All Forum Posts by: Josue Vargas
Josue Vargas has started 19 posts and replied 798 times.
Post: Calling All Sinkhole property specialists!

- Real Estate Agent
- San Antonio, TX
- Posts 814
- Votes 466
As far as I know, sinkholes are in the areas like @Juan Bravo stated above. These areas are very rural thought, likely from northern PR (Arecibo), PR-10 towards the center of PR (Utuado) and the like (San Sebastian/Lares). Thought it happens, they are not that common. I knew of a sinkhole in the famous PR-111 at San Sebastian that lasted years and years, they just put more asphalt layer after layer, year after year (like 20' or more of asphalt lol), and like 8-10 years ago, they finally constructed several concrete piers of about 60-80' and stabilized the whole thing making like a bridge. And still holding pretty good till today.
If you are investing on San Juan or metropolitan area, I would not be concern about sinkholes. If you are investing on rural areas, I would be concerned more of steep slope terrain and foundations on or adjacent to filled areas. Sometime the material and compaction is not adequate, and with a lot of rain (or not) specially during hurricane season, the soil could easily be saturated, building up a lot of hydrostatic pressure that even some retaining walls can't handle... Just a bad design or poor quality construction, or a combination of both. Don't get me wrong, this is not the norm in the beautiful island of Puerto Rico, just something to be aware of...
Post: Tenant Rules set by Landlord

- Real Estate Agent
- San Antonio, TX
- Posts 814
- Votes 466
Originally posted by @Rich Schmidt:
Originally posted by @Josue Vargas:
Ok. And it makes some sense. Believe me if I'm hit with a 50K damage for another individual in the property other than my son that causes a major damage to the property and I'm held responsible, my lawyer will have to sit down and discuss the matter with the Landlord.
Students tend to be problematic, not all, but if a lease state that the landlord can kick them off in the middle of the semester, I don't think that many parents wants to sign that deal, because they don't know how other people will behave, plus is very hard to find any apartments of rooms in the middle of a semester class... I honestly think the best way is a 6 month contract, for their semester, if you don't trust students... I might be wrong, but my contracts are for the hole scholar year, including summer, and I have no issues so far.
Do you let random troublemakers into your home? I doubt it. College students are adults. They're responsible for keeping the apartments or houses they rent in good condition, and they're responsible for guests they allow onto the property. They're also responsible for selecting good roommates, if they're in a roommate situation. And without the (standard) lease clause that they're jointly and severally liable, each roommate would simply claim the other one did it, and they both might have a shot at avoiding responsibility.
It's a serious matter to cosign a lease with someone. Your lawyer can sit down and discuss the matter with the landlord, but these kinds of terms are enforceable.
I do not let random troublemakers into my own house, because I don't live with them. Now, on my rental, I can't control it 100%, thought I do my best. I see it like I do not live there, its just a business like any other. They pay, I collect, they break stuff, I repair, they move out, I take some of their deposit for the repairs... and move on. Sorry if you took it so personally.
Post: Tenant Rules set by Landlord

- Real Estate Agent
- San Antonio, TX
- Posts 814
- Votes 466
Isn't a renter insurance policy covers for personal property only of the renter? It does not cover for any damages to the property.
Post: How much is on-site laundry worth

- Real Estate Agent
- San Antonio, TX
- Posts 814
- Votes 466
Originally posted by @Heidi Backer:
Josue Vargas
Major foundation issues. We offered the sellers 100k less than we had agreed upon, but essentially it turned out this house is a tear down. I'd be surprised if the sellers accept as we haggled over as little as 5k during initial negotiations. We didn't know just how bad the issues were because the basement is only accessible from the outside and was chained shut during our initial walk through.
Great location...but the sellers will need to admit to themselves at some point that the house is going to fall apart. Once in the basement we found out part of the house wasn't even on a foundation, it was on the dirt?!?
Oh, I understand, sometimes the work is just too much for the end result. Its like basically buying just the land plus expenses related to demolition, disposition, utilities, etc...
Post: New Investor in DFW Texas

- Real Estate Agent
- San Antonio, TX
- Posts 814
- Votes 466
If you are a project engineer in vertical construction as well in infrastructure, I'm sure that experience will help you with REI. What I think you need is a bit of fuel and learn as much as possible while you have the cash to pull it out or partnership... BP podcast, couple of good books (don't read too much thought, you will keep reading and stuck there). Connect with people, listen to these people that wants to connect with you!
I'm a civil engineer in San Antonio, focused in transportation and structures while working a full time, and currently investing. If you ever need some advice, please PM me!
Good luck!
Post: I have a friend who should be investing, wants too, but is afraid

- Real Estate Agent
- San Antonio, TX
- Posts 814
- Votes 466
You can keep trying with your friend, but I believe you know by now how much he is bring to the table.
What about updating your account with current goals as of 2017 and connect with people that know what they are doing in your area?
BTW nothing wrong with the W2 job, indeed, it will help you grow unless you have figure it out by now how to make more money on another business/job... On the long run, yes, W2 jobs are not worth it, unless highly paid job with great offers (not demand), and on your terms (able to do what you like as part time or something else), and most likely you have to be good at it and a professional...
Good luck.
Post: Calling All Sinkhole property specialists!

- Real Estate Agent
- San Antonio, TX
- Posts 814
- Votes 466
@Billy Mclachlan Good luck, you may also search Puerto Rico on your won, since its category 3 under the ASCE 7... meaning some portions of California are Cat 4, Puerto Rico is mostly cat 3, of course PR is in the Carribean ;)
Post: Foundation Issues in the Willamette Valley, OR

- Real Estate Agent
- San Antonio, TX
- Posts 814
- Votes 466
If you want to take any advice from an engineer, this will be my last post here... If you have a structural issue, and "your chose a professional engineer" and didn't think a 1/2" or more of settlement is an issue, and cracks are beyond the 1/4" in the slabs or visible, and you thought it was an issue, it may shown up in the inspection report from a normal inspector that see a 1/4" crack as an issue. And if you keep your realtor silent of this knowledge, and if he/she finds out you are holding information, she/he can just quit, or if you tell them in any ways, they MUST disclose to sellers. Think about it for a minute...
Post: How much is on-site laundry worth

- Real Estate Agent
- San Antonio, TX
- Posts 814
- Votes 466
"He wouldn't lets us buy the house"? WHY? Foundation issues? Did you made an offer to cover for foundation issues and "undiscovered surprises from your initial inspection?"
Post: Should you build a new home on a fault line?

- Real Estate Agent
- San Antonio, TX
- Posts 814
- Votes 466
Originally posted by @Account Closed:
@Frank S. @Rogers Smith @Matt C.
I come from earthquake country originally, and I’ve been through a few big ones. I’ve watched this geologist get pretty good at forecasting quakes. He actually tells you why he thinks the sequence happens and it’s a cool live feed.
Earthquake Feed Live
If you know when an earthquake will happen, let everyone else know... If you can predict lottery, let me know (just me!)...
Please, please...