Having your rental property stolen?! How is that possible? This would be a worst-case scenario for any investor, and it was nearly reality for today’s guest. Buckle up as we share one of the wildest real estate horror stories you’re likely to hear!
Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! In this episode, which could be mistaken for the latest entry in your favorite crime drama, investor Matt Drouin tells the bizarre story of how he nearly LOST his $150,000 rental property to a professional scam artist. He shares some of his biggest lessons learned from this incident—including how to screen tenants properly, when to get an attorney involved in the eviction process, and how to avoid scams when looking for your own off-market properties.
But that’s not all. You’ll also learn about the many benefits of investing in your hometown, as well as when to branch out and choose a market beyond your backyard. What’s more, you’ll hear about the often-overlooked mixed-use buildings that can be a gateway into commercial real estate investing, and how to take down these deals with creative financing!
In This Episode We Cover:
How Matt nearly lost his property to a scammer (and how he got it back!)
How to avoid scams when searching for off-market real estate deals
The competitive advantage you gain by investing in your backyard
Buying the “mixed-use building” deals that most investors ignore
Using ZERO of your own money on a commercial deal with creative financing
How to finetune and automate your tenant screening process
And So Much More!
Links from the Show
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Tony's BiggerPockets Profile
Tony's Instagram
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Submit Your Real Estate Rookie Question!
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Ponzi Schemes, Property Fraud, and How to NOT Fall for a Real Estate Scam
Trespassers Took Over My Rental Property! (How to Get Rid of Squatters ASAP)
Tools to Help You Find Your Market:
Become a BiggerPockets Pro Member
“On the Market” Podcast
Crexi
Federal Reserve of St. Louis
Marcus & Millichap
Improve Tenant Screening and Property Management with AppFolio
Connect with Matt:
Matt's BiggerPockets Profile
Check out more resources from this show on https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-376
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399: $80,000/Year Cash Flow & Financial Freedom with 7 Properties (in 3 Years!) w/Sarah Msuya
398: 3 Steps to Buying Your First (or Next) Small Multifamily Property
397: The BEST Ways to Protect Your Rental Property and Keep Your Tenants Safe w/Eileen Daugherty
396: 5 Real Estate Deals Using Other People’s Money w/Darnell Leslie
395: Rookie Reply: Using a Car as a Down Payment (!?), ADUs, & House Hacking 101
394: The Hidden Property Damage That Could Ruin Your Home Renovation…w/Jessica Bryant Walton
393: $120K/Year from ONE “Sensory” Rental Property with a “Secret” Amenity w/Chase Charifa
392: Rookie Reply: Should I Move (and Quit My Job!) to Invest in Real Estate?
391: The Low-Cost Way to “Invest” in Real Estate in 2024 (Without Buying Rentals) w/Veronica Garreton
390: Making Over $10K/Month Thanks to “Conscious” Multifamily Investing w/Yiting Yang
389: Rookie Reply: How to Find a Property Manager & Set up Rentals Out of State
388: How to Save Your Cash Flow When Dealing with a “Problem” Property w/Ashley Robinson
387: The Step-by-Step Guide to Flipping Houses and High-ROI Home Renovations w/James Dainard
386: Rookie Reply: Will It Cash Flow? Analyzing BRRRRs, Hotels, & Commercial Deals
385: How to Save Your Rental Property When “Good” Tenants Turn BAD w/Chelsea Borden
384: The “Luxury” Rental Property That Brings in $150K/Year of Pure Profit w/Veronica Garreton
383: Rookie Reply: “Managing” Your Property Manager & How to Invest While in Debt w/Tiamo Wright and Mindy Jensen
382: The REAL Cost of Bad Tenants and “Cheap” Contractors (Mistakes to Avoid!) w/Dan Stowell
381: Making $7K/Month in PURE Cash Flow with Only 3 Rental Properties w/Bailey Kramer
380: Rookie Reply: How to Start Investing, Walking Away from Deals, & Co-hosting
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