Investors

Investment property consulting in Orange County
A mentor, not a guru.

I consult with Orange County residential investors on how to find, price, and hold houses and small income property, and I have been investing here since 1977. The teaching is free, and if a deal fits my criteria I will buy it.

Bring a goal or an address. I am Joe Homs, designated broker of Pellego, California DRE #00702131. I have invested in Orange County since 1977, with 50+ years in this market, 600+ closed transactions, and 8 books. 350 people are licensed with Pellego, and 3/4 of the agents invest. Google reviews on the Laguna Hills profile are 4.9 from 63 reviews. These notes are how I look at a deal. They are not a promise of profit, and they are not legal or tax advice.

What is investment property consulting here?

You get the same order of work I use on my own houses. We name the strategy, we price the property from recent Orange County sales, and we write down rent, repairs, holding costs, and selling costs before anyone talks about profit. I teach that for free, in the meetup and one-on-one. I will not charge you thousands for a course. If the deal fits my criteria, I will buy it. That line is also on the investors page.

If you want the broker who will represent you on the purchase or the sale, that recommendation is on the Orange County broker for investment property page. This page is the teaching. That page is the representation.

What a consult covers
Find the property	Houses and small residential income property in Orange County. MLS deals, and off-market deals when one is actually in front of us.
Price it	Recent sales for the fixed-up value, then price, repairs, holding costs, and selling costs. The 70% rule is a screen, not a promise.
Rent it	What the rent has to cover: vacancy, taxes, insurance, maintenance, and the loan. I do not manage the tenants after you own it.
Flip it	The same math I still use, including flips with my daughter Melissa and son-in-law Ryan. The field notes are on the flipping page.
A first deal	One niche, free teaching, and a meeting before you spend a lot. Beginners and people who already own rentals are both welcome.

How do I help you find residential income property?

Orange County income property is usually a house, a duplex, or a small building, and the number that matters is what is left after the expenses. I will look at comps, the rent you can support with current leases or a realistic rent, and the repairs a tenant will not wait on. The multi-family cashflow analyzer puts rents, expenses, financing, and cap rate on one sheet for a duplex or a larger building. Retirement-account questions start at IRA and 401(k) investing, which is information only.

Day-to-day management is a different job from consulting. I do not advertise vacancies, screen tenants, or take maintenance calls for you. If you self-manage, the investor tools page lists software I send landlords to look at. Houses I am willing to keep from a VA or FHA assumption screen are on the assumable shortlist.

What about a first investment?

Book a free consultation. Phone, coffee, or lunch. Bring a goal, or one address.
Pick one niche. A rental, a flip, or a wholesale contract. You can test the idea with the free education before you spend a lot.
Run the numbers in the order on the investors page: after-repair value, then price, repairs, holding costs, and selling costs. On a rental, add the rent and the expenses that have to be paid every month.
The 70% rule is a rough screen for what to pay on a flip. On a $500,000 after-repair value with $50,000 of repairs, it points to a top price near $300,000. Orange County deals still need the full cost sheet. It is not a promise of profit.
I host Orange County investor meetups. Training is on the training page. The books are at the bookshelf, including Flipping the OC and Wholesaling Real Estate in California.

Foreclosures and off-market houses

If you want to buy a foreclosure or an off-market house as an investment, bring the address and we will underwrite it. The discount is only real after repairs, taxes, liens, and the time it will sit. I look at off-market deals with investors. I will not claim a private inventory I do not have in the room. Homeowners who are facing their own foreclosure, and need a listing or a short sale, start at foreclosure and short-sale help. That page is for the owner. This page is for the investor.

If you are selling a house you live in and you want speed, the sellers path is different: I can bring all-cash offers. I do not buy every house that calls the office.

Strategies I still use

The same list as the investors page
Fix and flip	Find it, fix it right, and sell it for a profit. I have done it for fifty years. Now I do it with my daughter Melissa and son-in-law Ryan. The book is Flipping the OC.
Wholesaling	Put a deal under contract and assign it. You can do this with little of your own money. It is a strong first niche, and I am often the buyer. The book is Wholesaling Real Estate in California.
Subject-to	Take over a property with the seller’s existing loan still in place. You can buy without cash or credit. The book is Subject-To Domination.
Loan assumptions	Take over a low-rate FHA or VA loan. You keep a payment that many of today’s buyers cannot get. The book is Assuming Advantage.
Adverse possession	Learn what it is and how it really works in California. Then you can judge if it is worth a closer look. The book is Adverse Possession in California.
Mobile homes	This is a lesser-known flip niche. The price to get in is low, and the turns are fast. The book is Flipping Mobile Homes in California.

