How to handle a wet basement depends on how wet it is. Watch this video to see how I handle it.

Full tip: This video was taken in the Garden District in New Orleans. A beautiful place!

Most zoning/permit offices now require any basement that is finished to have an egress window when finishing a basement as a form of escape in case of emergency. Some parts of the country only require this when putting a bedroom in the basement. It can cost an extra $3,000-10,000 to do it (depending on depth and lot configuration). Make sure you factor in that cost when finishing a basement!

Fun fact: This video was shot in New Orleans around the time of the Sugar Bowl.

I get grief when trying to ‘wholesale’ my properties and agents often think real estate investors and agents are polar opposites. I think that is nothing farther than the truth!! Agents help investors stay out of trouble when you are buying… especially when you don’t know an area well. And nothing beats the exposure to MLS when selling. So new real estate investors SHOULD hook up with a real estate agent and only do pay for fee if MLS if you are experienced and the listing looks EXACTLY like a regular listing (which they often don’t!).

Fun tip: This video was shot at a go-kart racing place in Garner, NC.

Have a tight kitchen that you need to APPEAR to look larger? Use a counter depth refrigerator to shrink the depth of the frig so its not sticking out into the kitchen as much. These frigs are expensive, so make sure you only do it on higher end homes or in the inner city where space may be a concern. It may help your kitchen look that much better… and the kitchen is the most important room in the house when selling!

Fun fact: This video was shot in Disney World. At the end of the video, check out the updated illumination show they have ON the castle. Its incredible!

In this video, I go over why when you are selling by lease option / lease purchase / rent to own, separate your lease and option agreements to make things easier on you, legally, if things “go south” between you and your tenant/buyer.

Fun Note: This video was shot on Paradise Island in the Bahamas.

In this tip I’ll share the fastest place to find cash buyers to resell properties to… the courthouse steps. You need cash to buy at the courthouse steps. So the buyers you’ll find there will be experienced buyers with cash… a great group of folks to resell “wholesale properties” you are trying to resell.

Fun note: This video was shot at the Indoor Skydiving facility in Fayetteville NC. http://www.paracletexp.com/ It’s a great facility. Instead of spending loads of time prepping for real skydiving for a jump that averages 1min 30sec, you can get the equivalent of weeks of skydiving practice in just one day here!

Removing pet odor can be difficult. Getting out dog odor is possible. Getting out cat odor can be extremely difficult, depending on the severity. Odorxit does a great job! For more info on the product and to purchase it, go to http://www.odorxit.com/

Fun note: Video was taken in front of Arlington, VA native, actress Sandra Bullock’s house in New Orleans.

A trashy neighbor can affect value negatively 5-10%. So pay attention to the neighbors touching your lot!

Fun note: Video shot in front of the home featured in the movie “Benjamin Button” in New Orleans.

If you rehab a house and want to convert boiler or baseboard heat with existing ceiling air conditioning duct work to a forced air system, you may still have to replace the existing duct work. The duct work required for Air conditioning only is smaller than furnace duct work, so if the person installing it didn’t plan on using it for a heat, they may have installed the smaller size, which will be insufficient if you are installing a forced air system. Check with your HVAC pro during a home inspection to avoid this potential costly issue!

If you have a semi-detached or single family home with a back door that is 4ft off the ground and a basement below, it can get expensive replacing them TO CODE because code requires steps be set in solid ground. Government considers ground within a few feet of the house to be “fill dirt” (usually 6 feet, but check your county/town/city code). That means you may have to set your steps 10+ feet below the ground, which can get expensive! Other options include just putting in a deck or repair or replace with reinforced concrete leading to porch.