All Forum Posts by: Braden Smith

Hey @Brannon Randle. I can answer any questions you may have. What ya got?

If your market is saturated with investors like mine is, I would recommend creating your own mail piece. That way it something unique that nobody else is mailing. Brand it to your company and make it stand out. Differentiation is the key in a crowded market.

Hey @Bruce C.. Leveling a slab can be very expensive. Not only are you looking at the costs of leveling the home itself, but you are certain to have plumbing work to do after leveling as well as cracking in walls. In addition, door and window frames can shift, as well as cabinets and counter tops. And you may need to use some self leveler on the slab before installing new floors because the slab can have dips and high spots in it, especially if you really open up the floor plan. Things are going to move when leveling a house so you must account for that.

As far as the actual costs go, pier homes are generally cheaper to fix than slab houses because the foundations are more easily accessible. Shoring companies typically charge per pier. Last time I got an estimate it was from Davie Shoring and it was around $450 per pier. For a slab house, it can cost anywhere from several thousand to more than $100,000 depending on the size of the house and complexity of the job. Every job is different. To get a rough idea, you should estimate about $17-18 per square foot for leveling a whole house on slab.

Hey @John Lewis. I will be at the next NOREIA meeting. Be on the lookout for me and I will do the same. Look forward to meeting you.

Hey @Jeff Foulds. Nice to have you in NOLA. Im not only an investor, but a realtor also. If you are looking for investments and buy and holds I would be happy to assist you. I don't mind answering any questions you might have about our market also. Let me know if you need any help...

Hi there @Malcolm Darensbourg. Nice to have you on BP! Looks like we are neighbors. How's the market out there in the Norco and Laplace areas? I don't make it out that way too often...

Part of the reason NOLA bounced back at all is because the US Army Corps of Engineers made huge investments and improvements into our drainage infrastructure. Without that people would not have had the confidence to rebuild. If Houston doesn't make any improvements to their drainage system, what sense of security do the people there have to rebuild? 

Hey @John Michael Rico... shoot me a PM and I will give you some real advice on this rather than a smartass comment like these other posters.