<p>Thanks veryhappy! We head to Jamaica for just five days two weeks from now, then they have two weeks to pack and move…and then the baby comes the second half of March. I predict a lot of trips to Boston in my future!</p>
<p>Spent two and a half hours today with my “kitchen designer” at Home Depot. Starting to fill in what cabinets will go where.</p>
<p>Also found in the library the July 2012 Consumer Reports that reviews major kitchen appliances. Thank goodness, because I was making no progress by searching the internet on my own.</p>
<p>I’m having a wonderful time!</p>
<p>That’s the consumer report guide I used. I also read reviews…and every appliance had either rave or pan reviews. I gave up on that. It sounds like you are really forging ahead on those renovations! Take good before pictures!</p>
<p>Yeah, the reviews on-line are either puff pieces (“Looks great. So glad I got it! Love the shiny stainless! Thanks to [name of store] for such great service!!”) or real slams, if something actually did go wrong with the appliance.</p>
<p>This week I’ve had my contractor/handyman here, with two of his workers, and they’ve been fixing all sorts of annoying things in the house. For example, they removed the floor boards in the attic and took out the old skinny insulation in the attic; they then put in the good stuff, then nailed back the floor. They also took two big storage closets that slope (they’re under a dormer roof) and finished them off – floor, taped off the dry wall seams, then painted. They also fixed our laundry chute so it no longer spits the laundry out right next to the furnace but now about three feet away. Replaced the crappy old stained brass handle on the front door with a shiny new one. Filled cement blocks that made up the perimeter of the garage with cement, to bring it up to code. Fixed rotten siding in a few places around the house. Put a chimney cap on. Installed the blinds we got at Blinds to Go. Fixed doors that didn’t close properly.</p>
<p>I feel that at this point in my life I want everything right in the house. No compromises.</p>
<p>As they say in the L’Oreal commercial, “I’m worth it!”</p>
<p>Edited to add: DH agrees completely that outsourcing these tasks is the best use of our limited resources. Neither of us has the skill, and if we tried to do these things we would really mess them up. IMHO, better to hire a pro.</p>
<p>VH…sounds terrific!</p>
<p>VH, as the old saying, Go with the Pro…Bro…</p>
<p>I sold my investment house and now have entered another purchase agreement… I probably will flip it soon after closing… How is that sound? We are buying houses like buying a box of match sticks…</p>
<p>VeryHappy, Can you send your contractor/handyman our way? I have had no luck finding anyone decent here.</p>
<p>boysx3, he’s wonderful, but he is certainly not inexpensive. </p>
<p>After I used him a few times, I recommended him to several friends. One of them said to me – before she ever used him – “So, he’s really skilled, reliable, and inexpensive?” </p>
<p>I told her two out of three ain’t bad.</p>
<p>artloversplus: If you can make money flipping houses, then go for it!! It sounds like a lot of fun, but then again I’m only thinking of the HGTV fantasy shows.</p>
<p>I am amazed with HGTV shows as well. The “Love it or List it” show is really a fantasy, especially consider the broker and the contractor work in different city and different markets and all can come up with perfect results each time. The “list it” option is even more amazing because how can they time it so perfectly that the “target” dream house will still be on the market while the old, renovated house just got to the market.</p>
<p>I flip houses with very little renovation, I just try to buy it way under the market. I just have to do it carefully.</p>
<p>artloversplus, how many times have you flipped? Do you buy the property outright, or do you get a mortgage? Do you do the repairs yourself? If not, do you finance the repairs, or do you pay them out of pocket? Do you generally make good money? Have you ever lost money on a house? Why?</p>
<p>I’m very curious.</p>
<p>VH,</p>
<p>I buy houses with all cash, no financing for the house or renovation. I buy it way under the market knowing what the market will pay for the property without the renovation. It is very difficult to do, so I can only do two per year. I do not pick and choose houses, only by the location and market value.</p>
<p>How do you get the houses for way under market? Do you find desperate sellers, or foreclosures?</p>
<p>I track 100’s of auctions and MLS listings everyday and visits every house on my target. It is a full time job.</p>
<p>Artlover, you should start a blog. I’d love to read more about your “flips”!</p>
<p>It sounds very interesting and I am eager to learn more.</p>
<p>Has anyone had any experience with the SmartStrand Silk material made by DuPont & Mohawk? A salesman at a local store did a heck of a job selling us on this carpet. It’s beautiful, feels almost soft as microfleece, comes with a 25 year warranty, and can be cleaned with just warm water. Their warranty even includes using bleach to clean up spills. We were quoted $4.50/sq ft from a local carpet place (installed, with haul away, 8# padding, etc included).</p>
<p>boys, where in Jamaica are you going? (Just curious, I’ve been going regularly for many years, have a lot of friends there, do a small amount of work with some in the travel biz there)</p>
<p>VH and ABA</p>
<p>I will do it when I get some time, right now, I am flying with three deals.</p>
<p>Do the deals; then come back and tell us about them!</p>