All Forum Posts by: Jassem A.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Alumiconn-10-Pack-Plastic-Standard-Wire-Connectors/999950286

You could list it unfinished if you think it would benefit from additional exposure but don't include pictures of any unfinished areas and wait until it is finished before showing it. Include a date in the ad of when you expect the property to be available to view. It's always nice to have good people lined up. A couple times I didn't even need to take pictures.

I don't offer cash but I'll usually return the security deposit or count it as the last month and not take them to court if they have moved out.  If they don't have a rental judgment on their record then I try to explain to them the implications so that they are more likely to agree to pay the rent or move out.

@David Sisson

Don't mind doing insulation if the wall is already opened up but haven't tried renting a machine to blow it yet and I am not even sure if it would be worth doing that myself.

I'll usually touch up paint myself or paint a few rooms which is usually enough to get by with my rentals. Getting a whole home sprayed is usually 500-1000 plus cost of paint but it could be more or less depending on if I have my own sprayer and someone willing to do it for me. I usually only go that route if I am going to redo the floors anyway since it gets everywhere.

Northern VA is expensive and you will be lucky if the rent even covers the PITI payment. As far as rentals, you will find better and less risky deals in surrounding small towns (2% rule is achievable in low-crime areas if you are willing to put in the work).

How much is everyone paying the painters? I have had some estimates recently in the double digit thousands from the big name companies and just curious how it makes sense for anyone to pay that much. This was to spray paint the interior of a house one color, two coats. Surprisingly the cost of insulation from a big name company seemed reasonable so I thought I would get an estimate from a paint company. I guess people that can afford to pay to make things look pretty are willing to pay a premium while those that are suffering high heating bills are not.

Zillow probably gets the most traffic. I'd also post to Zumper and cozy.co seems to get it on realtor.com.

*If someone asks how much the deposit is, asks for a reduction in the deposit/rent or if they want to work out a payment plan on the deposit then they will probably not be the best of tenants

*Dollartree is great for cleaning supplies, soft pretzels and paint brushes; you will want copper sponges for baked on filth and magic erasers for kids' artwork at minimum (Make sure to run the pretzel under water before adding the salt or cinnamon sugar then put it in the microwave)

*A crescent wrench can be used as a meter key in a pinch

*The better than wax toilet seals are less messy than wax and toilet bolts usually require a sawzaw to remove; Flappers come in two sizes: 2" and 3"

*Sharkbites and pex make plumbing at least 100 times easier 

*Drill augers work pretty well to clear drains and bathroom sink drains can sometimes be cleared with a screw slid around the stopper to remove hair

*Thinset also works as grout and caulk also works as mastic in a pinch

* A garden hose cap or shutoff will resolve a leaky hose bib for right now; Can't pressure wash without a hose bib? Connect to the washing machine valve, or a faucet sometimes works (Can substitute almost anything as pressure wash detergent-that stuff is expensive)

*The wife will turn your positive cash flow negative by going to Starbucks too much and there's nothing you can do about it

Valspar oil-based floor & utility paint works great on beaten up hardwood floors and is under $20 a gallon and covers in one coat. Make sure they shake it up for you otherwise it doesn't work well at all. Lowes has a 5 gallon latex maintenance paint for $30 that does ok but the kids drawing on the walls are going to bleed through after a few coats so you're better offer paying over $100 for 5 gallons of latex paint so you can still have to go over it twice.

My suggestion is simply to find ways to simplify your processes so that you can do what you do more efficiently.  You can find people to work for less but it can be a chore retaining them.  I'd focus on the business that is the breadwinner and you could also try buying properties that cash flow more to balance out the ones that do not. Ideally you want to collect twice as much rent as your total mortgage payments in order to be able to afford the easier-to-retain professionals.