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
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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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Bonus: Hiring a Contractor For Your Rental? What You NEED to Know
301: 12 Doors and a $4M Portfolio as a Real Estate Power Couple w/Zosia Madden
300: Making $8K/Month from 2 Doors and How to Get HUGE Cash Flow with Fewer Units w/Rachel Richards
299: The 4 Steps to Financial Freedom Through Rental Property Investing
298: How Tony Lost $100K on ONE Real Estate Deal (AVOID These Critical Mistakes)
297: Traveling the World Thanks to One $6,500/Month Rental Property w/Olivia Tati
296: Rookie Reply: Pre-Foreclosures and How to Cut Your Property Management Costs
295: $2 Million in Real Estate in 2 YEARS Thanks to This Strange Side Hustle w/Paul Lee
294: No Money for Real Estate? 2 Side Hustles You Can Use to Fund Your First Deal w/Ava Yuergens and Josh Janus
293: 6 Rental Properties in 15 Months (While Working 3 Jobs!) w/Brandon and Dani Tilson
292: Rookie Reply: The One Thing You Need to Pay $0 in Income Tax
291: Living for FREE at 22 and Planning to Retire by 30 with Rentals w/Ryan Hughes
290: Rookie Reply: Best HVACs, HELOCs, and Using Home Equity to Buy Rentals
289: $11,000/Month with One VERY Unique Rental Property w/Garrett Brown
288: Rookie Reply: Tenant Red Flags and BEST Investor-Friendly Loans
287: From 70 Hour/Week Burnout to Getting Paid to Buy Properties w/Danielle Daly
286: Rookie Reply: Real Estate "Travel Hacks" We Use to Score FREE Vacations
285: 3 Rentals (While in College!) and Turning a Horrific House into a Cash Cow
284: Rookie Reply: What You Need to Know Before Buying Your First Rental
283: 19, Broke, and No Credit to 28 Units and Over $1 Million in Real Estate w/Caleb Hommel and Chuck Sotelo
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