • Property taxes, utility bills and assessments are sometimes not available at the time of auction or are not paid from the auction proceeds. These become the responsibility of the winning bidder. For example, water and sewer accounts for the property may be delinquent in the name of the previous owner and service may not be reconnected in some municipalities until the accounts are brought current.
  • Hubzu: One persons experience: “… I have been bidding for weeks on a distressed property and have gotten the same run around that others have posted on this forum. The photos they had listed were not current. I enlisted the help of a local agent and then drove over 500 miles to view it myself. It was in MUCH worse condition – no flooring , at least 1/3 of the drywall taken out, appliances in disrepair or gone, all interior doors and facings removed due to water heating flooding the unit while it was bank owned…”
  • One expert’s single word of advice for folks who dream of buying a foreclosed house at auction: “Don’t.”… “I caution anyone who isn’t in the (real estate) business: Buying (at auction) can be one of the worst decisions you’ll ever make,” says Jim Hamilton, a Realtor in Los Gatos, Calif. Another bit of counsel from Hamilton: If you want to buy foreclosures at auction, plan on making that your full-time job. If buying a house is like navigating an obstacle course, then buying a foreclosure is like crossing a minefield.

More:

More info:

Go back

Your message has been sent

Reminder Emails

The tale of 2 houses, aka: WHEN to cut bait.

February 15, 2016

This is the story of 2 types of investors and 2 types of investments. After reading, tell me if having a seasoned long term hands on skin-in-the-game professional in your back pocket is useful. Fair enough ?

2  types of Investor:823hubbard-flint-mi-1986

  1. Knows when to cut bait
  2. Holds on until value is all gone, damaging credit.

2 types of Investment:

  1. House still looks nice, area took a dump.
  2. Looked hideous, still does, but the area made it a good investment – in fact, there are brand new homes next door where there were abandoned inner city lots.3134birchrow-eastlansing-mi-1982-b
    • Point: Numbers dictate financial logic & help you know when to act.

I’ve had this one current client since opening my office over 3 decades ago.

Twice in that time I’ve issued ‘now is the time to buy’ alerts. I don’t do that lightly and I give reasons and research – AND put my money into said markets.

This one client did in fact pick up over a dozen investments in the 1st round. Then, as the area began to turn and he was invested ONLY in that local area and 1 property type, over a 5-10 yr period I begged him to bail before it was too late. Yep, didn’t do it.

Its not just a nationwide economy that affects these decisions, there are buy/sell opportunities all the time and many many local factors come in to play, more so local factors over statewide & nationwide in my opinion.

Welp, here’s some local info on the below ‘pretty house’ I owned in the same area.

Property Overviewfeedback_thinkAboutIt

  • Crime Rate: High
  • School Rating: D
  • Registered Offenders: 68 within 1 mile
  • Average Home Price: $24,000 within 1 mile (I sold for $15k more in 1988)
  • Foreclosures: 50 within 1 mile
  • Environmental Hazards: 24 within 1 mile

I’d bought, cleaned it up, made profits on renting for a couple years and in the 2nd year more so on selling it… waaaaay before the area took a dump. (my 1986 fence & rose bushes are still there).

ALL CURRENT PICTURES.

823hubbard-flint-mi-1986b

Below are current photos of THE most profitable house I ever had, AND the ugliest.

Made about 150% ROI every year  for 11 years with virtually no tenant turnover (1 for 7yrs, 1 for 4 yrs) + an additional 1000+% on my initial investment in the year of sale. Held: 11yrs, profit: $125-225/mo x 11yrs + $11000 at closing all for $1000k down payment and a few bucks for new kitchen cabinets and carpet.

  •  That tree in the front yard was 12 inches tall when I planted it in 1982.
  • Still has same kitchen I put in 30+ yrs ago after a gut and swap on my summer off from college at MSU. A bit shabbier now – well, a lot shabbier.

3134birchrow-eastlansing-mi-1982-b3134birchrow-eastlansing-mi-1982-e3134birchrow-eastlansing-mi-1982-g

Additional takeaways:

  • The immediate & local market dictates a ‘good’ investment and timing.
  • Investments are usually ‘cash now’ OR ‘appreciation for later’ RARELY BOTH.
    • The best ‘cash flow’ properties usually gain little/nothing/or are eventually abandon. Use these to live on.
    • The best ‘appreciation’ properties break even or have a small loss in ‘cash flow’ while held. Use these for retirement or other future savings.
    • ‘Appreciation’ properties are usually best at accumulating wealth.

If it was as easy as the TV shows, 94% of all investors would not loose money in real estate. If it was not a good investment, ‘the Donald’ would just be ‘Donald’, ‘Rich Dad/ Poor Dad’ would not be a book.

Related:

Go back

Your message has been sent

Moving forward:

She made a Million Dollars recycling homes – 35 years ago!

