House of Horrors: The Legal Podcast For Real Estate Investors

Passive income as a landlord is a myth and .... you probably shouldn't be chasing it anyway. Whether you still think passive income is the goal or are wondering *what exactly * is passive in real estate after diving into it, this episode is for you! In this episode you'll learn: Why passive income is a deceptive term The 3 types of taxable income & the MAJOR tax benefit of being an a...

Feel like its gotten a lot harder to be a landlord over the past few years thanks to increasing regulation, oversight, and ? Yeah me too. Let's take a look at where we are, where the political landscape is going and what you can do about it.  In this episode, we'll chat about: What investors can do to have a seat at the table How much should laws affect your market shopping? How to keep...

Real estate investing is just part of our lives. Not our whole life. So how do you manage it all? These are the 3 rules I swear by to keep me sane and on track. In this episode you'll learn 1.  How to stay ahead and on top of everything you need to do as a landlord 2. What a proactive management system looks like in my rental business 3.  The "10 Minute Rule" that saves me hours eve...

With the "perfect BRRRR" getting increasingly harder to find and the fed increasing interest rates multiple times a year, the financing world we've lived in the last decade or so is over. Many landlords have built their portfolio using the power of cash-out refinances but now the threat of cash-in refinances is very real.  In this episode you'll learn: What type of financing is...

You already know that lawsuits are a risk to your assets, but have you ever considered the size of your portfolio? In this episode you'll learn: Why the small landlord stage is so risky The unspoken reasons why small landlords sell off their properties Why staying small is unsustainable in the long run DISCLAIMER: Although Bonnie is an attorney she doesn’t give legal advice without a dually s...

Lease renewals are deceptively difficult. It’s something that can be easy to not give much thought but has long-term trickle down effects to not just your cashflow but your ability to easily navigate an eviction or tenant disputes. In this episode, we’re going to cover: Why I don’t like letting leases lapse into month to month When to use a lease addendum vs new lease  Legal landmines surrounding...

There's more to a lease than its terms. As a landlord, the systems and processes around your lease are often just as important to prevent legal headaches and save your sanity. In this episode you'll learn: 1.  Where to get a good lease 2. What documents should be included in your lease package 3. Who needs to sign the lease 4. How to legally & efficiently accept security deposit and...

Accessory Dwelling Units & Mid Term Rentals are two of the hottest residential investing trends right now. In this episode, Bonnie breaks down how to protect them. In this episode you'll learn: 1.  Considerations to determine if a separate entity is even possible for an ADU 2. What type of entity to put a MTR or ADU into 3. Some offensive asset protection options for ADUs  DISCLAIMER: Alt...

News You Can Use: Let's talk about office space conversions! In this episode you'll learn: 1. What types of financing do these projects entail 2. What investors are turning office space into  3. The government incentives available for office space conversions 4. The demographic indicator where office conversion succeed DISCLAIMER: Although Bonnie is an attorney she doesn’t give legal adv...

Contracts are the cornerstone of your investing operations & growth. But understanding and optimizing them is a missed opportunity for most real estate investors.  In this episode we'll cover: The contract drafting mistake putting your off-market deals at risk My 6-step contract review process Key terms all contracts to purchase real estate need.  Read full show notes: bonniegalam.com/73...

Estate sales are a great way to score investment properties. But what happens when you’ve got 2 layers of probate? In this week’s episode with David Dodge, you end up with an unenforceable contract, a year long contract period, and a whole family tree to deal with. In this episode you’ll learn: What to look out for when signing a contract for an estate property How to provide value to sellers of a...

This week’s guests on House of Horrors, Mel and Dave DePuis, shared due diligence and entity structuring mistakes they made early on in their career but affected over a dozen of their properties.  In This Episode You’ll Learn: Structuring mistakes that can be expensive to unwind The costs of failing to properly do due diligence How to continuously level up, even as an experienced investor DISCLAIM...

By going from working with real estate attorneys to becoming one herself, Bonnie learned the ins and outs of the role real estate attorneys play for real estate investors… but perhaps most importantly what they leave on the table.  In this episode, you’ll learn Fee structures to expect for real estate attorney Finding the balance between real estate law and the reality of real estate investing The...

