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Mid Rehab

August 5, 2018

So this is what a house looks like when you are tearing it down to the bones. We are kinda mid rehab right now. Even though I do rehab houses, I dont believe that I have ever done one quite this extensive.

Most of my projects change out cabinets in the kitchen, maybe a

new toilet and a vanity, some flooring throughout, paint, maybe a central a/c and heat and almost always some yard work including trees cut and grass planted. These are the items that I am familiar with and do on a regular basis.

With our house, we took it down to the studs almost throughout

the house. We are just about done with the plumbing. The electrical is almost done too. You can see from the pics that the water line coming into the house is there. Even the sewer lines to the alley are new. This house was even more major than I thought it would be.

We were thinking that we would be done about September 1, but we are now moving the date back to the early part of October. So I guess that means we are about mid rehab. People start a little later than they said they would. Some things have to be done before others can even get started.

We are just waiting on the a/c to get installed. Once we have 

it in, we can get the attic sprayed in with insulation and get the sheetrock put in. After the sheetrock installed and textured we can paint and put in all the light fixtures and plugs. The final thing will be the outside of the house. Lots of the stucco outside will need to be repaired.

I have been saying that we are mid rehab every few weeks. I think this time we really are about mid rehab. We purchased the property almost a year ago, but money, HDRC, Zoning, Permits, and Contractors have caused things to move slowly. Work has been happening for the last 2 months hot and heavy. I think we have 2 more to go. I can honestly say we are now mid rehab. The house still looks horrible, but that is because the walls are still exposed and the exterior is not done. Those will be in the next few weeks.

There is plenty of stucco inside that needs to be repaired also, but that will be done right before the sheetrock gets put up. Of course there will be plenty of painting to be done inside and out. This has been a long and tough process. Not just scheduling, running to home depot a 1000 times, showing up everyday to make sure everything is ok and fixing little issues that come up, but also financially coming up with the money to do this project.

We sold our house and made some money. We wholesaled a

few properties and always have a rehab or two going. But the uncertainty is always a little scary. Can we get the next step going and do we have enough to finish. All of this is in addition to building a subscriber base for the blog, keep marketing for new properties, purchasing and selling properties, teaching an investor class every quarter and also trying to find time to bike, exercise and stay fit.

You would think that is plenty of things to do. I also have to find time to be a listening husband, brother and friend to many. Some friends are more needy than others. I love helping others. That is what I do.

As I write this on Sunday morning, I was kinda listening to CBS after Sunday Morning and Texas Country Reporter. It was In Touch Ministries, Charles Stanley was speaking about money. He said that money can be all gone tomorrow. We get too focused on making money and spending as much as possible, sometimes even more than we have (credit card debt).

Over the last 6 or 8 years I guess I am getting more philisophical. Maybe I am getting older, but I dont want to work my ass off to make more money. I want to stay a little busy and spend a whole lot less. But more important I want to make enough from my investments so that I can pay my bills and have some extra. When I have extra I can focus on helping others with the extra time and/or money that I have.

We should all be willing to help others. Everyone has busy lives right now. But we have to make time to help others. Not just the poor or needy, even though they probably need it the most, but also friends and family. Personally, I think we can all benefit from the knowledge and wisdom that each of us possess.

Help your friend, neighbor and family. Maybe a neighbor needs a tree branch cut, maybe they just need help taking their heavy trash can to the curb or alley. Sometimes people just need someone to ask if everything is ok. Smile and give a helping hand to someone close to you. Only you know your gifts that you can give.

I am not saying all of this because I will need help painting, tilling the yard and planting grass in the next few weeks. I just think that we all can benefit when we all help each other. Smile and help a neighbor this week. Call up family that you have not talked to in a while and ask them what you can do for them and then do it.

If you can help someone this week, you will be so happy to help and they will too. Not only them, but I will be happy that the world is getting a little more friendly and helpful. I try to help someone everyday, not on Thanksgiving, not on Christmas, everyday. Please go out and give of yourself and your resources.

Happy Giving