All Forum Posts by: Malcolm Boston

You are dancing on VERY thin ice both legally and from a business perspective. I would not ask for or require access to Social Media as a condition of application or rental. It would reinforce a strongly negative reputation among our industry which doesn't do us any favors. Have you seen what happens to the reputation of companies with similar intrusive policies? Privacy is marketable. I'm not a lawyer but I suspect one would advise you not to do this. All that said, the type of people who trash rentals are typically the type of people who don't change default privacy settings on the Social Media accounts. It being Social Media, the defaults are usually leaning toward public access. You will likely be able to discover what you're screening for without having to ask the tenant about it anyway. It will likely already be in the public domain.

I predict better sweat equity deals for investors. It will be a long time before undocumented workers feel comfortable enough to return. Come on folks did you really you could get a roof installed on a property for $8k using American workers? Investors who know how to turn a wrench and swing a hammer will make big money on distressed real estate because there will be no other way to cost effectively rehab it. At the same time, expect a drop in real estate value as the undocumented workers take their money and go elsewhere. Expect mass layoffs as the construction industry tanks. American labor adds at least 50% to the price of goods and services. Expect these effects to ripple through the economy. Nobody who supports the crackdown on undocumented residents presumably noticed what happened in Alabama when they passed a similar ban. Cash crops were rotting in the fields. Unfortunately we're locked into this cycle as even if the crackdown were reversed today, the chill in the population will be long lasting. Politics affects your investments.

Cabinets should installed with screws into the studs and then the cabinets should be fastened to each other. In this manner the load is shared among all cabinets and across multiple studs. Nails have little axial load capability relative to shear. Don't bother considering ring shanks; just get some decent deck screws.

Charge backs. The EPA watersense program estimates water usage per person per day in a home. Add 5% for margin and set your all inclusive rent proportionally. Update your lease with an excessive use clause such that every occupant's rent is increased to cover the cost. If your tenants are especially cost sensitive (as all inclusive rent would imply) they will keep a sharp eye on usage. This of course assumes you have your own skin in the game by having installed LED lighting, water saving toilets, watersense rated fixtures, energy star compliant appliances, and have inspected your piping for leaks. Incidentally all my resource saving items have paid for themselves directly or indirectly in the form of tax credits, incentive payments, and reduced bills.

This is why you have insurance. This is also why they have contractors. If you are not ABSOLUTELY certain of the right way to do things then you hire it out to someone who is. You need to remove those cabinets you nailed up and have them reinstalled by a competent professional. A fully loaded cabinet detaching from the wall could kill somebody.

Absolutely. You are entitled to a contingency period to allow for inspection of the property. I withdrew an offer (painfully) after an inspection revealed extensive termite infestation in the roof structure.

Commercial appliances require commercial grade logistics. Verify the fuel supply to this device is per the manufacturer's spec. If the gas supply is insufficient, the combustion could be occurring at an improper mixture ratio and you could be producing CO byproducts in excess of the ventilation system's capability. Verify the passive ventilation system provided meets manufacturer's spec. Insufficient draft will not remove CO. This could be a consideration if someone gets a "deal" on a new heater and installs it without consideration of whether the existing vent system can handle it. It could also be indicative of a blockage in the vent. In a multiplex you could affect a lot of people simultaneously. 200kbtu sounds like you need a 3/4" gas line at .5 psi and perhaps larger if your heater is a long distance from the meter. If you are detecting CO, verify the above and investigate if the manufacturer offers an active vent option for the heater. I typically prefer passive systems but for this I want positive confirmation that the CO is being evacuated from the building.

Learning from others' mistakes and triumphs is the best education. I just walked through IKEA today and I'm sold.

I just bought a 60watt equivalent GE reveal LEd lightbulb for $5 at Home Depot. They have lower tier LED available for less than half that. You can give each tenant a pack of cheaper LED bulbs for $5. It's a good gift that will put money back in their pocket over the long term and help save the environment. Personally I like the idea of rewarding tenants for being good business partners. If they are class A tenants (paying on time, taking care of their place) then reward accordingly.

Whatever the neighborhood the bathroom items need to be fully functional- that is, capable of handling moisture and liquid water. Marian Smith what has been your experience with Fusion Pro grout?