All Forum Posts by: Emilio Ramirez

I was following some of the posts today. Primarily this thread and the one linked below and the following thought crossed my mind. If inflation kicks in and interest rates rise to double digits, wouldn't situations like the one in the post below turn into positive positions?

Assuming Steve had a 30 year fixed note and an interest rate around 6-7%. Selling his property at a discounted rate like Rich suggests (11-12%) for the same price he bought it for would provide him with the relief he needs. I guess the question is can he hold out that long, and if not, what then?

Could it be that the Fed is actually trying to create inflation or hyper-inflation so that all of these underwater mortgages would regain their value?

http://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/52/topics/50675-creative-solutions-for-negative-cash-flow-situation

The shawdow inventory has not been a no show. It has begun to appear in the fform of increased strategic defaults.
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On a second floor you will need a minimum of 3/4" plywood glued and screwed 12" on center into the joists. Probably wouldn't hurt to have two. They should run in the opposite direction. This is to make sure the floor doesn't move and crack the tile out. I've done this on a second floor with great results. You also probably want to use porcelain instead of ceramic for a floor area as it is more durable.

Tile is actually a sound barrier versus wood which transfers sound very well. That's why musical instruments are made out of wood. If you have concerns about sound you could insulate with batts inbetween the joists.

That's a great point P NW. I still have a 9-5 with a very reputable local GC. They donate every year and it's usually to a local group who they can help financially and through volunteerism. It makes a connection and allows them to see the results of their efforts.

I've taken a cash deposit from a couple and verbally told them that they can have the apartment. Part of the acceptance was a $25 discount of rent from $850 to $825. In observing their behavior when they gave me the deposit I became a little concerned about their ability to pay. I have verified their income and it will be tight, but I have no written criteria for rejecting an applicant on income. A second applicant has applied and is much more financially able to rent the apartment. They are also able to pay the full rent. There has been no lease executed between me and the first tenant.

Since I've verbally offered them the apartment, do I have to rent it to them? Can I simply return their deposit and tell them that they weren't really qualified? I think if I ask them to pay the full $850 they will opt out. Or do I just have to rent to them now that I've taken a deposit and verbally accepted them? I've been looking at my state's landlord tenant law but can't come up with anything here. Any thoughts on the situation.

Much appreciated.

Thanks for your input guys. I'm not sure I phrased my question correctly in the first post. I'll have to give it some more thought as to what I'm trying to ask. Maybe it's not necessarily giving back as in charity, I do a little bit of that, mostly for the ACS, but tilting the scales in your favor. Hmm... not sure on this one. Maybe I was just looking for examples where giving with no intention of receiving resulted in some wonderful outcome like Solid Returns identified. I'll give it some more thought.

I've read in a couple of places that persons who have "made it", strongly recommend giving back. They have said that by giving money away, it has come back to them many times over. I haven't read any specific examples and was wondering if anyone could attest to this or share an example.

Couple of situations I could see would be as follows:

1. Donate to a political campaign.
2. Donate to the charity of a company that you wish to do business with.
3. Donate to a charity in return for marketing, networking opportunity.
4. What about donating time as in volunteering?

Some of these raise ethical questions as well, but that's not necessarily the point of the question. I believe in giving back, but the opportunities are endless and I think focusing on opportunities that could be symbiotic would be better. Any thoughts?

Whenever you paint metal it should be sprayed. That's why you don't see anyone painting their car with a paint brush. There are exceptions of course. I usually call my local shermin williams and ask them how a job should be done before I start. They are a great resource.

Paper tape is 100% fine. This is what the pros use. The fiberglass tape is guaranteed to provide you with many more steps to achieve the same finish as paper tape.Also remember to put a layer of mud down before the tape.I've seen a pretty slick tool that puts the mud and tape down in one pass, not unlike a roller.you probably don't need this unless you are doing drywall everyday. If you like the mesh, be aware you will need to put more down as others have suggested.

Maybe I'm missing something here,but the costs that are being thrown around seem low. Can we clarify if the cost is material or labor or both? I've recently installed a wood laminate floor that looks great for 1.69/ sf including pad, base boards, stain for base boards, and thresholds. My labor to install was donated. I've installed tile for 1.80 / sf all materials included plus small tools. Again I donated my labor. I've gotten labor quotes anywhere from $4 to $7/ sf off of craigslist, but that was about a year ago.

I would not recommend laminate flooring for any installation. While it is cheap and looks good, it is not very durable, especially when water becomes an issue. I don't see any situation where water wouldn't be an issue.

I recently looked at bamboo for a kitchen install. The price was right, but there is a wearing concern. The home depot that we were at actually had it installed in one of their offices and you could see track marks from the cart. I believe that it is a grass and not wood. We decided to go with a brazilian cherry engineered board on clearance for $2.60/sf flooring only.