All Forum Posts by: Kathleen Leary

Out of 19 windows, I'll have to replace 17 screens, same type of windows you mention. I always do my own, frame & all. Compared to having someone else do it, the cost difference makes it a no-brainer for me.

Nowadays it's pretty simple, especially compared to the "olden days" when you had to build a wooden frame & hold the screen down with strips. Then you had to paint the whole thing & figure out how to fasten it to the window. I don't miss that!

Anyway, in my town, the local glass & window company also makes screens. (This time of year they are very busy, of course.)

Might be another option.

Ooooof. I've scraped a LOT of popcorn ceilings - I sure wouldn't do it for $50/room. You might get what you pay for!

My own home has no closets. My last purchase (built 1900) has no closets. It did, however, have a separate parlour. 

Trends in housing change. Nowadays we can't even imagine "no closets!" but really don't need a formal parlour.

Check your local codes, as other posters have advised. Appraisal is not the same thing as legal.

Storage! I, too, have a small appliance store at my disposal, as well as faucets, locksets, extra vanities, odd pieces of trim, cabinets, tile, a few doors, sinks . . . you get the picture. Oh, yeah . . . I have a bunch of pictures I use for staging. 

Plus moving dollies, tie-downs & more tools than Home Depot on Black Friday. And a truck. And more ladders than I can shake a stick at.

In a couple of weeks I'll be adding a bathtub & surround to my collection. 

I shouldn't complain - I've had great tenants for the most part & having "stuff" available is a time- & money-saving resource. 

But I AM running out of room!

If there's a mortgage on the property, the mortgage-holder will likely have some say on what type of policy you need. If you have to file a claim, you may have it all backfire on you because of that.

I carry structure insurance on my properties - it doesn't cover as much as a typical homeowner's policy, but I don't need that. I feel my premiums are pretty reasonable, all told.

In this state, we cannot require tenants to carry renter's insurance - you might check. It can be "strongly suggested," however.

Every state, county & city has different regulations - it can be very confusing!

Might even be in violation of local ordinance to have that many. It is here.

You might also want to check into what it would take to convert your property into a kennel, since that's what it's going to end up as.

Just sayin'.

A few random additions based on my (similar) experience:

I've used TSP & mopped the walls (ugh!). I feel it does a better job than anything else I've tried, but it's not available in all states. Do NOT buy stuff labeled "TSP replacement" or any such BS because it won't do the job.

Do not use water-based BIN or Kilz - not worth the time to put it on. Get the old-school oil- or shellac-based stuff & open the windows.

On that topic, nothing beats opening all the doors & windows & airing the place out for as long as possible. The drywall, studs, HVAC vents, subfloor & insulation all stink to high heaven, too - if I were able, I'd rip it all out & replace it.

Many people have had good results with ozone generators - I have no experience but it might be worth looking into as an adjunct to everything else. They can be rented.

Even after clean-up, you might well consider marketing it as a smoking unit as Nathan G. suggested, PROVIDED the fumes don't impact any other units through the venting, etc. 

All I can say is "Good luck!"  Been there, done that.

I've scraped a MILLION square feet (well, it seems like it!) of popcorn ceiling. Assuming it's non-asbestos straight spray texture or (like my own house) drywall mud with a cellulose "filler", you need a ladder, a taping knife with the corners rounded off, a water sprayer of some sort, some tunes & plenty of your favorite non-alcoholic beverage. Save that for when you're done! 

I've had to deal with drywall-over-texture jobs - maybe they were done poorly in the first place, but I've seen a LOT of sagging drywall. 

My preference would be to scrape it - you'll have basic, traditional ceilings that won't look weird or out-of-style & should hold up for many years to come.

But you'll need to determine the ROI that works best for you long-term.

I do it totally old-school. My (few) properties are in a small town, tenants work close by & a lot of people operate on "cash-only"; many don't have bank/checking accounts at all.

SO: I set up a bank account for each tenant/property. The bank is close by; the tenant can pay their rent in any way they choose. Some even put money in weekly.  Some pay with cash, others via check or debit card. Point is, whatever the bank will take & the tenant wants to use is fine. 

I check each account online the second of the month to verify the payment has been made. I've had a couple of instances where the payment was made on the first & didn't get entered in time; a text & a phone pic of their receipt took care of that.

My rather antiquated system works great for me; the tenants can pay how & when it's convenient for them, I do NOT deal with checks or cash. My tenants know from Day 1 that rent's due on the first, no exceptions. 

This might not work for someone with many properties, but for just a few, it might be a simple solution. 

New carpet, if you're staying with that type of flooring. You will NEVER get the smell out completely, since it's the carpet, pad & floor. I could spend hours telling you horror stories about pet damage.

I have vinyl plank  in one of my units - my concern is that although each individual plank is waterproof (it IS plastic, after all!), liquid still seeps through the cracks. With repeated "exposure," you'll be right back where you started: with a pee-soaked underlayment/floor.

Best solution: NO PETS.