All Forum Posts by: Karen O.

Have you tried Quicken Loans

and TD Bank?

1-4 units- Comps.

5 units or more - Rental income

It's a beauty.

Your numbers seem about right if you've accounted for closing costs, vacancies, maintenance, capex, pm and financing. 

There may be other costs like heat if they aren't separate & lawn care/plowing which could eat into your cf.  And a 150 yo house tends to need more care unless it's already been updated.

And of course all of that is moot if the seller is unlikely to sell for $150k+ less than asking.

@Ken Wang

I'm told that gas systems are more efficient than oil.  They are 90+% efficient vs low to mid 80% for oil fired boilers.  

For me it came down to availability. No natural gas infrastructure.  Settling for LP (propane) didn't do it for me.

I've found there are more oil providers here in the NE.  So despite fluctuations due to geopolitics, oil can be competitive whereas the LP providers don't overlap as much and have a lock on their service area.

But if cleaner burning, more efficient is important to you and if there's a chance that nat gas is coming in I'd it isn't already there, then I'd definitely consider going with nat gas.

@Jim Adrian

Thanks for this. I will look more closely at this option. 

@Eric Baumer

Thanks for the insight.

@Jim K. Funny thing, I've seen enough of your comments, I planned to PM you directly, but couldn't easily find your info when I decided to ask the question. 

Jim K and @Account Closed, thank you both for your comments and suggestions.  You confirmed that I was thinking correctly.  

I would have left the fix to a tile installer if I could have found one to do the job.  6 requests for quotes got 4 no responses, 1 last minute and 1 too busy until mid Dec.  It's a small bath (50sf) and the tile is 18" square.  Surface prep may take longer than installation. But having this info will help me get it done.   

Did you mean to say "don't" over leverage?

I know tile is to be installed over cement board.  The plan was to install 1/4" durock over the 5/8 plywood subfloor. 

My laminate floor installer took initiative and installed a marble threshold (he was installing laminate in hall) before 1/4" could go down in the bathroom.  The threshold is not coming out without being destroyed. 

Installing 1/4" board would cause porcelain tile to be higher than threshold.

The subfloor is very solid. Would adding a wood preserver before floating a thin layer of floor leveler be a viable alternative to the 1/4" c-board?

I fear the threshold has to come out because he didn't account for the 1/4" durock or the mortar. Or the subfloor has to come out and be replaced with 1/2 durock.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

I recommend, if you haven't done so already, find a plumber that does boiler maintenance. These units should be cleaned annually.. best time is at the end of spring thru summer.  You don't want to find out about a problem when temps are heading toward 40.  The oil company may also have a service team for boiler maintenance.

The plan sounds like it's frozen.

In-service payouts may also not be allowed, possibly with hardship being the only exception.

The plan document will explain these things. You might be allowed to roll the vested balance into the new plan and that plan may have a loan option.  An HR Dept or plan administrator should be able to advise you.

The co may be planning to terminate the plan entirely since a frozen plan still has costs attached. If that's the case, at some point all the assets will be released either for rollover to the new plan or to an IRA A/C. Again speak to HR. It may be some time to get all the parts in place.

In the meantime, you should continue to monitor your holding and rebalance or adjust investments as appropriate. 

And should you change jobs, your separation will certainly allow for an asset transfer.

Good luck.