Posted by Shawn Sisco on July 30, 2008 at 14:07:57:
Don’t forget to keep a couple of flea collars in your car - put them on over your pants leg before entry.
Got DOW Monday, went looking today - Posted by Kim (WV)
Posted by Kim (WV) on July 29, 2008 at 16:48:24:
Hi, this is my first post but I have been snooping around here for a long time. I finally bought DOW and it arrived on Monday. I sat down and read it cover to cover before the evening news.
Our local ad paper comes out on Tuesdays so I headed out to get one and came home and started making some calls. I noticed a few ads from some parks that I was familiar with and proceeded to set an appointment.
We went and looked…and smelled…and left.
Please tell me that it gets better. I felt like I needed a shower just from walking through the front door. Kitchen cabinets were barely hanging on the walls, vinyl floors had cracks and peeling throughout but there also happened to be a great dane, 6-7 kittens and a momma cat all residing in this 2 bedroom home. Uck!
I am leaving on Friday for 10 days to attend auctioneer school and I wanted to see a few homes before I left while the things from DOW are fresh in my mind but I don’t know if I can hack this.
-Kim
the “yuck” factor - Posted by Anne_NC
Posted by Anne_NC on July 31, 2008 at 11:22:24:
Sqeamishness on the part of other investors is what makes Lonnie dealers good money. I am pretty careful about what I touch, and I bring gloves for toxic projects and problems, but I’m anti-hand sanitizer.
Yesterday I was sitting in one of my vacant MHs- I had just redone the floors, and was in the middle of putting up mini-blinds when my phone rang. As I sat there on the floor talking, the biggest, blackest, pre-historic-looking cockroach strolled into the living room. It looked like it was made of patent leather it was so shiny and black. Never seen one like that before. This insect commanded respect and I let him pass by since he didn’t come too close.
If you can put yourself in the position of an explorer when you go into these homes, and less about judging the people who live there, you might find you actually enjoy the process. If you are fighting it the whole time, then Lonnie deals may not be for you.
Anne
junk homes - Posted by Brenda (OH)
Posted by Brenda (OH) on July 30, 2008 at 12:59:42:
Hey Kim,
I got addicted to using hand sanitizer while looking at and rehabbing mobile homes. (single families too, you would be amazed at how bad some bank owned properties are and the bank did not do a clean out)
I especially use it if I get a scratch while doing things like pulling up carpet or rotted wood.
Being able to get my hands and face clean especially before eating has lessen the “yuck” factor for me. It works healthwise (no infected cuts so far) and pyschologically too (washing my hands of the place at the end of the workday lol).
Maybe having hand santizer and baby wipes and a change of shoes in the car or any properties you work on will help you stay strong for looking at properties, because even if you get into a messy one, you can drive to the end of the road out of sight, and clean up a little before going home (or better yet, on to the next appointment!)
whatever it takes to keep going,
Brenda (OH)
Re: Got DOW Monday, went looking today - Posted by John
Posted by John on July 29, 2008 at 22:02:23:
Kim,
There will be good ones and there will be bad ones. The good news is after you do a few you will be able to recognize the ones you want to deal with and let someone else have the ones you dont. It is truely amazing what people will live in, we just got a very nice D/W that is in good shape for cheap. There is always a catch in this business though, this home had people living in it with two kids and garbage, not kidding, 3 feet deep in almost the entire house. The house was crawling with cock roaches. After 6 truck loads of garbage and three trailer loads and an exterminator we stand to make some pretty good money. It just depends on what it is worth to you. Good luck, this is a great business. We learn and see new things all the time.
John
Re: Got DOW Monday, went looking today - Posted by Dave (WI)
Posted by Dave (WI) on July 29, 2008 at 21:11:45:
It is amazing what people will live in, isn’t it. My wife wouldn’t even go into the first home we bought for the first month until I got is somewhat cleaned up. The next two were better but she still has the same feelings you do, she wants to take a shower as soon as she gets home when we first start working on them. While we haven’t had any with serious pet odor yet (we’ve done 3 this year), just pulling out the old carpet, painting and a good scrubbing makes a huge difference. You can’t be afraid to get dirty in this business, at least in my opinion, and the dirtier they are to start with the better price you should be able to get. I know about the snooping part too Kim, it took me over 2 years before I did my first deal and now my wife is having trouble holding me back. Little issue of getting a dealers license here in Wisconsin is my current obstacle, but I’m working on it. Hope to hear more from you in the future.
the funk - Posted by Brenda (OH)
Posted by Brenda (OH) on July 29, 2008 at 19:35:55:
Hi Kim,
Early on in learning about mobile homes, I got permission from a park owner to go through a mobile home that was going to be demolished by the park, to see what an awful home looked like.
After setting up my own kitchen step stool to climb into the home, I found there was so little solid floor left in the back bedroom, I had to walk the i beams and joists to get out of the room. the ceiling panels and insulation was partially collapsing, and I did not stay in the home long, lol, but I did get an idea of water extensive roof leak can do to a home. I was on the phone with one of my mentors the whole time, so at least someone knew where I was. He was trying not to collapse from laughing so hard, but I really did think it was a worthwhile experience. And he did take me on a tour of all of his homes that were being rehabbed soon after that, I guess he figured-out I serious about getting experience at looking at homes!
Not buying junk is true, but seeing junk also shows you why “safety issues done, now get it on the market” works in the mobile home business. and why if you ever get into a rental situation, no pets is a rule a lot of landlords choose to use.
Brenda (OH)
Re: Got DOW Monday, went looking today - Posted by Robert McNeely
Posted by Robert McNeely on July 29, 2008 at 18:50:42:
Yes, it gets better. Don’t buy total junk. Stink can be hard to deal with, but you will find good deals. You will find a MH that needs some work, and the next deal may need nothing. The one that needs no work may be priced better than the one needing work. The best part is that after you do a few deals, they will begin to find you. People will call you with deals. Good luck.
Re: the “yuck” factor - Posted by Dr B(OH)
Posted by Dr B(OH) on August 02, 2008 at 05:25:36:
Ann,
You’ve got to be the coolest Lonnie Dealer there is. I’ve dealt with fierce roach infestations, even painted over several live ones as they continued to come out while I was trimming the walls at the ceiling. But I’m not sure I could be so cool as to enjoy their beauty AFTER I completed my beautiful work. Now, I just call the exterminator before starting an infested home. That way I don’t carry them home in my clothes, shoes, toolpouch, etc.
See you at bootcamp.
Steve
(Who aspires to Anne’s coolness)
Re: junk homes - Posted by Kim(WV)
Posted by Kim(WV) on July 30, 2008 at 13:17:22:
Brenda,
I am a real estate appraiser by trade and have been in my share of rough homes but this one just wore me out!
I carry the hand sanitizer in a big ole’ bottle and use it quite frequently. I think that it took me by surprise that someone was actually living in these conditions. Typically when I see something this bad, it is a vacant REO.
I am headed off to auctioneer school in North Carolina on Friday and won’t be back for 10 days but I am going to pick up where I left off and start hitting some others up. I made a couple more calls today to people advertising but have not gotten any calls back yet.
When I return, I will be riding the speed bumps again!
-Kim