Finding good contractors for your properties

[Garth Kukla]

Hello BP community,

Just wanted to share an experience that I felt would be helpful.  During their weekly podcast, Brandon Turner and Josh Dorkin has a variety of real estate investors on, sharing their tips.  During one show, several months back, it was recommended to find contractor's before you need them and this is where my post comes from.  In my own investing, I have taken that one step further by building relationships with such contractors, telling them my 5, 10, 20 year plan as well as sharing my mission statement, make sensen?

So, If your investment property is in a better neighborhood, such as a historic district or you live in a better neghborhood then reach out to your neighbors for recommendations.  I live and own property in a historic neighborhood and we have a yahoo group neighborhood email called listserv.  When you need anything, you put it out on listserv and get several recommendations back. with names, what project they did etc.  When I call someone, say HVAC guy, I tell him I'm in the neighborhood too and that you come highly recommended.  I then tell him about the properties I own and if treated well, would use his services again and also recommend him on our listserv.  I'm not saying this guarantees I won't have a bad contractor but I do believe this will reduce that greatly.

Well, happy investing and I hope 2015 is great for everyone here on BP.

Garth