All Forum Posts by: Douglas Larson

@Justin J. 

Is this wall solely on your property or does it divide your lot from a neighbor? If the wall is only on your property you could totally DIY the project. If not, you will probably need a pro. If the wall represents the dividing line between you and a neighbor, are you on the uphill or downhill side of the wall?

If it can be determined that the wall was built by the neighboring property, and now it encroaches on your side, you may have a good case to get them to repair or replace the wall. Either way, it may require an engineer to assess the current danger and necessary remediation. 

Keep us all posted on what you do!

@Tom Keith 

Hi Tom. You might want to spell-check and proof-read your posts. ;-)

I think I know what you are saying though. You have a home with a 2-story addition and you want to clean and re-stain the cedar exterior.

I have used products from Home Depot and Lowe's to clean and stain decks and wood siding. In the paint/stain department you can find "deck wash" or "wood brightener/cleaner." You spray it on the wood with a 2-gallon sprayer and let it sit for a an hour or so and then spray the wood with a pressure washer. It can make a huge difference! You should let the wood dry out for a day or two and then spray or roll on the new stain and sealer. 

If you are going to use a solid stain on the cedar you can skip the wood brightener product but you will still want to pressure wash the wood to clean off dust, oils cobwebs and also open the wood pores to accept the stain and sealer.

Have Fun!

It sounds like you have a motivated seller and that is a huge component of a great deal. There are many other components like ARV, financing, repairs, rents, etc.

You mentioned that the seller has an agent that could be "dropped." I'm sure the agent would love that - NOT! If you call the agent to show you the place then he should get at least 3%. I am not an agent but I respect what they do.

If you can establish an ARV of 140K and the seller will consider a price of 70K you might have a good fix&flip or rehab-to-rent, assuming that renovation costs are reasonable. If you can verify that the home is truly "Free and Clear", you have a great potential for a seller financed rental. It's just a matter of negotiating the right terms.

Listen to the recent awesome  on negotiating deals and go see that place!

(See especially )

Have Fun and Make Your Own Luck!

@Arnie Guida 

Wood looks good! . . . if it is painted and looking new.  

As you mentioned, Your decision should reflect your personal plans and tastes. If you choose vinyl, make sure you like the color. Color schemes can be very fickle and If you ever want to change it you will be back to the painting and maintenance issues you are dealing with now. The same goes for HardiePlank. @Bill S. , - Don't believe the hype. Cement siding may be more durable than wood but it still has to be painted . . . and re-painted, depending on paint quality, climate and conditions. Sadly, there is no such thing as "zero maintenance." 

I have a rental with flesh-colored vinyl siding and I wish a color change was easier and cheaper.  I also have a house with name-brand HardiePlank and where the sprinklers and west sun hit the side, the paint has flaked away in just 4 years. I wire-brushed the surface, painted again and adjusted the sprinklers.  I also just skinned a wood-construction fire pit with HardiePlank. The cement board is water and fire resistant and it looks great . . . for now!

This kind of cracking is very common in areas with clay soils under the foundation. I have seen it in the Dallas, TX area. The changes in water saturation and temperature throughout the year makes the foundation heave and settle, if only by a fraction. Foundation repair with pilings driven into the ground at intervals around the foundation can solve the problem, but if the cracks are only small and superficial and the home is more than 50 years old, it might not make sense to spend the bucks. Foundation repair can cost easily $10K to $40K, depending on size and scope of the work.

At minimum, make sure that the exterior grading and gutter downspouts drain water away from the house. Also, fill the cracks with a flexible, siliconized, paintable caulk, instead of plaster.

Hope that helps!

@Padma Mody 

it depends . . .

Some locks may not be able to be re-keyed at a price that makes sense. Most locks can, but for a decent price you'll have to take them off the doors and bring them to a locksmith or hardware store. If you have the locksmith make a house-call you will pay a hundred bucks just to have them show up! . . . and then it may be 10-20 bucks per lock. 

Hope that helps!

@Account Closed 

Sorry it took so long to get back to you. I did NOT become a "Glasshole" as they call the early adopters. I love gadgets and I keep hearing rumors about great new products coming soon. I've still got my eye on Google Glass but I haven't seen the apps that would make it irresistible at $1500. How about You? have you picked up any awesome new tech?

@Cameron Norfleet 

I am totally impressed! Most parents would just advise a girl to marry the prince with the biggest castle. Sounds like you've already got her set on building her own!

@Jules Semanchuk 

When I lived and flipped homes in Hawaii, natural, blonde bamboo was very popular and looked great unless people had dogs. Those little paws scratch the heck out of any wood surface!

Now that I live in Utah, I hear nothing but bad stories about bamboo. First, the darker colors are now in style and always show more scuffs than the natural or blonde color. Second, in Hawaii everybody always takes their shoes off to enter a home, so scuffs, other than doggy claws, were unusual. Third, in Hawaii (and probably in S. Carolina) the humidity keeps bamboo hydrated but the dry climate here in the west makes bamboo crack and split in the first year!

If you go with bamboo, or any wood, put little pads on the bottoms of chair and table legs, and think about a no-shoes policy. Also, be aware that direct sun will eventually change the color of most wood floors. If you go with something very dark and glossy, you will probably shoot yourself in the first 6 months if you have pets and/or kids. If it's for your own residence, do what you want and enjoy it. If it's in a rental home, I would stay away from bamboo or any wood. There are some great porcelain tiles these days that have a great look and far better durability. Below is a floor I just had installed in a kitchen for about $5.50 er Sq. Ft. including labor and materials. They are 12"x 24" porcelain tiles from Home Depot with epoxy "Haystack" grout.

Have fun and post some photos when you are done!

@Tiina Shackelford 

Your state (Or the state where the land is) will likely have approved forms online in PDF format. A quick google search should find some. Of course, in most areas you can literally draw up the terms on a napkin and submit the signed agreement to a title company, but using your local approved purchase contract is often the easiest, along with local disclosure forms. 

Any real estate agent can get you the blank forms but they are certain to ask you why you are not using an agent "for your protection" and also to get you "the best exposure and marketing strategy."

I have worked with agents and also done FSBOs in California, Hawaii and Utah. In these states the purchase contracts can be very long documents and most of the verbiage appears to protect the brokers more than the buyers and sellers. Still, I usually use the standard forms because they are convenient for all parties.

You can find a simple purchase contract HERE.

BP is awesome for stuff like this. Use the search box in the upper right and anything you need is probably here somewhere . . .

Have Fun and Make Your Own Luck!