All Forum Posts by: Sonam Gill

Super interesting hearing about everyone's experiences. I am primarily a long term rental investor from California, and wanted to pick up a few STRs this year, and was looking at large single family homes in Snowshoe. 

From the looks of AirDNA there are not as many large single family homes available on VRBO/AirBNB. The properties I am most interested in do not have HOA dues or the mountain assessment. Does anyone have advice for pursuing a property of this size, and their experience self-managing in Snowshoe? Some of the larger properties I have come across have been sitting on the market for a while, and if any insights on why that is that would also be helpful!

@Brad Hammond I appreciate the advice! and so far the process sounds similar in Columbus. 

@Justin Garland happy to connect I will PM you. 

I am closing on a 3-unit next week near OSU, and my inspector and contractor both advised of the option to divide the large first floor into two units, making the building a quad. Does anyone have experience doing this? Are there specific permits you need to pull for an appraiser/city to recognize the property as a quad? Specific specs that need to be included (separate metering, etc.) Generally trying to understand the process! Thanks! 

@Bryan K. thanks will do! We also have a side by side duplex!

After a 4 month long full rehab project, my contractor asked me to get the gas turned on at my duplex in Southern Orchards for more tolerable working conditions as the seasons change, and to complete the project.  I called Columbia gas in October, and found out my gas lines have been disconnected since 2011 while the property was sitting vacant.  After scheduling for a consultant to come out to assess the reinstall they asked us if we want the line connected to the right or left side of the house (since there are meters and gas lines on each side of the duplex for each unit.) 

I learned their new policy is to only have one gas line per parcel, but their field leaders can make a determination to leave them as is (one line per unit).  Its been 3 full weeks of calling everyday and emailing the customer service reps, but they are finding it impossible to get an answer from any of their field leaders. Has anyone had a similar issue with Columbia Gas and a multifamily property? Any recommendations?

@Scott Mac - we are absolutely basing our decision making on recommendations from our team on the ground.  You're right google maps does not tell the whole story of what makes sense for each neighborhood/area. Appreciate the advice! 

@Luke Rorech Agreed! 

@Remington Lyman LOL. Take a look across the street from the property... it's an awning store! Brick as you know is our favorite, but I assumed it would be way more expensive than stucco or siding...

Thanks everyone for the advice.  

@Erickson Sainval definitely! I feel like this building needs a little bit more than the basics. 

@Bjorn Ahlblad LOL yes! Super ugly, but the area is rapidly gentrifying and there are a lot of rehabs going on all around it.  Take a look at the photos of homes behind this building and down the street. 

 I have a PM I work with in Columbus, but also consulting with another who will also weigh in on how much we should put into the rehab above the basics as well as the curb appeal. My GC also is very helpful in this regard, and I am also using Fiverr to get digital exterior and landscape design concepts. 

@Scott Mac I appreciate the mock up and the advice! The neighborhood I'd say is a C- and improving quickly, and in a great location in terms of ARV comps and rents. Based on some of the photos of the surrounding homes, would you adjust your recommendations? Especially since most of the rehabs in the area have new siding buildings with shutters that look more inviting. I like the awning idea! That would be the first for one of my investments, but I was thinking of moving the parking to the left side of the building so that tenants don't have to look at a potentially beat up car all day. See below.

I am currently in the middle of a full rehab of a duplex in Southern Orchards, and my contractor(Ohio Native) recommended that I should stick to vinyl planks throughout the home, except for the bedrooms which should be carpeted.  He mentioned that because of the cold winters in Columbus, people prefer carpeting in bedrooms.  

In terms of long term maintenance I was thinking it made sense to stick with vinyl planks throughout the property, and if tenants prefer carpeting they can bring in a rug. I am starting up another rehab this fall for a 4-unit building in Milo-Grogan, and would like to educate myself on local preferences before finalizing the materials selection this time around.  Any opinions or experience would be helpful! Thanks! 

I recently picked up a 4-unit block construction building in Columbus, OH and wanted opinions on increasing the curb appeal without breaking the bank (photo of ugly building below). Two ideas I had:

- Designate an area for tenants to park their cars, and block off the front from parking using landscaping and/or building out a porch seating area of some sort.
- Cover the block exterior with a more attractive (and less prison-like) exterior. So far the top two options I have come across or have seen on neighboring properties are stucco or siding (vinyl or fiber/cement). I am an out of state investor, so understanding what materials work best in an Ohio climate would also be a factor I would want to weigh.

Any opinions or comments would be appreciated.