Househackers hold a special place in my heart. They are scrappy and determined to reach financial independce You’ll learn: What insurance mistakes househackers are prone to making The landmines of living next to your tenant How much insurance should you be carrying? DISCLAIMER: Although Bonnie is an attorney she doesn’t give legal advice without a dually signed engagement agreement. All episodes o...

Tenant turnover is one of the most burdensome parts of being a Landlord. After 10 years of self managing hundreds of turnovers, Bonnie has seen the good, bad, and the straight up ugly. Learn 7 of Bonnie’s top legal and property management tips to take the pain out tenant turnovers.  ⬇⬇⬇ In this episode you’ll learn:  What simple lease changes you can implement to make your lease work for you more...

Flips that flopped may seem like a thing of the past in this market with fast appreciation. But what happens when you gotta dig into your own pocket to sell a flip? This week’s horror story with James Ledbetter is an expensive lesson in partnerships, flipping, understanding the market, and contracts.  In This Episode You’ll Learn: How to properly vet partners so you’re prepared for the good, bad,...

We all know about househacking but have you ever heard about about hacking senior living? Well this week’s guest on the podcast did just that! Isabelle Guarino-Smith shares how she got into Residential Assisted Living and 3 Legal Landmines facing investors in this asset class.  In this week’s episode you’ll learn: How to navigate NIMBY-ism when you need zoning  The 3 top legal risks facing Residen...

If you’re using text messages to run your real estate investing biz, then you’re gonna want to tune into this week’s podcast episode about why you shouldn’t be! In this episode, Bonnie puts on her trial lawyer had and gives you a crash course in evidence law (Law & Order Style) so you know what you need in your back pocket to win in court.  In This Episode You’ll Learn: The 3 evidentiary hurdl...

What happens when you find out mid-transaction that the property you’re under contract for isn’t the property you want? ⬇⬇⬇ In this episode you’ll learn  Where the law draws the line for a real estate agent’s responsibilities  What constitutes fraudulent representations  How asset protection structures come into play in mid-transaction lawsuits Read the complete Show Notes DISCLAIMER: Although Bon...

Other people’s money can be a great way to skyrocket your portfolio without the headache of dealing with banks. But what headaches come with private money? Let’s talk about it with Dave Dubeau! In this episode you’ll learn: Where the legal risks lay in raising private money How to find lenders in your existing network Dave’s money partner formula to create a flywheel of private investors Read the...

Even if you aren’t doing creative deal structuring like this week’s guests, I’m willing to bet you’ve thought about wholesaling a deal. Fundamentally, this is a wholesale deal gone bad. What happens when the end buyer goes off the rails…. or ends up in jail? Tune in to find out! ⬇⬇⬇ In this week’s episode you’ll learn: Red flags to look for during a creative financing transaction How to properly e...

Buying non-performing notes is not for the weak of heart. In the best-case scenario, you’ve got an uncomfortable situation with the homeowner. Worst case a messy foreclosure. But the $5000 note Derek Dombeck purchased turned out to just be UGLY.  ⬇⬇⬇ In this week’s episode you’ll learn: How to evaluate note purchases Where a private money lender thinks the housing market is going Navigating deals...

If you’re currently collecting rent using Venmo/Zelle/Cash…. No shame…. But you might want to think twice about it. The risks of using these payment apps may feel like just another real estate investing boogie man but the consequences can be ugly. In this episode you’ll learn: 1️⃣  Why your current usage of these payment apps is probably illegal 2️⃣  The consequences of using these apps besides ri...

There are no cheap tax mistakes just like there are no cheap legal mistakes. In this week’s episode, Bonnie is joined by CPA Amanda Han to discuss common tax mistakes real estate investors make.  In this Episode, You’ll Learn:            1️⃣  The tax consequences of having too many entities            2️⃣  The importance of understanding key terms when speaking with your CPA or attorney          ...

Tenants can do the darndest things and unexpectedly finding a SWAT team outside your building is up there on that list. That situation happened to Amanda Micire with a rental she purchased just days beforehand. In this episode you’ll learn:           1️⃣  Eviction alternatives to put on the table when the tenant technically didn’t do anything illegal           2️⃣  Navigating communication with a...