All Forum Posts by: Nick R.

Hi all,

I just received a letter from the lender on my primary home stating that I have an escrow shortage and that my new monthly payment is going from $1,138/month to $1,306/month (a 15% increase). I've never had an escrow shortage like this before. I refinanced with this company last July. Did the mortgage broker fudge the numbers to make it look much more attractive for me to refi, knowing full well that I'd end up with an escrow shortage? 

The second issue is, I had been considering renting this house out soon but with such a drastic change in the monthly escrow cost, I'm afraid this may occur again in the future and could really affect the potential to cash flow. Do I have any recourse, can I file a complaint with any organization?

 So, if I understand correctly, my wife and I can EACH have 10 mortgages? Or is it 10 mortgages total?

I'm in the process of looking for a primary residence and have heard differing opinions on whether or not you should apply for a mortgage with multiple brokers. Some say it's not good for your credit to have additional inquiries while on the other hand, you're really cheating yourself by not shopping around. What are your thoughts??

Just saw your post Jon. Thanks for the detailed answer!!

It did crack recently thanks to this very early winter blast that we all loved *rolling my eyes*. I want a quick fix without having to alter the pipes in any way. Is there no type of epoxy or cement or anything that I could use to seal the small crack?

I'll insulate the pipes as well once I figure out a fix to hopefully prevent this from happening a second time :)

It's leaking whenever the water is turned on and I have a pic below to illustrate the leak. I'm wondering if there is any type of bonding cement/sealant I could use to patch the leak as opposed to having to replacing the piping or even cutting off the pipe and capping it.

Hi all,

Any suggestions on any home stagers in the DFW area? I'm looking to stage a couple of rooms for a house in Irving. Thanks!

Hi all,

I had an appraisal done this past July when I refinanced and it came in at $177,000. I'm planning on selling the property now and since the appraisal was done I've made a few improvements and would like some opinions on what you think the property may now appraise for. Here's a list of the improvements:

-Replaced the roof

-Landscaped the front yard with new sod, shrubs, flowers, mulch, etc.

-Added a closet to the Mother-in-Law bedroom

-Replaced the water heater

Now, I realize these items won't add tens of thousands of dollars to the value but am thinking of listing the house for $184,900 which is near the higher end of the market for this neighborhood; I think I could list it for $189,900 and still draw interest but I'd like to sell ASAP. Should I get an offer for $185k, it should not have much of a problem appraising for at least $180k (given the recent improvements), correct?

What are your thoughts?

Hi all, I have a flip that is in DESPERATE need of a new front lawn for some curb appeal. My concern is laying down sod in early October. I'm in Dallas and the daily low temps typically don't get cold here (freezing temps) until mid-late November. Do you think it'd be ok to lay the sod in October? Any tips or advice is greatly appreciated.

Hey Cole, 

The house is 2219 sq ft and is a U-shape with a patio area in the back in the middle of the "U". It has no sky lights, one fireplace, the pitch is low, and I'm certain there are a couple of rotten areas that'll need to be repaired. I'll have a crew of 5 for at least one day and I'll have up to 5 days off where I can work on it by myself. I'm not a roofing "pro" but also not a complete newbie at it. I figure with a crew of five and renting a dumpster, we could get it torn off in a day or two.... does that sound achievable or am I smoking a pipe dream??