I always pad my reno budgets with a “disaster stash”—learned that the hard way after a pipe burst mid-demo. It’s not just about the money, either. Sav...
Honestly, I’ve played the “wait for a better score” game too, and sometimes it’s just not worth the stress. Here’s how I look at it: 1) Check where yo...
Honestly, those “convenience fees” and admin charges are usually just extra padding for the landlord’s bottom line. I’ve had advisors point them out, ...
Yep, totally agree that the more you push back, the more “required” fees just… vanish. Here’s how I usually handle it: First, I ask for a full breakdo...
Those “document prep” and “courier” fees are usually just junk fees, honestly. I’ve pushed back on them before—sometimes they’ll shave off $50 or so, ...
Haha, been there myself. A couple years back, insurance flagged some loose shingles as a "storm hazard," and suddenly I was up on the roof with YouTub...
Went through something similar with a rental property last year. Insurance flagged the roof as "near end-of-life," even though it had zero leaks and n...
Yeah, totally get that feeling... foundation issues are the worst because they're sneaky and expensive. Learned the hard way myself a couple of years ...
Totally get the point about surveys, but honestly, even a detailed survey won't always save you from headaches—though it definitely helps. Learned tha...
That's pretty lucky, actually. I've dealt with lenders who made me jump through hoops—appraisals, paperwork, the whole nine yards—even after clearly h...
Agreed, buyers don't always bolt at old plumbing—I've flipped a few homes with "vintage" pipes myself. Trick is to clearly lay out what repairs might ...
Totally agree with this. I've seen buyers get stuck in analysis paralysis waiting for rates to drop just a bit more, only to see home prices jump up f...
Had something similar happen recently. They questioned a random $40 PayPal payment labeled "thanks for the help!" from a friend. Had to literally writ...
Buffer funds definitely help, but tenant diversification can be tricky depending on your property's location and zoning. I've found mixing residential...
Banks definitely dig deeper than most folks realize. Credit utilization is just scratching the surface—they'll also peek at stuff like recent job chan...