What to do with Lead Paint?

Whether you have just started to look at investment properties or you have finally found the perfect one that you want to buy, if you hear lead paint, you may have to take a step back. Lead paint is harmful and can change the way that you look at a piece of property.

So, what are the dangers of lead paint?

Lead is highly toxic and can cause a range of problems, especially in young children (who are more likely to consume it). These include:

• Overall bad health- headaches, stomachaches, irritability
• Damage to vital organs – kidney, liver, blood
• Brain damage, including seizures
• Behavioral problems
• Learning problems
• Death

Which properties commonly have lead paint?

Homes built before 1978 are more likely to have lead paint in them. Even if your older home has been repainted multiple times, it may still have traces of lead paint in it. It can also have lead pipes in it, poisoning people through the drinking water.

What you should do once you find out a potential property has lead paint?

Move on. Many investors decide that it is not worth their trouble to buy a property that has lead paint. They don't want the hassle of making the property habitable again. It can be too much work (or cost too much for their investment).

Abatement services. There are two options when it comes to dealing with lead paint. You can remove it, or you can paint the wall with special paint and sealants to make the home safe again. Either way, you need to hire a lead-safe certified contractor to do the job. These contractors know exactly what to do to remove the lead paint safely, without harming themselves, their crew, and you.

Though many run from lead paint, you don't have to. By hiring a certified contractor, you can make the home habitable again (and even profitable)!

Rental Home Improvements that Cost too Much to Maintain

Three Rental Home Improvements That Cost Too Much to Maintain

Though you may think about investments when you think about rental properties, the truth is that you have to think about the maintenance of it also. You aren't just going to sit back and make money. You have to care for the property in order to get the most out of it.

That being said, landlords want to give their tenants a home that they can be proud of by updating fixtures and offering extras. However, these improvements can sometimes cost too much to maintain, making them a bad idea.

Here are some rental home improvements that cost too much to maintain.

• Wood floors. Everyone loves the look of hardwood floors. However, they are easily damaged and need to be refinished on a regular basis. This is especially true when the family has children and pets. They can really do damage to your hardwood floors. Because of this, you may want to choose a tile or laminate floor that gives you the same look.
• Pool or hot tub. Many tenants look for extras when choosing where to live. As nice as a pool or hot tub is, you are going to have to find someone to come at least one or two times a week to maintain it. They will need to clean it and keep an eye on the chemicals, which are their own expense. You also have to think about shutting down pools throughout the winter and opening them up in the spring.
• Too much landscaping. Though people love the look of a garden around their home, the truth is that it can be a lot of work to keep up with it. You are going to have to weed it on a regular basis, plus get it ready for the winter and fix it up the following spring.

Though you want your tenants to fall in love with your home or apartment, the truth is that you can waste money trying to make it nice for them. They don't need hardwood floors that they are just going to damage when laminate will do. You might also want to have a swimming pool or a hot tub, but you are going to be spending a lot of money in chemicals. Same with landscaping. Big flower gardens are beautiful but they are also a lot of work to keep them looking that way!

Should Your Properties Have Utilities Included?

The biggest choice that you face as a landlord is how much to charge for rent. That is often determined by the rental market where you live, along with the extras that you include.

Utilities are some things included with rent, while other times tenants get billed individually. There are pros and cons to both.

Here are some reasons to include utilities in the rent.

Many older apartments don't have this option. If you are renting out an old house, your apartments may not have separate utilities.

It isn't very easy to do. If you don't have separate meters, you could spend hours trying to figure out what everyone owes each month. It might not be worth it to you.

You may be able to charge more. Many landlords who offer utilities do so by increasing the cost of rent. You might even up making more money by giving them this option, especially if your utilities aren't going to cost too much.

Here are some reasons not to.

You may notice that your utility bills go up. If they aren't paying the bill,  your tenants have no reason to watch how much electricity and internet they use.

In fact, your utility bill may be higher than expected. If your tenants are overusing the utilities, you are going to have to pay for this. You may not have factored in such high bills when deciding how much to charge for rent and you may be losing money.

You don't have to deal with the utility companies at all. When the tenants are in charge of their own utilities, it takes one thing off of your plate. If you don't want to deal with electricity, internet, and more, make your tenants do it for you (or them)!

While you may not be able to make the decision about utilities (because your apartments aren't set up with individual meters), most landlords can. However, it comes down to whether or not you want to deal with the utility companies or not.

Design Do's and Don't's for Houses with One Bathroom

When you're remodeling homes with just one bathroom, there are certain things that might not be the best upgrades for that home in order to make it work for most families. Remodeling the bathroom properly in a one-bathroom home is vital to making sure that it is appealing to as many possible homeowners as possible. There are also other remodel ideas that will limit the amount of prospective homeowners that are interested in your property and limit the value of the property that you are trying to sell.

The following are some do's and don'ts for remodeling a home that has only one bathroom:

Design DO'S:

• DO budget for the unexpected because problems can occur throughout your bathroom renovation. Issue such as hidden water damage or a leaking shower can cost you a lot more money than you planned to spend on your remodel. Budgeting 10-25% extra for those sorts of issues can help you offset any unexpected costs associated with your remodel.
• DO hide the toilet in as discreet of a place as possible. Whether you make a separate area or room for the toilet or hide it behind the door, it should never be the only thing you see when you walk in. Keeping the most personal part of the bathroom private can pay big dividends, especially if it's the only bathroom in the entire house.
• DO choose appropriate surfaces that are resistant to children and can accommodate the disabled. Remember, you only have one bathroom so you want to make it as usable and appealing to as many potential buyers as possible. Ensuring that it's durable enough for children to use and to withstand the daily use of everyone in the family is key to keeping the bathroom one that will not have to get remodeled again just a few years from now.
• DO splurge on the shower and make the design as tasteful as possible. Upgrading to a Roman style bathtub/shower combo and choosing a shower head with multiple settings can help the only bathroom in the house appeal to as many buyers as possible. It also helps increase water efficiency to help keep the household water bills in check while still providing a great showering/bathing experience to the homeowners.
• DO make sure that there is room on the vanity for people to use to get ready. Whether someone is doing their hair or putting on their makeup, having adequate counter space to store their toiletry and hygiene items is appreciated.
• DO offer drawers and cabinets in the bathroom for additional storage.

Design DON'TS: 

• DON'T simply decide to have either a tub or a shower as families with children will almost always need a combination so the adults can shower and kids can bathe.
• DON'T forget to include appropriate ventilation in the bathroom to prevent mold or mildew growth. That is key especially if the home only has one bathroom. Homeowners do not want or need those issues in the only bathroom in the house. It's also hazardous to health.
• DON'T forget to creative with your storage options, whether it's cabinets, a drawer, a medicine cabinet, or other shelving in the restroom that be both functional and great for decoration.
• DON'T pick design over function. There is one bathroom in the home the family needs it to function over looking like a luxury designer spa space. 
• DON'T design for the future. The family is living in the now and need the bathroom to function for the now and not what someone will want 50 years in the future.

These design DO'S and DON'TS will help you create a bathroom that's functional for the entire family. It's important when the house only has one bathroom to make the most of the design and space you have.

Conclusions:

One bathroom homes can be a challenge to design and sell, but with planning and expertise these DO'S and DON'TS can provide the homeowner with a bathroom that the entire family can use. That makes your single-bathroom homes all the more marketable. 

Sincerely,