under market value property – TexasCashFlow.com

May 4, 2021May 7, 2021

Converting Investors’ Rentals to Owner Finance Was the Best Decision Ever

Before the market crash, two of our biggest investors owned more than 100 rental properties. Like many investors, they once thought that owning rental properties was the only way to make money in real estate investing.

What they found was that they were often dealing with repair problems. It didn’t matter that they had property managers. When you own 100 houses, you always have to deal with a repair, a late bill, a vacancy, paperwork and so on.

They also found it was hard to know what their cash flow on each house was each month. Writing checks for new water heaters and fridges gets old fast!

It was around 2009 that one of our investors’ mentors talked to them about switching to owner finance so they could retire with millions in real estate. That mentor only did owner finance homes.

Rather than being a landlord responsible for property upkeep and repairs, there are more efficient ways to generate monthly cash flow.

Be the Bank!

Think about your own house. Each month you send an electronic payment (or check) to your mortgage company or bank. Your bank doesn’t have to maintain the property – you do. Since you are buying the property from the bank on terms, it is natural to your benefit to maintain the property. The bank knows that statistically, homeowners are much more likely to keep their houses in good repair than renters. That’s what makes holding mortgage notes so attractive.

Our mentor taught our investors they could be the bank for people who do not have the credit history to qualify for a regular mortgage loan. The investor carries the loan on the distressed property for 30 years just like the bank, and the new owner of the house simply pays a mortgage payment each month that includes taxes and insurance.

The mentor said to our investors – why should you spend $10s of thousands on rehabbing a property when you can have the end buyer do most of it? Owner finance investment property is smart.

The end buyer usually has a vested interest in maintaining their property, as they own it.

How a Typical Owner Finance Property Deal Looks:

$62,000 cash purchase, $10,000 rehab, 50 DOM, sold for $89,900 owner finance, $937 per month, 12.3% ROI.

This 3 BR 1.5 bath property investment with positive cash flow north of downtown San Antonio TX is in a heavily revitalizing area. It was bought by the investor for $62,000.

The under-market value property only needed approximately $10,000 of rehab, including new flooring, paint in and out, and minor foundation work.

The total project cost to the investor for this under-market value property was $72,000.

Within 50 days of the completion of rehab, it was sold with owner financing with the following terms:

$5000 down
$89,900 final price
10% interest
30 year note
$937/month PITI positive cash flow
Cap rate 12.3%

After our investors converted most of their under-market value properties to owner finance, most of of their worries about properties disappeared. The owner maintains it and the investors simply enjoy the monthly cash flow from each property into their bank accounts.

Most people don’t seem to ever consider owner financing their property investment, probably because they don’t know about it.

The keys to success in owner finance property are simple:

Carefully documenting the income of the potential buyer and verifying their work history
Follow the Dodd Frank law, which mandates that you must collect proof of their income and document their work history.
You can have a Texas licensed loan originator do this for you for a $750 or so fee (we have one on staff).

The bottom line on owner finance investment property is you enjoy cash flow without maintenance and the buyer enjoys buying their own home at last – a true win-win for everyone.

April 7, 2021May 7, 2021

How Our Investors Buy Investment Properties in Texas Below Market Value

The most important factor in our big investors’ success in buying the best San Antonio investment property is every house they buy is under market value. That is, they buy under market investment properties that need rehab.

How To Determine Market Value

One of the biggest reasons many investors we have become real estate agents is so they can determine market value of the best below market value San Antonio investment property on their own. It is never a good idea to use Zillow to determine market value of a property. Zillow is notoriously off base, especially when you are dealing with off market properties or an out of state investment property that are not in the MLS.

Also, bear carefully in mind that the value that you come up with will largely depend upon the repairs your under market value properties need. Our investors like buy properties that are at least 20% under market value. So if the house is worth $90,000 and needs $25,000 in rehab, buying the house at $115,000 is a waste of time and money. They want to buy that house for at least 20% under $90,000, or about $72,000, so they can make a good profit.

