All Forum Posts by: Kathleen Leary

Boots, work &/or rubber. Stupid girlie-shoes are NOT a good idea for investigating basements, etc. I can always change & go back to looking cute - ^_^

A crappy shed makes the whole yard look crappy - even if you don't replace it, get rid of the old one! It'll make the yard look bigger, too.

In a small house, extra (nice) storage space is a plus. If it's $2000, you should surely be able to recoup that at resale. If it's a rental, it's a definite plus & worth a little extra in monthly rent.

Just because your body is becoming a traitor does not mean your mind isn't functioning properly! Don't EVER assume that age means disability - it might turn out that way, but don't start out with that attitude. If you're lucky, someday you'll be old, too!

Love it! Maybe I look at things from a practical viewpoint, but those "sticking out" tiles are harder to clean. I like what you've done - I'll be installing something pretty similar behind the stove in my rehab/rental. Great minds think alike?

Make sure you have compliant egress before you call it a bedroom! Also, you may need a permit to do what are considered structural changes - in my town, it's "no permit, no build." Trust me, you don't want to get on the bad side of the city inspectors/zoning board. Do a little prep work before you start buying 2x4s.

It's totally dependent on what's "normal" in the area. Check out a few other places or make some calls. In some areas, a dishwasher is a perk, but in others it's just about required. If your budget can accommodate it, it might be a nice selling feature for potential tenants, but there are repair costs. There's one in my small SFR, but it was already there. When it dies, I may seriously consider taking it out & adding storage space instead.

Keep in mind - some folks (like me!) have never used a car wash or don't even own a car, but everybody has to wash their clothes - hopefully on a repeat basis!

Not to be pessimistic, but does the PM take care of the repairs? Is there a possibility that he/she might be making a little extra cash on the side by having all these things fixed? Especially since you're not there, it wouldn't be too difficult to "enhance" expenses. Hope this is not the case, but you just never know - check it out.

I have dogs. I have (too many) cats. My house is pretty much a mess. But that's MY house & I own it.

My rental is "no pets." I have spent hours & hours fixing shredded woodwork, ripping out pee-rotted drywall, filling holes in the yard, cleaning carpets, etc. I can't re-rent it to any decent tenant with existing pet damage - THAT limits the potential market!

I'm not bragging, but I'm a pretty good painter. Neat, no drips, very good at cutting in. (That skill saves having to tape everything.) I don't care - I like walls a different color from the woodwork. That means extra work, I know - I think it's worth it in eye appeal. I've also never painted a house less than 80 years old, so I run into HOURS of prep work before the first paint can ever gets opened. All that said in favor of handwork, I do like a sprayer for larger ceilings. Small rooms I'll do with a roller - I can do it faster by hand than by covering everything & cleaning the sprayer.

Never cheap out on brushes & keep 'em clean. They will be your BFFs.

I've not been impressed with "pro" painters - they don't do a better job than I can & I really can't afford to spend the money.

Yes, it's boring - plug yourself in to the ol' iPod, get a cooler full of drinks, some snacks & put your mind in Zen mode. But it's pretty exciting when you're done!

You'll have to decide if spending the cash frees you up for something more lucrative, or if doing it yourself is worth your time.