All Forum Posts by: Terri Lewis

When you place the bids on the HUD properties each day until it's accepted, do you keep increasing the figure a little or just keep having the agent submit for the same amount?

I really enjoy reading your thread. You are giving me a lot of useful knowledge and I want to thank you for all the time you are putting into this one.

Mounting new metal posts, and rails are not really very hard. Most important is surface prep and using the proper fasteners to secure new posts. Most of the suppliers are great at helping find the best solutions for the proper fasteners to secure to cement. Sounds like Micheal has some great knowledge on this and willing to help. 

It's taking a little to get use to, but I'm all for moving forward. Great site as always. Love the new look!

Congrats John! It is always great to hear of success. Please let us know of your journey along the way, in your posts. I'm sure you have some interesting topics for all of us, needing and wanting to learn from.

Hi Micki, 

We are always open to  learn and looking for more PML. Near University of Notre Dame. 

In sitting back and thinking on this I believe I have figured out a way to approach the situation in a moral and proper manner. 

We found out somethings on her handling of maintenance with the properties during our emergency visit with the property of the new account yesterday. We had spoke with the controller, and was given a go, to go pump water out of a basement. Upon arrival we ran into a gentleman that stated he was given a verbal from her to go pump the day before and was in the process of doing the work. The same day she gave the property holder our contact info. We were upset because we put off an $800.00 work order to take care of this emergency situation that was somewhat under control. Also learned the guy didn't know much about preservation. The property has never been lived in and has not properly been serviced or maintained. The sump pumps have not been correctly installed and there would have been constant emergency pumping needed. Power lines to the one sump pump were laying over the float not allowing it to kick in. The battery back up system has been damaged by water and not replaced. (dual pump pits) Found something that we are going to have to ask a local developer or builder about. There is a constant flow of water into the pits. As though there is a geothermal system from a possible artisan well. The water is crystal clear and a steady flow rate unlike a french drain system would be. This is not something we are familiar with and all new to us. I also understand there are certain codes that govern systems like this. The house had been completely stripped of all drywall, flooring, and cabinets, yet there were no signs of mold treatment or sealing. No mold or treatment present on any studs. Plastic is barely covering ground level open basement window areas. 

What I am going to do is email her, nicely requesting that she send an email to the other account and have them work directly with us for the maintenance/preservation work. Like she did on the new account. Letting her know we will pay a discount fee back to her office.  I think I will put some time into the letter so I am not degrading and just letting her know we are here to alleviate the headaches for her. I am not sure if she is just that busy or has no systems into place so she can handle these types of situations at the properties. At this moment seeing this property something is definitely not right.

Those are some good questions. We have been stuck before by Nationals. Her customer does own the properties. She is acting as a property manager for them and listing agent. I don't feel she has the background for a property manager. She does act scatter brained constantly. It just sounds like it is her, in the middle that has caused the problem. She just passed a National to us a few minutes ago, to let us handle their local properties, but doesn't make up for the delays on the money owed. I agree it is better to let the ones that don't pay go. That was something my partner tried to get me to do a few years ago with one. They ended up sticking us for almost $10,000.  They paid invoices here and there, stating the others were still in QC, so I kept trying to work with them.

I am having one of those rough weeks. I am not sure if I should go around the Realtor that contracted us to do a trash out at a property held by a wholesale group that I somewhat know. She initially contacted us to give bids on a batch of local properties, and that we would get the work. 19 properties all together. I agreed and said we would waive the trip charge, get her pictures and submit bids for any preservation work needed on them. After we had submitted several, she informed me that she didn't need pictures of the work needed, she needed full room pictures only. I started being concerned we were just getting her pictures to list with. 

She had sent someone else to do all the lock changes but 1. We did that one, to her agreed price. That's been almost 7 weeks ago. Then we were requested to do a trash out and that we would be paid in 3 weeks. Did both in less than 48 hours, and we are over 4 weeks from the trash out completion and no money for either yet. On 6/24 she stated she had forgot to send our invoice and pictures in on the trash out.  I requested urgency with expediting the funds for the work. Today when I called she apologized again, and said she hadn't talked to the gal about it. Also said that the customer was getting someone else to give bids. Aggravated at that because anyone can go in and low ball someone else's bids. Also if I was on their end I would wonder about why it took so long to submit completion of work preformed.  

My partner requested I get in touch with the end customer and talk to them about doing the work straight to them. The Realtor said she wasn't utilizing any discount so her involvement was strictly just getting the work done. I didn't feel us contacting the end customer was very professional, but I am concerned that they don't feel things have been handled very professionally any how. 

I am starting to believe she is either really busy, lying, or just an airhead.

I hate to loose out on all this work, what do any of you suggest I should do?

I agree with the investing potential in the mid west. The markets very considerably with great buys all over. Having a great team will help from purchasing too high or in a war zone. I know in Elkhart IN you can find great deals but have to watch the location. Some properties can look like a great deal but can also be in an area that few want to live in. Then go 2 blocks in another direction and the properties can be very lucrative. When you get out further into a sub division, the prices are higher but so is the market potential and profit.

We have rehabbed all over Northern IN and Southern MI. The market varies from city to city, but in all the potential for profit is really great. There are a lot of great deals that go fast, so a team in the area is a definate must.

We had a house fire and the Ozone generator really took care of the smell. It does however damage some materials but is worth it to get rid of smoke odors and shouldn't damage too many items.