How Investors Buy Under Market Value Properties

There are several ways that our investors use to buy under market value properties in San Antonio TX, one of the best cities to invest in real estate:

Buying fair market sale houses: These are houses that are owned by a private person who has equity in the house and there is no bank involved. Most of these sellers are in no rush to sell, so this can be tough. But our investors have bought many under-market value properties in estate sales; that is where they find most of their deals. In many cases, there are several children involved and they just want to be rid of the house that needs repair.
Buy off market properties: Given our investors’ level of success in real estate investing, they tend to find many good deals that are not in the MLS. Agents and investors in the business send our site and top investors below-market deals. Of course, you need to get experience in the business to work this way, but know that if you do become successful, good deals often find you. We currently are analyzing several below market value properties that we will post on this site soon.
Buy REOs under market value: These are Real Estate Owned properties, and these are houses that the banks have foreclosed on. REOs are usually in the MLS, and some of them will be repaired and some will not. Of course, REOs are tougher to find now and many of them need a lot of work. To make your offer more attractive, you may want to tell the seller you don’t need to do an inspection. Pay all cash if you can – cash is king!
However you buy your under-market value investment property or out-of-state investment property, do not spend too much money on the rehab. Rehabs are where many investors lose their rears. Spend too much on your rehab and you will never make any money. Our top investors own a construction company and are able to do rehabs for 50% less than most contractors on the best San Antonio investment properties.

That in short is how our investors buy below-market value properties in Texas. The big thing to remember is to stick to your guns on your numbers – if you need to buy that house 20% under market value to make money, don’t go over it. Move on to the next under-market value property deal if you have to – there are lots of them out there!

December 2, 2016December 2, 2016

So You’re Thinking About Real Estate Investing in 2017!

Now that the presidential election is over, I am seeing more new real estate investors who are thinking about getting into cashflowing real estate properties in San Antonio.

Many of these potential investors have good jobs and good incomes, and have so far saved and invested their money mostly in the stock market. But they are nervous about investing in real estate.

I think investing in the stock market is ok in a limited fashion. I was heavily invested in the market back in 2000, and I lost a large chunk of it in the crash after 9/11/01.

That experience taught me something important: Having one’s life savings in the stock market is risky, even if you are well diversified. Since I lost so much money in the stock market at that time, I decided to invest in something solid – specifically, San Antonio under market value properties.

I strongly believe that investing in certain under market value San Antonio fixer uppers is an excellent long term wealth building strategy. My real estate strategy is usually to buy a San Antonio under market value property for $35,000 to $75,000 cash, do $5000 or $10,000 in repairs, and either rent or owner finance it.

Here is a great case study example; this property belongs to a California investor of mine:

The house above in on West Poplar Ave. in 78207 in San Antonio. It is a newly completed San Antonio investment property that was bought the the California investor for $44,000 in October 2015.

We conducted $10,000 of rehab on the property and put it on the market in December 2015. Total cost to investor was $54,000. It was resold in late January 2016 with the following terms:

$83,000 sales price
$5000 down
$627.61 per month ($800 per month PITI)
9% interest
30 year note

Note that this is a seller finance property, not a rental property.

That property is generating $627 per month in cash flow on a $54,000 investment with no other expenses.

But what if you don’t want to do all cash deals? That’s ok too. You can use your available cash to put a down payment on a property and to do repairs, and then either rent it out or owner finance it (this is called a wrap around mortgage).

In such a case, you should be able to net at least $250 to $350 per month in positive cash flow if you hold a mortgage on the San Antonio investment property.

Here is a current property that I have carefully scouted out that can generate 12-14% ROI after the repairs are done:

Address: 8013 FM 1518, Somerset, TX 78069
Year Built: 1955
Description: Tremendous cash flow investment opportunity in South San Antonio suburb, excellent school district and low crime rating, 3 beds 2 bath San Antonio investment property under market value, 2150 sqft, land: .16 acres, built: 1955, tax value: 84.9K, yearly taxes: $2,400.00, estimated yearly insurance: $1,000.00, Estimated Repairs:10K, ARV:79-89K
Cash Price on San Antonio Fixer Upper: $49,000
Exit Strategy: Owner Finance with 10K in repairs: then resell with: 5K-10K down, $895 monthly PI/TI, 30 year amortization, 10 % interest, Sales Price 89K.

