James Eng
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Hey Bigger Pockets!! Looking at purchasing a turnkey property in Rowlett Texas and I was wondering how best to estimate property taxes from my analysis. Example: If the historical assessed price of the property is $100K and the purchase price is $150K would should I use as the post purchase assessment value? I guess as a worst case scenario I can use the tax percentage from the county records and multiply that against the purchase price...but I'm being told that is not how it works in Texas.
Multifamily Financing: Matching Your Debt with your Investment Strategy — Old Capital Podcast
By: James Eng, Senior Director Old Capital Begin with the end in mind. How are you going to exit your investment? What challenges will your buyer encounter when you sell the property? If there is a market downturn, does your debt allow you to ride out the storm? This article will look at three investment strategies and the ideal debt for each strategy. Value Add- Fix, Lease Up, Sale/Refinance.
How to win a DFW Multifamily Deal in 2018 — Old Capital Podcast
Over 40 DFW multifamily deals have been listed in Q1 2018, and most have been getting under contract in the last month. I wanted to share the top 7 things that are separating the winning bids from all the “2nd place” bids this year. 1) Pricing- Most deals do not have a listed price, but the listing broker typically has a “whisper price” that they are trying to target. There are 2 schools of thought: a.
Old Capital Speaker Series: Steve Brown — Old Capital Podcast
Over 200 multifamily investors came to the Old Capital Speaker Series with Steve Brown on August 1st, 2018 at the Grapevine Convention Center. Steve shared his insights on the current commercial real estate market in DFW. He has been the real estate editor for the Dallas Morning News since the 1980s so he has seen a few cycles. Some of the key takeaways from the presentation for me: 1) It is all about jobs. DFW added 122,000 new jobs year over year through May 2018. 1st in the nation.
Impact of Rising Interest Rates on Multifamily Values — Old Capital Podcast
The obvious and immediate impact of rising interest rates are: 1) Increase borrowing cost for investors. Post-election the 10 year treasury increased 60bps from 1.75%-2.35%, which increased borrowing costs from 4.40% to 5.00% on a typical 10 year loan. 2) Decreased leverage as loan proceeds are typically maxed out at 1.25x debt service coverage. Most Fannie Mae loans do not lock an interest rate until a week before closing.
Old Capital Speaker Series: Mark Dotzour — Old Capital Podcast
Over 450 multifamily investors attended the Old Capital Speaker Series presentation on March 28th at the Grapevine Convention Center. Mark Dotzour, one of the top economist on the Texas economy, delivered a presentation titled “Clear Sailing Ahead”. Below are a couple takeaways from the event: 1) Current expansion is 105 months (June 2009-March 2018), which is the 3rd longest ever. Longest was 120 months (March 1991-March 2001) and 2nd longest was 106 months (Feb 1961-Dec 1969).
Old Capital Speaker Series: Mark Dotzour Takeaways — Old Capital Podcast
Over 350 investors attended the Old Capital Speaker Series event April 26th in Grapevine with Mark Dotzour. Here are my takeaways from his presentation: 1) Interest rates are driven by 10 year treasury not the Federal Reserve Fannie and Freddie loans, which are both forecasted to do over $50B in loan originations this year, are based on the 10 year treasury.
Old Capital Speaker Series: Q1 2018 Multifamily Outlook — Old Capital Podcast
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Why You Shouldn't Reset the Date to January 1, 1970 on Your iPhone
Want to go back in time to Jan. 1, 1970? Just make sure you don't do it on your iPhone. Changing the Date & Time settings to that fateful date will disable your device, Apple users report. And good luck trying to get it to restart: Connecting the disabled phone to your computer and trying to reboot it via iTunes won't work. More from NBC News: An Internet that's 50,000 times faster? Sign me up! Trying to stop encryption? It's everywhere, Harvard study says Procrastinated on Valentine's Day?
