Posted on August 17, 2010 @ 6:27 pm - Written by BawldGuy
Back in the day my mentors would regale me with real estate investment stories about the early 1950’s. Having been born in the summer of ‘51 I was all ears. I heard a common thread in most of their tales, until that is, we hit the end of 1975 or so. The ‘way it always was’ began to change — radically. They began to notice not so subtle changes in the local market, and they didn’t like it one bit. No siree.
Prices started rising in what would be the first of a long cycle of up a bunch, down a bit, up a bunch more, etc. I’m not sure it was indeed a paradigm shift as a matter of fact, but to them that’s exactly what it was. One of ‘em was so put out by what he saw through the rest of the 70’s he retired earlier than planned, headin’ back home to Wyoming. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on July 6, 2010 @ 2:30 pm - Written by BawldGuy
The other day I was test driving my newly installed IDX (That’s an app allowing visitors to my company’s website to search for San Diego properties.) when I decided to check out what a duplex goes for in the town in which I live and work, La Mesa. It’s in San Diego’s ‘East County’ and has always been a high demand location for investors in residential income property. Tenants are generally of demonstrably better quality, rents are higher, units easier to rent, and vacancy rates typically lower. Real estate investors have always loved La Mesa.
I found the lowest priced duplex in the zip code (91942), $300,000 — and did some quick, down and dirty numbers. I then compared those bottom line scratchings to what we’re able to offer in various markets in Texas — mostly the Dallas/Fort Worth MetroPlex. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on July 5, 2010 @ 5:05 pm - Written by BawldGuy
Short and sweet this last day of a three day weekend. If you’re 45+, or as one of my clients used to cackle, 45+++, time is of the essence. That’s a soft and comfortable way to say time ain’t yer friend, Kemo Sabe. You ain’t the Lone Ranger either.
Countless Americans are hearing their retirement clock tickin’ away, and every year it gets louder. For a whole buncha people it hit jet engine loud a few years ago when their 401Ks/IRAs got kneecapped by Wall Street. Losing 30-50% of your hard earned retirement fund is not an easy pill to swallow. I know cuz I talk to these people nearly every day. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on June 30, 2010 @ 8:22 pm - Written by BawldGuy
San Diego’s real estate values will continue their downward tilt through 2010. An opinion, but based on much data and the feeling in my right knee. Too many local investors have, with nervous smiles, pointed out the prices are slightly up year over year here. True enough. Tell ya what, why don’t ya buy several properties this summer, then we’ll talk next summer. It gets pretty quiet, sometimes uncomfortably so.
NOTE: Before continuing it’s important to understand San Diego ain’t the Lone Ranger here. There are numerous similar markets. All of SoCal and most of NoCal for example. (Think Palo Alto) 
But around the country, whatever I say here about SD is likely to have traction in many, many regions.
We’ve been culling through our database looking for income property owners who’re best positioned to effect a high quality move of their equity(s). We’ve been blessed and handicapped simultaneously by the reality of gettin’ up to speed on a brand new piece of database software. The blessing though is far outstripping the irritations of the necessary learning curve involved. It’s a killer program — the best I’ve ever seen. Anywho, we’ve been noticing a disturbing trend as it relates to new loans on investment properties.
Does this describe you? Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on June 16, 2010 @ 7:23 am - Written by BawldGuy
Written By — David Shafer
I learned awhile back that the worst thing you can do is to follow the crowd. This is even more important to remember when it comes to your financial life. But there is a fundamental tension between following the crowd and going your own way. That is what I have been struggling with for the last couple years. I have lived primarily in Florida for the last 15 years. 10 ½ years ago we bought a home here. 12 years ago I changed my financial philosophy away from the crowd [sold my mutual funds and started a very different strategy]. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on June 10, 2010 @ 4:23 pm - Written by BawldGuy
Live and invest in real estate in places like San Diego or Palo Alto California? Then you know exactly to what today’s title is referring. Living there is Paradise, but your income property? To be kind, it ain’t what it could be. Even after this correction, as persistent as it’s been, your properties still don’t spin off the income they should, given your current net equities.
Then there is the issue of age, a sore subject in many places, but none more so than San Diego County. Residential income construction has been little more than a faint rumor since Regan’s second term in office. In fact, if you don’t count the ultra-elite apartments which have been built on the coast and in Mission Valley, pretty much nothing of even minor consequence has gone up since around 1987. I know, cuz I’ve seen ‘em not go up. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on June 8, 2010 @ 5:56 pm - Written by BawldGuy
The three links below are worth a second read, especially given their relevance in today’s economic realities. Let me know your thoughts.
7 Expectations of Real Estate Investors — Beware of Potential
10 Ways To Delay or Diminish Your Retirement
The ‘Old Normal’ — Sore Elbows and Adapting
You may get a hold of me by calling 619 889-7100. I’d love to talk with you, as my daily fix is a must. Have a good one.
Posted on June 2, 2010 @ 12:34 pm - Written by BawldGuy
Written By — David Shafer
The biggest advantage for using EIULs is not necessarily the tax advantages. It is the sequence of return issue that most investments suffer from. This is why I believe that EIULs along with investment real estate is the best combination investment out there. Read the rest of this entry »