January 21, 2016

In the early 80’s I picked up a very honest yet motivational ‘how to’ book on real estate investment. In my senior year of college I was set to invest. I actually drove to NJ, looked up as many of these homes as I could, took pictures, and tried to take notes in my then ignorance. After reading the book I bought a shack for $17500, w/ $1000 down, gutted the kitchen and bath, and placed into service what was one of my most successful investments to date.

I’ve used these & other techniques I gleaned from my broker/investor dad, and have shared them with clients for 3 decades.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

It comes down to humble work, patience, time value of money, and good mentors – I had my dad ! I keep a few copies of the book for clients I work with. Let me know if you’d like one.

Go back

Your message has been sent

Reminder Emails

What is a Good Real Estate Market to Invest in ?

January 18, 2016

Finally, an article above Readers Digest but below Wall Street Journal – like as much as I do both periodicals. But as I’ve often said, ‘don’t get your financial advise from Woman’s Day and don’t get your cooking ideas from Forbes’.

The approach to real estate investing is not about jumping in or jumping out. Its not the sound bite on the 6 o’clock news. ‘You are NOT buying a candy bar’; this is your hard earned money you are investing so you can improve life a bit. This is the more in-depth approach I prefer to take. Having invested since my senior year in college, and being the son of a real estate broker who invested in 3 states and did quite well, I’ve bought, rehabbed, sublet, rented, built new, managed for self and others, and done it in about every kind of market and every season. As far as I’m concerned, as far as I’ve seen in the 34 yrs I’ve been at this, there is virtually always an opportunity in every market and at any time.

Sometimes its in a cash deal, sometimes its in the timing – time of year, sometimes equity and profit comes from improvements, other times subdividing land. Take a glance at the article or call me and we’ll chat further.

There are always questions you’ll want to ask yourself, eg:

  • What do I have more of, time or money?
  • Do I need cash now or want to save up for future period?
  • Am I in a tax bracket that would be a better fit for setting up a separate holding entity?

There are many more.

If you are working with a professional, make sure they ask you some in-depth questions BEFORE they help you spend your hard earned money.

Article Link:  http://e.house/archives/2593

In fact, read everything you can in this website and call me in the morning: http://e.house/

More:

Sample articles –

 

Go back

Your message has been sent

Reminder Emails

Real Estate Investing ~ Wisdom in the counsel of many…

January 15, 2016

You already know from Solomon that there’s “Wisdom in the counsel of many…”, so don’t just take my word for it.Info-graphic-appreciating-wealth-build

Yes, even read the articles about why many think property is a terrible investment, but make sure you read the feedback postings at the bottom of those posts.

So on to that excerpted wisdom:

  • “…..One of the better ways to improve your wealth is to reduce your risk on the properties you purchase.This will allow you to buy lower-risk real estate, which hopefully will earn a fair amount of wealth for you over time.Go for these:

    1. Properties in very good shape

    Too many people buy fixer-uppers thinking they’ll add value by doing a renovation. Then they get mired in a much more expensive and time consuming property than they ever expected. More money into the property means lower ROI…Skip fixers and instead buy properties that are in as good shape as possible, which should get those rental checks coming into your bank account in as short a period as possible.

    2. Properties in moderately priced areas with good cash flows

    Real estate is all about location, location, location! The properties in the best locations (think beach areas, downtown, wealthy enclaves) generally have very negative cash flows, so those are the location, location, locations you want to avoid. The moderately priced properties in working-class areas are the real gems; they generally have the boring locations, but much better cash flows. Of course pencil out any deal with conservative rents and expenses, and go for beginning year cash on cash return of at least 4 to 6 percent, based on your conservative estimates.  (Ask to see my managed portfolio spreadsheet – it think these numbers seem low)

    3. Communities with HOAs in good financial, legal, operational shape

    There are many, many landmines in buying properties in common interest developments.

    4. Properties that come with decent credit quality tenants in place

    There is nothing better than buying a property with a decent tenant already in place. You get the security deposit and pro-rated rent, and you don’t have to go in and clean, paint, update or fix too many things in the unit. If you buy properties in areas that have decent credit quality tenants, that’s hopefully the type of tenant you will inherit. Also take a look at the current tenant’s lease, credit application and credit report, if you can, before you make the decision to purchase the property.

    5. Properties in low vacancy areas

    Vacant units get robbed, incur vandalism and don’t have any rent coming in to cover the bills. If you buy in places with really high vacancy, it might be months or years before you get the property rented out at a fair rental rate. So really think through buying properties in areas with many unoccupied units. Drive around at dinner time: No lights in a lot of neighborhood houses means no one is residing there, and you shouldn’t, either. (I agree with this and talk many folks out of property that requires a firearm to collect rents.)

    6. Properties you will own a long time (I’m more apt to evaluate every time a property is clean and comes vacant & take timing into play looking for what can be bought with the sale proceeds of existing investments. )

Full Article:

More:

Go back

Your message has been sent

Reminder Emails