Tools of the Rich #1 – Depreciation

Tools of the Rich #1 – Depreciation

An October 13th, 2018 article in the New York Times discussed how Jared Kushner avoided paying almost no federal income taxes several years running. According to the article, Kushner, who has a net worth of $324M plus, paid little to no taxes from 2009 through 2016. Just by my first two sentences, you can see the slant of the article – how things are tilted unfairly toward the rich.

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The Investment Property Process

The Investment Property Process

If you’re looking to purchase an investment property, whether it be a residential single-family home or a commercial building, the purchasing process is very similar. While there are some differences between the two processes, I thought they are close enough that I thought we should take a quick run through to get a discussion in place for future articles.

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Investing is Risky. So is Life. Get over it.

Investing is Risky.  So is Life.  Get over it.

We spend our lives with risk.

There is everyday risk like driving to and from work, school, or some event with our spouse. At any moment, we put ourselves on the road with other people who may or may not be in full control of themselves whether it be from alcohol, lack of sleep, or relationship induced stress. Some of these people are just plain morons who should not be allowed to drive - but they're given a license anyway and we willingly chose to get on the road with them.

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The Attack of the Side Hustle!

The Attack of the Side Hustle!

When I purchased my first commercial building, I was a property manager. Therefore, it was natural for me to accept the same role for our investing group. It dove-tailed nicely into my day-to-day routine. I could field calls throughout the day for my own property as well as from the portfolio I managed. Everything rolled together well. It was a comfortable fit.

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How I Bought My First $1.5M Commercial Building

How I Bought My First $1.5M Commercial Building

In late 2016, we bought a 10,135 square foot retail building in Deer Park, Washington. At that point, it was the largest and most expensive building I’d been a part of acquiring. Quite frankly, I was a bit scared that we could pull it off. Up until then, the most expensive building I had purchased with partners was $390,000. The building we were contemplating was almost four times that price. It made my heart race considering it.

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What Does Your Broker Invest In?

What Does Your Broker Invest In?

I’m going to rant against some of those in the financial services industry. You see, I’m a commercial real estate broker who loves the product he represents. My clients can see and hear my enthusiasm when we talk about their needs, whether it be buying, selling, developing or leasing.

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When Revaluing a Property Doesn’t Go Your Way – Rosewood Retail Part 3

When Revaluing a Property Doesn’t Go Your Way – Rosewood Retail Part 3

Roughly six years into the ownership of our Rosewood Retail property, one of the partners decided she wanted to sell out. A couple years prior, Bobbi (not her real name) had gone through a divorce and a year later relocated to another state. She was involved in another partnership with us and had chosen to sell her portion of ownership earlier. It had gone very well for her as detailed in The Little Property That Could – A Partner Wants Out.

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It Always Starts with One – Rosewood Retail, Part 1

It Always Starts with One – Rosewood Retail, Part 1

It’s embarrassing to admit, but when I was a property manager, I didn’t know how to invest in commercial real estate. In my area, most property managers don’t own investment real estate. I’d imagine that trend continues beyond my part of the country. Perhaps it’s because property managers spend so much of their work time around real estate that they don’t want to do it on their personal time. Maybe it’s an employee versus entrepreneur mindset that holds them back. Whatever the reason, it’s a strange reality to encounter.

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Sometimes the Only One Who Gets Paid is the Architect

Sometimes the Only One Who Gets Paid is the Architect

So, you’re interested in redeveloping a commercial building? You want to buy a vacant property, rehab it, tenant it and then start collecting rent. That process is called “adding value” and it’s awesome. Congratulations! It’s one of the most fulfilling experiences in commercial real estate investing.

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A Deal That We Cleaned Up On

A Deal That We Cleaned Up On

In the summer of 2010, my investing partner cold-called the owner of a small office building. It was located on Trent Avenue and had a small, clean warehouse with it. As the area changed over the past forty-plus years, it had become eclectic. Industrial users are mixed in with ethnic restaurants, specialty retailers looking for cheap rent sidle up next to little office buildings.

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The Little Property That Could – Part III - Time to Expand

The Little Property That Could – Part III - Time to Expand

Bruchi’s Cheesesteaks is a local favorite. Serving subs and cheesesteaks since 1990, they’ve grown to seventeen locations and recently opened a store in Sacramento, CA. Bruce and Susan Greene have done a great job with the company, especially with new competition from national sandwich franchises coming into the market.

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The Little Property That Could – Part II - A Partner Needs Out

The Little Property That Could – Part II - A Partner Needs Out

We owned the little property on Northwest Boulevard for years and it was humming along nicely. Our tenant, The Medicine Shoppe, had accepted a renewal and was happy. We had painted the building and seal coated the parking lot in an effort to protect it and enhance its curb appeal.

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When The Seller Acts as the Bank

When The Seller Acts as the Bank

Earlier, I referenced “seller financing” in the acquisition of a property so I figured I should expound on that idea a bit. 

To date, I’ve used seller financing in three personal transactions: two commercial buildings and one residential property.  It’s also been used in transactions where I’ve acted as a broker.  It’s one of the first questions I ask whenever talking to a prospective seller.    

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