All Forum Posts by: Justin Case

I am looking for an electrician for basic work when needed.  The two on my contractor list have become unreliable and not showing up .

Why is Seattle landscaping service so expensive the past year?

I got quotes for basic yard clean up and it is $1,000 for  8hrs of work. I got three quotes all around the same price. 

Each one quoted $75 to mow each time twice a month and it takes under 30mins.  This is equaling over $100/hr for lawn service.

Yard workers are now charging more than skilled craftsman such as plumbers and electricians.

I just do not have time to do it myself since I am busy with day job and family.

What is going on? My guess is all the techies do not know how or want to mow so they are paying this high rate?

can anyone recommend some quality affordable yard workers in Seattle?

Thanks

I just rented a home out that I soft remodeled to new 3 years ago. It still looks fresh and new. I rented the home $150/month below market to get a good supply of tenants.

The windows are an issue. They are late 80s double pane pull up aluminum. They do not have screens but I provide mini screens for them to put up if the window is open. The bottom window that pull up open do not stay on tracks or in place when up..the spring is broken. I looked for replacement springs but no luck. The glass is not broke and window does not leak air.  

The tenants complained about them as they are moving in and what to know what I am going to do to fix them. They emailed me today asking again.  How can I tell the tenant the windows do the job and it is not in my budget currently to replace them all. Will prob be around $2k+ to replace them.

They also complained about the blinds not being perfect white, color is beige. I will replace them since they are cheap. Since I replaced the blinds they are going to look for more fixes to get more brand new things.

Tenant will be very good tenant and I am trying to figure out when to replace the windows but don't want to make the tenants upset but at the same time set boundaries.

How do you set boundaries on fixes and tell the tenant the home is rented as is and everything is not brand new?

Thanks I will go with the American Standard Champion as my plumber recommends this on as well. He said he never has had or seen clog  problems with this model.

Is the American Standard Champion MAXX 4 EL worth it for $139 more than the $99 aqua source?

Replacing 1970s toilet in rental.

What Toilet do you Recommend? Preferably from Home Depot or Lowes.

A developer bought the SFR next to my apt building and he called and wants to cut down my tree on the corner of my lot, the trunk is just a few inches from his property line. He said he will hire an arborist and will trim it and ideally wants it cut down and he keeps calling asking me if he could cut it down. I asked him why this would benefit him and he would not say. It is a 30ft tree and a foot round trunk with lots of high branches. He needs branches cut for construction power. It will also provide visibility to the homes he is building.

I asked him to provide me documentation for this and he will. In Seattle it is very political to cut a tree down (laws).

Should I ask him to pay me for the luxury to remove my tree?

Hi,

I am right at 78% LTV in my owner occupied duplex. I want to remove PMI.

I called and learned that an owner occupied duplex falls under investment property for PMI even when the initial loan and a refinance two years ago was not considered an investment property. (I only have one 30yr fixed rate loan on this property)

This does not make sense to me because if It was a SFR I could remove PMI no problem. But since I have an income producing unit that hedges my income and loan for the positive it is considered an investment property and I have to pay for PMI when I have less risk than if it was an SFR

Anyone have experience  with this? Irrational logic if you ask me.

Then one should not go in the military if they are concerned about the pay.

I did it non military.