All Forum Posts by: Matt Everling

@Daniel Dietz Thank you Daniel. Your generous advice based on years of experience is exactly what I needed to hear to keep me on track with my original plan. And also for confirming what I thought when I first started doing research in my target market: that side by side duplexes are much better than over-under for the same reasons you stated.

Thanks again. I hope I can return the favor.

@James Galla Thanks James, I really appreciate your insight! You have given me something to consider in my investing strategy.

I have recently read a few posts where other investors have stated that renters in the Midwest prefer to rent single family homes rather than a unit in a duplex, triplex, etc.

Is this valid?

@Ronald Rohde Thanks for your message. The home is located in Grayson County.

@Michael Plaks Thank you Mr. Plaks! I will follow up on your referral.

Thank you gentlemen! My wife thanks you too! I will give your referral a call. 

BP collective genius, my wife's father lived in The Great State of Texas and recently passed away. He has a will but his wife has not filed for Probate. My wife has filed an Affidavit of Heirship claiming her right to 1/2 of the equity in her Dad's house. We just found out that her step mother pulled $100k of equity out of the property and is now trying to refi again, probably to pull out more equity without telling us.

Can anyone help shed some light on what our rights are in this case? 

Can anyone recommend a good Texas Real Estate Attorney that could help us understand what our rights are? Thanks for any help!

@Jonathan Gomez Call the Planning Dept, give them the address and ask them to tell you what the current zoning designation is and if it permits a duplex. Then call the Bldg. Dept, give them the address and ask them if permits were pulled for the second unit. If no permits were pulled, then the added unit would be illegal. If the zoning does allow for the second unit, but there are no permits, the Bldg. Dept will likely charge you double the fees because the work was done without permits. Is the zoning does not allow for the second unit, it will have to be removed.

@Jessica Jay-Maleski I was a City Planner for the Town of Gilbert for 5 years. You need to check what the minimum lot area per unit requirement is in the R-3 zone. For example, if the minimum lot area per unit in the R-3 zone is 2,000 SF, then an 8,000 SF lot could allow for 4 units. Make sure you know what your net lot area is vice the gross lot area. For example, say the lot is 6,000 SF, but the Engineering Dept requires a 20-foot right-of-way dedication for new curb, gutter and sidewalk improvements across the street frontage of your lot. Subtracting that area gives you your net lot area.

You also need to check what the minimum unit sizes are based on the number of bedrooms in each unit. Each city has its own requirements on the minimum interior floor area of a 1 bedroom, 2 bedroom, etc.

@Aaron Brown Thanks for the great post! I too am in the same stages of researching Indy and much appreciate all the great info you’ve learned and the insight.