Scabbed together quadplex grew from a single family, Toledo Ohio

Scabbed together quadplex grew from a single family, Toledo Ohio

Oregon, OH · Member since 2016 · 23 posts · 12 votes

I am looking at a deal on a quadplex that has been scabbed together over the past hundred or so years. It's got three units rented, 2 @ 400 + 1 @ 360 with the 4th unit vacant. The seller is asking $80,000.

The carpets are old, the lead paint is peeling, the mold is taking over the bathrooms, the main boiler and radiator plumbing needs to be removed but has already been replaced by electrical baseboard and wall mounted radiators. The units all have electric hot water tanks that are wired to their respective units allegedly. The basement looks like something out of a horror movie, complete with knock down brick walls, dirt floors, and literal tree trunks used as floor joists for the first floor. Oh, and the second floor apartment has a walkout balcony that doubles as a rear entrance / exit in addition to the roof of the first floor.

Not knowing much about estimating rehab costs, I would ball park it at a $30,000 renovation minimum. With all four units rented my back-of-the-napkin math indicates it should cash flow about $800 as is while paying $800 for insurance taxes and mortgage

Am I a fool for even considering this? By all rights it sounds like a terrible idea everywhere except the money which is so intoxicating because I believe I can update the units and get significantly better rent out of them closer to the tune of $600 to $700 a month bringing this up to a 3% or better deal

0Reply
23 views

Most Popular Reply

Andrew FidlerBusiness Member
Real Estate Broker · Toledo, OH · Member since 2011 · 384 posts · 434 votes
9y

@Jason Richey

$80k would net you four  3 bedroom houses with modern gas forced furnaces and a proper (sellable) lay out. 

You would also be setup to sell to a home owner some day (retail) vs an investor who will expect wholesale. 

$2800/mo gross rent, easily double your net profit and far easier management. 

Houses also qualify for section 8 far easier (no common spaces) and families will stay far longer than a single or couple In an apartment. 

I would walk from this opportunity. The price is insane...for $80k you would have to be valued around $120-160k to make it even worth your risk. Esp when $30k becomes $60k...and you know you have to comply with the new city lead law by July 1st of next year right??

I have a four plex that is half renovated in 43608...I'd sell you that for $40k or complete all the renovations and tenant the last two units for $$60k. I'd say the property is worth $80k completed so there's meat on the bone. (That would be a workable deal)

I don't specialize in the east side but I'm a full-time landlord/investor who just happens to be Property Manager (in my area and for select owner personalities...we don't skimp on the tenant strictness or holding our owners to owning safe, well-maintained houses.) and I am a realtor in my free time. Let me know if I can help you out!

See this reply in the discussion

9 Replies

Jump to latestLatest
  • Andrew FidlerBusiness Member
    Real Estate Broker · Toledo, OH · Member since 2011 · 384 posts · 434 votes
    9y

    @Jason Richey

    $80k would net you four  3 bedroom houses with modern gas forced furnaces and a proper (sellable) lay out. 

    You would also be setup to sell to a home owner some day (retail) vs an investor who will expect wholesale. 

    $2800/mo gross rent, easily double your net profit and far easier management. 

    Houses also qualify for section 8 far easier (no common spaces) and families will stay far longer than a single or couple In an apartment. 

    I would walk from this opportunity. The price is insane...for $80k you would have to be valued around $120-160k to make it even worth your risk. Esp when $30k becomes $60k...and you know you have to comply with the new city lead law by July 1st of next year right??

    I have a four plex that is half renovated in 43608...I'd sell you that for $40k or complete all the renovations and tenant the last two units for $$60k. I'd say the property is worth $80k completed so there's meat on the bone. (That would be a workable deal)

    I don't specialize in the east side but I'm a full-time landlord/investor who just happens to be Property Manager (in my area and for select owner personalities...we don't skimp on the tenant strictness or holding our owners to owning safe, well-maintained houses.) and I am a realtor in my free time. Let me know if I can help you out!

  • Investor · La Vernia, TX · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 865 votes
    9y

    Howdy @Jason Richey

    If this is your first deal then let me politely answer your question.  YES, you would be a fool to consider this property.  @Andrew Fidler covered some of the reasons.

    Just from the information you provided it sounds like a gut job.  Mold remediation, old plumbing, old flooring, old electrical (possibly),  lead paint remediation, total paint job, etc ...  It will probably need a lot you didn't cover or not aware of.  As Andrew said $50 - $60K Rehab sounds more like it.