I recommend that a new San Antonio real estate investor work with an expert investor and real estate agent who has a large portfolio of properties. He or she can help you to get a good deal such as the above.

May 13, 2016January 6, 2017

OFF MARKET – 308 Strong Ave, Ballinger TX 76821

Address: 308 Strong Ave, Ballinger TX 76821
Year Built: 1900
Description: Texas fixer upper cash flow king – 3 beds 1 bath, 1300 sqft, ¼ acre lot, yearly taxes: $500, yearly insurance: $500,
Estimated Repairs: NONE – Resell AS IS.
Cash Price: $18,000
Exit Strategy: Owner Finance this buy and hold under market value property with ZERO repairs: 2k down, $395.00 monthly P/I, 30 year amortization, 10% interest, Price: 39k. Strong demand for affordable houses under $500 per month here.
Contact us for more information or to make offer.

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April 7, 2016

What Is a House Flipper?

If you are new real estate investor in San Antonio or anywhere else, you may be considering doing San Antonio flips to build up your cash to do more real estate deals.

As an expert San Antonio wholesale property investor for 15 years, I’ve done hundreds of rehabs and have flipped many San Antonio properties. But before I go any further, if you are new to this discussion of real estate investing:

What Is a House Flipper?

This is a type of real estate investing where you buy a property (ideally under market value) with the intention of rehabbing it to a certain degree and reselling it for a profit. The profit is gained either from an appreciation of the price due to a booming real estate market, or from the capital improvements you make.

When I flip houses in San Antonio TX, I always make sure of the following for best results:

I buy affordable homes from $30,000 to $75,000.
I buy them at least 20% under market value.
I do $10,000 to $30,000 in rehab, depending upon the neighborhood. It is critical to fix a San Antonio flip property enough to sell it and get maximum ARV but not to overdo it.
I am happy to make $8000 to $10,000 per San Antonio flip as of April 2016.

If you are researching about flipping houses you may also want to know what is the 70% rule in real estate? This is a common rule that you hear in real estate flipping. It means that you should pay 70% of the ARV of the property, minus the repairs. That is the most you can afford to pay for that under market value property.

So, if the ARV of the house is $100,000 and needs $30,000 in repairs, the 70% rule states that you should pay a maximum of about $45,000 for that property. If you overpay for the property, your chances of making much money on a flip are much less.

I do not necessarily follow this rule precisely in all cases, but yes I know the maximum I likely can pay and still make my desired profit on a flip – $8000 to $10000.

Below is a nice flip that we did with a pair of local San Antonio investors. This worked out very nicely for them. If you do not overpay for the house and do not overrehab, your profit margins in San Antonio flips can be excellent!

8f2df7_ba65e210f1874c13a08cc33d467ee41c.jpg_srz_p_339_226_75_22_0.50_1.20_0.00_jpg_srz — $50,500 purchase price, $25,000 rehab, resold with $18k profit, DOM 130.

This under market value manufactured home is located near Canyon Lake, about 15 miles NE of San Antonio. It is a peaceful and beautiful part of our area. It was a distressed property sale that worked out well for the investor.

Our principal sold this property to a family of rehabbers in San Antonio for $50,500, who then did the $25,000 of rehab themselves:

Kitchen: $2100
HVAC repair: $300
Electric Fixtures: $900
Interior repair and paint: $4500
Exterior Repair and Paint: $3250
Exterior skirt: $800
Tree trimming: $500
Roof repair: $300
Plumbing: $500
New Water Heater: $2010
Bathroom: $1000
New floors: $2200
Dumpster: $1000
New Appliances: $1550
Rotten wood removal: $895
Deck repair and stain: $900
New mulch: $250
New windows: $2000
New Mail box: $100

Their total investment cost was $75,555, with a sold price of $99,970.

After commissions and closing, they had a profit of $18,000. Investors complimented us on providing them with a profitable first deal and accurate rehab numbers.

March 30, 2016March 31, 2016

The Most Important Thing I Tell New San Antonio Investors Is…

I talk to many new San Antonio real estate investors every week, and I am talking to more than ever this past month. San Antonio TX is now on the radar for a lot of out of state property investors.

