FlipperToolbox

My wife and I have been living in our rural home for three years now and have enjoyed being close to nature. We have dealt with ticks and coyotes, and we have done our best to roll with the seasons. But this winter has been by far the harshest and snowiest, and it has been difficult to witness the reality of the situation up close.

I have lived in rural locations most of my life, so I am familiar with the “cycle of life” in nature. In a typical year I might find the remains of a few deer in my woods, but this year more snow has meant more deer are starving. I have spoken to the local Department of Natural Resources and am following their recommendations for the healthiest and most environmentally sound way of feeding the herd. But sadly, many of them are still dying.

I am writing this to express my sadness. Today I was out working in the yard and saw one of the fawns bed down for the last time before it died. I wanted to share my sadness, and also to make people aware of a potential downside of buying property in a winter deer yard.

I live in a neighborhood where the average home price is somewhere in the low to high 200s. Recently, I noticed that three people in the last year alone have sold their homes for far less than market value. One neighbor I know, for example, sold their house for just $150,000, even though it was easily worth up to $250,000. This means they missed out on around $75,000 – that’s enough to cover a full year’s household income and then some.

Another neighbor across the street, a retired couple, sold their house to an investor for only $170,000. The investor then spent maybe $25,000 on updating the paint and fixtures, and sold it a few months later for $285,000. The updates weren’t even necessary, as the house had been well taken care of and wasn’t that old. The couple lost out on anything between $55,000 and $70,000, likely because they wanted to make the deal quickly and easily.

Sometimes, selling your home for an “instant offer” can be a good deal. But it’s worth noting that these investors make the process so simple and fast because they’re taking most people for a ride and making insane profits from it. The last couple of years have seen some of them particularly profiting from this.

We recently found our dream property, but it comes with an unfortunate problem – it’s been chain smoked inside for 30 years and is absolutely disgusting. We’re expecting a baby and don’t want our children to grow up in a house with a smoky smell, but we don’t want to give up on this property either. There’s a lot of advice online about cleaning with TSP and sealing with oil based primer, but we’re worried that’s not enough.

We don’t want to gut the kitchen if we can help it, but honestly, it looks like we’re in for a full gut. The house doesn’t have HVAC, but it does have an attic with insulation and a crawl space with insulation. We’d like to avoid a full gut if possible, so we’re looking for honest advice. If we just take it down to the studs, would that be enough?

We know the easy answer would be to just walk away, but everything else about this property is perfect. We’re looking for advice on how to make it work with a major renovation. The best advice we’ve gotten so far is to talk to someone who mitigates house fires and smoke damage. They’ll be able to tell us what needs to stay and what needs to go. Anything fabric, like carpet, drapes, and wallpaper, needs to be pulled out immediately.

We’re hoping to find a way to make this dream property a reality for our family, so we’re really looking for advice. Wish us luck!

As a first-time browser of this sub, I apologize if this is not the right place to ask my question. I live in the Midwest and last summer we got a dog who is just wonderful and adorable, but also poops… a lot. I did my best to keep up with it in the brutal winter months, but eventually I just couldn’t keep up. Now that the snow is melting, I am left with a solid layer of dog poop where my grass is supposed to be. This is a new challenge for me since I grew up with dogs in areas without snow, so I wouldn’t have to deal with this issue. After doing some research, I’ve come across a few options like a metal long-handled shovel followed by replanting grass, or a vinegar and water solution with a 50/50 ratio.

I’m wondering how other dog owners in snowy climates deal with this issue come springtime and if they have any tips and tricks to avoid this problem next winter. I know it’s embarrassing to ask, but I could really use some advice here.

If you’re dealing with the same issue, one creative solution is to use an empty Amazon box with a trashbag in it to collect the poop. This way, you can easily move it around and dispose of it. You can even put it on your front porch for everyone to see and wait for a porch pirate to come and take it!

As a new homeowner in Central Florida, I’m looking to make the most of my borrowed pressure washer this weekend by cleaning my driveway. I’m wondering what else I should use it for while I have it? It turns out there are so many potential uses for this powerful cleaning tool that it may be hard to know where to start.

Trash barrels, rugs, outdoor furniture – you name it, you can clean it with a pressure washer. We use ours all the time to clean every throw rug in the house. You can even use it to cut a 2×4 in half, but you’ll have to take it slow and be methodical.

Once you get a pressure washer in your hands, you’ll find plenty of things to use it on and wonder how you ever lived without it. Whatever you use it on, make sure you’re doing it at a distance/pressure that won’t do any damage. Check out this resource for general ideas on surfaces that are safe to clean with a pressure washer.

Some of the more creative uses for pressure washers include removing wasp nests from high house eaves and prepping wooden fences for a new coat of stain. You can also use it to spray the exposed wood of a patio structure, even the undersides and supports, to remove the weathered layer before staining it.

My advice? Have fun with it! With a pressure washer, you can easily take on all sorts of tasks, from the mundane to the creative.

When it comes to contractors working at your home, it’s important to remember that unless you offer, they are not allowed to use your bathroom. This can be a huge inconvenience, especially for those who are running their own businesses and are used to having a bathroom nearby.

My electrician friend runs his own business and still shits in a bucket in his van because he’d rather not risk using someone’s bathroom without permission. This is a common practice, as using a client’s restroom without permission is seen as a cardinal sin.

I recently heard a story from a friend who hired paver guys and noticed that they were peeing on the side of the house and behind the shed. It turns out that he had cameras installed and was alerted when the workers went behind the shed. He also noticed the smell at the end of the day when he went to close the gate.

