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February 8, 2010 at 3:51 pm

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One of the most important things every investor needs to do before purchasing a property is a profitability analysis. At first glance, many deals seem great, but upon further review turn out to be less than ideal. You just can’t tell for sure until you do the numbers. That’s where this spreadsheet might come in handy. Read more

February 4, 2010 at 1:16 pm

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Filling vacancies in your apartment units quickly can be the difference between success and failure with real estate investments. Looking for tenants anywhere you can find them increases your odds of success, but never forget that not all situations are equal. One area to be especially careful of is when working with renting to family members. Read more

December 29, 2009 at 7:00 pm

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Being a landlord or rehabber can be a tough business. Juggling tenants and repairs are a struggle in their own right, but sometimes the most stressful things can less tangible. For instance: keeping up with occupancy codes. And as of late, the City of St. Louis has been rabid in their enforcement. Read more

December 8, 2009 at 1:08 pm

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I had a little debate with a client yesterday about ceiling fans (Don’t I lead a glamorous life?), and it has me wondering what most people think of them. When buying a house or renting an apartment, what are your feelings towards ceiling fans? Are they a perk or an eyesore? Read more

November 11, 2009 at 9:19 pm

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It’s 5:30pm and you just got home from work.  Your iPhone alerts you to an email you just received from a perspective tenant. It just wait until the morning can’t it? Not if you want to rent your unit to a good tenant ASAP. Read more

September 10, 2009 at 6:18 pm

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Landlords of Missouri, it is time to celebrate. Common-sense has finally won the day in terms of our eviction law. From now on, when an eviction occurs, there is actually a legal pathway to removing the tenants property thanks newly signed Senate Bill 231. Read more

September 8, 2009 at 6:40 pm

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When it comes to trees in the city, it is amazing how unaware people are. Take the tree lawn in this picture. These recently planted maple trees are wrong on so many levels: too large a species to be planted so close to a building, too small a tree-lawn to support the tree, and most importantly… they are planted UNDER A POWERLINE! Read more

August 31, 2009 at 1:10 pm

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Last night at 2am I got a surprising wake-up call: the alarm was going off at my rehab project in Tower Grove South. The police were already there and requesting a key-holder to come over. Upon arriving on the scene I witnessed the sobering site of a backdoor kicked in. Read more

August 27, 2009 at 1:13 pm

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Dealing primarily with the foreclosure market in the past two years, lately I have been involved in many Fannie Mae transactions as both a buyer’s agent and a buyer. Unfortunately, although they are often some of the best deals on the market, that fact might be changing. If you are a real estate investor, Fannie has now stacked the deck against you. Read more

August 21, 2009 at 12:29 pm

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Frequently visiting vacant, sometimes unsecured buildings, I must admit that at times I have been quite uneasy when entering a property. Especially by myself. That’s why I bought a mace gun. Read more

August 19, 2009 at 5:52 pm

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So you’ve approved an application and the tenant wants to sign a lease in a week. Your search for a tenant is over, right? Maybe not. When it comes to renting apartments, until you actually have money in hand its never a sure thing. Read more

August 17, 2009 at 2:26 pm

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Trying for something a little different on your rehab, but limited on your budget? Here is a idea I recently used in rehabbing my office for my door handles. Read more

August 13, 2009 at 1:40 pm

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One person’s flower is another’s weed. There is no plant more perfectly matched for this scenario than bamboo. Attractive when used properly, and growing in popularity with the Green movement and the increased use of bamboo flooring, this plant will grow out of control if left unchecked. Read more

August 12, 2009 at 2:42 pm

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Is there a street light out on your block? Is the grass at that vacant property across the street ridiculously tall? Never fear, there is an easy way to tackle the problem: Report it to the Citizens’ Service Bureau (CSB). Read more

August 7, 2009 at 9:54 am

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The poster-boy for real estate fraud in St. Louis has finally been sentenced. Doug Hartmann, of DHP fame, was found guilty in April of siphoning off $35 million from real estate investors over the years. You’d think this guy would get put away for a long time. Instead, he got two years in federal prison. Hopefully the civil courts are far less kind. Read more

August 4, 2009 at 7:01 pm

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Let me go on the record as saying I love historic architecture. It humbles me to think that with all the technological advancements of the last 100 years, the buildings of 100 years ago display a level of craftsmanship that seems to be lost in the modern day. That being said, our current system of preserving these historic structures misses the point entirely Read more

July 22, 2009 at 6:14 pm

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One thing I have always taken for granted in real estate investing is the apartment lease. Just after getting into the business I got a hold of a great lease and I guess I have been a little spoiled. Read more

March 16, 2009 at 7:29 pm

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So your sewer line has backed up and a simple Roto-Rooter cleaning did not solve the problem? You might have a hefty bill on your hands if something significant is wrong with the sewer lateral. Or then again, with luck, maybe not. Read more

March 11, 2009 at 10:00 am

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Adding a second bathroom or garage to a house can really add to the value of the property. In general, anything that adds to the functionality and convenience of the property will have a positive affect on the value for sale or for rent. Of course, there are times when these investments don’t work out so well. Read more

January 27, 2009 at 1:51 pm

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Is the sidewalk in front of your property a little worse for wear? All the freezing and thawing of Missouri weather along with additional help from ice melt, tree roots and good old time have a way of doing that. Read more

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