I get where you’re coming from, but I’d still argue that ignoring the “bones” can backfire. If you’ve got a leaky roof or ancient wiring, tenants might not notice at first, but those problems will find you eventually. Like you said,
I’ve seen landlords do a quick kitchen facelift and then get hit with a massive HVAC bill six months later. Personally, I’d tackle the unsexy stuff first—maybe not all at once, but enough that you’re not gambling on something big breaking down. A dated kitchen is tough, but a flooded basement is worse.“sometimes it’s not clear cut.”
Yeah, I hear you on the “bones” vs. cosmetic stuff. There’s just no point in slapping subway tile on the walls if your plumbing’s about to burst. Like you said,
I’ve definitely been tempted to go for the flashy upgrades first—who doesn’t want a nice bathroom?—but every time I tried to cut corners on the boring repairs, it ended up costing more in the long run. It’s not glamorous, but fixing the essentials gives me way less anxiety about surprise bills. Still, I wish there was a magic formula for what to tackle first... sometimes it feels like a guessing game.“a dated kitchen is tough, but a flooded basement is worse.”
Honestly, I’ve seen plenty of folks get burned by skipping the “boring” stuff. It’s not fun spending on a new roof or electrical, but tenants (and buyers) notice fast when the basics fail. Curious—do you prioritize repairs based on inspection reports, or just gut feeling?
I get where you’re coming from—nobody wants to drop cash on pipes or shingles when there’s more exciting stuff to upgrade. But honestly, skipping over the “boring” repairs can be a false economy. I’ve seen folks try to squeeze extra income out of their home equity, only to have a surprise HVAC meltdown wipe out half a year’s profit.
Personally, I lean hard on inspection reports, but I’ll admit gut feeling plays a role—especially if you’ve owned a place for years and know its quirks. Still, those reports catch things even seasoned owners miss. Curious if anyone’s ever regretted ignoring something small on an inspection? Like, have you ever thought “eh, that’s minor,” and then it turned into a money pit?
Also wonder how much weight people give to tenant feedback versus professional advice. Sometimes tenants notice stuff that inspectors gloss over... but does that ever backfire?
Minor stuff on an inspection? Yeah, learned that lesson the hard way. Had a “just a little drip” under a bathroom sink once—ignored it, then six months later I’m shelling out for mold remediation and new cabinets. Now I treat anything water-related like it’s about to flood the Titanic. As for tenant feedback, I weigh it more than I used to. Tenants spot weird smells, drafty windows, or noises inspectors never catch... but sometimes they’re convinced a squeaky floorboard means the place is haunted. Gotta balance it out, but I’d rather over-fix than get surprised.