There are many new San Antonio wholesale property investors coming into the market every month. The reason is that San Antonio is booming.

Real estate prices are up but still affordable. The population is growing, unemployment is low, and wages continue to rise. Houses are selling quickly in the hot parts of town as well.

And while the prices are higher than two years ago, it still is very possible to make positive cash flow on under market value San Antonio properties.

If there is anything I would tell the new San Antonio real estate investor it would be this:

Don’t be greedy, and have realistic expectations!

I often talk to investors from out of state who are used to investing in more expensive areas, and earning $25,000 on a flip. Or I’ll talk to a Midwestern investor who thinks he can make 20% on a buy and hold here.

I’ve been working as a real estate investor in San Antonio real estate since 2001, and I have made many millions of dollars by making $7000 on a flip and $12% per year on a $650 per month buy and hold.

I am very happy to make those types of returns. I basically do lots of these small San Antonio investment property deals each year. Each flip makes me $7000 or $10,000, or each buy and hold makes me 11% or 12% per year, and I am fine with that.

Too many investors focus on doing a few grand slam deals each year. What they should be doing in San Antonio real estate investing is making a solid return on dozens of deals each year!

If you want to make $25,000 or $50,000 on a flip, you need to move into big projects, ones that go for $200,000 or more. And that my friends gets a lot more complicated and expensive than my little $50,000 or $60,000 San Antonio wholesale property deals.

It’s also more risky. In 2008 when the market tanked, I got stuck with a bunch of $1 million San Antonio real estate investments that were no longer worth what I paid for them. That’s what can happen when you are trying to flip expensive homes at or near market value.

Buying little under market value San Antonio houses such as mine is a lot safer. You just have to be happy making $10,000 on a flip.

I currently have several good $10,000 San Antonio flips available, and these are excellent returns that you can make a lot of money on. You should not pass on a deal because you will not make $30,000 on a flip. I advise doing at least 4 per year and making 40-50k. Then use that cash to buy San Antonio buy and hold property.

Below is an excellent 10k San Antonio flip property you should consider:

Address: 820 South San Manuel St., San Antonio TX
Year Built: 1950
Description: Under market value investment property, three bedroom, one bath that has 928 square feet. Beautiful home with TWO exterior storage units – this is a MAJOR selling point for the end buyer; most buyers are blue collar contractors, and they need their tools to be completely secure.
Max After Repair Value: $99,000.
Cash Price: $69,000.
Exit Strategy: Owner finance this out of state investment property with positive cash flow with only $10,000 in repairs completed in 30 days – $900 per month, $5000 down, 30 year note, 10% interest. This San Antonio investment property offers passive cash flow with no maintenance.
Alternative Exit Strategy: $15,000 in repairs and flip/resell retail – maximum ARV is $99,000. Profit $10,000.

March 25, 2016March 26, 2016

Hot San Antonio Real Estate Investment Market Continues in 2016

Anyone involved in San Antonio real estate investing or real estate in general knows that San Antonio real estate has been hot for the last few years. As a San Antonio real estate investor myself, I have done very well here for 15 years, and the market in the last two years has been strong.

There are several factors that make San Antonio real estate investments a good bet for the long term:

Strong job growth of 3.5%
Low cost of living
San Antonio’s relative low reliance on oil revenues
Strong population growth
Pro-business local government

All of these things make San Antonio a solid, long term bet for under market value real estate investing. I have found that even in downturns, the market in San Antonio never drops too much. I always have been able to buy San Antonio real estate investments that produce cash flow.

As for 2016, the news is almost all bright. The San Antonio Board of Realtors reported in February that the San Antonio area had a 10% year over year increase in total sales, as well as a 4% hike in average prices.

Right now, interest rates are low, foreign investors and out of state investment property investors have a strong appetite for real estate investments in Sn Antonio, and job growth is strong. The 3.5% growth rate in jobs in San Antonio bodes well for a continued expansion.

However, on the down side, rising home prices in San Antonio are not always great news. The inventory of available homes is under six months which is quite low considering the growth in population. This could eventually cause a price spike that could lead to a slow down in growth.

