Max Armand | Real Estate

300+ Flips in SoCal. Courthouse Auction Veteran. Founder of Electric Estates. Aspiring scratch golfer.

[Max Armand | Real Estate @MaxArmand]

I would go to the bank and pick up $2M+ in cashiers checks every morning. It was 2011 and I was 22 years old.

Checks in hand, I would hop in my green 1997 4Runner SR5 (loved that truck), light a cigarette (😮‍💨🤢), and drive to the courthouse.

Dozens of investors from all over San Diego would be crowded around the auctioneers, awaiting that days foreclosure sales to hit the block.

After reading off the postponements and cancellations, the game was on.
Headset in my ear, I’d call the war room and relay what property was up for sale to my Auction Director.

In the war room, a team of Agents were pumping out resale values. Assistants were reviewing Title chains and property photos. And the Director would be calculating our numbers, relaying to me in real-time how much to bid on the property for sale.

My favorite phrase was “add a hundred”, the minimum amount allowed for the next bid. It bought the team time to further evaluate the purchase, and more time always meant we were going to push our bid higher.

There was nothing like the rush of being in a competitive bidding battle. And I always felt like a boss being the winning bidder. A 22 year-old kid signing over $300-400k per house, handing millions of dollars per day to the auctioneer.

After a year as our courthouse Runner, I moved into the office as an Assistant. After a year as an Assistant, and after getting my Broker’s license, I was promoted to Director. Over the next year+, from 2013-2014, I green-lit the purchase of over 700 houses across SoCal at live and online auctions.

This was all my first job in Real Estate.

[Max Armand | Real Estate @MaxArmand]

@Jen_Vaughan @JMGregorchuk Hey Jen! Shoot me a DM!

[Max Armand | Real Estate @MaxArmand]

Decided I’m going to smooth coat every project from now on.

Also had a neighbor stop by and hire me on the spot to do his house.

Torrance, CA

[Max Armand | Real Estate @MaxArmand]

@ScottChoppin Makes sense. I’m starting a 4,000 sqft 2-story SFR in Westwood and suggested 20/30 to client for durability and cost. It’s a rental property. If he was preparing for sale, we’d have spent the extra for smooth.

[Max Armand | Real Estate @MaxArmand]

@FelixPomerantz Not really for high-end landscape. Just simple irrigation + sod. Hardscape yes, my crew.

[Max Armand | Real Estate @MaxArmand]

@1VeryChillDude Send me a DM if you want a quote!

[Max Armand | Real Estate @MaxArmand]

@itsryanfishersd My cost was under $10/sqft for full smooth coat + painting the trim

[Max Armand | Real Estate @MaxArmand]

@VentureX_SD Not as much as you’d think vs needing to patch, prep, paint

[Max Armand | Real Estate @MaxArmand]

@JohnGonzalesLA1 Most of the time sandblast is not necessary. Thorough scrape + power wash. Base coat + bonding agent + fiberglass mesh. Let it dry then you’re ready for smooth coat.

[Max Armand | Real Estate @MaxArmand]

@moseskagan Google Street View from last year. I’ve been getting a lot of smiles and thumbs ups from neighbors that last few weeks

[Max Armand | Real Estate @MaxArmand]

@ScottChoppin For this house, the existing stucco was thick and uneven - would have taken a lot of patch and prep prior to paint. Only cost 30-40% more to go full smooth coat (with integral color) vs standard patch/paint. Superior appeal. Well worth it here.

[Max Armand | Real Estate @MaxArmand]

@LA_Multi_Fam Especially on houses where the stucco is in bad shape and there’d be a lot of patch and prep before paint… going full recoat with integral color is not that much more expansive!

[Max Armand | Real Estate @MaxArmand]

@Rob_Bellamy I quote $10-12/sqft depending on a few factors. Color is integral, so you can eliminate painting cost.

[Max Armand | Real Estate @MaxArmand]

@1VeryChillDude Yes. I’ve made it very clear to clients that the color changes when wet, and some hairline cracks are inevitable

[Max Armand | Real Estate @MaxArmand]

@JMGregorchuk Thanks for the referral 🙂

[Max Armand | Real Estate @MaxArmand]

@ThinkAppraiser Not flipping at all. Brokerage deals + retail Reno’s with my GC license. Like this house: I rep a cash buyer to buy, I Reno, I List.

Target properties that don’t need full Reno, just a Refresh. Lower spreads, but faster turns. Works for cash buyers not paying Hard Money.

[Max Armand | Real Estate @MaxArmand]

@ThinkAppraiser Dude I go through a 2lb tub in 1 week 😭

[Max Armand | Real Estate @MaxArmand]

Whatever the answer is, 10-20x it for me. I eat 7-10 PB&J’s a week

[think like a real estate appraiser @ThinkAppraiser]

NO CHEATING!!!!

How much peanut butter does the average American eat?

[Max Armand | Real Estate @MaxArmand]

Santa Monica. Off-market.

NOI: $250k

Price: $3.5M

DM for details

[Max Armand | Real Estate @MaxArmand]

@BarryRoland19 I have an off-market deal if you’re interested. 6 units, 5 vacant (2-3-4 bedrooms), Santa Monica. Lmk if you want to kick the tires on it 👍🏼

[Max Armand | Real Estate @MaxArmand]

@BlackLabelAdvsr This you?