All Forum Posts by: Kevin Enderle

Hmmm. Mold mitigation’s are a cause for eviction and rent increases. Maybe I’ll re-open up my mold remediation division in California. Cause..there is ALWAYS mold somewhere...

Crawl spaces can absolutely be a huge source for mold and interior moisture...typically Penicillum and Aspergillus molds. I have 15 years in the Pac NW dealing with crawl space mold. Seen it all. Two key things...drainage and a good SEALED vapor barrier are important. I’d recommend a sealed encapsulation vapor barrier, and any existing vapor barrier must be removed before it is installed. I’d contact a drainage contractor for an evaluation of what is causing the crawl space water problem and an insulation contractor for the vapor barrier plus replacement of any inevitable insulation collapse from crawlspace water. Solving the crawlspace water problem will be key to everything else. Your HVAC May be fine if it’s not having to deal with a ton of excess moisture from under the house. Worse...lowering the humidity in the house via dehumidification can draw MORE moisture in from underneath since moisture migrates from high to low. 

Second...you might consider hiring a building sciences inspector to evaluate the HVAC. They specialize in moisture issues. Have some thermography done to see if there is moisture in the walls. 

Third, was mold testing conducted? If so, what were the results? You want air as well as surface samples from any active colonies growing inside the house. Without mold test data, nobody should be mitigating anything. 

Fourth...attic inspection. Immediately. Grab a ladder and a flashlight and get your head up in there. Moisture in the crawl space will migrate to the attic via stack effect. You need to know if there is mold growth in the attic. Unchecked, you can be looking at a premature roof replacement if bad enough as the sheathing rots out. 

Taking care of a property's exterior is important. The lawn and landscape make a major impact on the condition and visual appeal of your property. 

Here in my area, we have a lot of college rentals. I see a ton of landlords make their tenants do the lawn and landscaping. And as an owner of a property services company who has to deal with the after effects...I see why this is a bad idea. So...why should YOU as the owner, pay for professional lawn/landscaping services?

1) Consistency. A good lawn or landscaping company will service the property regularly. This keeps the property maintained and in good condition. In some areas, waiting two weeks or a month will mean a jungle and possibly citations and fines. 

2) Reliability. Tenants as a whole don't own the property and have a different mindset when it comes to maintenance. They are far more likely to say "I'm tired, I'll do it next weekend". This leads to losing pets and small children in the back yard. A good landscape maintenance company relies on regular clients for their income. They have a vested interest in making sure the property remains looking good as that is their livelihood. And good landscape maintenance company owners take pride in the appearance of their properties. 

3) An eye on your property. A GOOD property maintenance company can keep an eye on your property and report anything amiss. Gutter fell down, fence board fell off, siding has a hole, or there is a mountain of pet waste in the back yard. All things you want to know about as an owner. Trust me, we are going to report this. 

4) Pictures. A good landscape/lawn guy will be happy to provide pictures of the property to their clients. This allows you to see the property and current condition. 

5) Value. Having a well maintained property helps retain the value. If the property goes unmaintained, it may cost MORE to bring it back into good condition, often more than what the monthly service charges may have been. And a well maintained property is more visually appealing to prospective tenants and demands a higher rental rate. The lawn and landscaping service can be built into the rent. 

One thing of note: Do NOT hire the cheapest guy. There are plenty of $20 mow guys. But here is the facts of the matter, those guys do NOT carry liability insurance. They can't. It's not economically possible. And things do happen. Rocks do go through windows, HVAC units and gutter and siding and cars DO get hit. It is part of the business. An established company with insurance will have the coverage and funds to repair any damages that may occur...the cheap $20 mow guy...won't. Hire a professional. 

@Marcos Paulo Cerra, I don't see how I would be liable if a tenant's pet bites somebody. That liability should fall on the owner of the pet. I do carry a multi-million dollar umbrella policy plus landlord insurance. As for designing...hard floors are key or plan on carpet replacement costs. My places have little carpet in them. 

@JD Martin, I agree, screening is key...and you are correct on no outside only animals...except maybe rabbits. Dogs SHOULD be kept indoors as I'm vehemently against dogs being left outside chained up and would never allow this. 

One thing I should mention is that doing frequent condition checks is important. I try to stop into my properties once a month for an inspection. While people can hide stuff, they are not going to be able to hide things such as pet damage. 

I see a lot of posts and listings for rental properties saying "NO PETS". While I understand the thought and the potential for damages, I also would like to point out some of the advantages. As a Dog owner myself (Five Dogs), I made the decision to make my properties pet friendly and have benefitted tremendously. 

So...what are the advantages of letting Fido and Fluffy in? Lets take one of my properties as an example. 

