All Forum Posts by: Lance Carpenter

Luther, thanks for the response. I don’t necessarily have work right now, but small repairs or maintenance jobs that come up and need quick responses is what I’m looking for. Ultimately, I would like to have references for HVAC, electrical and plumbing for larger jobs just in case. Thanks!

We have begun to self-manage a triplex in the Shawnee neighborhood of Kansas City. We would like to have a good handyman on file to take care of small maintenance and repair jobs that pop up. We looked through the services here on Bigger Pockets and I’m not looking for a contractor for major jobs. Nor do I want to use a search engine to find a provider. I’m more interested in recommendations from actual users. I also know that if someone has a really good one, they’re reluctant to drive competing business to them, but we’re hoping for only occasional work. Can anyone help out? Thanks!

@Max Householder Thanks for the references...Continental was on our short list.

@Donald S. Thanks for the references and tips. We have used Pillar to Post in the past (it was so long ago I actually forgot!) with great results.

We're getting ready to purchase a primary residence as a FSBO. Can anyone recommend a good Title Company to manage the closing for us in St. Louis? What should we look for that makes one company better than another? We're also looking for a good inspector. Thanks!

We currently have 2 SFRs in Indianapolis that are under third party management. They have not been cash flowing well due to long vacancies (multiple months) and overly expensive make-readys. We have already done two make-readys ourselves (we live 3 hours away) at a tremendous savings. We are not happy with the current manager and want to explore options to change. Ultimately, a manager who is willing to work with owners that want to do some work themselves would be ideal. If there are managers out there who offer a-la-carte services (lease-ups, tenant screening, maintenance, etc.) it would be nice to know. We are close to taking the plunge and just self managing, but we want options. We are more than willing to pay well for good service, so we are not looking to cheap out. These are B-class properties in good locations. Thanks in advance for your insights and feedback!

Welcome @patrickyungck ! I'm in Highland, IL close by and we have a duplex in St. Louis, along with SFRs in Indianapolis and Memphis. Will you be doing property management for your eventual property holdings in St. Louis? You'll definitely enjoy the wonderful community here on BP!

Dean,

Welcome to BP! Gwen and I met you on the Atlanta field trip and then again on the Memphis field trip. We closed recently on our second Memphis SFH and we agree that it's a great market. It's been getting lots of hype, so inventory is getting tight, but so far so good. We also own in Indianapolis and St. Louis. We're looking at Kansas City for our next potential acquisition. Enjoy the BP community!

Lance Carpenter

Jack, We have had two outstanding inspections done by Jason Lovelace at Precision Home Inspections LLC. His contact number is 901-752-0044. Good luck!

Lance Carpenter

Hey Gregory,
I'm with Aaron and Josh...buy. I'm retired USCG and wish I had kept several of the houses we have owned over the years. You have a couple of advantages going for you. The VA loan is a great benefit so use it. You have a potential "built-in" tenant...the sailor who relieves you when you transfer! This doesn't always work out, but it's worth considering, especially if the numbers allow you to get by with the local VHA rate as your rent. Remember to factor in the costs for property management, maintenance, etc. as you determine your price range. Good luck!