The field guide for flips is flipping houses in Orange County. If the purchase is a house to live in, start on the buyers page. If you are selling one to fund the next, the net sheet starts on the sellers page and in The Real Number.

The record

50+ years in Orange County real estate. Licensed since 1977.
600+ closed transactions.
4.9 from 63 Google reviews.
350 Pellego team members, licensed with Pellego, Inc.
Author of 8 real estate books.
My license is DRE #00702131. Pellego, Inc. corporation license is DRE #02043232.
Work (949) 625-4533. Direct cell (949) 394-0149.
Office: 23121 Verdugo Dr #100, Laguna Hills, CA 92653. Open daily, 9 AM to 8 PM.

Questions

What is real estate investment consulting with you?

You bring a goal or a deal in Orange County. I show you the numbers I use on flips, rentals, and wholesale contracts, including rent, expenses, repairs, and what a fixed-up house would sell for. The teaching is free, in groups and one-on-one. If the deal fits my criteria, I will buy it. I do not manage tenants for you. This is not a promise of profit, and it is not legal or tax advice.

Do you help Orange County investors find residential income property?

Yes. I help you look for houses, duplexes, and other small residential income property, on the market and off the market when a deal is actually in front of us. We underwrite rent, vacancy, taxes, insurance, repairs, and the loan before anyone calls it income. I will not hand you a private list of addresses I do not have.

Do you manage rental property?

Day-to-day property management is a different job. I help you find the property, read the rent and the expenses, and decide whether to hold it. Landlords who self-manage can look at the investor tools page for software I send people to review. I do not collect rent or handle maintenance calls.

Can a first-time investor start with you?

Yes. Pick one niche: a rental, a flip, or a wholesale contract. I teach it for free at Orange County investor meetups and one-on-one, before you spend a lot. Bring a goal or one address. The first meeting is free. The books and the flip math are the homework.

Do you help investors with foreclosures and off-market houses?

I will look at a foreclosure or an off-market house with you and run the same cost sheet: price, repairs, holding costs, and what it should sell or rent for. Homeowners who need help with their own foreclosure start on the foreclosure and short-sale page. Buying one as an investment is this page. If the deal fits my criteria, I will buy it.

How do I get started in real estate investing?

Pick one strategy and learn the numbers before you buy. In Orange County, that means recent sales, repair costs, and how you will pay for the house. I teach the basics for free, in meetups and one-on-one, so you can try a niche before you spend a lot. Read the beginner house flipping guide and flipping houses in Orange County.

Where do I find a mentor who won’t charge thousands for advice?

Look for someone who still buys and sells, and who will show you the real numbers. I teach my strategies for free, in groups and one-on-one. I will not charge you thousands for a course. Book a free consultation and bring a deal, or just a question. Read real estate training and mentorship and investment property consulting.

Do I need a real estate license to flip houses?

You do not need a license to buy a house, fix it, and sell your own property. A license matters when you act for other people, California sets those rules, and many investors later get licensed so they can list homes. This is general information, not legal advice. Read legal considerations in house flipping and why some Orange County investors also get a license.

How much money do I need to start flipping houses?

There is no single dollar amount, and no promise that a set sum will be enough. You need money for the purchase or down payment, repairs, holding costs, and a cushion for surprises. Some people start with less cash by wholesaling, or with a lender, a partner, or retirement funds, but none of that guarantees you will qualify. Read financing options for house flips.

What is the difference between wholesaling and flipping?

Flipping means you buy the house, renovate it, and sell it. Wholesaling means you get a property under contract and assign that contract to another buyer, often with less of your own money. Wholesaling can be a first step, while flipping is where you do the work and keep the resale profit. Read Flipping the OC and Wholesaling Real Estate in California.

Work Work: (949) 625-4533. Direct cell Direct cell: (949) 394-0149. I host Orange County investor meetups, and the office is at 23121 Verdugo Dr #100, Laguna Hills, CA 92653.