All Forum Posts by: Jay M.

Good question!!  If you're not going to have a contractor or building official involved then I would leave it to the property manager to point out obvious code deficiencies especially concerning safety issues like fire / smoke / CO detectors or railing height issues.

Of course some non-conforming code issues do NOT need to be addressed if there is no renovation.  For example winder stairs from last century the winder treads would come to a point.  The building code now requires 6" minimum.  If you're not renovating the stairs you may leave it non-conforming.

It doesn't sound like a quarrel between tenants.  It sounds like "crazy Joe" is just crazy......Occam's razor here...

Anytime a building permit is issued they will usually inspect the work.  If it's something small like replacing a front door they usually won't inspect it.  Anything structural they will inspect.  The building department is the authority on whether or not it meets current building code in that particular area.  That doesn't mean that your contractor / carpenter actually adheres to it.

I'm less than an hour from you and those numbers are too low especially your 2/1 number.  It's possible to do a 3/2 for 150k with almost no extras but that is construction cost only with minimal expense for septic.

Hello All,

  Does anyone know of a BP type of forum for new home builders?  I'm aware on JLC and Finehomebuilding I'm just looking to see if there is anything else out there.  Thanks.

I haven't bought in Italy yet.  I am a dual citizen so the taxes will be less for me though.  I belong to a facebook group called Americans in Italy.   There are quite a few expats in Italy and the group is a good size.  While they are not investors they can give you some great advice.  A lot of them are not dual citizens so you can get feedback on the in's and out's of property ownership there.

Tropea is pretty far south.  It's a different world in the southern part of Italy.  You do understand real estate in Italy, especially the south is far, far more illiquid (I just made up that word) than the US?

I can't see any upside?   Dancing on the edge of a very dangerous place.

@Nam Hoang The 6'-10" wall and the opening / short wall to right is almost certainly a bearing wall.  You can open it up but there will be a beam there.  If there are no HVAC chases in the floor system or pipes / wires you can put in a flush beam so it won't hang down.  Chances are you won't be that lucky.

@Clint Harris  I grew up on Cape Cod and have lived on or within 20 minutes most of my life.  Your statement about when the economy is in a downturn people don't travel as far is spot on.  The NY'ers, CT, PA, NJ and Canadians don't go to Italy or France when they're short on cash or anxious they go to the Cape.  The chink in your armor is the same that you mention about property managers.  It's a bear to get someone to turn over (clean etc.) the unit each and every Saturday morning. 

Hi @Alan Matthews. Here they are booked out weeks to months. It is certainly at the point of "you mean you can do the job in a couple weeks? What's wrong with you"?? In my area there is 0% chance of finding any kind of "deal" off of MLS it absolutely has to be off market. Then to actually get the work done is such a chore. I would take 2011-2015 every time over this. I've experienced this boom in construction so many times since '82 that I realize just how difficult it is.

  I spent two years in Marietta up the road from you in 2009-2011.  You literally couldn't find a carpenter then for the opposite reason.  They all moved away or on to other things.  Feast or famine.