All Forum Posts by: Lisa Bryant

Thank you Jay Hinrich's for answering. 

Has anyone used a Master Insurance Policy to cover multiple of their properties?  Recently had Travelers drop one of my homes claiming trees near roof.  The closest limb was over 15 feet away from roof so I suspect they just didn't want to insure the home for some other reason. My agent has suggested going to a Master Policy Plan for my properties.  Reinsure Pro is an Excess and Surplus lines non-admitted carrier.  They are not guided by the Texas Dept of Insurance.   Insurance is up for renewal on all properties and I would greatly appreciate any feedback. Currently the homes are all insured with Travelers.

Thank you

I use Venmo Non Goods and Services and Zelle. My lease is specific that any fees associated with online payments are tenants responsibility 

Hi Tracey,

I have a crew I use alot, they are currently working on a house in Watauga if you want to see what they do. we should be 99% done by Sunday. I have been using pretty much same people for last 5 or 6 years. This one took longer than normal as it was soooo full of roaches and dead rats. Looks gorgeous on inside now. I am not flipping but holding.

Anyhow, we usually get in and out in less than 4 weeks and that is major rehabbing.

I am finishing this house, and have one more partially started and I am retiring. I am exhausted!!!

I have never paid anyone 33% to start, not ever ever ever. If you want to stop by and see craziness we are working this weekend.

Congratulations on your new purchase, such fun! Oh and I love my realtor, I met her 10 or 12 years ago and she has been with me on all my purchases, sales, flips, etc.

Hi again,

Well I am not an expert in foundations, but on my humble opinion a one inch drop would not be significant. Another option is to hire a structural engineer, (ballpark $300 to $500) depending on house size, for their opinion.

There are so many areas of shifting soil here in the metroplex, that it is more common to have a house with settlement than one without. One inch is not much in my opinion but one inch over how many feet. I would get a second or third opinion before you spend that kind of money. Hope it works out for you.

Oh as far as cast iron, if I am at a kitchen sink and gutting a wall, that castiron vent is out of there, even if it looks okay. It's a personal thing, but they are prone to shifting and leaking so if a wall is being fixed then I do replace the cast iron stacj vent. As far as cast iron pipes, only if there is evidence of damage and most likely only on a pier and beam where access would be easy.

Welcome to the boards and congrats on being a landlord! I really enjoy being a landlord and love this forum. Glad you are here.

I have had quite a few houses have foundation work here in DFW over past twenty years, and only had two that had problems with plumbing. In all fairness, both actually had problems before the foundation work, and changing out some old castiron runs to pvc. Copper does well here, cast iron does eventually wear out or become problematic with slow draining. However, hydrojetting can work wonders on old cast iron pipes and its alot cheaper than new runs.

If I am tackling a major remodel, and I have a chance to change out old cast iron vent stacks to PVC I do. But I am not going to change out all the cast iron runs unless I have an actual problem with them; or (like some idiot poured concrete down drain).

I would be hesitant to spend the $$$ to change from cast iron to pvc on just the contractors supposition the pipes will fail. Did you have a camera look at conditions of pipes? That would be much cheaper to spend a few hundred bucks to have the pipes checked for cracks, leaks, damage than replace pipes that maybe perfectly fine or have another 20 years of life. If the pipes are in bad shape before the work, then yes they may be worse after the repair, but most plumbing here seems to do okay unless major, major foundation movement.

Hi Marlon, It is nice to meet another Fort Worth local.

Hello Mehran, thanks for the welcome to the boards. After reading all the excellent advice here, I am not sure how my advice could help. But then again, I have made every mistake possible at some point in past 20 years and if I could keep anyone from making a mistake I made, I would gladly do that.

I am really looking forward to being active on the boards.

Hi Jerone,

Just a warm welcome. I am over in Fort Worth and just introduced myself on forum. I have never been to any of the local investor meetings, but should go. My Real Estate agent has been encouraging me to go to investor meetings for 10 years, and I keep thinking I will. But it seems all I do is work....

Anyway, sound like you are off to a good start.

LB

Hello Biggerpockets.....

Finally taking the time to do an introduction after shamefully lurking here for a long long time. I love this forum and have learned so much.

My name is Lisa Bryant and I have been around rental properties my whole life. My parents had rental properties, I worked for an investor 30 years ago and maintained his properties, and now with my husband have 10 properties,single property residences, that we rent and property manage ourselves.

I think I am actually addicted to houses....

Anyway, nice to be here.

Lisa B.