All Forum Posts by: Bob Beach

@Paris Snow You may consider Yuba City/Marysville area.  It's about a 40 minutes commute from Sac. to the north.  We have one rental in that area and has been doing very well in that past few years.   

@Kelly Orth I've been considering the same thing.  We have half dozen buy and holds in Memphis, all purchased for in the $30k range or under. With little rehab (on some). This was 4 to 6 years ago and I don't believe you can get a "rehab-able" house in that price range anymore. Our houses have gone up in value and so have the rents we're getting. It's been a few months since I've looked but I would think $50k would be a starting point in Memphis. I, soon, will be looking for a rehab team that I can feel comfortable with. Best of Luck

Twice, over the past five years, I went to Midsouth about managing  a couple houses (but they needed some rehab).  The first time, they said it was out of there area.  That house was North Memphis, outside the city limits.  The second time was the needed rehabs.  They said they were doing 100 rehabs at the time and didn't have the ability to take on more projects.  So, I believe they would take a perfect house.  

  But, after reviewing emails to midsouth, I saw the reason I was leaving Reedy.  It was because the rehab estimates were the highest of the ones that I got and also that they were very slow getting to them. 

Here is the contact info for the guy I communicated with at Midsouth.  Maybe he can advise more than I can:
Matthew Vanhorn Branch Manager Mid South Best Rentals 901-274-5237 (P) 901-231-4992 (F)

Originally posted by @Edwin L.:

@Bob Beach, Who did you end up using as your PM?    

I'm currently with three PM's. Midsouth, RJ Property and LTIM. Midsouth is trouble free but you need a perfect house for them to manage. 

Originally posted by @Michael Hansen:

I'm a newbie at this.  What made you leave Reedy if you don't mind me asking?

It was a few years ago but I believe it was related to high repair costs. I think it was Zak that I dealt with.  They all say they can save you money over your current PM, then you move your properties over, then the got ya. 

I had three houses with Reedy a while back.  Stayed with them for about 6 weeks and and got my houses out as soon as I could. I recall, it cost me about $1300 for basically nothing. 

Originally posted by @Greg Scott:

It appears they installed the new coil on top of the old furnace air handler and blower.  The original quote shows the option of replacing the furnace and it appears just the AC components were added to the system.  Now that the blower has to push through both the heat exchangers and the coil, the blower isn't strong enough to move the air effectively.

It would make sense to me that if you are going to replace the blower for $600, and for $700 more you get a new furnace, I'd go 100% new, as they recommended.

An alternate solution, but an inelegant one, I have heard of people installing auxiliary fans in the ductwork that will turn on when the furnace blower is on.  Doing this might be a cheaper solution, but if it were me, I'd rather have a 100% integrated and new system.

If you take a look at the screen shot of the text.  They only installed the outside unit. But, an interesting solution with auxiliary fans.  I haven't heard of those but have already committed to the new inside unit with heater. 
  My main topic was more about the PM pushing me around, after their mistake, but I appreciate the input.  Thanks 

Originally posted by @Bruce Woodruff:

They screwed up, but OTOH, you do need a complete new HVAC system. So just bite the bullet and do it right.

I would let the PM company know that you expect them to have the expertise to advise you properly on things like this, and that you are disappointed....

Yes, I've already agreed to the, second biting of the bullet, and going with new heater and a/c coil, (inside unit). 
  I'm pretty sure they know I'm disappointed since I've argued every one of their responses. They just change the subject and the latest story is that, "We took a gamble and it didn't work". But, in the beginning, it was "lets' do this right, with central air". And we are now, "...surprised and disappointed". 
  I appreciate your response.  Thanks!!!

Originally posted by @Theresa Harris:

The person who installed the unit should have known what they were doing and if the unit was not the right size for the home they should have said something BEFORE it was installed.

Failing and not keeping up is sloppy wording, but can mean the same thing.  They are not technically the same, but most won't differentiate them.

Yes, I also believe the blame goes to the installer. They've circled the wagons around this guy and every time I discredit their argument, the argument changes. 

My biggest gripe was that, "central A/C" was the same as "outside unite only". So, if the house is listed as having "central air" it only means the outside part. No. 

Thanks for responding...

We've had investment properties, out of state, for the past 5 years.  We've moved a few houses (out of 6) to different PMs due to not being happy with honesty, fees, etc...  Now, we have a new company and they have been doing rehabs and repairs at a decent price. But now, we just finished a house, got it rented but the house didn't have central a/c.  We'd talked about installing window units, till more funds came in then Central air.  The house originally had a window unit installed in the wall.  They did say, the house already had heat.  So, we decided to bite the bullet, do it right and get central air.  Got the estimate for "central a/c". This is how it was worded in the estimate (attached).  In the past, they gave me an estimate for just an outside unit at $1300 to $1500, on another house.  Now it's installed and a few weeks later, the PM texts me and says, (attached). "Bad news, the inside unit can't keep up with the larger outside unit". And, "since I only approved the outside a/c unit, we now need to ad the inside part at another $1300." I argued, I didn't know there was an inside unit since it had a window unit in the past and I thought I was getting a complete Central air.  And, who installed an outside unit that was not compatible?  They now say, "The inside unit is failing". I ask, Failing or can't keep up.  They respond, "They mean the same thing". 

  We had another disagreement where the monthly statement shows, "May and June" but they insist, it only means "June", but I wont get into that. 

I feel like, they screwed up on the A/C and they act like I don't understand their "terminology". Is there something about real-estate terminology, I don't understand or am I being bullied?  Maybe a third option? (I'm just a complainer)  Thanks for thoughts...