Why You Shouldn't Reset the Date to January 1, 1970 on Your iPhone
Want to go back in time to January 1, 1970? Just make sure you don't do it on your iPhone. Changing the Date & Time settings to that fateful date will disable your device, Apple users report. And good luck trying to get it to restart: Connecting the disabled phone to your computer and trying to reboot it via iTunes won't work.
'Upside Down & Inside Out': OK Go Defies Gravity in New Music Video
OK Go's latest music video, "Upside Down & Inside Out," is leaving more than a few heads spinning. The American pop-rock band shot the three-minute long video aboard an airplane flying over Russia at zero gravity. The video was posted to Facebook on Thursday and quickly went viral, garnering more than 5 million views in a matter of hours. "What you are about to see is real," the intro text explains. "We shot this in zero gravity, in an actual plane, in the sky.
Your Old Flash Drive Could Help Fight N. Korean Repression
Updated: 11:34 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2016 | Posted: 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2016 By James Eng NBC News Human-rights activists want to load old memory sticks with South Korean soap operas and Hollywood movies and smuggle them into the North.Read full story
Your Old Flash Drive Could Help Fight N. Korean Repression
Updated: 11:48 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2016 | Posted: 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2016 By James Eng NBC News Human-rights activists want to load old memory sticks with South Korean soap operas and Hollywood movies and smuggle them into the North.Read full story
Your Old USB Flash Drive Could Help Fight North Korean Repression
A tiny USB memory stick is unlikely to bring down Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un, but thousands upon thousands of them just might help enlighten the North Korean people to the freedoms enjoyed by the outside world, according to human-rights activists.
FAA: Drones Flown Around the Super Bowl Could Face 'Deadly Force'
"Bring your lucky jersey. Bring your face paint. Bring your team spirit. But leave your drone at home." That's the message the Federal Aviation Administration wants to impart to fans who plan to attend (or hang around outside) the Super Bowl on Sunday at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The FAA produced a 20-second video reminding people that operating a drone within a 32-mile radius of the stadium on game day is prohibited.
Harvard Report Debunks Government's 'Going Dark' Encryption Claim
Federal investigative agencies like the FBI have long argued that encryption and other new technologies severely hamper their ability to spy on terrorists and other criminals, putting our safety at risk. A new report from Harvard debunks that "going dark" claim, concluding that the rise of network-connected devices will lead to more, not fewer, opportunities for surveillance.
Hackers Take Aim at FOP, Nation's Largest Police Union
The Fraternal Order of Police, the nation's largest police union, says a breach of its computer systems by unidentified hackers that led to bargaining contracts and possibly other data being dumped online apparently originated overseas. "Our professional computer experts have identified how the hackers made access but that information cannot be distributed at this time for obvious reasons.
NYC to Parents: Make Sure Your Baby Monitors Don't Get Hacked
Reports that creeps and other nefarious characters have been spying on babies by hacking baby monitor webcams have prompted New York City's Department of Consumer Affairs to issue a public alert to parents. The agency on Wednesday urged consumers to make sure that their Internet-connected video baby monitors are secure.
Not Enough Zzzzs? Social Media Use Could Be Messing With Your Sleep
Can't seem to get a good night's sleep? You might be checking Facebook too much. A study by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine suggests that heavy social media use could wreak havoc with your sleep patterns. Previous studies have found that use of tech gadgets such as smartphones and computers could mess with the sleep of children and adolescents.
In a Flash: Homemade Robot Solves Rubik's Cube in Just Over 1 Second
A lot of things humans can do, robots can do much faster — and solving a Rubik's cube is no exception. A contraption built by software engineers Jay Flatland and Paul Rose managed to consistently solve the famous 3-D combination puzzle in just over one second, as demonstrated in a video Flatland uploaded earlier this month to YouTube.
