First Blog Posts

Greetings! My name is Robert Martigan but everyone calls me "Mads". I am a semi-early retired real estate investor new to the Active Rain community, and just wanted to write my first post to introduce myself!My passions include fixing up and renting out or flipping mid-century single family properties as well as now mentoring new investors how to evaluate and purchase investment properties for thier own portfolios.I have been investing in the Birmingham, Alabama market specifically for a number of years now and always love connecting with other real estate investors and professionals serving that market.Lastly, I am a HUGE outdoor living and design enthusiast and love blogging about outdoor kitchens, swimming pools, patio design, landscaping ideas, and even some of my favorite barbecue ... 03/15/2021

NOI = Gross Revenue – Total Operating ExpensesThe NOI, or Net Operating Income, is one metric used to evaluate an income-producing asset. It is defined as the total income that a property generates less the total operating expenses and losses from vacant units.Prior to investing too much time, energy, and money into acquiring a property, it is crucial for investors to have a clear understanding of the amount of revenue an asset can generate.  Many people confuse NOI with the amount of money the property is generating before they take expenses into consideration. When looking at financials on a property and all expenses are not being deducted, the numbers become falsely inflated and are essentially meaningless.How much does it actually cost to operate the property? How much would it cost... 03/14/2021

There is a lot that can go wrong with home improvement projects. Remodeling or fixing up your home can make it a much nicer place to live and can raise your property value if you do it correctly. This is a bit of advice we have put together for you to keep in mind on your next home improvement weekend.Stay true to the property and the neighborhood when you take on major renovations. If you live on a street of suburb ranch-style homes, then putting in a colonial mansion is not going to get you the desired result you're after. It will be out of place and not something anyone else will be willing to pay for later.Decorating your walls on a tight budget can be quite simple and requires no painting. Consider buying a large quilt or an interesting piece of tapestry and affixing it to your wal... 03/13/2021

Many people start thinking about estate planning by looking to make a will. After all, we have all seen in movies and tv that the first thing you do to plan for your untimely demise is to make a will.A will can be a great tool. But for most people a living trust coupled with a “pour over” will is a better solution.But what is a living trust?Commonly, a living trust (AKA “inter vivos trust”) is a legal agreement that states property is to be held “in trust” (by the trustee or trustees) with the understanding that the property will pass to others (the beneficiaries) upon the death of the initial trustees.What this means is that you (as the settlor / trustor) put your property into a legal entity or agreement called a trust and name the people you want your property to go to after you die ... 03/12/2021

Each day is a new year for a marketer, you have to study the market each day and have to build a new strategy. In case you’re a social media marketer, you might be working on your strategic plan for success in this as well as in the coming years. Congratulations! You landed on the right page, we’ve got you a variety of resources so that you can settle your marketing plan for the rest of the year and obviously for the year. We have tried to cover most of the important aspects which will help you in growing your business. However, before you get started and know how to manage your social media strategy, it is important for you to look ahead and ensure that you’re using your precious time and efforts well. In this blog post, we will take you to the expected and current trends and how you c... 03/12/2021

Simple Things To Get Ready Whether you’ve had a mild winter or an arctic blaster, there are some things you can do as the snow and ice melt away, temps get milder, and Spring rains start to come in.Pick a nice warm sunny day and get out to get acquainted with your home again. OUTSIDE Look over the exterior of your home. Get the ladder out and get to checking! Up on the Roof. You can climb up or use binoculars or your kid’s drone for examining your roof. If you have shingles, see if any have been damaged or lifted and if any fasteners have lifted up. Are there any missing or damaged? Are any raised up? This can be a place where water from Spring rains can get through, causing lots of issues inside. Additionally, if you have a metal roof, look for screws backing out, major dents or crease... 03/11/2021

