147: Follow-Up with Hawaii Real Estate Investor Dean Ueda

I interviewed Dean Ueda on the InvestFourMore Real Estate Podcast in 2016. We talked about how he has invested in rental properties in the mainland US while living in Hawaii. Dean also was getting his real estate license and had a couple of properties in Hawaii. On this podcast, we talk to Dean again about the progress he has made with his investing, his real estate license, and how he has bought more properties in the mainland and Hawaii.

What did Dean and I talk about on the last podcast?

Dean was on my podcast a couple of years ago, which you can listen to here: Dean Ueda Podcast. Dean and I talked about how he had bought some investment properties in Hawaii and had also bought properties in Las Vegas, Denver, and Chicago. Dean was also in the process of getting his real estate license so that he could save money on the commission for his personal house in Hawaii as well as start a new career. I wanted to check back in with Dean to see how his investing was going and what progress he has made in two years.

How many more properties has Dean purchased?

Dean bought a turn-key rental in Milwaukee, two duplexes in Kansas City, and two investment properties in Hawaii since we last talked. He has been busy! Dean ended up buying the turn-key property from a turn-key company I recommended. He bought the house for $71,000, and it rents out for $1,000 per month. It was a good investment for him, but we talk about the ups and downs of working with a turn-key company. Things don’t always go perfectly, and you have to be prepared for a few hiccups along the way.

Dean also bought two duplexes in Kansas City. One was from a wholesaler for $86,000 that should rent out for $1,600, and another was purchased for $250,000 and should rent out for $2,600 per month. Dean talks about how the two properties are in different areas and the different expectations he has for those properties. Dean also bought two houses in Hawaii on Oahu. I was surprised that he was able to buy rentals in Hawaii with decent numbers. He bought the properties for about $200,000, and they both rent out for about $2,000 per month.

How has getting his real estate license helped Dean invest and make money?

Dean did get his real estate license. He used his license to save money selling his own house, and he was also able to get better deals on his investment properties because of his license. One of his rentals he bought from another agent in his office before it was listed.

Dean has also been doing very well selling houses as a real estate agent. He sold five houses in the last 9 months as a new agent, which is not too shabby with Hawaii real estate prices. Dean and I talk a lot about how to sell houses as an agent in an expensive and competitive market like Hawaii. Dean had a plan and has worked hard to be a successful agent.

Dean has a lot of great advice for investors on this podcast. He also talks about how he feels his mindset and attitude have helped him succeed. He plans to keep buying rentals, and possibly open his own real estate brokerage at some point. You can reach Dean at realestatehilife.com or [email protected].