M先生，M太太

朋友W先生W太太邀我去他家和他們的朋友M先生M太太談談投資的情況。W是我兩個項目的投資者，W先生和M先生在一個單位上班，他們一起吃飯時談到我們的房地產項目，M先生表示感興趣參股，所以就相約大家見一個麵。

M先生M太太大約在55歲左右，M先生是Senior Software Consultant，M太太是Project Manager。兩個人都相當成功，屬於smarties之列。我向他們介紹了項目的操作方式，我做的工作，我的報酬方式，以及如果研究市場，地點，及具體的建築，和現在尋找的地域等等。他們對投資不陌生，對如何運作公司也有自己的經驗，問了很多相關問題。最後M先生說他當然要和M太太再商量，但他對這個概念非常讚同，對我的介紹很滿意，他的想法是他們肯定會參與。M太太也表態，說他們可以從參加20萬開始。他們的反應之快，讓我感到吃驚，不知他們真到寫支票時會不會退縮。從他們的年齡和收入看，他們應該有比較多的equity，如果能把他們的購買力慢慢用起來，對做項目上規模會有比較大的幫助。

大家聊天，竟然沒有一個人是當地土生土長的。M先生來自多倫多，M太太來自蒙特利爾。W太太是很小就跟父母移民來的捷克人，W先生來自加拿大安省的一個小鎮。我則是來自中國。雖然他們除W太太外，都是生在加拿大，工作多年，W先生比我大九歲，M先生比我大十二歲，但算起來積累的equity，他們的家庭竟然都沒有我的家庭的多。究其原因，完全是我不停投資的結果。十幾年前，我一個人赤手空拳來北美的時候，人家的好日子已經過了許久了。外麵，夜幕已經落下，下著淅淅瀝瀝的小雨，遠處的湖水折射出萬家燈火，以及矮山的輪廓； 裏麵，一個英語不是母語的人給英語是母語的人講解投資的訣竅；我也算是給中國人爭了點光。

[曲院風和]

佩服。是膽量，決心，用心，堅持種種因素的綜合.要學習你。

[cultuslake]

回複meierrd的評論:
1) The protection part is correct. I think buying enough insurance is the key. I am not sure about the tax advantage. For your first investment property, do not worry about setting up a company, just buy as personal. Worry about it later when you buy more properties.

4) Normally four month supply is a hot market. People nowadays talk about Texas a lot. I am starting to pay attention to Dallas...

[meierrd]

Cultuslake,
Thank you so much for the advice!
two more questions if you can help:
1. Do you need to set up a small company to do real estate? I heard some people said it for 2 purposes -- one is for tax advantage, one is for property protection (so we won't lose our own house if tenant sue us.., max lose the company..). Maybe the tax advantage is true, but I'm wondering for the latter, renter insurance should protect us, right? or the renter insurance is still not enough?
2. Right now Texas real estate markget sounds very hot, Real estate agent says the supply is only for 4 month. but if I look at realtor.com, there are so many houses on sale there for any city there. Have you heard this market? and is 4 month inventory meaning supply is really short?
Thanks!

[cultuslake]

If your house mortgage has a interest rate higher than 6.5%, you should pay down the mortgage with the 30K cash, then borrow all down payment from the line of credit. Otherwise, your way of arranging the down payment is fine.

[meierrd]

Hi, Cultuslake,
You are doing great and proud for you too!
Can I ask for some advice again?:
We're thinking to buy 2 investment houses (multi-plex), about 300K each (so totally 600K). We totally only have 30K cash, and can borrow about total 290K from bank as home equity loan with about 6.5% rate. Also other info is: For the investment house, if with 20% down pay, rest morgage rate is ~ 7.5%, if with 10% down pay, rest morgage rate is ~ 9.5%. So what we are thinking is:
1. For one house, put in 20% down pay (30K from own, 30K borrowed from home equity loan with 6.5%), then borrow rest 240K with 7.5%.
2. For another house, put in 20% down pay (all 60K borrow from home equity loan with 6.5%), and rest 240K with 7.5%.

Do you think this is the best way to enable the lowest morgate overall? Also will bank allow to do so? Any other better loan options?
Thanks in advance!