FAA Says Nearly 300,000 Drone Owners Have Registered in First 30 Days
The Federal Aviation Administration says it's encouraged by the number of people who have registered their drones in a federal database. Nearly 300,000 owners have registered their small unmanned aircraft in the first 30 days after the FAA introduced an online registration system on Dec. 21, the agency said. Thursday was the last day to register without having to pay a $5 fee.
Largest Prime Number Discovered Has More Than 22 Million Digits
Researchers at the University of Central Michigan have discovered the largest prime number to date — a number so humongous it's got more than 22 million digits, or almost 5 million digits larger than the previous record prime. Just how big is this new prime number? To print it out in tiny type, you'd need more than 13.5 million miles of paper. The find was made earlier this month on a university computer used by Professor Curtis Cooper.
Worst Passwords of 2015: 'Star Wars' Terms Make SplashData's List
Apparently a lot of folks don't realize that The Force won't be able to protect your data. Popular "Star Wars"-related terms such as "starwars," "solo" and "princess" were new entries on the annual "Worst Passwords" list compiled by password management applications company SplashData. "Star Wars" terms aside, the 2015 list wasn't all that different from 2014 and years prior.
Arizona Uses Facebook and Twitter to Publicly Shame 'Deadbeat Dads'
Deadbeat dads in Arizona, beware. Your mug could be plastered all over social media for the world to see. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey this week launched a campaign to crack down on "the worst of the worst" parents who are ignoring child support payments, posting their names and photos to Twitter and Facebook. The hope is that the public shaming will make some of them pay up and give other dads (and moms) second thoughts about evading child support.
Netflix CEO Reed Hastings Starts $100M Fund for Education
Netflix co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings wants more children to have access to a good schools. To that end, the tech billionaire announced Tuesday he has started a $100 million philanthropic fund for kids' education. Hastings said in a Facebook post that the Hasting Fund's first two gifts, totaling $1.5 million, would go to the United Negro College Fund and the Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley for college scholarships for black and Latino youth.
200 Cyber Activists Urge World to Say No to 'Back Doors'
Updated: 10:32 a.m. Monday, Jan. 11, 2016 | Posted: 3:16 p.m. Monday, Jan. 11, 2016 By James Eng NBC News A copy of the letter has been delivered to Obama administration officials.Read full story
200 Cyber Activists Urge World Leaders to Reject Encryption 'Back Doors'
Nearly 200 Internet and digital rights experts, companies and organizations are collectively calling on the Obama administration and other world leaders to oppose any efforts to create "back doors" to encryption.
Elon Musk Says SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket 'Ready to Fire Again'
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk says the Falcon 9 rocket that successfully landed back on Earth after launching a payload of satellites into orbit is in good shape and "ready to fire again." Musk on Thursday posted a photo of the rocket back at its hangar at Cape Canaveral in Florida. He said the rocket didn't seem to sustain any damage after its landing — a remarkable feat that could one day usher in an era of reusable rockets and, thereby, much cheaper space flights.
Your Data at Risk: 2015 Was a Year Full of Memorable Hacks
Dec. 23, 2015, 8:09 PM UTC / Updated Dec. 23, 2015, 8:09 PM UTC By James Eng The seemingly endless string of headline-grabbing cyberattacks this past year reinforced the notion that hacks have increasingly become a part of digital life — and no person or organization is immune. According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, more than 750 breaches were reported in 2015 through late December, exposing nearly 178 million records.
Your Data at Risk: 2015 Was a Year Full of Memorable Hacks
The seemingly endless string of headline-grabbing cyberattacks this past year reinforced the notion that hacks have increasingly become a part of digital life — and no person or organization is immune. According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, more than 750 breaches were reported in 2015 through late December, exposing nearly 178 million records. From government to tech, health care to entertainment, data thieves left no sector untouched.
Man Sues Hoverboard Maker Swagway Over Fire That Damaged His Home
In another black mark for the hoverboard industry, a New York man is suing hoverboard maker Swagway, saying a self-balancing electric scooter he bought for his children as a Hanukkah present suddenly burst into flames and damaged his home. Michel Brown of Chappaqua filed the lawsuit last week in U.S. District Court in Indiana against South Bend, Indiana-based Swagway and Modell's Sporting Goods Inc., where he purchased the $399 device online in late November.
