All Forum Posts by: Kristin Moore

Hi Kye. I was born and raised in Cleveland. I've been a Realtor since 2011 and I currently live and sell homes in Boston. The majority of all homes built before 1940 were built with a fieldstone foundation. We now know that these foundations tend to seep during heavy rain. This isn't an issue unique to the Cleveland market. This happens all the time in Boston as well. It's an issue specific to fieldstone foundations. As others have mentioned there are a variety of ways to tackle this. How you will want to address it depends on the severity of the issue and what you plan to use the basement for. A sump pump will help prevent a basement from flooding during heavy rain. A dehumidifier pulls water out of the air once it has seeped into the basement. You would want to speak with a specialized contractor, but using a french drain and then repointing/waterproofing the fieldstone itself would be tackling the problem head on. My clients in Boston typically don't have any concerns about buying a home with a leaky fieldstone foundation, because it is such a common occurrence here. However, you should run the numbers and see what makes the most sense for you. 

Thanks for everyone who responded. I was also wondering this question for my MTR. Along these lines, I was also wondering, do you all buy a schlage encode for both the front and the back door of the property if they will both get a good amount of use as the "primary" entry? Then I'm assuming you would just use the same code for each device per guest/contractor? I'm guessing that the devices don't talk to one another, aka realize they are paired on the same house? Thanks!

Hey @Manny Del Val I just saw an advertisement of their's and was thinking of giving them a call. Did you end up speaking with them or using them?

Hey Min! Congratulations on the quad plex! How is that going for you? I'm also an investor in Ft. Myers. Yes, if you buy a duplex as your primary residence and you live on one of the sides then you can get a mortgage with a very low down payment such as FHA for 3% or even a conventional at 5%. I have a great mortgage broker if you want their name. Then if you live in it for 2 years you won't have to pay any capital gains tax. Great strategy!

Hey everyone, I am under contract on an investment condo in Fort Myers and need to buy new kitchen cabinets. For all the locals in the area (Cape Coral, Ft. Myers, Bonita Springs, Naples) where is the best place to find cheap, but still decent quality kitchen cabinets?  I have someone who can put them together inexpensively, so they don't have to come assembled. Thanks in advance. 

Hi Mike, I’m a local investor, real estate agent, and oversee Encompass Property Management in Fort Myers www.239rent.com. I’d love to talk to you about what you are looking for in a property manager to see if we would be a good fit! I’ll send you a direct message. 

Hey everyone! I need some newbie advice! I’ve found a condo I plan to purchase for $80,000 in Florida as a buy and hold. It has mold from an AC leak. That doesn’t scare me and my contractors aren’t worried about it either. However I know that it will be hard to get a mortgage because of that. I do have family who would be willing to give me an $80,000 loan at 5% interest so that I could buy it In cash. My questions are can they just loan this money to me by wIrIng me this money and my llc is still on the deed and title? Will the title company need to see a loan document between my family member and I? Is there any other consideration I need to take into account? I know there is like a $14,000 gift tax, but if it is a loan does that make it exempt? Could really use some advice. Thanks so much!!!!

I will be there! Thanks for putting this together.

Originally posted by @Lisa Donner:

Hi Kristin,

I can highly recommend Rick Donner with Donner CPA, PA. He is a real estate investor as well as a CPA. He is located in Cape Coral.

Hi Lisa, 

Thanks for the recommendation. Are you two related?

Hi All, 

I am looking to work with a CPA that is very proficient with real estate investors and the strategies that can save us as much money as possible come tax time and offering advice throughout the year with purchases etc. I just finished reading the BP book Tax Strategies for the Savvy Real Estate Investor, which was amazing read I highly recommend. The book has really spurred my desire to seek out a valuable partner in this arena to help me as I grow my investing portfolio. 

Who have you worked with that you would recommend? Preferably local to SWFL but also open to folks in Florida. Thanks in advance!