Recently, HGTV's hit show House Hunters came to Bucks to highlight an entrepreneurial couple looking to invest in some real estate.  The episode will premiere on April 5th on HGTV.  It was the first time the show had decided to highlight a couple interested in purchasing a property with the purpose of renting it out.  Naturally, we were excited to know more, so we sat down to talk about the experience with the featured couple Lauren and Zack (L&Z).

BH: What made you decide to start investing in real estate? Is this your first investment property?

L&Z: I (Lauren) own a condo in Center City and started renting it out three years ago when Zack and I decided to move in together in Bucks County.  Zack had been renting an apartment before that for a few years.  Every year our rental costs jumped when we renewed our lease.  The last year we lived in our apartment, the rent jumped $140 per month for the same unit and we realized we could spend the same amount of money on mortgage payments and actually have something to show for it.

After a little bit of research, we learned how in-demand rentals were becoming due to the market and we didn't feel daunted by the role of being landlords ourselves since we were already experiencing it with my condo.

We knew we wanted to buy, but weren't quite sure what we wanted to buy yet.  We were still a few years away from starting a family and didn’t see any benefit in buying a “forever” home with extra bedrooms (and higher mortgage) that we wouldn’t immediately use.  So we looked into getting a multi-family property to live in and rent out to cover costs and start our long time dream of investing in real estate right now.

This was Zack's first purchase and our first time buying for investment purposes.

BH: So once you worked the numbers out, it sounds it really just made sense.  How did you get connected with House Hunters?

L&Z: As most people who start a house search we got a little addicted to watching HGTV.  I told Zack that I was going to apply to everything online and so I did.  At the time, we were only looking at properties so our options were limited.  I applied on the website for House Hunters and one other house hunting show and a month or two later we got an email that they were interested in us making a video—just a few minute introduction explaining who we were and what we were looking for.  We made the video and so did our Realtor, Sean Ryan. They then pitched us to the network. The network accepted and we had a show.

BH: I am addicted to House Hunters – especially House Hunters International!  I'm curious, how did being filmed impact the process for you as a couple?

L&Z: It was really neat.  It didn't get in the way of our search at all.  We are so excited about the national exposure for Sean, and for Bucks County in general.  It was more like a bonus than anything else.

BH: That's good to hear.  So what do you think the experience taught you about searching for real estate?

L&Z: The biggest take away for us, and what we hope to teach other people our age, is that investing in real estate is not as terrifying as it may seem. When we first started exploring the idea of buying an investment property, it seemed like all of the advice we received sounded the same: “dealing with tenants is a nightmare”, “figuring out the tax/insurance/permits/etc. is a full-time job”, “you’d better know how to repair everything yourself”, etc. etc. etc.  We have heard this throughout the process and it made us extremely anxious and doubtful.  After purchasing the property though, it turned out to be one of the best decisions we could have made.  We learned that, as long as you’re taking it seriously and doing the research, there’s no reason to listen to the naysayers.

BH: That's good advice.  I'm sure that if you are ready to put in the work, it's not too bad.  What should someone look for when searching for an investment property?

L&Z: Obviously it depends on your needs.  We are not particularly handy (although we are learning) so it was important for us to get something that was in decent shape.  The most important point is making sure that the numbers make sense.  You may be “in love” with the property but – if you won't be able to get the amount in rent that you will need to make money off of it – then it's not an investment.  Also it depends on your needs.  If you are OK with apartment living for now but you're ready to buy then get a multi-family, live in one and rent the other(s) out.  Then, once you are ready for a bigger place, find a tenant to fill your spot and find your dream home with the security of building equity in your multifamily and hopefully even bringing in some extra money with it each month.

BH: So after living here and searching around so much for an investment property, what is your favorite area of Bucks County and what makes it your favorite?

L&Z: This is a tough question.  We spend a lot of time in Doylestown and New Hope/Peddlers Village so I would say it's a toss up between the two.  We do Murder Mystery Dinner Theater for Without a Cue Productions at the Cock and Bull Restaurant in Peddlers Village and that is actually how we met, so for sentimental purposes and also for the ambiance of walking around Peddlers from season to season we love it there.  We also love the dining and nightlife in Doylestown and downtown New Hope.

BH: Thanks so much for taking the time to speak with us!  We wish you the best on your recent purchase.

L&Z: No problem, it was our pleasure.

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