Author: Michael Leafer

How to Remodel Around Lead Paint in Older Homes   Homes built before 1978 may have been painted with lead paint. Lead used to be a common ingredient in paint before the risk was fully understood. While part of dry paint on the walls – or beneath layers of other paint – lead paint can be safe in a home. But when… Read more →

Permanent LED Lights vs. LED Bulbs | Leaf Management LED lights can last an extremely long time. Consider your many small appliances with integral LED lights that have been glowing softly for years. Many integral LED lights have lasted longer than a decade without a flicker. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are tiny and versatile, able to produce stable light from a… Read more →

Growing Your Rental Home Business Using Equity Reinvestment Once you start building your rental home business, the potential for growth is self-generating. Over time, each property builds equity which you can re-invest in both property improvements and down payments on new homes to add to your portfolio. Equity is a powerful asset in any real estate investment business. This is… Read more →

Evaluating Rental Potential in Upscale Neighborhoods     If you’re looking for a quick way to profit from real estate, buying and renting out upscale homes seems like a smart investment. However, things are not always as they appear. It’s true that luxury and high-end properties can rent for more and provide higher returns. But not all upscale properties are… Read more →

Should You Include Smart Home Devices in Your Rental? When preparing a property as a rental home, naturally you want to create an appealing and upgraded space. You might repaint the walls, replace old flooring, and of course, replace the old locks. You might caulk the windows and add new weather stripping. You might even replace the water heater or… Read more →

DIY-Friendly Kitchen Repairs to Quickly Spruce Up Your Flip     Flipping a home to sell or rent is often about taking a shabby-looking house and sprucing up. A house with “good bones” still has a sound structure. It may have good insulation, well-built cabinetry, and a welcoming floorplan but the surfaces have become shabby and the style may be… Read more →

What to Do With One-Car Garages in a Two-Car Garage World?     Everything about it is perfect, or so you thought. You find an older home that has an attractive price tag and a delightful charm to it. The only problem? It only has a one-car garage, and you know that most of your prospective tenants are looking for… Read more →

What to Do If Rental Rates Are Staying Flat?: A Guide for Staying Solvent     The bill for your property insurance hits your mailbox and you let out a sigh of frustration. Your premium has increased again, and yet, you aren’t able to raise the rent on your rental properties to cover this added expense because rates in the… Read more →

Should You Have Security Systems on Your Rental Properties? | Pros and Cons     Should You Have Security Systems on Your Rental Properties? | Pros and Cons Home security systems seem like a universally good idea. They provide added protection and lower insurance rates. But the issue becomes more complex when you’re talking about a rental home. People feel… Read more →

Can a House Have “Too Much Equity” to Be a Rental? One of the advantages of a rental house is that it builds its own equity. Rental payments cover mortgage payments and you gain equity over time. However, when it comes to market conditions, sometimes the most profitable choice is not to continue renting a property. You may find yourself… Read more →