All Forum Posts by: Kurt F.

Greetings.

I've owned and rented out a duplex for a few years, and am currently finishing up some rehabbing on the now-vacant side. Other side still rented, and the rent from one side pay PITI. Likely ARV no less than 110,000 fairly conservatively. About 48,000 left on the mortgage. My total rent from both sides after the rehab is finished might be 1400 -- probably a bit more than that given the market.

My question for you would be what you would do next were you in my position.  I'm a relative novice when it comes to deal-making, so please feel free to give me as many details regarding how to go about moving forward as you can spare time for... and thank you in advance. 

I'm looking to buy and hold properties.  What might be the smart next steps for me?

 Actually, this is a good point.

The typical off-the-shelf plastic laminate counters are post-formed with the 4" backsplash attached.  But few high-end installations that folks might ooh and ahh over will have a short 4" backsplash -- even if done in nice materials -- so the 4" backsplash can become a visual cue that the project is not high end -- a subtle but immediate trigger.

 For whatever reasons, right now people are a little granite / quartz / stone / slate countertop kooky, and so it's just one of those things on their radar that they seem to always take note of...  

I realize that Sylvia did not use tile backsplash tile all the way around -- only as an accent --so she needed the 4" integrated backsplash.  But in general, Phil's idea is a pretty good one to keep in mind that can help create a little higher-end feel on lower-end projects.

Giving a bump to this one...

Never heard of it, so I did some online reading because I'd quite interested if it worked.  Seems like there is some high praise for it in general.  However my question is this:  OK, so say it successfully keeps the water from coming up out of the floor drains in a basement.  That's great and may solve many otherwise problematic situations.  But, as water seeks its own level, aren't the basement fixtures (if any) -- toilets and sinks -- at risk next in significant backups? 

Great info -- thanks.

Laminate and vinyl plank -- how repairable are each?  Can single pieces feasibly be replaced?

@Jassem A. -- how is the .89/SF laminate holding up for you?  Is it in a rental?

The price and warranty are intriguing, I've just always wondered if laminate under a buck / SF would last at all...? 

I've been looking at Allure planks as well.   

I've seen pro floor guys grind through painted floors starting with what looked looked like a handful of gravel on the grinding surface, and the floors eventually came out great.

Problem is, as a DIY project you might very well ruin your floors attempting the same process.  I've watched at least a couple "self-convinced" individuals cause a lot of damage.   

I'd rather grind it, because stripping is typically a pretty awful overall process, but stripping just might be the safer DIY approach.  You'll still then need to sand, but you'll probably much finer grit that's more forgiving.

Do you have 200 SF or 2000 SF?  Somewhere in there, it might pay to have a pro tackle it.

In general, and not to bust your chops, but what difference do you think it makes that the houses are brick?

Your first example photo that you gave me appears very narrow -- is it a single room wide all the way back?  I can't tell from the photo.  It might be less accurate to call for "brick bungalows" and more accurate to say "narrow houses". 

On the second example -- I'd bet you might be surprised -- that one looks pretty typical, and many like it had a front room the full width, but then the back of the house was split up with joists spanning in more than one direction, and therefore several bearing walls.  Typically, the interior wall of the front room was in fact a bearing wall.

In any case, opening up plans can sometimes be a great idea, but you'll find that relative to structure, it's case by case, and not directly connected to a style.

Very interesting thread!

While some have said don't bother calling the police, I think that I would have done so on Day One when the relative mentioned 'missing person'.  I also seriously doubt any advice that would first involve negotiations with non-parties.   

@Steve Babiak --  thanks, Steve -- I see what you're getting on this.

@Account Closed -- your responses get to the heart of my concerns here -- yours are good posts -- thanks.  I'm a bit disappointed to read some of the advice posted by  moderators / long-time posters.  It's impressive to have all the answers, unless you actually don't.