All Forum Posts by: Bill Briscoe

We just rehabbed a foreclosed SFH and listed it for lease or lease/purchase. I got a call from a group that places mentally challenged girls with a caretaker. They have a house 30 miles out of town with 3 girls which they want to move closer in and said our house would be perfect. Are there any concerns I should have or specific questions when dealing with this type of renter? Are non-profit renters more/less likely to pay rent on time, cause problems, etc?

The Magic Eraser? Yeah, we tried one last night and it took nearly all the black marks off the doors right away.

What are some good methods to clean up and keep a property clean while showing it? My house has a dusty yard and every time we open the windows and doors it seems like we get a new coat of dust inside. Also, we painted the trim/doors/cabinets with a latex semi-gloss white, and it keeps getting dirty and the dirt wont wipe off. Is that because it isn't cured yet?

Originally posted by Shawn Lainson:

I see in this forum where $35.00 a square has been estimated per square to re-roof? $12.00 per hr ? I have made several calls on this to verified professional roofing companies in and around Omaha and the surrounding mid-west, They all in different words say "its not going to happen" or " youll never get anybody on the roof for that price" and I agree.

I think "professional" is the operative word there. Sounds like some landlord have their own crews do the work.

I am completing a full rehab on a SFH to be held as a rental. So far, my understanding is all the costs related to the house will be capitalized. Once it is made available for rent, I can start expensing interest, insurance, and addition "repairs" we decide to make, correct?

What threshold does the property need to be in to meet to be considered "available to rent"? I'm thinking livable condition: once the carpet is installed, countertops in, appliances and plumbing working.

Then after that date we can wash windows, replace/install mini blinds, mow and clean yard and do other things assuming the tenants haven't moved in yet and expense those repairs.

So I still have a problem with paragraph formatting on the initial post of a thread I start. See my real question below - and formatted.

Now that you mention it, I just recalled that I have filled out paperwork to get a contractor/property manager discount at both a plumbing/electrical supply center and a local landscaping nursury. Neither one has ever called or sent any confirmation in the mail. Its weird.

HD Pro Desk, OTOH, tracks all my receipts via email and online, and sends me coupons every week.

Originally posted by Harry Hylan:

In instances like that its best to go to an electrical supply. You will save time and money.

Except that I do all my work after 5 and on weekends, so the supply houses don't work too well for me. I could go to Ace Hardware next time where the guys are pretty knowledgable and helpful.

I suppose HD has an electrical aisle I didn't even look at. Are the screws there a slightly different thread than the machine screws?

Both the existing and new mounting brackets used the same sized screws, which weren't quite long enough to attach the fixture because of the depth of the box in the bricks. So its off to HD to get 1 1/4 inch screws.

These screws seem to be the size used with every 4 in metal electric box in the nation, but aren't really the same at HD's #8-32s pan heads. They are slightly smaller, but certainly bigger than #6-32s. I bought the #8-32s at HD and forced them info the threads on the bracket, but my question is:

Are there different sizes/types of #8-32s out there?

So we buy some new outside carriage lamps to replace the old ones outside the garage. There was a mounting bracket attached to the electrical box which used 1 in screws to attach the fixture. Both the existing and new mounting brackets used the same sized screws, which weren't quite long enough to attach the fixture because of the depth of the box in the bricks. So its off to HD to get 1 1/4 inch screws. These screws seem to be the size used with every 4 in metal electric box in the nation, but aren't really the same at HD's #8-32s pan heads. They are slightly smaller, but certainly bigger than #6-32s. I bought the #8-32s at HD and forced them info the threads on the bracket, but my question is: Are there different sizes/types of #8-32s out there?