All Forum Posts by: Karl B.

 If you listen to enough BP podcasts/webinars you'll get a good idea as to how to grade a neighborhood. Here's a different BP thread that includes links and opinions regarding how to grade areas/neighborhoods: https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/12/topics/539223-neighborhood-grade-criteria

I found my two handymen and pretty much all my tradesmen using Angie's List/Yelp/Google Plus. Angie's List works really well for me. I typically start there and check anyone in question using the other review websites.

One of my handymen charges $40 the first hour and $30 each additional (he's so busy he's booked up until 2019 - no joke) and the other charges $50 the first hour and $40 each additional. 

Personally, I like handymen who charge by the hour and not by the job. I know other who prefer those who charge by the job. For me, I feel this way because every estimate I've ever had from a handyman was ridiculously high.

It sounds like an easy choice - if you don't like the numbers, the realtor and the basement flooding is simply icing on the cake I'd find another realtor who has good reviews/was recommended to you and explain the situation to him/her. 

The new realtor, if they're awesome, will realize you're ready to buy, know what you're doing, and will work hard for you. 

I have a friend who is somewhat similar. He rents his own place but doesn't want to better himself, is complacent, etc. His life plan to financial independence is to win the lottery (seriously). 

The difference (between my friend and yours) is my friend isn't a college graduate and never did well in school. Though he's had the same job for more than half his life (retail) and works, at the very least, moderately hard.  Though when I advise him he agrees but does nothing to improve himself. He's even turned down management in the past because he doesn't want the responsibility.

Your friend seems to lack drive and motivation. I was listening to Podcast 294 and the guest, Jesse, talked about being the absolute best at something to where the management can't live without you. To provide insane value, no matter the job; to do whatever it takes. 

It sounds like his environment isn't good and that's no doubt a big issue. If he was somewhere else he very well could improve but to what degree isn't known until it happens. 

If you listen to positive podcasts (more general about success)/Youtube videos you can share them with your friend. If he surrounds himself with positivity, hope and self-improvement there's a good chance he'll slowly improve to some degree. 

We're most often our default setting.

And I give you props for caring about your friend and his happiness. You're a good friend. 

That won't happen. Water gets in from openings. It's not a pressure situation. You can learn to mortar by watching Youtube videos (it's easy - you'll see). When you seal the cracks/holes that let in water the water won't seep into the basement. 

Whomever you hire is going to use mortar or some other sealant (if you end up hiring someone try to be there so you can learn how to do the work - it's always good to know). Also, it's good to be there when it's raining to make certain your gutters/downspouts are working properly.    

Hello. Good question! I located the following article. Hopefully it's helpful: https://reolink.com/solutions-for-wireless-securit...

I also found this forum where a bunch of people recommend different cameras to the OP: https://community.spiceworks.com/topic/1961412-i-need-some-security-cameras-in-a-location-with-no-internet

Online reviews or word-of-mouth would be the ways to go. Though with all buys I've been a part of, my RE lawyer or buying agent simply dealt with the title company they preferred or the lender chose and there was never any issue. 

Hopefully the tenants leave that awesome bag of Cheetos when they vacate!

But in all seriousness, if cost is the issue, I would look at the instillation numbers and decide. The kitchen looks pretty nice as it is - it would be an easier choice if the kitchen wasn't so nice. 

Consider an electric oven if gas hookups aren't cost feasible. 

If you decide not to install an oven due to cost or space issue I would at the very least provide a good-sized countertop convection oven; some tenants will consider not having an oven a dealbreaker and some won't.

Every multi-family property I've ever purchased has had water seepage issues in the basement. It's often an easy fix. I'm not a super handyman but went to Lowe's and bought a few bags of Quikrete mortar mix along with the correct mortar color (to color the mortar the same color as the foundation). 

It works well. Though I had to hire someone to install some waterproof sheeting in one area I couldn't mortar (it was the last area where water was coming in and I couldn't mortar it because it was the one area the siding extended down to the ground - the guy extended the sheeting to the ground and sealed around it).

If you really want to pursue this I would attempt to get photos of the unit prior to when that tenant moved in (from the PM or the former owner - or at the very least a checklist the tenant signed noting any damages when they moved in). 

In the likely event you can't get this information I'd simply cut the loss for if you can't prove the tenant created the damage, it's futile.