All Forum Posts by: Linda S.

I use my 401K to fund our second deal, and it worked out great!  You can only take 50% of the balance, and if it's not for your primary residence, you have to pay it back quicker (5 vs. 10 yrs i think?).    It's automatically deducted,  so there's no additional stress.      Another alternative is to get a personal loan.   Good luck!

@Michael Brown,

What's the address?  Maybe we can help more with pictures.

Floor and Decor is my #1 choice, for price and selection!   Check if you have one nearby, it's amazing!    If you can do a vinyl plank flooring, it's pretty and looks like hardwood!   We also do ceramic wood looking tiles.   

 We don't go anywhere else for flooring! 

Also, sorry for the extra posts, but let me just say.. HVACs are no joke, and can be a GIANT headache ($$$$$) if done incorrectly.   My finance thought he was getting a bargain by having a guy do it... BIGGEST headache ever,   he paid $5K for the upstairs system, but we ended up having to replace it, which cost us another $3K..   Every HVAC guy said it was the "worst thing they've ever seen done" ... we tried to report the guy, but he isn't licensed-- what's worse-- he's on Angie's list and also preys on people in the church, and pushes his religion so people think he's good!  SCUM!

Lesson being... make sure the guy is licensed with the state before hiring anyone on the cheaper end.     Pay for quality and knowledge.

Hi @Lee G.,

Just unprofessionalism, I mean I guess the saying is true "you get what you pay for."    He leaves the HVAC trash, calls at anytime,  forgets XYZ, and we have to re-order stuff,  and has this idea that he's doing us a huge favor, when he's not.     We think he's bipolar, because when he's on his meds, he's the nicest guy... but it's pretty obvious when he's not, because he can be a real dick.     

With that being said, I feel like he's incredibly competent and knows the systems very well, so we keep him because his quality of work.

Hi @Joseph Lee,

If you're going for low cost cabinets, one thing we do is buy the unfinished cabinets at Lowes/Home Depot, and paint the faces.   It actually looks very nice and high end, and undoubtedly the cheapest option possible.     If you add a nice knob, it is a great touch and looks great! 

I bought a house that had HORRIBLE wood paneling, but problem can easily be solved!   We got the nice primer from Sherwin Williams, and then painted and it turned out beautiful!    The biggest thing is a quality primer. 

We paid about $6,000 for a brand new HVAC with new duct work, but it's because we have a guy who does side work outside his regular HVAC job.    The guy is not  the most professional, so what we save in $$, we  pay in stress, so it hasn't been the most enjoyable experience.     I have also heard of a company charging around $7,200.     I think an estimate of around $6K-$9K is the ballpark.

I agree with the others here, I'd do a M2M lease, and have both of their names on it.    I'd also structure it where they get a discount if they pay by the 1st of the month, so there's strong financial incentive to get you $$.    

Also, by all means... put EVERYTHING in writing..  especially when it comes to repairs!  The more clear your lease is with expectations of both parties, the better.