I have a SFH rental in Bellingham WA. 3 br/2 ba 2 story, 1650 sq ft. When I purchased it 3 years ago I designed it to be pet friendly. Cork floors, fully fenced back yard, kept the older hardwood upstairs, tile, etc. It is currently listed up for rent. Lets take a look at my experience:

1) Rental rates. When it was last rented, the market for the house for rental rates sat at $1600/month. It ended up renting at $2200. It is currently back on the market for rent after two years of perfect previous tenants and because it is pet friendly there is a bidding war on it. It is currently up to $2600 a month with non refundable pet deposit. That puts me about 24% above market rates. The average owner applying has two dogs. At $800 each for pet deposit, that is an additional $1600 over and above the deposit for any damages plus I get to keep the pet deposit. Last tenants had zero damage with three dogs...zero. 

2) Demand. I advertised this house last night. I already have 10 people wanting to see it as of 6 AM. The market here is somewhat tight...but Pet Friendly SF Houses are rare as hen's teeth. It puts you at a significant advantage if your market is saturated with rentals when 9 out of 10 landlords say no to Pets. 

3) Quality of Tenants. I find the vast majority of Pet owners to be responsible people. If you stick to older established families with multiple dogs, that is the sweet spot. Their income/rent ratios tend to be very high. 

4) Responsibility. The majority of pet owners are responsible people. Caring for a living being tends to do this. I don't mean to say you won't find irresponsible pet owners...they are out there for sure just as there are irresponsible parents and tenants, but as a general rule most pet owners tend be responsible people. It takes money to feed and house and care for animals, plus a certain degree of empathy. I find this makes for good tenants.

5) It may change your numbers. When you do an analysis on a property, one thing you look at is the income produced by the property. The numbers are the numbers. But what if you have a property that is right on the line?  What if that property generated an additional 20-25% income? Would that make a difference to your calculations. Do some research and see if the Pet Accessible market is extremely tight in the area, it might make the difference between a property making the numbers and not making the numbers. 

Granted, renting to pet owners is a gamble...but I would argue that renting to Humans is far more risky. I've seen far worse damages caused by humans than most Dogs or Cats, both which are known quantities. 

So...if you are thinking no pets, you may want to re-evaluate your position. 
 
 

I have 20 years as a Mold mitigation specialist. When somebody tells me they have a result of "mold in the blood", it sent off red flags galore. That is usually a 'test' done by a naturopath looking to sell you something. If you have mold in your blood you are either A) Already Dead or B) In the hospital on serious anti fungal medication. Thing is, those tests are ALWAYS positive (surprise surprise) as you are constantly being exposed to mold in the environment. Step outside into a pristine Island Environment 5000 miles away from civilization never before touched by Man...you are breathing mold spores in. Middle of the city with nothing but concrete and not a single shred of plant life for miles...mold spores. Mold is ubiquitous in the environment and your immune system is designed to deal with exposure. That is not to say excessive indoor air mold cannot make you sick...it absolutely can. But "mold in the blood" is a scam, typically followed by "Detoxification Treatments". 

Welcome to the 'Ham! If you need anything having to do with Mold (attic/crawlspace) or roof cleaning, give me a shout. 

I am also a full G.C. 

If there is heavy smoke, you also need to worry about odor. Painting over will not remove the odors and soon as you close the house for a few days and turn the heat on, the stench will come right back to hit your potential buyers in the nose soon as they walk in. Those paints aren't encapsulants. If you are down to subfloor, you need to address the odor. Kilz won't do it. Been there, done that. 

A mold inspection of the interior won't confirm the presence of mold unless the inspector finds obviously visible growth. Only Mold TESTING can *confirm* the presence. At only 400 sq ft, there isn't exactly a lot of square footage for mold to hide in on surfaces. Make sure the inspector has a thermal camera which can detect hidden moisture inside walls. 

NO OZONE. Period. Ozone generators are absolutely 100% NOT recommended for an occupied space.  

If you need a consultation or second opinion, I do paid mold consulting by phone at a very reasonable price. 

Got Mold? Are you considering purchase of an investment property which has Mold? Unsure what to do, how to handle it? I've been doing mold remediation for 17 years as a mold remediation company owner.  I offer phone and video chat consultations focused on investment properties at very affordable rates starting at only $99 for up to half an hour. My company has done thousands of properties for private owners and property management companies over the years, so you name it and we've probably seen it.  

If you are planning to self remediate a property, I can help you with proper setup, equipment and chemicals. If you are in the middle of a purchase and need some questions answered on mold, I'm here to help. Moldy properties are not for everybody. But for those willing to tackle it, Mold can be a powerful price leverage tool, limiting the buyer pool. Often the mitigation is well within the capabilities of the DIY'er. 

I also offer on site consultations to investors in the Puget Sound area of WA including basic thermography and testing. 

To book a consultation, please visit my website, select Mold Inspections and Consultations. Fill out the contact form and I'll be happy to set up a call. Please remember that I am on Pacific Time. 

MoldBuster