All Forum Posts by: Russell W.

I just went through the process of getting quotes to replace water heaters, and for what it's worth it seemed most plumbers were quoting AO Smith. From my understanding they are the largest manufacturer in the US and this allows the plumbers to not only have the most competitive pricing but also get replacement parts on demand. Similar to how kitchen appliance manufacturers produce multiple brands under one roof, AO Smith manufacturers a lot of water heaters that sell under a different brand name.

I say all this to say that I ended up hiring a labor-only plumber and purchased the water heaters myself, one Rheem from Home Depot and one Richmond from Menards, which as you noted is manufactured by Rheem.

So you have concrete block walls, not concrete walls. Big difference. Concrete block walls are extremely porous. Not at all surprised you have high humidity; the hydrostatic pressure is forcing moisture through the pours of the block, past the interior cell (even if not fully grouted) and out the pours of the interior face. Hard to tell from the pictures but I think the variation in color we're seeing in #2, 3, 4 is the moisture? If this had been built correctly, then the exterior face of the blocks would have been coated with a fluid applied waterproofing to seal the blocks. Seems like this may not have been the case, but you can't know without some excavating. This can be accomplished from the interior as well, however it's more effective preventing moisture from coming in (exterior), rather than holding moisture back (interior).

You mention you have humidity in the basement, but not water intrusion. Humidity in a basement is very common. Are you actually seeing water pooling on the floor, at or near the walls? Also very common for basements is settlement cracks in foundation walls (concrete cracks, this is normal). Are these small, hairline cracks? Or are they wide, deep cracks? If the latter, the question is then- how old is the property? These could be settlement cracks from years ago. What you really need to find out is whether or not they're still active, if the foundation is still settling/moving. Without knowing that I wouldn't go any further with attempting any other fixes. It may turn out to be entirely unnecessary. Assuming you don't have water in the basement, a much cheaper fix: $100 dehumidifier. 

This is not uncommon. Sometimes there will be just one, large return grille centrally located, or, as in your case it seems, there may multiple, smaller return grilles located throughout. The benefit of the multiple return grilles is quieter operation and more evenly distributed heated/cooled air. 

First of all, welcome to the forums! You're going to find a wealth of knowledge here to answer whatever questions you might have. My first purchase had a non-conforming garden unit, which I lived in after closing. With a garden unit, many times what the lender will do is require that the gas stove is removed from that apartment during their appraisal, so that the apartment is not considered a livable space. Sellers typically know this and play along, and after closing what you choose to do with the "non-livable space" (live in it) is up to you. 

Regarding the market in general, there continues to be strong demand for rentals given how hot/competitive the housing market has been. Are you looking to invest specifically in Evanston or are you looking in Chicago as well?

House hacking is not only a viable option, but in my opinion it is the best option for getting started. Regardless if you cash flow or not (though hopefully you do) it's going to not only accelerate your ability to save money for a future purchase or renovations, but it also gives you on-the-job training of being a landlord. It's not something you have to do forever, but in the long run it is absolutely worth it. Feel free to PM me if you ever have questions. 

Agreed with George on all points. If you have the infrastructure in place for hydronic, keep it. Electric boilers are a somewhat newer technology. Does the boiler even need to be replaced if you decide to stick with a hydronic system? Who is paying the utility bills, you or the tenant? If you, then it may make sense to switch to a natural gas boiler. But keep in mind then you need to install gas piping to that location and install an exhaust flue as well. Pros and cons to all options here.

@Peter Morgan I like the analogy! It has nothing to do with you paying the utility bills or if you're "too broke to repair it". That's a misguided viewpoint. The reality is that running the AC in colder ambient temperatures doesn't allow the oil in the compressor to circulate as efficiently, therefor running the risk of damaging the condensing unit. In fairness, most people (tenants and Anthony included) don't know this, so what I find myself doing at the winter/spring and summer/fall transition, when there are those odd days where it gets up to 70 during the day and falls to 40 overnight, is send a friendly reminder email to all tenants to let them know that running the AC in colder weather runs the risk of damaging the unit and that they will be held liable for repairs. The two minutes it takes me to write the email is better spent than the time and money coordinating with a contractor.

Second vote for Straight Up Chicago podcast, specifically episode 53 regarding this topic.

I accept Section 8 tenants at my properties and can confirm that the process does take awhile. That said, I think it's worth it. The paperwork can be a bit of a pain, because if you fill in the form and have a "minor" error, CHA will reject it and you have to start the process again. Just takes diligence. Regarding the inspection process, this is what takes the longest. In my experience it usually takes 1-2 weeks to get an inspection after the paperwork has been processed, then, when the inspection does occur, the inspector will almost certainly find something that needs to be addressed, and it takes another week for the re-inspection. The $1,965 rental rate you're seeing is likely the county maximum for the number of beds/baths. You will have to specify how much you're asking for rent and have that amount approved. It's possible they approve for less than the published amount, so don't bank on that.

If you do go this route, my suggestion is to continue marketing the townhome for rent to non-subsidized tenants even after you have identified a Section 8 renter and have started the process of getting them/the townhome approved. Make it clear to the Section 8 renter that this is what you're doing.

Mario, I can tell you from experience that this is doable, but not exactly easy. I did this with a 3-unit building adding a fourth meter. As John mentioned, all the gas piping must be in place first before People's Gas will show up. I was lucky in the sense that they were already working on my street; any property that had meters on the interior were being relocated to the exterior, so this likely made the process quicker for me. Be sure to hire a licensed plumber who will size the pipes correctly for the number of appliances using gas. People's Gas will confirm sizing and won't install the meter unless adequate volume of gas is available to the appliances. Once you have the gas piping in place, don't count on People's Gas getting out there soon for the meter install, you might be waiting a couple months, if not more. (I actually befriended the foreman who was overseeing the project on my street and he was kind enough to give me his number and provide updates on when I could expect my new meter to arrive)

Perhaps a better detail showing the extent of the entire slab where it meets the house. You'll have to use your imagination but in this case the "concrete curb" is the house. I know this probably isn't realistic to do, just sharing so you can understand how something like this is supposed to work.