All Forum Posts by: Brian Krause

I agree business plans are a strange animal. My recommendation is do it in power point and make it about 3 to 5 pages. Make your first page what it is you are going to target. Then think long and hard what are the couple goals you want to accomplish and write them down. Then think of the few big tasks you need to focus on and write those down. Watch on YouTube the old Steve Covey video big rocks as highlights this. Next to the big tasks that will move you forward hit the few smaller sub tasks that need to be done to accomplish those goals. Never over think these. I've done lots of them over the years working for big corporations. You'll never read the 50 page plans unless your boss makes you, you are now the boss so no one will make you. One page hung up at your desk keeping your focus will get read. You will know what you need to do and then go do it. While you do need to get some business cards, a website, write a to do list, make an email signature, ect.... Don't waste time on these, just do it and move on. Much like you took a shower, hit the bathroom, got dressed and tied our shoes this morning - you just do it and move on. Focus on what makes money and not the other nonsense, it will still be there and always shows up again.

For securing vent just use screws and some OSI Quad caulk to seal it. When using the OSI Quad do not touch it to get a smooth finish as is sticky beyond belief. Put dish soap on your finger and then smooth out as it won't stick to your finger. Hope my comments help as kind of multi-tasking while typing. 

Something like this shoudl do the trick for you: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Deflect-o-Universal-Bir...

Just go over to Home Depot or whatever your local big box is and they should have plenty of vent options. 

Now that I'm on my computer and not phone, the dryer vent pipe look terrible. Just pick up some vent pipe and run it from out side to as close to the dryer as you can. Then from the last couple feet use the metal flexible pipe that you have. When running your solid wall vent pipe, do not screw it togeather and tape it with hvac tape. If you screw it the lint can catch on the screws over the years and then become a fire hazard. Also when using the flexible never us that plastic stuff, I'm not even sure why they sell that but it is also a fire hazard and inspectors will call you out on that every time. 

Animals can find a hole from a mile away. They're probably chattering about your Un-covered vent out in Europe. Put a screen over it. For the flex vent on dryer 8' isn't that uncommon and I would worry to much.

@Zack Karp @Sylvia Pomazak @Account Closed You guys are making some sense. I suppose the problem with Class A neighborhoods is everyone wants to live there. So any deal on a house is going to be something that is going to be hard to get. My current house in Park Ridge I bought as a nasty foreclosure, put and addition on an rehab it. On a personal level was a good deal as spent $290k to buy with $225k in remodel so $517k for a $600k house. But if put carrying costs on there it is a total break even but gets my kids in an awesome school district so I don't really care. Probably same mentality that all the people around here will have. I'll start digging deeper in those patches. Also Aaron, I have to check out a few or your southside gigs at some point and will definelty have a look over your links above. Appreciate all of your input!!!

@Zack Karp Thanks for the info. I guess I've sort of looked at those because they are areas that I would live in too. You have any recommendations of areas you have heard or seen working? Also I'm certainly not opposed to the condo market and my ultimate goal is to rent places out but figure if they are flippable gives me 2 exits if need be. 

@Jacob F. Layouts are a pain to do and you'll be re-doing all your work, I would think not worth it. One thing I kind of question is to you have a some issues with finishes that are causing people to doubt the quality of the work in there. Some things that sort of stand out is the tile has big huge grout spacing that looks strange from the pictures and then their is the hatch or what ever the cut out is. I'd be concerned the tile will pop. Fix the toe kick under the dishwasher. The backsplash next to the stove is already falling off. The bathtub surround looks like the plastic sheet goods at a McDonalds' bathroom in the 90's. There is paint on the one cabinet, I see a few weird drywall things. The tile back spash looks to have a 1/2" gap at top under the cabinets when looks like that wasn't necessary. A woman mentioned the brackets earlier which I have to agree with. Also why is there all the old fencing laying around, looks sloppy. The new deck looks nice and so would a quick seal coat on the driveway. Is the lawn an issue (may be just because it is spring) and the guy who said get some flower pots is probably making some good sense. Also I would have someone taller take the picures or hop up on a stool, they give the wrong perspective (ie I would have noticed the tile back splash).  I don't want to be mean or negative but I have a feeling that the realtors didn't want to say that lacked confidence in the work. Clean up the details and I have a feeling you'll get a better response. It may still be too expensive, wrong layout or more of a rental - but I think these details would be cheap/easy to try first. 

@Robert Nason The $20 is a bit on the optimistic side. But your $500 budget is spot on. Just do a quick search on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_nr_n_1?fst=as%3Aoff&rh=n%3A228013%2Cn%3A3737711%2Ck%3Awall+air+conditioner&keywords=wall+air+conditioner&ie=UTF8&qid=1462477879&rnid=468240 And they come in at the price point. I install one in my cabin a couple years ago (standard 2x4 construction with vinyl siding and 5/8" drywall. If your guy is cutting the hole in the wall then I could see why he wants a $1,000 as it is kind of a pain. My sister-in-law has a condo, older brick exterior and my father-in-law just put a new unit in the sleeve. I'd get a second opinion on this one from a different guy :) 

Realized probably should mention with regards to flipping and selling at an ARV in the $275-350K range.

I'm looking in the Northwest Suburbs in the Des Plaines, Mount Prospect, Arlington Heights, Elk Grove, Palatine, Hoffman Estates, Schaumburg and Roselle areas. Wondering if any wholesalers find deals for SFH 3 Bedroom, 2 Bath types of houses that have the numbers working for them? Or am I chasing up the wrong tree with these areas?