That is why I have long believed that as a San Antonio real estate investor, investing in under market value affordable homes is such a smart move. There always is strong demand here for quality homes under $130,000. Usually, the San Antonio real estate investors who get in trouble are investing in more expensive properties above $200,000. Those are the houses that usually decline in value in a downturn and leave flippers in trouble.

I, on the other hand, always buy houses 30% under market value in the $30-75k range, which is very safe even in a downturn.

Given the hot state of San Antonio real estate, now is a good time to flip San Antonio properties, as long as you have realistic expectations of your return. The below property will make you at least a $10,000 return in 60 days.

Address: 1723 W Ashby Pl San Antonio, TX 78201.
Year Built: 1925
Description: Under market value property, investors dream north of downtown, 3 beds 1 bath, 1000 sqft, built: 1925, lot size: .19 acres, yearly taxes: $1,700.00, estimated yearly insurance: $800.00; estimated repairs: 35K, includes new HVAC, updated kitchen/bath, flooring, paint in/out, exterior skirt, appliances, plumbing/electric up to code, paint out door storage exterior, trash, lawn maintenance.
Max After Repair Value: $139,000.00
Cash Price: $65,900 firm.
Exit Strategy: Owner Finance with 35K repairs: 5-10k down or more, $1,295.00 monthly P/I, 30 year amortization, 10% interest. Or 15K rehab, new HVAC, paint in/out, kitchen/bath repairs, plumbing/electric up to code, then FSBO at 109K, 10% interest, $1,100 monthly PI/TI, 30 year amortization.
Alternate Exit Strategy: Flip with $35k in repairs. $10,000-15,000 profit depending if you are all cash or use hard money lender. Rehab completed in 45 days or less.

March 3, 2016March 3, 2016

How You Can Use Hard Money to Make a $20,000 Flip in 60 Days

I am a long time cash buyer and wholesaler of San Antonio investment property. But not every investor can or wants to use all cash for their under market value property purchases.

That is why I have developed a good network of hard money lenders in Texas and California who can help my out of state investment property investors do San Antonio investment deals.

A ‘hard money lender’ is a private lender who loans capital to investors usually for flips, but sometimes for short term buy and hold investments.

Most hard money lenders lend based upon the value of the under market value investment property. It is an asset-based loan. If you have good credit and cash reserves, you may be able to qualify for a better rate.

Whatever your rate, be prepared to pay a high amount of interests, usually 12-15%. Why would you pay such a high rate? Because no traditional lender will lend on under market value properties that have not been rehabbed. Using hard money, while expensive, is a good option for some investors who either lack capital, or want to reserve their capital for other projects.

Hard money lenders will lend anywhere from 65-75% of the after repair value or ARV of the property (pending the lender’s appraisal). That means that you will need to have approximately 25% to 35% of the property price, PLUS the cost of the rehab, in cash.

So, let’s look at a new San Antonio investment property deal I just got:

Address: 1723 W Ashby Pl San Antonio, TX 78201,
Year Built: 1925
Description: Under market value property, investors dream north of downtown, 3 beds 1 bath, 1000 sqft, built: 1925, lot size: .19 acres, yearly taxes: $1,700.00, estimated yearly insurance: $800.00; estimated repairs: 35K, includes new HVAC, updated kitchen/bath, flooring, paint in/out, exterior skirt, appliances, plumbing/electric up to code, paint out door storage exterior, trash, lawn maintenance.
Max After Repair Value: $129,000.00
Cash Price: $69,900 firm.
Exit Strategy: Owner Finance with 35K repairs: 5-10k down or more, $1,295.00 monthly P/I, 30 year amortization, 10% interest. Or 15K rehab, new HVAC, paint in/out, kitchen/bath repairs, plumbing/electric up to code, then FSBO at 109K, 10% interest, $1,100 monthly PI/TI, 30 year amortization. OR, flip with $35k in rehab for a 20-25k profit in 60-90 days.

On this deal, let’s assume the hard money lender will lend 75% of the ARV. That is $52,425. So, you will need to have $17,500 of the sales prices in cash up front, plus the rehab of $35,000. So you will need $52,500 cash to do this deal.

Assuming a 13% interest rate, your payment per month during rehab/resale will be $568.

