All Forum Posts by: David Hughes

I'm building a STR that should be complete in March. Can I buy the furniture this year and expense it even though the property is not finished?

I think if you're going for the Level 2 high end model you could pay around the $6k mark. I'm looking at a Level 1 charger that will have an easy install since we're still building and wont have to spend extra time fishing wires or anything like that. I've been told to expect somewhere around $1,000. As for the demand somewhere around 70% of all EV drivers earn 100k+ which is the demographic that my cabin is designed for. I don't think people will necessarily book the cabin for this plug in. But if they are weighing options between mine and another nice cabin, it could provide the incentive needed to push them to book my cabin over a competitors. 

Maybe not. It's something I'm weighing out. The market in east TN is starting to get more and more competitive so I'm just trying to think of all the amenities that would set my cabin apart. The upfront cost seems relatively small so this is an idea that I thought of but wanted to gather some more information before making a decision. We're in the process of building still so its not a current cabin where I can look through historical data to see what kind of vehicles have been driven there. 

I'm considering putting a charging station in my STR. I don't have an EV so I'm a bit unfamiliar with exactly how these operate or liabilities that they create. My fear is that if my charging station somehow causes damage to a renters vehicle then I've just opened myself up to liability. Maybe this is an unfounded fear though. Does anybody have experience in this arena they can share?

Chuck, as a man with 3 kids, I can appreciate that dad joke. haha. 

Ivan, my original plan when I started in the area last year was to buy. However, after we bought our first house prices started getting really out of hand. I probably put in 20+ offers last year (all same day, all over asking) and lost out on all of them. Building is currently cheaper than buying. The downside is the build will take around 12 months +/- to come online. For me though, the wait is worth the return.  

Thanks Kyle. Do you say that from personal experience or personal preference? Like I said I'd personally rather have the view but if ROI is better without it than I'd be happy to go that route. What I'd REALLY like to have is a lot with a view and a comfortable drive but those lots are reaching into the 150k+ ballpark which I'm not prepared to pay.

I am currently in contract on a piece of land in Gatlinburg (Cobbly Knob area) with a monster view. Its a 10/10. The downside is the drive up there is a bit iffy. One lane road, kind of steep, sharp drop off, poorly paved. Being from Ohio and not having mountains around me I will only vacation at places with views so the drive up the mountain is worth it to me. That being said, this is less for personal use and more for an investment. My question is this: From an ROI perspective is it better to have a place with a view if the road is a little sketchy. Or better to build with no view and a more comfortable drive to the house? Thoughts?

Continuing with the pool question. I am designing a 2 bedroom cabin right now and am on the fence about whether to add a pool or not. I know pools give you a higher return however I'm building in the cobbly knobb subdivison which has 3 pools already. Am I wasting my money by adding an indoor pool to this cabin?

I am interested in purchasing foreclosed properties in the Columbus, OH area. Besides for the regular research of market conditions/rehab costs what kind of research should I be doing? What potential pitfalls should I be on the lookout for?