All Forum Posts by: Kathleen Leary

OUT! They've been there less than two months - it's only going to get worse.

At this point, your best bet is time - & open windows. Unless you strip out all the drywall, too, it's just going to take a little time to air out. Get a couple of fans & get that air circulating. (I base this on a house that was soaked with dog pee, kid pee & 20 years of cigarette smoke!)

Laminate flooring isn't the most difficult DIY project by a long shot, but if you're apprehensive about removing baseboards, using a power saw, etc., this may not be the best project to start with. If you do a crappy job, you might as well have not done it - it looks bad, cheap & messy & will not be an improvement. Maybe find someone more experienced who will let you "help" on a project & ask a lot of questions while they work.

Here in the Midwest, white cabinets & woodwork are pretty traditional. My personal thought is that light cabinets are nice in a small space - a good (note: GOOD!) paint job will hold up well over time if you don't have total monster-tenants.  It's also easy to touch up, whereas a damaged natural wood finish may be more of a problem. (I'm rehabbing a small rental right now & the cabinets will be white - maybe I'm just biased!)

Here in the Midwest, white cabinets & woodwork are pretty traditional. My personal thought is that light cabinets are nice in a small space - a good (note: GOOD!) paint job will hold up well over time if you don't have total monster-tenants.  It's also easy to touch up, whereas a damaged natural wood finish may be more of a problem. (I'm rehabbing a small rental right now & the cabinets will be white - maybe I'm just biased!)

In addition to the previous, consider what you want an inspector to actually do. For example, if you're looking at an "as-is" property, a missing water heater won't make any difference, whereas it might be a negotiable price point otherwise. Perhaps you only need a structural inspection (price adjusted, of course!), with no consideration of cosmetic problems. The inspector I use has a business partner who is a structural engineer - a perfect tie-in, especially if you're looking at larger buildings or commercial structures. If you're going to gut the property, cosmetic problems are irrelevant, so don't pay to have them detailed. Just make sure the place isn't going to fall apart - a good inspector is worth every penny!

When I was a kid, there was a very busy freight line that ran across the back of our property - several trains a day with 100-plus cars. As long as the house doesn't shake & you can still carry on a conversation inside, you'll find a lot of people who actually like the train noise. And commuter convenience is only a plus!

Regardless of whether it's required, get a qualified inspector (not appraiser) through the property before the sale. A good one will see things you would miss & can often give you advice about needed repairs. There may be structural issues, etc. that would end up costing too much to make the deal worth pursuing. On the other hand, what may seem to you to be a big problem may not be - the money you pay your inspector is worth every penny in peace of mind.

In Kansas, it takes less than 10 minutes online. No third party involved. Fill out the form, pay the money & you're done. Other states are different, of course. The complications set in when there are multiple members in your LLC. This is when a lawyer may be a good idea, although not essential. It's like getting married: starts out great & later on, everybody ends up hating everybody else. Set the rules up at the beginning. Of course, if it's just you, go for it.

Go start checking out other comparable rentals in your area - appliances vary widely depending on location. Around here, lower-end SFRs include a stove. If there was originally a dishwasher in place, that's included. Washer/dryer hookups are expected, but not the actual units. Some landlords include a fridge, others don't. It's a selling point for lower-income renters, who may not own one. Higher-end tenants usually have their own.

Garbage disposals are NOT included - you may as well just grind up your money & put it down the drain! Tenants WILL destroy them.