Assuming 3 months to rehab and resell, you will pay interest only payments totaling $1704. Up front fees will be approximately $2500 on this deal. So, your money is going to cost you approximately $4200.

Still, even if you incur those hard money loan costs, you stand to make $20,000 on this flip. Not a bad investment in San Antonio wholesale property!

March 2, 2016June 8, 2017

SOLD – 1723 West Ashby Place 78201

Address: 1723 W Ashby Pl San Antonio, TX 78201.
Year Built: 1925
Description: Under market value property, investors dream north of downtown, 3 beds 1 bath, 1000 sqft, built: 1925, lot size: .19 acres, yearly taxes: $1,700.00, estimated yearly insurance: $800.00; estimated repairs: 50k in repairs to flip, includes new HVAC, updated kitchen/bath, flooring, paint in/out, exterior skirt, appliances, plumbing/electric up to code, paint out door storage exterior, trash, lawn maintenance.
Max After Repair Value: $125,000.00
Cash Price: $75,000
Exit Strategy: Owner Finance with 35K repairs: 5-10k down or more, ~$1295.00 monthly P/I, 30 year amortization, 10% interest.
Or 15K rehab, new HVAC, paint in/out, kitchen/bath repairs, then FSBO at 119K, 10% interest, $1095 monthly PI/TI, 30 year amortization.
Alternate Exit Strategy: Flip with $50k in repairs. $8000 to $10000 profit.
Contact us for more information or to make offer.
Sold and Rental Comps: Rental Comps 1723 W Ashby Sold Comps 1723 W Ashby

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February 26, 2016March 31, 2016

How I Still Do $12,000 Flips in San Antonio With Under Market Value Properties

The San Antonio investment property market has really heated up in the last 18 months. Back in 2014, it was possible to buy houses for $30,000, do $10,000 in rehab at most, and owner finance them for $59,000.

Or, you could buy an under market value property for $40,000, do $10,000 in rehab, and flip it for cash and make $30,000.

Making money in San Antonio investment property is still very possible and I do it every week, but it is more challenging now. The economy has improved a great deal, and San Antonio TX is a booming market, with great numbers of people moving here every month. With all of the construction going on, there is plenty of blue collar job demand.

Lower gas prices have also put more money in people’s pockets, which leads to more economic growth and spending.

All of this has led to an increase in real state prices in my under market value properties.

But, the good news is that because I have been doing this for 15 years and I know how to rehab properties and negotiate investment property deals, I still am able to make excellent returns on flips.

I mostly am a buy and hold investor with owner financing, but I have been doing some extremely profitable flips these days. My work crew loves when I do flips because they pay well, and I like them because they are profitable for me!

I have a current flip that the investor would make $12,000 on, which is fantastic in this hot market. This house is listed below:

Address: 2229 W Hermosa Dr. San Antonio, TX 78201
Year Built: 1948
Description: Under market value property sale in hot north of downtown neighborhood, 2 beds 1 bath, 769 sqft, built: 1948, lot size: .14 acres yearly taxes: $1,200.00, estimated yearly insurance: $800.00, estimated repairs on this distressed sale.
Rehab Option#1: 35K, includes new HVAC, converting to 3 BR, updated kitchen, flooring, paint in/out, exterior skirt, roof, room addition, appliances, paint out door storage exterior, trash, lawn maintenance.
Max After Repair Value: $139,000.00 with owner financing, comps are for 3/1.
Rehab Option #2: 15k AC, flooring paint in and out $109,000 ARV.
Cash Price: $69,900 firm.

This house is located in a hot area north of downtown and is an excellent under market value fixer upper. I was able to get a very reasonable price of $69,900 on this deal.

Of course if I didn’t know what i was doing, this wouldn’t work. Most under market value property investors spend too much on rehab, which kills the deal. I know exactly how much rehab to do on this project – flooring, HVAC, paint in and out, and resell it. By doing that amount of rehab, this will resell for approximately $109,000. Quite a nice flip in this hot San Antonio market!

Try to do this type of flip with San Francisco investment property, Seattle investment property, Los Angeles investment property or San Diego investment property 🙂