All Forum Posts by: Cathy T.

The FHA mortgage program requires a property to meet certain standards. If you are seeing "no FHA", it likely indicates that something about the property will not come up to the required standards. Could be anything from structural issues, to a lack of functional plumbing, to peeling paint. But if a listing just comes right out and states "no FHA" I would bet that it is something more on the serious end of the spectrum.

On the other hand, you MIGHT be able to use the FHA with 203K option...the fixer-upper version of the FHA....something to look into....

Thank you for the responses! Yes, my mortgage broker did mention the need for a reason for wanting to buy a second property with an FHA...which will be easy to do (I hope), as I moved out of the first property because I could NOT get used to having close neighbors on every side. I thought I would adjust, but never did. The other problem is that there is no yard, and I have always had a veggie garden...usually a big one. Four growing seasons with no garden, not to mention no place to put up a clothes line...not the right place for me to live long term. I moved out, rented both parts, and am currently living with family "out in the country" while I figure out what to do next.

Thanks again!

I was under the impression, after reading many, many, posts here on BP that I could buy a property with an FHA loan, fix it up, refinance into a conventional loan...and then buy another property with an FHA and do it again and again....your classic BRRR scenario.

But my mortgage broker told me today that the FHA program was developed in order to get home owners into homes...not to help investors make money. She said that I can refinance my first property into a conventional, and that I might get away with a second property purchased with an FHA, but that it is highly unlikely that I will be able to do it a third or fourth time down the road. In other words, that someone is monitoring the process and will notice what I am doing, and put a stop to it.

I am in New Hampshire, if that makes a difference. Could someone clarify this for me?

Thank you!

This is probably minor compared to some more experienced landlords...but my first tenant sub-leased his apt to a "friend" (against the lease) who apparently promptly turned the unit into a place for him and his buddies to practice their darts skills. I don't play darts, so I was initially baffled by the perfectly round, undamaged, area on one wall surrounded by HUNDREDS of holes. When I had cleaned the floor enough to see the tiles, I found a "scratch" line carved into the floor. I did not know what that was either, but a friend filled me in.

I had to replace the carved up tiles, and tried to spackle the holes. But the damage was too much, and the wall was actually weakened by the shear number of holes. I ended up removing a four foot square piece of drywall, and replacing it. 

There is no accurate "blood test" for rabies. The only reliable way to test for rabies requires testing the actual brain matter...impossible to do on a living animal.

I have passed these responses on to my tenant, and she is appreciating the advice. Me, too! As some additional information, the unwelcome friend and girlfriend have been there almost TWO MONTHS. Wow...

That was tried. The police refused to do anything. I don't know why.

One of my tenants has been asking me questions on her father's behalf, and I don't have the answers...so here I am!

Her father lives in Massachusetts, with his second wife and his adult son. They rent, and several weeks ago allowed a male friend to crash on their couch for a few nights. Well, that was a big mistake because somehow the friend quickly moved his girlfriend in WITH her two children! I don't have the details, but the friend and girlfriend are refusing to leave, and the property manager has given them until the end of this month to depart, or the eviction process will start on my tenant's father, wife, and son.

The friend and girlfriend are not on the lease, have never paid a dime in rent, and have nearly tripled the assorted bills that the father is responsible for. They are in a bad spot. I have suggested that they find legal assistance of some sort, and/or visit the local police department and ask what they should do.

Can anyone tell me what the process is to eject unwelcome house guests in Massachusetts?

Hi! I will be unable to attend this event as I will be having a replacement stove delivered to my tenant's apt at exactly this time! But I would love to be kept informed of future meetings. Can I be added to a contact list?

If you are referring to one of those round robotic vacuums...forget it. They do not have the suction power to to do anything but very light touch up work on carpets. They do better on hard floors, but have small chambers where the dirt collects, and have to be emptied out frequently.  They can not be compared to a good upright vacuum, wielded by a human who knows what he or she is doing!