All Forum Posts by: Tricia O'Brien

I need a  a contractor or handyman for residential properties who works in Muncie (Delaware county)? Any suggestions?  Thanks!

As Jay Hindrichs suggested, the difficulty is in the class C and D properties. My tenant not paying in the Midwest  is in a  class D rental.  Life's tough since the 1 year rapid rehousing govt subsidy ran out!

Hello Craig Sloan,  Yes I still need input. Please send me a PM. thanks! Tricia O'Brien

I think all the prancing and swagger may end here soon too!  

I have 2 SFR, one in California and 1 in Indiana. The one in California paid 100%. The one in Indiana paid $0 even though both adults are on Social Security and have not had any change in income. They've been struggling for a long time and it looks like they are seeing the pandemic as a free ride. The CARES act does not cover them as I see it because they are not currently on a govt housing program like section 8 although they used to be on the rapid rehousing program ( a different federal program through HUD) .This ended Oct 1, 2019 at my property. Also, I don't have a govt backed mortgage like Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.

Any thoughts on CARES act exemptions ?

I'm hoping maybe I can evict them if they don't pay rent once Indiana lifts its moratorium on evictions which is currently in effect until May 1 (the current end date of the stay at home order for Indiana) 

Will try a "Dear tenant" letter in the next few days and see what happens

I agree.. all the prancing and swagger here may end soon . I have 2 SFR. One paid 100%. The other has struggled for months and now is worse. THe struggleing one p

cial SEcurity Disability and thi 

I think the vacancy rate estimation is pretty low. If each unit were vacant 1 month per year that would be about an 8% vacancy rate. I would use that in your estimate to be on the safe side. Also, I would want to meet the onsite property manager team in advance, interview them, see if you are comfortable with them before going forward  with them.   

Are concrete footers the strips of concrete I see in mobile home parks sometimes that  are about 2 feet wide and 80 or 90 feet long... and the edge of the mobile home (the metal frame or chassis) is placed on the footer?

I'm looking at buying a vacant lot, then getting a used single wide mobile home for it. The purpose would be to rent it out through a property manager just like a regular single family home. Where I invest (East Central Indiana) there are many used mobile homes for sale (mostly in mobile home parks) and vacant lots for sale.  Most of the mobile homes priced well and in good condition sell within 14 days on facebook marketplace

However, there are 3 problems I've run into.  First, the zoning rules vary widely from one town/city to another regarding set backs, minimum size of home you can place on a lot, etc. Some towns are much more "mobile home friendly" than others.  The second  problem is it is difficult to find people who will do preparation of the land for the mobile hand ,and also  I don't really know what is better/easier/cheaper...putting concrete pillars in the ground every 8 feet or putting down an asphalt or concrete slab. Third , I have heard you are supposed to have a "licensed mobile home installer" attach the home to the ground, but I have called some of them in the big cities and these people won't  come to a small town 75 miles from Indianapolis. Is it really necessary to have a licensed mobile home installer for a single wide mobile home?

Would it be feasible to do it in these five steps ?:

1) First, buy the land and a mobile home within 60 days of each other and have the mobile home moved there, keeping the hitch and axle and wheels in place 

2) Second, get a perimeter wall or concrete pillar every 8 feet built under the  frame of the mobile home. Get the mobile home anchored to the ground by cables. Then remove the wheels and hitch and axle. Have all this done by a handyman

3) Third, get water and sewer lines put in and connected (plumber) . Get electrical connected (electrician)

4) Do any cleaning , painting , etc needed to get it rent ready

4) Get a tenant!

If this is a lousy plan , which step should I change?  If I'm not sure in advance what size home I'll be buying (14x70 vs 16x80 feet) does that change how I should do the land preparation steps? Is it better to do the concrete or asphalt slab than the perimeter wall or concrete pillars?

Any replies would be appreciated! Thanks!

Hello Michinori Kaneko,  thanks for the referral! Have you used Vicki Roy for property management?

I am an out of state investor who currently owns one investment property in Muncie and am looking at buying another one in Indiana, possibly close to Fort Wayne. I found a good opportunity in Huntington county, just south of Fort Wayne, and need to find some real estate professionals who work in that area. Possibly a realtor based in Huntington or Fort Wayne? The property is in the town of Andrews. Any replies would be appreciated!

If I'm planning on accepting section 8 in 3-6  months, can I apply now even though I currently have a cash paying tenant in  my single family rental in Indiana?