I can relate to this experience, as I just finished renovating a vacant house and my workers ended up blowing up my brand new toilets. It was not a pleasant surprise to find shit stains on the bottom of the seat and piss all over the seat and sides. On top of that, they didn’t even flush the toilets so the piss had formed a nice crust on top of the water from sitting for a few days.

So, if you’re hiring contractors to work on your home and are comfortable with it, start the day by telling them it’s okay to use your restroom. It’s a very appreciated gesture, and it can save you a lot of trouble in the long run. Just remember that, unless you offer, contractors are not allowed to use your bathroom, so it’s best to be proactive about it.

Growing up, I moved around a lot and my parents never considered buying a house when the market was good. Now, I’m in the same boat. I’m trying to get into the real estate market but it seems impossible. Everywhere I look, I see articles and videos about people buying multiple properties, and I’m still trying to get one. I’m feeling frustrated and stuck between waiting for the perfect market and loan, or just diving in and hoping for the best. I don’t want to look back on my 30’s and regret not taking action, because I know prices will just get higher.

I’ve been asking myself how people make real estate investing possible for them. Real estate isn’t the only way to build generational wealth. There are other options like investing in index funds. But if you’re determined to go the real estate route, there are some things to consider. You might have to buy in a dicey neighborhood and be part of the change you want to see. Many people have made money this way. Another option is to find a partner, like a couple I know. They started by buying a house together.

No matter which route you take, it’s important to remember that real estate investing isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme. It takes time, effort, and research. You have to be patient and consistent, and you need to be prepared for the risks involved. Make sure you look at the numbers and do your due diligence before committing to anything. And, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, it’s okay to ask for help from a professional. With the right plan and the right attitude, real estate can be a great investment.

The real estate market is ever-changing, and it can be hard to keep up with the trends. In a recent episode of the podcast Odd Lots, Ben Carlos Thypin discussed his views on the current real estate market in the United States. His main point was that the current market is best suited for speculative and appreciation-driven markets like New York City. His argument focused on several factors: higher interest rates, higher purchase prices, increased competition, increasing industry regulation, and an overall increase in hate for landlords.

When it comes to the current state of the real estate market, it can be difficult to decide what is best for landlords. Interest rates, purchase prices, and competition have all increased, making it harder for landlords to make a profit. Additionally, it seems that regulation of the industry is becoming more commonplace, and there is an overall increase in hatred for landlords.

The New York City real estate market is unique. The rules that apply in other markets typically do not apply in NYC, making it a great place for landlords. The demand for rentals is high, supply is low, and rents are higher than ever. This has led many to believe that the golden age of being a landlord is now.

The discussion on the Odd Lots podcast was an interesting one. It is hard to say whether or not Ben Carlos Thypin’s views are shared by others in the industry. It is also difficult to decide whether it is better for landlords to buy properties today or five years ago. One thing is certain, however: the real estate market is ever-changing and it is important to stay up to date with the trends. It is important to remember that the New York City real estate market is unique and that the rules that apply in other markets typically do not apply in NYC. With high demand, low supply, and rents higher than ever, the golden age of being a landlord appears to be now.

We recently put our home on the market, so when the buyer and their family, accompanied by their realtor, showed up for the inspection, we were taken aback. We had received no notice of their presence, so we quickly packed up our toddler and our dog and left the property for a few hours. This was a bit of a hassle, as we are currently in the process of packing up our house for our move next week, so the house is not in the same condition as it was when we showed it to the buyer.

When we returned, their realtor informed us that they had found a copy of our old inspection report from when we bought the house four years ago. This report was not available to them to review, and we keep all of our house documents and appliance documents in a cabinet that we had not yet packed. We realized that they must have gone through our cabinets to find the documents without our permission.

We were astonished that they had gone through our personal documents without our knowledge. We went to check where the documents had been, and we found them back in the cabinet where we always keep them. It seems that they had dug through our cabinets to find the documents. In my mind, this was an invasion of privacy. We understand that the buyer needs to do their due diligence, but it is important to us that the process respects our home and our privacy.

A recent class-action lawsuit has the potential to change the way real estate agents are compensated nationwide. The case, which alleges that policies of the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and major real estate franchisors violate the Sherman Antitrust Act by inflating seller costs, was based on the opinions of two experts: NYU Economist Professor Nicholas Eckermans and Harvard Law Professor Einer Elhauge. If the motion for class certification is successful, it could result in millions of homeowners being reimbursed for billions of dollars in commissions paid to buyer’s agents between 2015 and 2020.

The lawsuit raises an important question: who will pay the price if buyer agent commissions are eliminated and how will that impact buyers and sellers? It is true that commissions are negotiable and sellers agree to pay them upfront. However, this lawsuit suggests that sellers are being forced to pay for the buyer agent as well. It is understandable why sellers are upset. Adding an extra 2.5%-3% to buyers would make homeownership even more unattainable.

My opinion is that this class-action suit has the potential to have a significant impact on the real estate industry. It is concerning that the judge has agreed to move forward with this as a class-action lawsuit. Although sellers deserve to get reimbursed for the extra costs, it is uncertain how much will actually change. Buyers may still struggle to save for a down payment, closing costs, and the possibility of paying above asking, even if buyer’s agent commissions are eliminated. It will be interesting to see how this case plays out and how it will affect buyers and sellers in the future.