All Forum Posts by: Brian Mathews

You probably want to be named as an additional insured on his insurance policy.  

I used to work with a builder that did this .  He built specs years ago and sold a lot of them.   Then just built them and kept them.   He used cash, no loans and held them.   I think he has somewhere around 100 paid for rentals now.   He kept it very simple.   He had about 3 or 4 plans he built over and over.   Nothing fancy.  3/2/2.   Basic rooflines and interior.   I think he's pretty much retired now at 55.  

 I know the feeling.   I get it a lot with a/c.   

 Wow.  Somebody on here who gets the "tax benefits" principle  I think people try to sound or be to sophisticated rather than use common sense.   The gov't won't do anything with your money except put it in their pockets or send it to some 3rd world craphole.   

I don't think there is a low cost remedy.   I'd call around on pricing.   Use a local company, not a chain.  

Obviously you don't own a business and don't know the costs associated with running a business.   There is a lot more to figuring out how much a part costs, subtracting that from the total of the job and that is an hourly rate.   You also have to take into account licensing, insurance, taxes, overhead, vehicle costs, such as tires, oil changes, breakdowns, etc...   I don't physically do all the work in my company.   I have employees to do most of the work.   I have to pay them as well as pay my share of employer taxes, provide some level of benefits and pay them a wage that they can live off of.   Sure I can find some joker for less money.   But do you want that person on your job site to steal from you or get hurt? Then what?  I pay workmen's comp and have general liability insurance in excess of $1 million.   It protects you and me.    @Curt Riffel  If that guy only took 2 hours to do the job.   You got screwed over. He should have evacuated it for several hours before restarting.   The distributor charged him $100 to process the warranty.    Hopefully he put new freon in it and installed filter dryers on both the suction and liquid lines or you'll be changing that compressor again.   Processing fee, freon and filter dryers easily run $400 - $500.    

 It's a well spent $75.   They wouldn't be responsible for it if it broke.   They'd want you to pay to fix it and they'd still take it when they left.     They are tenants for a reason.   Don't let them spend money on your property.   You'll live to regret it.  

I wouldn't split it with them unless you're willing to lose the fridge when they move out.   Either you buy it and it's yours or they buy it and it's theirs or you both buy it and its theirs.  Who will pay to fix it if it breaks?   Seems like a lot of potential hassle for $225.  Buy it and be done with it.    

Just go online.  Order a stove from Lowes and have it delivered.   You don't even have to go to the store  

I smell a rat. Hopefully I'm wrong. Maybe she's not of sound mind. Give you a property for free? Why would anybody do that? Because they like you? She's only had one person offer her $45K. Why not just hire a realtor and sell it on the MLS for that amount? Even in need of repairs. Proceed with extreme caution.