All Forum Posts by: Tom C

Dh,

If you are planning on moving in a matter of a couple of years, then why are you looking at new? By time you pay closing cost, you will never recoup your money in this market in a couple of years on a new home, without adding an addition or some major upgrades. It sounds like you want to get into investing, but you want new. You wont make a profit paying retail and buying new. Thats not investing, thats just playing harry homeowner.

I am going against the grain here and say.. You need to get a house and out of the rental as long as your payment is going to be very near what you are paying out it rent and expenses, but make sure you can move into it. I would rather move into a piece of junk and slowly fix it up then pay rent. As a matter of fact the first house my family ever had didn't have indoor plumbing. We used an out house for a year and half until we got enough money to put in a bathroom and septic. We also made a new wood burner out of steel and thats what we heated the house with. So if you really want to get out of the rental slump, then think about your purchase very carefully and do it. You will never save the money for a home while you are still renting. Look at your situation to this point, you weren't able to save then. You will find that any extra money that you do have will go into the house instead of pissing it away on stuff that you really don't need. At least you are putting it some place that makes sense.

I hate bugs myself. I would buy a couple of bug bombs and throw under there first.

Mike,

Watch those spider bites close. I had a friend who was bitten and within a week she had a gaping hole in her arm and it took months of treatment to get rid of it. It was just a common house hold spider too.

Of course I am going to disagree.. If you only can get $350 a month for rent, refinishing them and making the shiny will not bring you $450 a month in rent. If the neighborhood is cramp and the home is 20K home, I would not spend $200 in sander rentals fee's and varnish and 6 hours of my time refinishing a hardwood floor. Thats like buying a new frig for $500 verses buying an old used one for $50 for a low income unit.

Now with that said, it also depends on where the floor is located. Living room, go to lowes and get 58 cent per foot carpet, bedrooms, stairways, I paint, but that is just me.

Jen,

Mike suggested "true walnut" (that's the color), exterior latex paint from Walmart" and I used it and came out very nice.

As far as your sinking floor it may be as simple as just needing to jack it up to the level you want and then place a post in there. Pretty simple job for Harry homeowner to do.

Sure you can, if it's a low income rental. Much easier then refinishing them.

My cousin got into a deal like this and lost his wife, but gained a really cute stripper. They found a way around the full nude and alcohol issue here in Ohio by making the joint BYOB and charged for the mix. His partner hosed him by telling his wife about the stripper girl friend, so he's not in the business any more.

Good luck

Very cool Jen.. Remember painting the floors is not a sin..

Allstate also has landlord insurance

No mention why this happened, but it certainly doesn't look good.

http://www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/miamivalley.html