Lessons in Real Estate Investing | Videos and Posts to Help You Learn the Details of Real Estate Investing

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Insulating with Spray Foam for Temperature and Batts for Sound Attenuation

Insulation decisions for houses in Central Texas are a huge consideration. In this house we’ve decided to go with spray foam insulation on both the roof deck and the walls for temperature control. The benefits of Icynene, or spray foam insulation, in this climate are something that many buyers look for. We’ve had the […]

Buying and Managing Short-Term and Vacation Rentals

Learn about buying and managing short term rentals in this discussion with Scott Sutherland. After turning their primary residence into an occasional short-term rental, Scott and his wife Sally have purchased several other properties to rent to vacationers and corporate travelers. In this discussion, Scott discusses: short term rentals vs. long term rentals advantages and […]

Framing Inspection and Corrections

As part of the construction process, we do a third party framing inspection with a private engineer. They come in and inspect the framing, the truss installation to ensure that it matches the engineered plans, the sheer wall construction, the plumbing top out, the electrical rough, and the HVAC installation. In this video, I go […]

Framing, Mechanical, Plumbing and HVAC Installs at New Spec Home Construction

The framing is done and the trades are installing the plumbing top out, the electric rough and the HVAC with duct work. There are a couple more items to finish, then we’re ready for our framing inspection. A couple of details that are covered off in this video such as how we install our tankless […]

Buying and Managing a Rental House Portfolio

Scott Sutherland presents the how he acquired, manages, and sometimes sells 23 rental houses within a portfolio. Topics covered in this video: How the price and returns were analyzed for the original purchases The improvements made to the properties Managing tenants, from screening, to repairs, to accepting electronic payments The legal and financial structure with […]

Evaluating a Lot for an Urban Infill Tear Down with Lynn Currie

Lynn Currie discusses spec home development in Austin, Texas. Topics discussed in this discussion: How to determine how much to pay for a lot for spec home development How to evaluate what can be built on a lot in the City of Austin based on the zoning and Land Development Code What else to look […]

Staking and Framing Up the Foundation

Now that the lot is cleared for construction and the survey company has staked the corners of the foundation, the foundation crew is on-site framing up the foundation. When I’m on-site at this point I’m looking for a few things: The accuracy of the corner stakes – I check this against my approved site-plan. Before we pour the concrete, […]

Relocating the Existing House in Order to Clear the Lot

When purchasing a lot in an urban area, often there is a house that already exists on the lot. If the plan is new development, that means that the lot needs to be cleared. If the house is in bad shape, the easiest solution is often to demolish it. But if it is in good […]

Prepping House for Demolition or Relocation

When clearing a lot, you often have to remove existing structures either by demolishing them or relocating them. In this video I review the permits that are needed for relocating a house in Austin and the steps taken to prepare the lot. Related Links: City of Austin Demo Permit Application Call Before You Dig Austin […]

Screencast: The Property Is Under Contract, Now What?

Congratulations, you found a property and put it under contract! Now is the time to roll up your sleeves and do some digging into the paperwork. Remember back in high school or elementary school when you (or your parents) learned to use a microfilm machine? Dust off your film rotating skills, my friend, because you may [...]