When Does It Make Sense To Pay Off My Properties?

Posted on May 12, 2016 by James Furlo

Mortgage Calculator to Pay Off Properties

A question I get asked regularly is: "Do you strive to pay off your mortgage as quickly as possible for maximum cash flow after it's paid off, or go for long amortizations and low payments to get as much cash flow as possible today?" Answers fall into two camps: Yes: Mortgages are bad/risky and so you should try to pay off your mortgage as fast as possible. Plus, just think of how much "extra" cash flow you'll be getting! Some people even go as far to recommend buying investment real e...

Find The Wedge When Buying Rental Real Estate

Posted on March 16, 2016 by James Furlo

In business school, a strategy professor of mine, Rob Wiltbank, shared the secret to successful acquisitions. He drew a line on the board and said, "This is a company's current value over time. When you buy it, this is what you're paying for." Then he drew another line above it (much like the picture above). "This is what you want the company's value to be after you buy it. See this gap? (As he runs his finger between the two lines) That's the wedge. This is where you add value to the com...

Seek Unity With Your Spouse Before Investing In Real Estate

Posted on June 12, 2015March 10, 2016 by James Furlo

Let's set the scene: I'm in college on the first date with my future wife. We're walking outside; still very much trying to get to know each other. She asks the question, "What do you want to do with your life?" Me: "I want to invest in real estate. I want to buy a fixer upper for $300K to $400K, fix it and sell it. Or refinance it based on the repaired value and rent it out to collect passive income." I was so proud of myself for articulating such a clear, and profitable, vision of my...

Earn More by Charging Less Rent

Posted on March 26, 2015September 6, 2015 by James Furlo

This should be fun. I saw the following question on Quora: "What can a renter do to increase his or her negotiation leverage when renewing the rental agreement with a landlord?" This question, clearly, is geared for the tenant, but I found myself modifying it slightly to a landlord's perspective to say, "What are some reasons I would be willing to lower the rent for a tenant?" I think this is a valid exercise for a couple of reasons: It helps you crystallize what you're looking for ...