All Forum Posts by: Karen Margrave

We were just watching that on the news! I bet there's some fans happy tonight!

Put in some low maintenance grass, otherwise you're limiting your prospects. Most people want a yard for kids to play in etc. It looks better, means less dirt being tracked into your house and onto the carpet, so pays for itself in the long run.

Rich Weese In looking at your pics, we are curious as to the construction on the houses there. Those in the pics have some huge roofs, what is the roof pitch on most houses? Are they so steep because of snow, or is that just the style that is popular there? Also, 9' walls are pretty much standard here anymore, what do you do there? Is there some reason they use so much brick for exteriors? Is it just alot cheaper or ? Does anyone do stucco exteriors?

The question is, are you trying to find properties that aren't out there, and you're wanting a deal that can't be made, then figuring there's a problem with the agent, because they don't want to spend their time spinning their wheels, and they're being polite by not telling to to get lost?

It's not always the agents fault things aren't going how you think they should

On the other hand, there are lazy agents. There are agents that won't work certain areas because they don't relate well to people of different cultures, or whatever. If you have specific areas that you want, languages that you need, be honest with the agent, and ask them if they know the area, and aggressively work it. Ask if they know the languages in the neighborhood, etc. They can't be discrimatory, and are sometimes worried about answering certain questions, but they can tell you if the area is one they have experience in. And most larger offices have agents that know the local cultures and languages.

To find a good agent, find one that you are comfortable with, then make sure you give them all the details of what you are looking for so they don't waste time. Tell them what you expect of an agent, and ask if they are willing to do it. If not, find one that is.

David Robertson If he's working as a general laborer, you have to pay taxes, unemployment, etc. just as you would for any other employee. Some of the laws for this varies from state to state. Here, in California, we have the State Board of Equalization, I'm not sure what Missouri has. Also, you may be required to have liability insurance, etc. Check to see if the work he's doing is considered that as a "handyman" , because some states require licensing for that too. You can probably google alot of this and get answers. Below is link for Kansas City Dept. of Labor, it will answer most your questions. Some states have exceptions on family members.

http://www.dol.ks.gov/

Rich Weese WE GOT IT! I will say it's a challenge to get 4 bedrooms on one story with a double garage and width of 46.5 feet. It's so funny because we're waiting on plans to go through plan check on the house we're building, so Michael has some time. He was just sitting down to do some stuff on Revit, when I told him about your challenge. It was perfect. He is happy to have something that is specific to do, and requires some creativity.

Mark D. I passed along the enocouragement to Michael. He's picked it up really fast, and in fact was able to do the plans that are shown on my website. We then gave it to our structural engineer that finished them for our submittal. It saved us a considerable amount having him do the plans. In case you're an architect, nobody has anything against architects, but sometimes projects just can't support that high of a level of design. Then there are times not using one can cost you! It's all balance.

David Robertson Regarding advertising, "Choose your finishes" like new home now under construction, act now and have input into design. description of house, area, or whatever it is that people will want to know. Or, lead with "Pick your colors" ....and put ad on Postlets (it's a free ad, and submits to like 100 other sites) Not sure exactly what you wanted with the question of advertising, so... maybe overkill :)

I agree with most of what's been said. However; what type of rehab is it? If it's a lower end house, I'd just finish it, and then sell. However; if it's a higher end home, I'd do a cost breakdown, and anything over and above that are considered upgrades, and the overage must be paid in cash by buyer to seller. That way, should the escrow fall out, you're not paying for things you don't want, or don't necessarily add value.

If you don't want to do it that way, and want to let them have some input, have a range of choices 3 paint colors, 3 faucets, 3 styles of lighting fixtures, 3 countertop choices w/colors that work with paint colors you've selected, carpet, tile, etc., that fit your budget, keep them all neutral; and let them pick from that. That way, they have some choice, but won't mess up your schedule, and if the deal falls through, there's nothing lost.

OOPS! Sorry Rich, it's [REMOVED] not ocbuilders

rich, didn't get it. Can you double check?