Researchers Tally Hundreds of 'Close Encounters' Between Drones and Planes
A report released on Friday paints a frightening picture of how dangerous the skies can be when they are populated by both drones and manned aircraft. The report from the Center for the Study of the Drone at Bard College identified 327 "close encounters" in U.S. airspace from December 2013 to September 2015 in which drones presented a hazard to manned aircraft.
Mark Zuckerberg says Muslims are welcome at Facebook
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has added his voice of support to Muslims around the world, saying they should not be persecuted for the violent acts of extremists. “As a Jew, my parents taught me that we must stand up against attacks on all communities. Even if an attack isn’t against you today, in time attacks on freedom for anyone will hurt everyone,” Zuckerberg wrote In a Facebook post on Wednesday.
U.S. Safety Regulators Step Up Probe of Hoverboards Over Fire Risk
Hoverboards are becoming a truly "hot" holiday gift item. Federal safety regulators said Thursday they are stepping up their investigation of the self-balancing electronic scooters due to a recent spate of reports of fires and explosions, as well as injury falls. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has received "at least 10" reports of hoverboard fires and that number "is increasing daily," agency spokesman Scott Wolfson told NBC News on Thursday.
Mark Zuckerberg Says Muslims Are Welcome at Facebook
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has added his voice of support to Muslims around the world, saying they should not be persecuted for the violent acts of extremists. "As a Jew, my parents taught me that we must stand up against attacks on all communities. Even if an attack isn't against you today, in time attacks on freedom for anyone will hurt everyone," Zuckerberg wrote In a Facebook post on Wednesday.
FBI Director: Encrypted Messages Stymied Probe of Garland Shooting
FBI Director James Comey told senators on Wednesday that an attacker who opened fire in May at an anti-Prophet Muhammad event in Texas exchanged more than 100 electronic messages with "an overseas terrorist" beforehand. But, he said, investigators couldn't find out what the shooter was talking about because the messages were encrypted.
IBM Pulls the Plug on #HackAHairDryer Campaign After Sexism Complaints
IBM's promotional campaign to attract more women to science and technology by encouraging them to "hack a hair dryer" got some serious blowback on the internet. The company on Monday pulled the plug on its #HackAHairDryer initiative after a multitude of women complained that it fed off sexist stereotypes. They said they'd rather be working on more important things like building robots. IBM introduced the campaign a couple of months ago, saying: "Girls don't like science? Women can't code?
British Astronaut Tim Peake to Run London Marathon in Space
LONDON -- A British astronaut will attempt to run an off-the-Earth version of the London Marathon in space, as part of his 173-day mission to the International Space Station. Tim Peake will run on a treadmill as he orbits Earth, at the same time that than 37,000 people run in the race on the ground in London. To combat weightlessness, the 43-year-old Peake will wear a harness that tethers him to the treadmill as he runs. He will watch a video of the London course on a big screen in front of him.
Ralph Nader Wants Auto Industry to Hit the Brakes on Self-Driving Cars
Ralph Nader wants the auto industry to slow down when it comes to self-driving cars. The consumer advocate and political activist told Automotive News that automakers' rush to push automated features in vehicles could lead to more distracted driving — and therefore more deaths on the road. "There are definite benefits of collision-avoidance systems. But the problem is once the auto companies get on to something, they don't know when to stop," Nader was quoted as saying.
Mark Zuckerberg Says He Plans to Give Away 99 Percent of His Facebook Shares
Mark Zuckerberg's exuberance over the birth of his first child may have put him in a giving mood. In a Facebook post announcing that his wife Priscilla Chan had given birth to a girl they named Max, Zuckerberg also said the couple would be giving away 99 percent of their Facebook shares — currently worth about $45 billion — over their lifetimes. The idea is to fund an assortment of philanthropic ventures that will help make the world a better place for the next generation.
