In this episode
- Challenges in converting storefronts & mixed-use buildings into fully residential units
- How do investors figure out if a conversion is an option?
- Explaining the conversion process
- Defining variance
- Working with the city, building codes and zoning insights
Guest
The conversion process can be very daunting for any investor, especially for larger projects however if you have someone like Ken Bekendam, Real Estate Investor and Conversion Specialist on your side you will be all right. Ken is the expert when it comes to conversions whether it is a duplex or 18 units. In fact, he has assisted and educated over 100 investors with their conversion projects.
Ken provides insights and advice on conversion projects, specifically converting mixed-use and commercial buildings into residential units. His main message is the trends right now are to have more units under one roof, look for bigger buildings that you can add more dwelling units since duplex conversions are going the way of single-family homes where they are not as profitable.
After getting started investing personally in 2010 Ken and his partners own and manage 50 rental units, spread across 22 properties consisting of student rentals, second suites, duplexes, triplexes, 4 plexes and a larger 12 unit building. His family also owns a self-storage facility and a shipping container storage business called The Moving Box.
Ken, now a full-time investor, manages the real estate portfolio and is responsible for new purchases and renovations. He helps many other investors with their portfolios through rental property renovations and legal second suite conversions. Ken does permit drawings and also renovations for others as well through his construction company King Homes Inc. Ken is in the trenches daily working on and managing all types of conversion projects and has gained a number of cuts and bruises that he wishes to share with you so that we can all learn. They are working on a number of legal second suite conversion projects in Brantford, Hamilton and St.Catharines.
With his son Kingston, Ken lives on a 10-acre hobby farm just outside of Ancaster and has 11 Alpacas, 1 quarter Horse, 2 mini ponies, 7 goats, 7 potbelly pigs, 1 sheep, 2 peacocks and 3 dogs (one schnauzer poodle and 2 Bernedoodles). 34 Animals in total.
Get in touch with Ken:
Website: http://legalsecondsuites.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kenbekendam
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kenbekendam/
Brought to you by
Private $ 4 Mortgages – http://privatemoney4mortgages.com/
Elevation Realty – http://www.elevationrealty.ca/
Butler Mortgage – https://www.butlermortgage.ca/