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All Forum Posts by: Matthew Paul

Matthew Paul has started 166 posts and replied 6746 times.

Post: The 25% property management fee was killing my STR profits

Matthew Paul#2 Contractors ContributorPosted
  • Severna Park, MD
  • Posts 6,915
  • Votes 7,508

Employees will be your biggest headache . Plain and simple . You wont get good ones cheap . You will be paying them 40 hours a week if you need them or not .  Providing them with tools , vehicle , all the fun stuff adds up quick . 

I manage my own LTRs , and own a contracting company . plain and simple employees generally are a royal pain . You will go thru 10 to get 1 good one if you are lucky 

Post: Community property and guests

Matthew Paul#2 Contractors ContributorPosted
  • Severna Park, MD
  • Posts 6,915
  • Votes 7,508

If you have to take your current partner to court about a guest , your relationship is over . 

Post: Sell or hold- cashflow destroyed by property taxes

Matthew Paul#2 Contractors ContributorPosted
  • Severna Park, MD
  • Posts 6,915
  • Votes 7,508

Raise the rent . 

Post: What can make a bedroom legal?

Matthew Paul#2 Contractors ContributorPosted
  • Severna Park, MD
  • Posts 6,915
  • Votes 7,508

A bed would be the first thing , maybe a dresser and a night stand 

Post: Pictures taking of house condition

Matthew Paul#2 Contractors ContributorPosted
  • Severna Park, MD
  • Posts 6,915
  • Votes 7,508

A picture is worth 1000 lies 

Post: How to fund massive unexpected repair

Matthew Paul#2 Contractors ContributorPosted
  • Severna Park, MD
  • Posts 6,915
  • Votes 7,508
Quote from @Corbin H.:

@Matthew Paul, I'm on hold for the weekend until I can get other quotes. Supposedly this break happens up to the connection to the city. It does require excavating an alley 8ft deep, hydrojet line, backfill and bed pipe, compaction test, etc. I've already paid $4k for their initial work. This $20k is in addition to them already digging up the line. 


 No reason to hydro jet if they are replacing , backfill and bed the pipe is not a line iten , its putting sand around the pipe 6 inches and filling in the trench . 8 ft isnt that deep , still need a trehch box , but nothing out of the ordinary .  

Post: How to fund massive unexpected repair

Matthew Paul#2 Contractors ContributorPosted
  • Severna Park, MD
  • Posts 6,915
  • Votes 7,508

Get other estimates .  I have dug many a sewer line .  Unless its a 15 ft or deeper dig or road repairs , thats a high price ( based on Maryland ) .  Back 20 years ago doing new construction we could knock out 3 connections a day .  At  that number we could have retired after 2 years 

Post: Fixer Upper Condo Divorce Buyout

Matthew Paul#2 Contractors ContributorPosted
  • Severna Park, MD
  • Posts 6,915
  • Votes 7,508
Quote from @Account Closed:

Trying to offer ex an amount for condo were both on title and mortgage for. How do I get an accurate value based on HOA financial health and interior defects? Something in writing I can use in court to argue what the buyout value should be. Of course ex wants the Zestimate

Appraiser came by a year ago and didnt ask for any HOA financials (said none provided in report) and said any visible issues would only resort in a "cure cost" factored in the value. I dont understand why it wouldnt be appraised as is?

HOA has a Reserve Study outlining $400,000 in outstanding work that needs to be done between the two buildings and property. It reflects components of both buildings and community areas beyond their useful life. Roofs, Balconies, Fencing, Planters etc. With 8 units that is potentially $50,000 per unit. There is only $3,000 in the total HOA accounts.

Condo has alot of issues documented in a Home Inspectors Report. Deck is falling down (covered by HOA) but has resulted in an ongoing ceiling foyer leak. Same wall has an exterior defect that allows water to intrude through stucco from below due to no weep screet and soaks the base wood frame. Was previously rotted but replaced awaiting HOA fixing exterior. Inspection also reflects a Furnace leak needing replacement, six rotting french doors, 1/2 bath shoved in with grinded down and re mudded up drywall and some other minor issues.

Is there a special kind of report to include these factors in a value for an as is sale? 

She has refused to counter any amounts offered and were on path for a settlement conference and then hearing trial on the property.

I’d like a document in hand stipulating an as is value I can just offer to buy her out on. Or if she refuses it will possibly hold up in front of a judge to have them set a buyout price.


 Its simple the other party wants the zestimate . Tell them thats fine let them buy you out . 

There was a couple getting divorced , they owned a company . The wife had it appraised and said it was worth 2 million dollars . But the husband ran the company . When they were at the settlement table she threw down her numbers , the husband then agreed . And then turned the tables , he tossed the keys across the table and said , here its yours , cut me a check . Make sure you are there at 4 am to do xxxxxxx , this needs fixed , etc , etc . 

No one wins in a divorce , its just who thinks they won .  Half of nothing is nothing .  I would list the condo for sale and see what it brings . Sounds like the place is going to be a money pit any whey 

The house was up to code . Just not todays code . But making you pay half I dont believe is right .

One more .  Where do i find an investor friendly contractor ? To look at a property I do not own , and give me a free detailed estimate on rehab costs ?