    Jason when you are evaluating properties the first thing you must determine is the current Fair Market Value for similar properties based on  recently sold comps.  What should the property be worth if it was fully updated and brand new lipstick.  Know what the Rental Market rates are for the area for those types of units.  Have a General Contractor walk the property with you and get a preliminary bid for the repairs.  Or at least have someone knowable tour the property with you.

    Yes the numbers look intoxicating.  But !!!!!  The property needs to be professionally inspected so you would know what you are getting into.

    If I were you I would take Andrew up on his offer to help you.

  • Engelo RumoraBusiness Member
    Investor · Toledo, OH · Member since 2013 · 4k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    9y
    Originally posted by @Jason Richey:

    I am looking at a deal on a quadplex that has been scabbed together over the past hundred or so years. It's got three units rented, 2 @ 400 + 1 @ 360 with the 4th unit vacant. The seller is asking $80,000.

    The carpets are old, the lead paint is peeling, the mold is taking over the bathrooms, the main boiler and radiator plumbing needs to be removed but has already been replaced by electrical baseboard and wall mounted radiators. The units all have electric hot water tanks that are wired to their respective units allegedly. The basement looks like something out of a horror movie, complete with knock down brick walls, dirt floors, and literal tree trunks used as floor joists for the first floor. Oh, and the second floor apartment has a walkout balcony that doubles as a rear entrance / exit in addition to the roof of the first floor.

    Not knowing much about estimating rehab costs, I would ball park it at a $30,000 renovation minimum. With all four units rented my back-of-the-napkin math indicates it should cash flow about $800 as is while paying $800 for insurance taxes and mortgage

    Am I a fool for even considering this? By all rights it sounds like a terrible idea everywhere except the money which is so intoxicating because I believe I can update the units and get significantly better rent out of them closer to the tune of $600 to $700 a month bringing this up to a 3% or better deal

    I'll be short sharp and sweat lol

    It would depend on the area and how cheap you can buy it.

    Personally, I'd want to be into a multifamily for for $15,000 - $20,000max per unit (Purchase and rehab)

    It would also need to be a B class property/area otherwise I'd want to "buy in" even cheaper

    Sometimes the area is rough that getting paid to take the deal of a sellers hands isn't worth it (Yes, it happened to me many times hehe)

    Much success

  • Oregon, OH · Member since 2016 · 23 posts · 12 votes
    9y

    Thanks for the responses and confirmation to avoid this property. @Andrew Fiddler, I might take you up on your offer. Not exactly a fan of Central Toledo but if the numbers work the numbers work

  • Andrew FidlerBusiness Member
    Real Estate Broker · Toledo, OH · Member since 2011 · 384 posts · 434 votes
    9y

    @Jason Richey

    43608 does stretch south to St Vincent's Hospital but I highly recommend you stay away from there. North end of 43608 that begins to border on 43612 is fine in my experience. (25 houses owned and managed for going on a decade). 

    43612 and 43613 are excellent "starter" zip codes but you will be fighting every out of town investor thus the property prices have doubled in the past few years. What was $20k is now $40...a bombed out foreclosure needing $15k in work is now a multiple bid sale at $18k. 

  • Oregon, OH · Member since 2016 · 23 posts · 12 votes
    9y

    Sage advice from the Real Estate Dingo himself! Your story on the BiggerPockets podcast was deeply inspirational to me, I hope you consider doing another one. 

  • Oregon, OH · Member since 2016 · 23 posts · 12 votes
    9y

    Solid information Andrew Fidler, I remember seeing those $3,000 and $5,000 properties everywhere a few years ago and thinking to myself how crazy it was the people would sell so cheap and there must be something horribly wrong with it at those prices. Lot of people got rich buying up that property

  • Engelo RumoraBusiness Member
    Investor · Toledo, OH · Member since 2013 · 4k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    9y
    Originally posted by @Jason Richey:

    Sage advice from the Real Estate Dingo himself! Your story on the BiggerPockets podcast was deeply inspirational to me, I hope you consider doing another one. 

    haha

    Thanks mate

    I've tried to get back on a few times as I've 10x'd in business and life since the last podcast haha

    These guys @Joshua D. and @Brandon Turner stopped liking me a while ago tho

    Stope by by our office sometimes

    You can't miss it lol

  • Investor · La Vernia, TX · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 865 votes
    9y

    @Jason Richey

    Sad to say, but, I think we may see some of the "owners selling cheap " in the wake of the Hurricanes in Texas and Florida.  Some will not want to deal with the rebuilding process.  They might just want to cut their losses and get out.  Good opportunity for Rehab investors (like myself), but, still sad.

Join the conversationCreate a free account to reply, vote on answers and follow this thread.