Finding Reputable Contractors

[Kyle Barazowski]

Good Afternoon,

I am not a very handy person and understand that hiring on contractors to complete rehabs can certainly add up.  I would be open to learning about DIY home improvement but not sure where I can get that instruction from.  How do people go about doing rehabs and flips in terms of not having a large amount of hard cash available (using credit cards or lumping repairs into FHA203K loans)  and how do you go about finding reputable contractors that will show up, work under specified budget, get it done in the time frame specified, and build relationships to utilize the same person/company across many deals?  

I am going over the various strategies and realistically realize that with purchasing my home last month in Schaumburg and relocating from Pennsylvania that I will need some time to save money to be able to have a down payment, reserves, money for repairs, and a cushion. I am contemplating getting my Real Estate License. I think that selling homes can help me generate a considerable amount of funds to be able to reinvest into investment properties. I think also having access to the MLS will give me more opportunities to learn about the market and get first dibs on deals that hit the market by developing relationships with other agents.

Thanks for then information.  I take a lot of time each day to read, educate myself, listen to podcasts, reach out to members in this community, and talk to current Investors to ensure I am competent enough to be a successful investor once I obtain my first investment property. 

[Jonathan Klemm]

Hey @Kyle Barazowski - Self-educating on rehabs and renovations is always a great idea.  I'd check out youtube for everything virtually and then home depot offers some decent in-person workshops.  Easier than trying to figure it out yourself I'd find someone who knows what they are doing and hang out with them as much as possible.  The book "who not how" changed my approach on business and life,  I rarely try to figure things out on my own and just focus my time on finding whos.

I'd highly recommend getting your license the education, market knowledge, and mls access make it well worth it.  One of my Chicago friends has a class to get the 75 hours and it's about as inexpensive as they get.  Feel free to hit me up and I Can make an intro for you.

Sounds like you are 100% on the right path:  Educate/learn, network, and taking action