multi-families

Lead can not only be hazardous to your health, it can also be hazardous to your pocketbook. If you are a real estate investor or owner occupant of a historic building, chances are the building is full of lead paint. Depending on the severity, lead abatement can be expensive and time consuming. Assistance from Federal and State governments has been available for years, but the method of reimbursement has...

In addition to the Multi-Family Window Replacement Program, the City of St. Louis recently also has a  called the Multi-Family Lead Remediation Program. Where the window program only compensates landlords for the replacement of up to 10 wood windows per unit ($200 for normal windows and $400 for historic windows), this program has broader implications. Rather than compensating rehabbers just for windows,...

In this market of tight budgets and shrinking profit margins, minimizing your expenses when selling a property is essential.  Upon closing a real estate sale, any unsheltered capital gains will be subject to significant taxation, which can take a bite out of your profits. One way for a real estate investor to avoid this problem is to utilize a 1031 tax deferred exchange. If used properly, this method is...

When it comes time to purchase a home, most homebuyers fail to consider the path of purchasing a multi-family. Whether this is due to the belief  that they can't afford it, that they can't compete with seasoned investors, or something else altogether, most people don't give the matter much thought. By doing so, they are missing out on a unique and profitable opportunity.  With current FHA 203k lending...

The grass is always greener, right? When you hear so many stories about people making a killing on real estate, it can be hard not to feel a little envious.  There is no doubt that real estate can be very profitable,  just don't fool yourself into to thinking that it is easy money. It isn't.  When it comes to real estate investing, it takes a lot of work to be successful, and not everybody is cut out...

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....

In March, I posted a story about duplexes suddenly becoming a viable, cash flowing, option for prospective investment real estate buyers. Four months later, I'm here to highlight the topic again. But this time, I'm not talking about two families. They are still an increasingly attractive buy, but the real surprise in the past few months has been how lucrative buying up single families has suddenly become...

Just like radiators, I've always thought window air conditioners get an unfairly bad wrap. They are relatively cheap (usually between $100 and $300 per unit), most models are efficient if properly installed and there is no need to install expensive ductwork throughout the building....

Despite the gloom and doom touted by the media, right now is a great time to be a landlord or real estate investor. You're going to have a tough time if you're trying to sell, but the current buyers market is opening up some real deals. But this fact is by no means a secret. What seems to be less recognized is how much our local rental market is improving in response to these current market changes....