Diary of a Realtor Turned Rehabber - cont'd

Diary of a Realtor Turned Rehabber - cont'd

I haven't posted in a while about my rehab project.  In April my friend, Betsy, and I bought a semi detached house in the historic part of Towson, MD.  In the beginning it was a shell, four walls, windows, floors and a roof.  The furnace and hot water heater were new and in good condition and we were able to keep those.  When we bought the house, it was full of drywall, insulation and some other building materials. 

We removed a lot of the materials out of the house and put them in storage until they were needed. 

Then we removed the stairs that were original to the house and installed a new stair case.  The new staircase makes more efficient use of the floor space and more efficient use of the floor space on the second floor. 

The back of the house had an addition built but unfinished.  We had concrete poured on the floor.  We learned you have to be careful with concrete and not splash any or leave any puddles where neighbors might drive. 

When we did our budget we anticipated being finished in July.  Here we are October 12 and we are just finishing up now.  When you hire contractors you need to be sure what each contractor's role is going to be and be sure the contractors know what that role is and what is expected and what the timeline is.  And, be sure that you hold people accountable for what they are supposed to do. 

When hiring your contractors ask to see work they have completed, ask for references and talk to home owners who have used their services.  Make sure their licenses are current and in good standing and that their insurance is current and adequate.  Also be sure that all relevant permits are pulled from the governing jurisdiction.

Remember, Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance. 

Seeing this house has come a long way and I'm very excited now that we are coming close to the end of the project.  Last week the kitchen counters were installed and this week all the light fixutres are being installed.  Tomorrow the remaining plumbing fixtures will be installed and later this week the gas lines will be turned on and furnace fired up and in less than two weeks it will be completed. 

If you are a first time home buyer or if you are looking to buy your next home.  You too could purchase a home that needs some love and make use of a FHA 203K type loan package and you could make that home your dream home.  This loan product is a great chance to turn short sale or foreclosure properties that need work or updating and turn them into a modern show place.

If you are thinking of buying or selling a home give me a call today and we'll talk about the market conditions and what your home could possibly be worth in today's market place if you are thinking of selling.  You can save thousands by listing your home with Advance Realty Anne Arundel Inc..  If you are considering buying a home, there is no better time than now to buy.  The tax savings and wealth building a lone is worth the plunge into todays market.

In keeping with saluting our heroes, during 2009 Advance Realty Anne Arundel Inc is waving administrative fees active duty military, retired military and the families of fallen military, as well as policemen, firemen and emt's.  If you enter into a contract by the New Year's eve Advance Realty Anne Arundel Inc. will waive the admin fee at settlement.  This is a $350 savings.  If you are thinking about buying or selling a home give Advance Realty Anne Arundel a call and receive full service real estate assistance from an experienced agent.  Our office is open 7 days a week and we can be reached at 410-761-1550.

June Piper-Brandon, Broker - Advance Realty Anne Arundel Inc