Contact us today to tour one of only 20 residences in the Conrad building. A grandeur private beach villa complimented with breathtaking ocean views and one of a kind craftsmanship and attention to detail. Unit boast the most sqft for this floor plan in the whole building. Over 500k in fine upgrades. Not one inch spared in absolute beauty. Completely energy efficient smart-home that allows you to control everything in the condo from an I-pad. Custom Princeton kitchen cabinetry, sub-zero refrigerator & stove, custom built bar with sub-zero refrigerator and freezer drawers, miele whole bean coffee/espresso maker, custom glass shelving. Marble bathrooms. Two indoor linear fireplaces. Housekeeping and laundry services are included in the ownership of the property. Pet friendly. One of a kin... 03/11/2021

The Housing Market Is on FireSo how do you ensure you are getting the most for your house and not leaving money on the table?There are several things you can do as a homeowner to help position yourself for success when selling your house traditionally on the market. Find a good Realtor.  Take your time to find a Realtor that really knows what they are doing and works hard.  Do not just settle for a family member or friend.  This is your house we are talking about, the single biggest transaction of your life.  You need to have a professional that can lead you in the right direction.   Understand the state of the market. i.e. Inventory levels, DOM, comparable sales, interest rates.  Your Realtor should help educate you on some of this, however it is in your best interest to do some resear... 03/09/2021

Structural engineers are those engineering professionals who help the owners by checking the important factors such as force, air, water, and how a building can strongly withstand them without causing any damage. Structural calculations are done to estimate whether or not a building can hold up and resist these natural forces when they are caused. Universal Engineering has expertise in structural engineer West Palm Beach, who offers reliable calculations for any type of construction.What is the necessity to hire structural engineering west palm Beach service, providers?Hiring structural engineers became a necessity in the present days, it is because the buildings are huge and at the same time these constructions need to stand for the strong wind or other natural disasters too. Here are ... 03/07/2021

As agents, Real estate professionals have a responsibility to act honestly and to put their clients first. This is clearly stated throughout an agents licensing training. The National Association of Realtors Code of Ethics set the standard for Realtor business practices. This means that any REALTOR you work with has voluntarily agreed to abide by the Code Of Ethics. These Ethics are one of the best safety measures for an agent and their clients. When you set out to buy or sell a house, there is a lot of money on the line. A consumer needs to know that they can trust their agent. Which is why Honesty is mentioned twice in both Article 1 and 12 in the Code of Ethics. Real Estate professionals are held to certain standards to keep their clients, customers, general public, and other agents ... 03/06/2021

This isn't just about our businesses, it's about life and the way we all treat each other as well. 03/05/2021

The face of “office” has seen a lot of changes over the years. And 2020 has helped us solidify our needs for an office that can be accessed from anywhere in the world. Besides working from home, one of the most interesting methods of conducting daily work came in the shape of Virtual Offices. It is a preferred choice for newcomers who want to have an office of their own to be able to manage their business but can’t afford to pay for a traditional office. Virtual offices are flexible and convenient compared to most other types of workspaces. Here are eight key features of virtual offices that make them so in-demand:EconomicalIf you are a young businessperson with a tight budget looking for office space to run your business according to your needs, virtual offices are probably your best b... 03/05/2021

RENT IS $900 PER MONTH PLUS SECURITY DEPOSIT $900CONTACT ME ON (706) 510-7695Cute, renovated ranch close to Historic Powder Springs and 1.5 miles from East-West Connector. Spacious kitchen with brand new cabinets, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances is open to dining room area. Trendy farm-style vaulted ceilings, brand NEW flooring throughout, and renovated bathrooms. Peace of mind with NEW roof, NEW windows, NEW water heater. Good storage off carport and plenty of fenced-in backyard. Conveniently located in a quiet neighborhood with nearby major roads, grocery stores, retail, parks including Silver Comet Trail, and leisure and entertainment opportunities of downtown Powder Springs. POWER AND WATER ARE INCLUDED WITH THE RENTFOR MORE DETAILS CALL OR TEXT 03/04/2021

