All Forum Posts by: David Gonzalez

Whether or not it makes sense to install HVAC would depend on the market and the premium A/C commands in the market. With older buildings you may have asbestos and should factor the cost of Asbestos abatement as well.

Home Depot is a good company to buy paint from if you already know what the exact color is. For paint matching go to your local Sherwin Williams retail outlet. They are professional and they know how to match paint. If you are planning a big project through Sherwin Williams buy it through your paint contractor. They get significant discounts for the paint if they register with the company.

A REALTOR will have access to the most complete and accurate sales information. A GREAT REALTOR will be able to expand the CMA further and include not just comparable homes but additional neighborhoods that buyers would find equally desirable. I have not found a way where buyers can pull that information from Zillow or REALTOR.com.

The question you should ask is: "What do I want out of a brokerage?" I have been an agent since 2012 and have worked with a number of brokerages over the years. What I can tell you is that brokers are a dime a dozen and it is a commodity business. If you are starting out I suggest you find a mentor or work under a successful agent. Brokers will say they will train you but the training will be limited at best. If you want to go it alone find a brokerage that has good branding and invest in a coaching program. If money is an issue buy a good book and find people in your area you can practice with. Start with what you want out of a broker relationship and focus on the value you will get and not the cost.

Check zoning and make sure it is not a 16 unit that is grandfathered in.

Depends on what you are looking to do. Hard Money is expensive and is a short term loan. This works great if you want to buy a property with minimal hassle (or properties you can't get traditional financing with) and will be able to either sell the property or refinance it within a short period of time. Loan officers will give you cheaper money and it is best to use for long term buy/hold or to use the BRRR method.

I would give them a rent credit ONLY for the days that the home had no A/C. Hard to say what the cause of the high bill is and what was caused by the A/C unit.

Price and updating the painting may work. Another idea is to increase the number of showings and to show the homes after 5pm and on the weekends. The issue may not be the price/benefits but that you are not showing it enough. Many people go into a lease because it is "good enough" and not because it is optimal mix of price/benefit.

I would consider the cost of updating the home to attract the hire rent and the time it would take to fix it.

Start with finding the highest and best use for the lots. Look at the zoning, water rights, encumbrances etc. Identify who would buy that lot (and why) and work backwards from there. Because of how few players the land market has and the nuances of selling land I would suggest you partner on this deal with some one who sells land. Secure it with an option? Partner with the owner and developer to develop it?