Gates, Zuckerberg and Other Tech Titans Team Up to Push Clean Energy
Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and several other of the world's wealthiest tech and business titans are banding together to fight climate change by investing billions in clean-energy research and technologies. The Breakthrough Energy Coalition was announced ahead of the opening day Monday of the U.N.-organized climate talks outside Paris. More than 150 heads of state and government were gathering at the summit to try to find common ground on how to slow the rise in global temperatures.
Debris Found Off U.K. Coast Could Be From SpaceX Rocket
A chunk of metal debris discovered in the sea off the southwestern tip of England could be from a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, the U.K. coast guard said. The piece of metal, measuring about 33 feet by 13 feet (10 meters by 4 meters), was spotted off the Isles of Scilly, an archipelago off the southwestern tip of the Cornish peninsula of Great Britain, on Thursday. The site is several thousand miles across the North Atlantic from Cape Canaveral, Florida, where SpaceX routinely launches.
Debris Found Off U.K. Coast Could Be From SpaceX Rocket
Updated: 9:43 a.m. Friday, Nov. 27, 2015 | Posted: 2:36 p.m. Friday, Nov. 27, 2015 By James Eng NBC News A chunk of metal found off the southwestern tip of England could be from a SpaceX rocket.Read full story
Amazon Pulls Nazi-Themed Ads for TV Show from NYC Subway
The show depicts an fictitious alternate reality in which Nazi Germany and Japan have divided control over the United States after winning World War II. The ads include a version of the American flag with a German eagle and iron cross in place of the stars, as well as a stylized flag inspired by imperial Japan. Representatives for Amazon and its television production arm did not respond to requests for comment. The shuttle train ads had been scheduled to run until Dec.
Goole, U.K., Creates Own Search Engine to Get Out of Google's Shadow
The kindly folks of Goole, U.K., want everyone to know that Goole isn't Google! Miffed that people searching for "Goole" on Google are invariably met with a page that says "Showing results for google," volunteers in the sleepy East Yorkshire port town decided to create their very own search engine.
U.K. Town Wants You to Know: Goole Isn't Google!
Updated: 12:01 p.m. Monday, Nov. 23, 2015 | Posted: 4:59 p.m. Monday, Nov. 23, 2015 By James Eng NBC News Volunteers in the sleepy East Yorkshire port town have decided to create their very own search engine so people can find it.Read full story
Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg to Take Two Months of Paternity Leave
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says he'll take two months off work on paternity leave when his daughter is born. "Studies show that when working parents take time to be with their newborns, outcomes are better for the children and families," Zuckerberg said in a post on Friday. "At Facebook we offer our US employees up to 4 months of paid maternity or paternity leave which they can take throughout the year." Zuckerberg also posted a photo of an empty stroller alongside his moppy-haired dog Beast.
NASA Teams Up With Universities to Prep Robots for Space Exploration
Two university groups have been selected to help upgrade NASA robots that could one day explore deep space and perhaps even Mars. Teams at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Northeastern University were awarded prototypes of NASA's R5 humanoid robot for advanced research and development work. NASA originally designed the R5, a bipedal robot also known as Valkyrie, to aid in disaster relief.
Be nice! Apps to help you spread a dose of kindness
Be nice! Apps to help you spread a dose of kindness A little bit of kindness can go a long way — even online. These apps and Web tools aim to counter the incessant cyberbullying, harassment and other negative behavior that can make the Internet — and the real world — a rather uninviting place. So, give them a try and brighten up your day — and someone else's.
Facebook Messenger Testing Disappearing Messages
Updated: 1:09 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015 | Posted: 6:04 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015 By James Eng NBC News Snapchat made so-called "ephemeral messaging" a thing, and now Facebook is getting in on the action too.Read full story
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