Buying a House in 2022
Buying a house in 2022 was like trying to get on a moving train with infrequent stops. You had to be prepared and you had to be willing to risk a lot more to get a seat. There are a few things we did while searching and preparing for our home buying journey that made […]
Pearl House: Buying a House with Hard Money
There are many ways you can finance the purchase of a home. The most traditional way is with the 30 year fixed conventional mortgage. For investors, a conventional mortgage does not make sense. A few reasons being: the high down payment requirements, fees associated with closing process, time it takes to get approved, and depending […]
Amazon Finds for Home Renovations
Did you know Amazon sells tons of building products? Yes, I’ve saved so much TIME and MONEY by purchasing fixtures from Amazon. From plumbing fixtures, decor, lighting and tools it has been a great place to shop on a budget. When I bought Pearl House and was beginning the renovation, it was around the time […]
Pearl House: Finding the Deal
For most new investors one of the most difficult aspects is finding the deal. This was true in my case too. I’ve listened to hours of Bigger Pockets Podcasts, read through forums, networked with my local Real Estate Investor Community. Through that I learned that there is no easy way to find deals without putting […]
How I Made 3x Return on my 203k Renovation
It’s no secret that using the FHA 203k Loan is my favorite renovation tool. Using this loan empowered me to purchase and renovate an old home in Philadelphia and turn it into my dream home. Not only was I able to live in a spectacular new property, but after years living in it I made […]
Renovation Spreadsheet for 203K Loans
I have been working on trying to get some more content for those that follow me looking for detailed information on the 203K renovation loan process. I’m happy to answer any questions that everyone has and happy to provide resources that will make it easier for you to do as well. I developed this document […]
Its Official!! I Sold My First House!
I’m going rogue on my Wednesday post day because this is too good not to share! MY HOUSE SOLD TODAY! I repeat: I no longer own a house as of TODAY! It’s official!! After 3 years of owning, renovating, and living in this beautiful home today marks the last day I can call it mine. […]
Getting the House Ready for Sale in COVID-19
What a strange time it is. In Philadelphia, all non-essential businesses were closed in March, which included real estate transactions. When it first happened, everyone was a little freaked out about going anywhere. People were hoarding toilet paper and cleaning supplies.. not leaving their houses.. and it was impossible to really get anything done. I […]
How to Find Good Contractors
I can’t tell you how many people have told me horror stories about working with contractors. They are notorious for being unreliable, stealing money, being sloppy, and generally difficult to work with. There ARE good contractors out there, you just have to dig for them!! A wise man once said “You can only have two: […]
Budget Breakdown on the Rental Rehab
I wanted to give a good breakdown of my anticipated costs and the overall costs of the “rental” rehab. My overall budget was $25,000 and my all in cost was $25,242.91. I’d count that as a win in what was an overall fluke of a project. If you haven’t read about it you can find […]
