All Forum Posts by: Account Closed

@David Wooten

My friend once asked me to babysit his dog for the weekend. For weeks afterwards I tried all the products and techniques mentioned so you have my deepest sympathies. 

Getting rid of fleas is tough, but obviously possible. First things first, remove any pest food/harborage. This means you need to vacuum every single surface that may have fleas, carpets, rugs, couches, chairs, etc. Use a high quality HEPA vacuum and empty the bag/canister immediately after and then spray down the vacuum and nozzle with a flea killer spray you can buy at Walgreens. Throw out any furniture/clothes/other harborage that you don't need, or remove it from the apartment and isolate it into plastic bags. You should then wash clothes in hot water, and keep all furniture wrapped in bags and out in the sun. (The temperature in the bags needs to be 100+ F, so you might want to use a heater of some kind- around 48 hours at this temperature should kill all the fleas)

Buy some Diatomaceous Earth and spread it all across the carpet and make sure it gets in deep into the fibers. Be sure to wear a mask while doing this. DE has very sharp microscopic edges (these sharp edges actually rip open flea eggs or cut up the fleas and this is what kills them) and these edges can cause lung damage if proper precautions are not taken. It's not toxic, per se, but it will irritate your lungs and respiratory precautions should be taken. Keep the DE in the carpet for 24 hours, and then vacuum. Repeat the DE and vacuuming procedure for a week/two weeks, taking care to clean the bag and spray down the vacuum each time. You may choose to spray the carpets and other areas of the apartment with sprays from walgreens as well each time. 

The vacuuming and DE will kill off the fleas. You need to kill literally all of them, all at once or they will breed and come back with a vengeance. The vacuuming causes the eggs to hatch, (in addition to killing the live ones) and then the DE kills them as they move about. 

How do you know you've killed them all? Easy: set up a paper plate filled with a little bit of soap and water and place it under a task/desk lamp somewhere in the corner or on the floor. Turn off all the lights at night but leave the lamp on. Fleas are attracted to the light and they will jump up and get trapped in the soap-water dish on the floor. Each day you should find less and less of them as you return to vacuum, and when you've had a week or so without any fleas, you can stop the eradication procedure and move on with your life. 

As much as it probably hurts to hear it, you are sort of stuck for the time being. You need to be super diligent about this and go all-out with killing these fleas. Be extremely disciplined about vacuuming every day and using the sprays and DE to get every last flea. General cleanliness in the house and around will stop the problem from reappearing. 

Good luck!

@Robert Leonard

Forget liberal and conservative on estimates and profit projections, what folks really need is a third party to look at the numbers with them. ;)

Advance apologies for the terrible pun, It's been a long week. 

@Matt Dickens

Hey Matt! I also just finished college and I'm at basically at the same spot as you. What did you study? Perhaps you can leverage that to help gain a foothold in the industry? Otherwise, having a stable job (9-5) while networking and marketing can help you gain knowledge, contacts, and a traditional 30year loan down the line when you're ready to go. Having a specific plan and being aware of your strengths and limitations is probably the best first place to start, and then it's off to the races!

Good luck! 

@Alex Sanchez Welcome, Welcome! Lot's of awesome Chicago people on this site, and it's exciting to see a lot of young newbies like myself! Makes me a bit sad about moving away...

@Renee R.

I've mentioned it in a previous posting, and other people claimed to have good success but LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tile) is a pretty awesome product. I work for an architecture firm that does schools and courthouses and that sort of thing, and we often spec LVT because it's durable, scuff resistant, lasts a long time, and comes in all sorts of different shapes/sizes/looks. 

You can google to get some more info, but basically it's a thicker and more premium vinyl that comes in both "wood-look" or more artificial types. It's quick to install and lasts a very long time, so it seems pretty great for a rental property. Also, if you have a more modern unit, they have some pretty trendy patterns available, just FYI, and your higher-end tenants might appreciate it. 

Good luck with your project!

@Keith N.

If you're not ever going to plan on removing a C. Block wall, (like to "open up" a room or something) it's actually quite a nice solid material. (Good sound insulation, doesn't get eaten by termites, etc)

If you're asking about how to make it look less "dorm room" then you simply can buy some furring strips (1x1, or 1x2) attach them to the C.Block with liquid nails or actual nails, and then go 1/2in drywall on the furring strips. The electrical is relevant, but if you keep the outlets in the same spots then you just cut some holes in the drywall like you would for a normal stud wall. Then tape, mud, paint, and presto, you're done. 

If you're looking for some "challenge projects" you could do some kind of stucco finish, or textured plaster of some kind, or perhaps even do a stone/brick/other veneer, though it would be a bit more involved that just drywall. In Poland (my home country) basically all houses are made of C.Block and people will typically just layer on some plaster and paint.

Good luck with your project, hope it works out great!

@Taylor Kamal

Mold is potentially harmful to your health. You need to be very, very, very careful with removing anything that has mold growth. I am not a medical professional, but serious usage of Personal Protective Equipment is a must and most likely trained Mold Remediation Specialist usage is in order. The quick takeaway: Costly, Time Consuming, and Potentially Hazardous. 

HOWEVER: The second issue is why was this space flooded in the first place... If you remove all the finishes, and then you find massive cracks in the foundation through which water seeps in in during even the mildest rainstorms.... you're going to have a disaster. Even if you don't notice it, what happens when the buyer comes along with their home inspector and they notice it? Perhaps the flooding was just caused by a broken sump-pump, and it will never happen again, but perhaps it's more serious damage. 

I'm not an expert at flips by any stretch of the imagination, but it seems to me that there's enough risk involved with flipping houses that you should probably forego this additional issue. At the very least, find a mold remediation expert and have them walk the house with you before you purchase. 

@Elizabeth Moyer

I'm sure you're aware that FHA loans can be had at 3.5% down. With your solid work situation, you can probably build up a great credit score and slowly save up a couple thousand to cover the down payment for a duplex. Then you could "House-Hack" your way to further Real-Estate glory with the cash flow from your rental income.

When talking about daunting job prospects with a professor a few years ago, he told me that "well, you only need one job". Likewise, you only need 1, first property, so make it a good one. Be patient, analyze some deals while you save up money, and strike when the iron is hot. 

Another option is to find a partner and work out a mutually beneficial creative arrangement. 

Good luck, hope it works out for you. Let me know if you find any amazing deals in Philly, I'd love to get going myself as well! 

@Robert Motch

I'm sorry I can't answer that question, because I'm in the same boat as you. Let me know if you find out!

@Mike Knowles

^^^ Yes. To what everybody said. (Codes, egress, bricks being difficult to match, permits, the whole nine)

On a more helpful note, have you considered building a kitchen island if counter space is at a premium? It would probably be cheaper than removing the door and replacing the brick...