All Forum Posts by: Andrew S.

Hello BP!

I have a 1 bedroom apartment half of a duplex that I'll be finishing up the renovation on soon.  I'm debating renting out the unit fully furnished or not.  Just curious if people have found that increased rent from furnishing an apartment is worth the cost and time of furnishing it?

Thanks,

Andrew

Happy Monday BP!

I'm nearing completion on the renovation of my first house hack duplex project. The other half will be ready for rent in the next 2-4 weeks I'm estimating.  I'd like to start marketing the apartment for rent to start the tenant interviewing and application process.  I'm hesitant to post pictures of the current status since it's in construction, no flooring, trim, shelving, appliances, etc.  I also don't have a lease developed yet, focusing on the renovation lately. 

Would you recommend posting an online ad without pictures to gauge interest in the property?  Are no pictures better than in construction pictures? 

Is it worth interviewing potential tenants before allowing them to tour the property?

I would think it makes sense for tenant and landlord to tour the property once it's 95% complete at least and not before.  Maybe without the trim and some of the finishing touches?  Or should I wait to show it until it's 100% complete and move-in ready?

Thanks,

Andrew

I'm just about to finish renovating the other half of my first house hack duplex. Both sides were almost a gut remodel and taking about 2 months each doing it all myself. I'd recommend trying the renovation yourself, you'll learn a ton, hopefully get fulfillment, save a ton of money and only lose a little sanity. I'll be looking for landlording advice here in a few weeks

@marian smith I'm comfortable/ cool downstairs... my roommate says it gets hot because there's no airflow with only one vent up there. Not sure if they're just grasping at straws. I'm just going to give them a screen on the window vs. Current glass storm window. I don't need to go overboard on this and install an attic fan, etc.

Thanks, yeah my roommates say they wake up sweating at night with the house heat set to 60F, and it being 40 F outside..?  I don't plan to put in A/C in Montana when it's snowing out... 

Right now the wood double hung windows have 2 glass window sets/ exterior storm windows.  I think I'll just try to buy/ build some screen exterior storm windows to give to my upstairs

@Jason D. The upstairs bedrooms are in an A frame style.  The ceilings and upper half of the walls are the roof.  The bottom half of the side walls go into the attic space, if I remember correctly they're un-insulated?  Blown in cellulose insulation in the attic space above main floor.  I don't know what type of insulation is currently in the A-frame rafters. The home is in Montana which sees cold temps and up to 100 F in summer. The roof has a ridge vent on the A-frame but no soffit vents.

Good morning!

I recently moved in my first house hack in a 125 yr old house that I gutted and 5% finished before moving in.  I moved in with my old roommates - a couple with a dog.  They are using a small bedroom with a small closet relative to "normal" houses.  Rental comps of the area are $1000 min, $1200 average, $1400 high for a 3 bed/ 1 bath. 

I appreciate their willingness to live in a partial construction zone for a month? while I finish up the other half of the duplex and the 5% on our side.  I'm trying to balance reasonable/ fair rent prices and give them a little bit of a friend discount.

I originally offered $600 (+$25 for dog) rent price for them to share a room and share a spare bedroom with me for storage.  50% split use of the house between myself and them (which the couple combined realistically probably uses more than 50% of the house) They counter offered this first month for $500 based on the current construction status of the house.  Anyone have advice in this type of situation?

I maybe shot myself in the foot with explaining my rental price analysis and tried to have open conversations about this? I value them as friends and them willing to live with me while finishing up the place. 

If anyone else has learnings from house hacking with friends - I'll appreciate any advice.

Thanks!

Hey BP! 

I recently moved into my first house hack that I gutted and finished up to move-in with my old roommates.  They've complained about the upstairs bedrooms being hot and minimal air flow.  I currently have a storm window with no screens on the old wood sash windows.  Could I install a bathroom vent fan in the ceiling of the upstairs bedrooms to create air flow from downstairs to keep it cool?  I would think this would work? 

I have good attic access above the bedrooms. Since it won't be in the bedroom dealing with moisture - would I need to vent it outside or would venting it to the attic space or right underneath the roof vent be sufficient?

Thanks!

Every is do-able for DIY.  Youtube, Home Depot book, Google, a good mentor, and good coffee.  If there's a will there's a way. 

Thanks guys.  I ended up installing some wall insulation in the room.  I had the wall panel torn off for the window replacement so I ended up insulating.  At first, I didn't know it was only a $25 and 25 min job to add insulation. Easiest part of the window replacement project.