All Forum Posts by: Debra R.

We moved to Redford from out of state last year and are really very happy. Our neighborhood is super quiet. There are lots of people who have been living here for decades.  In that year nothing has "gone missing" even though we leave a lot of stuff in the unfenced yard.  This house was empty for a year before we got it and it wasn't vandalized. 

You can get more house for your money in Redford compared to other nearby cities.  When you're ready to move on you can easily rent it or sell.   Redford has been a good stepping stone for us.  in a year or 2 we'll either sell or rent this house and move, only bc we want more land than we have here.  

The area we live in is south of the golf course and north of 96.  I hear that the south-west corner of Redford is also good.

@Abhi Golhar Tony O'Brien seems to still be working some sort of scam.  I have no idea who he is.  He sent me an email invite to amazon business.  Which caused me to research his name and I found this thread.  Message me if I can be of help in any way.  

This is an excellent, detailed list!  Thank you Charlie! 

I'll be interviewing agents next week to sell my 4 unit apartment building.  What are some questions that you would ask if you were choosing a multi-family agent for the first time?  

We used John McAuliffe with Quality Home Inspection, Inc. when we recently bought a home in Redford, MI.  He was very thorough, knowledgeable and patient.  I think he spent about 3 hours going over the house with us.  I'd definitely hire him again.  I don't remember the cost but I think it was around 300 or 400?

Welcome to BP!

We recently bought a single family brick ranch with an attached garage.  The previous owner had passed away and her cousin was in charge of selling it.  We're living in the home while we rehab it.  Just today we found out the previous owner committed suicide in the garage.  Isn't this something a seller is legally required to disclose?  Does a suicide make a house harder to sell or rent?  

from Indiana's website:

http://www.in.gov/core/bg_licenses.html

"The term "contractor" can be very confusing, as it is used in many business settings. As mentioned earlier, an

The title of "contractor" is most commonly used to refer to those involved in construction or renovation of structures. It may be used to refer to general contractors, HVAC contractors, electrical contractors, or plumbing contractors. The only construction contractors licensed by the State of Indiana are plumbers.

Many of the other specific areas require local licensing which vary by city and county. For information regarding “Certification of Independent Contractor Status and Worker's Compensation Exemption” see Section I-C-2, page 11."

Hopefully your property is in an area covered by local licensing.  

I had our 4 plex in Alameda treated for termites by mighty mite.  There was evidence of previous termites and in one spot there was a small active infestation.  I also had wood boring beetles in the garage.  Mighty mite treated the house by drilling holes around the foundation and putting in the pesticide then refilling the holes.  In the active area they injected the pesticide in to the wood itself.  For the beetles in the garage they used orange oil.  I paid extra for a 3 (7?) year guarantee.  That was 4 yrs ago and it's still working.  

I've allowed tenants to rent with dogs sometimes.  Having been a dog trainer I have different worries about that than most landlords.  I'm more worried about noise and/or fearful aggressive dogs than destruction.  Dog owners often don't know their dog has separation anxiety and barks continuously while the owner is gone.  These dogs are also the ones most likely to damage a unit.  Dog owners often won't admit even to themselves that their dog is a fear biter.  Both of these issues make it more likely that you'll have turnover of other tenants.  Many places limit the size of the dog allowed, but I think it's the temperament that is more important.  

Here's what I've done:

1. Allow dogs that are AKC certified Canine Good Citizens.  That means that a dog trainer certified by the AKC has deemed the dog to have not shown any temperament issues during the test, that the dog knows some basic commands,and is friendly with strangers and other dogs.  This also shows you that the owner is responsible.  Anyone who goes to the trouble of getting the CGC is knowledgeable and involved in training their dog.  

2. extra pet deposit and extra pet rent and a detailed pet addendum to the lease

3 . require renters insurance in the amount of XXX and add me as an additional insured

4. meet the dog before hand

5. make sure your insurance company doesn't have any breed restrictions and if it does exclude those - and know that many pit bulls are called lab mixes