All Forum Posts by: Julie Walker

Hello greater Houston friends. I've contracted with this company recently but have run into some problems. Just wondering if anyone else has experience with them.

1. They request the same document multiple times (after it's been provided)

2 poor communication between the different departments.

3. Make Ready team left several things undone that I paid for in advance

4. 3 months without a tenant. Yesterday I tried to get through the phone tree etc as a tenant and found it a bit daunting.

What is your experience with property management and do you have recommendations?

@Chris Coleman thank you. Very helpful.

@Nathan G. Not asking for advance and very willing to prep. Just want to set a budget.

@Julie Walker Update: There have been ups and downs. Tenant there for 8 months. Always paid rent late with fees, allowed the toilet to leak until in ruined bathroom tile, had AC issues in summer and a rodent issue in the fall. All were addressed and it was pretty expensive. Then she broke her lease and left in December without telling me. Utilities unpaid and had to jump through hoops to get the transferred to my name because of this.

So have turned it over to a property management company. Hopefully 2020 will be a better year.

Good news is a lot of money spent on the front end so hopefully will be less on the back end and can start catching up.

Hello. I have one single family rental that I just turned over to a property MGMT company. The make ready estimate is quite high in my opinion. Do you think they will accept a budget for getting the house ready to rent?

@Scott Mac thanks. It is sized according to Manual J calculations and has been checked by 2 HVAC technician s from separate companies. I guess I can bring in a 3rd but the service calls are about $75. I agree it should work better than than it is. But can't put in a brand new unit. Hence the room AC.

Thanks everyone. The unit has been checked by installer and a second company. Sized correctly, ductwork ok, no leaks, blows cold air. I was there the other morning and the house was quite cool. My handyman was there one afternoon and it was set on 70 but the temp was 78. So I think it is the house. Maybe not enough insulation in the walls. But the room unit works well and can be moved as needed it's on wheels I've lived in houses with window units. I feel that she is being a bit difficult at this point. But being new at this thought I would get a consensus from the group. Maybe I'm wrong.

Question. This is my first rental. I've rehabbed and installed a new central AC. It is having trouble keeping up with the gulf coast heat. I had it checked out and it is operating normally. I added attic insulation but it still can't keep up. It is the right size for the house. So I put a portable AC in the living room. It's in rollers and can easily be moved from room to room. But my tenant is angry saying that is too much of a hassle. It is only in the afternoon that the house is too hot. It gets up to 78 degrees without the portable. I don't think I can replace the unit this year. Note this is a class C neighborhood so it doesn't command high rent.

Advice on dealing with a disgruntled. Tenant? By the way, she let a toilet leaks go u reported until I had to replace the floor.

Today I am closing on my first BRRRR! I have learned a great deal. Spent a little more than I should have, but I am counting it up to the cost of education. I will still cash flow at a couple of hundred every month. But do you know one thing that I am very excited about? I have taken a sad little stinky house and made it into a pleasant home. I've improved the neighborhood. I've educated myself and still made a profit. Thanks so much BiggerPockets! Your tools, expertise, forums and podcasts gave me the knowledge and the confidence to start. With this refi, I can move on to the next project!

@Tim Bradley I am in the process of refinancing my first BRRRR. What I didn't know going in is that in Texas you can only get 75% in a cash back refi. And most lenders have a minimum amount required. I ended up with a more expensive lender and higher I interest rate than I hoped for. And not quite enough to cover my outlay on the original purchase and rehab. I'm trying to negotiate with them, but they pretty much know they are my only choice.

I don't think I will lose money and will consider this the cost of my education.

Good luck with your first BRRRR! I still think it is a good strategy. I just needed to be smarter about it.