Long Distance Rehab?

Question

I am rehabbing a property in Chambersburg, Pa and I live in Queens, New York.

The drive is 5 hours one way and I work a full time job in New York. My friends and family advise me to save money by doing it by myself but I am not a handy person and I feel embarrassed to ask family and friends for help.

I have the funds to rehab and I've been eyeing Lowe's 0% interest Pro membership deal where I can lump the cost of materials and labor into a 0%, 2 year amortized credit card.

What does Bigger Pockets think?

Do it myself with the aid of family and friends or hire a professional contractor?

Zachary Coombs · Answer

@Misael Carlos Vera Congrats on the first purchase! Have you considered having a property manager or real estate agent be your project manager or point of contact for these projects? I use Antietam realty based out of waynesboro for my Franklin county properties. My realtor Nancy Allison with Coldwell banker has a husband who is a general contractor. Let me know by DM or text if you’d like their info to discuss the projects.

I make 30$ an hour at my w-2 with many other benefits, any other “free-time” is far more valuable and spent with family and passions. I sacrifice that I valuable “free-time” in exchange to build my exit from wage based work into financial freedom. Even at my lowest valued time ($30hr) I can hire local folks to complete those projects at or below that same labor rate and not have to travel hours to perform the same tasks at or below their professional standard and take longer to do it.

Jim K. · Answer

@Misael Carlos Vera

The right time to ask this question would have been before putting an offer in.

Now you're kind of stuck with making the best of a bad situation, and only you can ultimately decide.

Misael Carlos Vera · Answer

@Zachary Coombs thank you! I will definitely reach out.

Misael Carlos Vera · Answer

@Jim K. Thank you for your input!