All Forum Posts by: Erin Margaret

This 2 bed 1 bath is ultimately a brrr hopefully before the end of the summer after we build a garage/ water proof the basement and make the bathroom functional again. (No electricity of any kind including no light fixture?!) It's in a neighborhood of overly adorable craftsmen bungalows and old brick tudors so I'm going to have to step up my curb appeal game if I want to blend in. I was thinking window boxes to match the red trim? But I can't really expect tenants to keep Up with them. Wooden steps instead of the old concrete ones? Maybe some sort of hedge? Again maybe a rental nightmare. Any and all curb appeal ideas appreciated. Thank you

Replace replace replace Spending 1500 to repair it only to have it break again before the other warranty would have been up anyway means you would have likely spend the 4500 on repairs and still have an old system. Replace it and scrap out the old one to recoup a few hundred bucks

I've purchased two condemned properties now. Usually it's just a matter of hiring certified contractors, having the building inspector hand you a big stack of paperwork saying what you need to do to bring the entire place up to code and the working down the list. In Alaska the building codes were questionable at best so I didn't even have to get a second inspection. In Wisconsin the whole place had to be brought up to modern code standards which cost about 35k more than I wanted to spend. Possible? Yes Fun? No But you should be able to get a fantastic deal.

Hello there BP land! I'm trying to work out some creative financing for a massive historical renovation that has gone a bit over budget. My father is willing to help out with the estimated 25k we are going to need to finish the job but is concerned about the 'gift tax'. My question is, if he uses his money out of his own account and pays invoices directly how would the gift tax apply? He so far has put some funds in to a joint account which I have taken out as cash to pay contractors. Does gift tax apply there? I agree there should be some piece of legal paperwork involved incase something happens but should it be written up as a loan or as he is a co-investor?

The requirements vary per state. I have heard good things about career webschool and Kaplan but I haven't bitten the bullet to start them my self yet. Both sites will tell you what requirements you need to complete to get the license in your state

Unfortunately I paid him 1/2 down. I called around and most places are booked out a month or more. Found a guy out of Minnesota who can start next Friday and work through the weekend but if he doesn't finish I'll be varnishing my self. I just up just have to get my lawyer to write a grumpy letter to the first guy and hope I get at least part of the down payment back

Hello there BP land! I am in the final home stretch of an intense 1857 historic rehab. We have been going since may and are down to just refinishing the floors and a few final touches. I hired a guy who came with decent references to refinish the floors over a month ago. He said the whole building would take 2 weeks. He has sanded one room and half of another and hasn't shown up since. I am not nearly as intimidating as I need to be so I had my father and my contractor both call him he has promised to show many days and is never there. I've had to push back the photographer twice now and I'm afraid getting deeper in to winter it is going to get harder to sell. Any advice on what I should do about this guy? Everyone else is booked out at least a month. Should I just rent a sander and see if I can do it my self? Sounds dangerous

I have only ever used vistaprint. They are a tad slow but you can often find 50% off coupons and free shipping if you look

I dint know about a shed per say but my neighbors recently built a "guest house" above their garage and are living there while leasing their house. Check with city ordinances some towns are strict on how many units can be in a lot

I lived and invested in Alaska for 7 years before moving to the Midwest. My experience there is that the tourist season is short, the cost of living is high (outrageous) and the cost of building is even higher. In Nome, where I was, there has been a housing shortage and a hotel room shortage for over a decade now. But all materials have to be flown in or brought by boat which increases everything's cost by $1-$2/lb. when you think of the weight of even a small bed and breakfast and add $2 /lb you are easily tripling the cost of building. Then you have the problem of finding competent staff to work there (impossible because they are all out fishing) and that is all assuming you can find a plot of land not owned by a native corporation which has electricity and public water/sewer. I can't speak for the rest of the country but Alaska is a logistical nightmare.