All Forum Posts by: Zachary LaJoye

I’ve searched the forums and can’t find anything this specific so if this is redundant, I apologize. I’m getting ready to start a rehab on a duplex I just bought and I’ve been getting quotes on flooring. Each unit has an upstairs kitchen, large dining room and downstairs living room which I’ve decided to use vinyl planks on. After looking at Home Depot and Lowes, I’m trying to decide if the thicker vinyl planks are worth the extra $1ish per sq ft. Here’s what I’m looking at: 1) Allure Traffic Master. $1.69/ sq ft. 3.8mm thickness. 2) Lifeproof. $2.99/sq ft. 6.5 mm thickness. Does anyone prefer to go with the thicker vinyl? If so, why? Also, does anybody have any experience with vinyl flooring and stairs? Which products would you recommend? I’m willing to spend a little more on the stairs if it will last. Thanks.

Matt K. I’m installing myself as I’ve heard it’s pretty cut and dry. I can tell you Home Depot where I’m at charges $1.99/sq ft to install. I’m not sure if that was including removal and disposal of old flooring or not.

Closing on a duplex this week which currently has electric baseboard heat and window unit AC. I’m planning on installing an electric furnace/air conditioner in both units. Does anyone have any recommendations for good HVAC contractors in Cincinnati, OH? I have received one quote already from a large company in the area and the quote was quite astronomical. I’m not trying to be cheap about it but the quote I received was not justifiable from a value-add standpoint.

I look at credit scores as a good starting point. Anything below 650 could be a possibility but definitely requires a lot more homework. Income verification/work history etc.

The low money down house hack is a no-brainer. After that, looking at it from a psychological standpoint, I would say what’s going to keep you waking up every morning ready to tackle the day? Paying off student loans and ridding yourself of the heavy burden or getting into real estate more quickly and building an empire? I would say as long as you’re doing one of the two you’re on a pretty good path.

Home Depot carries Allure Vinyl flooring. Lowes carries a similar product. I’m going with the Allure Vinyl planks in a side by side duplex I’m currently closing on. Doing it myself and looking forward to the experience! You can go with peel and stick vinyl but I’ve heard mixed reviews on that.

Looks like good math to me. Depending on the age of the property, the maintenance cost you factored could be slightly low but not too far off. As long as the tenants are paying all the bills I would say you have everything covered. That nice return is the power of real estate and leverage at work!

I’ve lived in Cincinnati for 10 years now and I definitely would agree with the consensus of the other members on the forum. Boots on the ground is the only way to go. Generally the East side of the city is going to be very solid B and A properties turning suburban and rural relatively quickly as you approach the putter belt (I-275.) The West side and North side of the city is definitely much more of a melting pot with section 8 housing mixed throughout. As everyone is saying, you can have as few as one or two blocks separating C and A class properties. It’s definitely challenging but keeps you sharp investing in the area. Good luck with the search!

On the contrary, I’ve actually found small apartment complexes to be one of the easiest classes of real estate to find in my area. This is just from searching my local MLS. I’m also investing just 30 minutes outside of the third largest city in my state though. So perhaps your market is fundamentally different from mine.

BiggerPockets article shared by a friend on Facebook.