Minnesota Investment Real Estate

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A couple weeks ago, I was looking at rehab properties with an investor in Coon Rapids. I walked in the front door and was about to go up the stairs when I had to do a double take on this one. I just stood there and tried to figure out what the installer’s motivation was.

It seems that this person (tenant I assume) was able to borrow/find some old Lunds entry carpets and proceeded to use them as runners on the stairs. I could almost understand if the rug had some cool name or logo on it like: BMW, TAG Heuer, or Summit Brewing, but come on, it is Lund’s grocery (nothing against Lunds as they are very nice stores). Then I had to wonder how much traffic and how dirty these stairs must get if they need a dark green commercial carpet to cover them!

(click for larger view)

Have you always wanted to buy investment property, but never knew where to start? Don’t Wait! Get Started now.

Scott Ficek is a Minnesota Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Advantage Plus in Minneapolis and helps new and seasoned investors buy and own Investment Property. He owns and manages almost 30 investment property units from single family to multi-family. Find his website at www.minnesotainvestmentrealestate.com or receive his blog via your RSS Feed or in your Email.

I suppose it is tough to say this is a Stupid Repair, as all the houses of this vintage (pre 1950) were built this way.

It is more about how various investment property owners have attempted (and I am using that term generously) to deal with this troublesome bathroom feature.

Back when many of the properties in Minneapolis were built, I guess people only took baths. Consequently, most bathrooms have a large window in them that is above the bathtub. While this is a design feature even seen in new homes, the problem comes in when a shower head is added to that bathtub to make a shower. Now, that nice light-filled window is water magnet with few great solutions.

Here are a couple attempts to fix this situation (all that are destined to fail)! Click on the pictures to see them in all their glory!

Interesting way to tile over the window!	Notice painted black windows for privacy!
Tile the window ledge, but leave the wood window!

It is that old saying, when life gives you a bunch of lemons, make lemonade. I think these guys put some vodka in their lemonade when they thought up these repairs!Have you always wanted to buy investment property, but never knew where to start? Don’t Wait! Get Started now. Scott Ficek is a Minnesota Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Advantage Plus in Minneapolis and helps new and seasoned investors buy and own Investment Property. He owns and manages almost 30 investment property units from single family to multi-family. Find his website at www.minnesotainvestmentrealestate.com or receive his blog via your RSS Feed or in your Email.

After last week’s Stupid Property Repair #4, it seems to be the week for notches out of doors. This next one I just found at very nice, but vacant single family house in St. Paul. This property could be a good investment for a single family rental as it was priced at $165k.

I have seen my share of small bathrooms and creative layout. I have even seen the bathroom door almost touch the toilet, but this one seems extreme.

I didn’t take the picture, but that notch is so wide that you can actually see into the bathroom when the door is closed!

I thought that I would give North Minneapolis Investment Properties a break this week. Unfortunately, I didn’t have to go far to find another funny installation. I was in South Minneapolis looking at a very nice $230k duplex. Although this property was in foreclosure, it was very well maintained with a perfectly landscaped backyard. It also had 2 garages: one double car garage for the owner that used to live downstairs and then a single car garage for the upstairs 1 bedroom apartment.

Today’s stupid property repair has to do with the below exterior light installation.

When I opened the door to the garage, I noticed it stuck slightly when it was open about 1-2 inches. I thought that was strange and realized that the light was hitting the door (not to mention the bottom of the light was at about eye level). Upon further examination, it appears the installer decided not to move the light over a little or buy a smaller light, but notching out the door was easier!

Well…I suppose it works!

Scott Ficek owns and manages almost 30 investment property units from single family to multi-family. Find his website at www.minnesotainvestmentrealestate.com or receive his blog via your RSS Feed or in your Email. He is also a Minnesota Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Advantage Plus in Minneapolis and helps new and seasoned investors buy Minnesota Property Investments.

I am naming this issue: “The Stupid Property Repair in the Pink House”

Again, when looking at North Minneapolis Investment Property, (which lately seems to be the place for stupid property repairs, but I am not going down that road to figure out why!), I found this gem.

But, let’s talk about pink for a minute… The below walls are not only painted pink in this room but so are the ceilings (and it has pink carpet just to round out the mess). This is not some 7 years olds room, but the entire dining and living room!

Click for larger view.

In that pink house we find an interesting plumbing repair. It appears this repair person was unsure about the proper materials to use to connect a new plastic plumbing pipe to an old cast iron pipe. As I always say, “When in doubt, use duct tape or its equivalent.”

Click for larger view.

Ah. Plumbing repairs and pink rooms all in the same house! And you too can buy this beauty for only $34,900!

Have you always wanted to buy investment property, but never knew where to start? Don’t Wait! Get Started now.

Scott Ficek is a Minnesota Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Advantage Plus in Minneapolis and helps new and seasoned investors buy and own Minnesota Investment Property. He owns and manages almost 30 investment property units from single family to multi-family. Find his website at www.minnesotainvestmentrealestate.com or receive his blog via your RSS Feed or in your Email.

I will be the first one to admit that I am not very good at sheetrocking and taping. I don’t do it often enough and it takes a bit of finesse that I just don’t have. Well, whoever was attempting to do this repair is obviously not qualified to even pick up a taping knife. This was inside next to the front door of an investment property in Minneapolis.

Here is the wall they were trying to repair (click on the picture to make it larger):

Now the wall repair is not why it ranks as a Stupid Property Repair. Take a look at this next picture. They didn’t even bother to remove the switch plate when they mudded in the sheetrock. They figured just a little more taping mud around the switch plate was what they needed! It is actually inset in the wall about a 1/4″. Nice!

If you have a Stupid Property Repair, take a picture and send it to me. It just might make a post of shame!

Have you always wanted to buy investment property, but never knew where to start? Don’t Wait! Get Started now.

Scott Ficek is a Minnesota Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Advantage Plus in Minneapolis and helps new and seasoned investors buy and own Minnesota Investment Property. He owns and manages almost 30 investment property units from single family to multi-family.