Inheriting a house can be an emotional rollercoaster, wondering “what should I do with this house?” or “how do I even sell a house that’s not in my name?” If the dearly departed did not set up a will (living trust), the property will need to go through the probate process. We are familiar with this process and are here to help with whatever you may need, even if we aren’t the ones that buy your house.  So, what does the probate process look like?Probate is the legal way of administering a property of a deceased person if there was no will or specific set of instructions in place to tell what exactly to do with the property. These specific proceedings take place in what are called probate courts.How Do You Start a Probate Process?The probate process is started after a person passes away,... 03/03/2021

              IRS collection letters arrive in envelopes conspicuously labeled with the IRS logo, as though to inform your mail carrier and neighbors that you have received an IRS collection letter.  Some of these letters contain ominous pronouncements such as: “NOTICE OF INTENT TO LEVY”. Pre-COVID, approximately 1 in 6 American taxpayers owed money to the U. S. Treasury.  This number is sure to grow as Americans file their first post-COVID tax returns and discover just how much of the assistance they received from the Federal Government they are required to return to the Federal Government in the form of income taxes on various assistance programs. Perhaps you have received one of these letters or realize such a letter is on the way.  Here are a few steps you should take that will lead... 03/01/2021

It's definitely a seller's market. I have buyers, and I must write creative offers. I wake up and have my coffee. I then login to flexmls. I see the low inventory we have. I start reserving showings and that's complicated. Listings getting multiple showings. Buyers are making offers without even looking at the house physically. It's hard to get a tour scheduled. Renters are now realizing they want to buy because of the historic low rates. Sellers are on pause because of the pandemic. Demand is higher than supply. There are times a listing sells for 20k above asking price. We are now using an escalation clause. Maybe even 1k towards sellers closing costs. What are you doing to be creative? 03/01/2021

It's time to buy a house. You've dreamed about it. You've talked to family and friends. You're ready to settle down with homeownership. Whether you're single or married, buying a house is a major financial step forward. Here's an abbreviated guide to buying a home. Step-by-Step Guide to Buy a House & Decide Whether You're Ready to Buy a Home Remember: buying a home is a substantial financial commitment. If your finances aren't in order, you will need to wait. Buying a home you can’t afford will do more damage to your financial well-being, your relationships, your mental health, and more than you can imagine.Lenders will look at every aspect of your finances to decide if you qualify for a mortgage. Ask yourself the following questions: Income and employment: Do you have a steady income a... 02/27/2021

There’s no person in the world that didn’t experience any kind of hardships of the global pandemic that locked down the whole world. Since we are talking about a virus that is spread mainly through contact between people, the hospitality and restaurant industry was the first one to suffer the blow. Not just financial, many people have lost their jobs, and the future looks pretty uncertain since we still don’t know much about COVID-19 and when it will end.Just take a look at the official statistics and you will understand what we are talking about. 32,109 (11%) of all the restaurants in the US are not closed. However, 19,590 (61%) of these are closed for good. The highest number of closed restaurants is in the biggest cities in the country, like Los Angeles (15,000), New York (11,200), S... 02/26/2021

Partnering with an honest, professional real estate agent is one of the best things you can do when buying or selling your home. Employing a dishonest or sneaky realtor could end up costing you thousands of dollars and add time to your real estate transaction. If you're new to the home buying or selling experience, shopping for a realtor can feel overwhelming. There are a ton of real estate agencies out there and finding an honest realtor can end up making or breaking your real estate transaction. In order to spot the good, you must first be aware of the bad. Here are a few tricks that DISHONEST real estate agents play, so you can be sure to avoid them during our next real estate transaction.Acting as a Dual AgentIt may seem like the easiest soulution to have your real estae agent also ... 02/26/2021

Having criminal background does not affect you, but there is a Utah code stating that if you have had a felony over the last 5 years you would have to wait, in other words you would have to wait for 5 years to go by and do the 120 hours of the real estate pre-licensing program. If you have had a  misdemeanor involving fraud, misrepresentation, theft, or dishonesty within the last three years, you wont be able to apply for a real estate license. Being charged with fraud is something really big in the real estate industry, including theft, misrepresentation, or dishonesty. Those are some big factors of why you cant have a real estate license and it also depends in you state.  02/25/2021