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Tobin S.

(10,418 posts)
Sat Apr 12, 2014, 09:06 PM Apr 2014

Thank you to all who replied to my condo paint job thread. Here are the details about the place.

I owned the condo when I was single. I met my wife in 2010, and in early 2011 I moved in with her. We were married later in 2011.

Anyway, I tried to sell the condo when I moved in with my wife and it was just not happening so I leased it. I had two tenants in the place over the last 2 years. The first one was a landlord's wet dream. Paid the rent on time every month, quiet and friendly with the neighbors, never broke anything, and left the place in the same condition she found it- clean and everything in working order.

The second tenant just moved out earlier this month. He paid the rent on time, but I found out he was a lousy neighbor earlier today. Very noisy at all hours of the day. I had no idea or I would have had a word with the guy. I had a property manager handling the place and never heard anything about complaints from him. I apologized to the neighbors and told them that if they ever have a concern or a question about my property to call me directly. I gave them my number.

The second tenant also left the place a mess. Trash everywhere and it looked like he hadn't cleaned the place the entire year he lived there. My wife and I went over there today, scrubbed the bathroom and kitchen, wiped the place down, and cleared out all of the trash. It cost us about $60 in cleaning supplies and four hours of our time. It was that dirty. Keep in mind, this is just a little one bedroom, 650 square foot condo.

Like some suggested in the other thread, I was going to get bids to paint the place. The first guy to look at it wanted $1200 to paint it. That was just too much. The walls are in decent shape and don't need to be refinished or primered. Just minor patching for nail holes, chips, and a few small gouges. I have already bought the paint. My dad used to paint houses on the side and has been helping with this. He can't do the job now because of his health. I can't do the job, or at least a good job, because I'm squeezed for time and the condo is 50 miles away from where I live now. I have painted the interior of a house before, but I'm not very good at it. Painting a house interior has an aspect of artwork to it and I have no talent for it.

I called on a friend that I thought might be able to do the job, but he wasn't interested. He didn't even want to talk money. My dad knows a guy who may be interested in doing it, but has been unable to get into contact with him over the last couple of days. I think I'm going to go with a professional painting service. I will get two or three estimates early next week. It will probably be more than I wanted to pay, but the job will get done quickly and it will look excellent.

I'm going to try to sell the condo again. It will be listed at $29,900. New paint, new carpet, new blinds, relatively new toilet, fridge and stove stay, a/c, completely electric, first floor unit, sparkling clean. Park-like setting out the back door. Located in Miami Township just south of Dayton, Ohio. No local income taxes. Let me know if you are interested.

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Thank you to all who replied to my condo paint job thread. Here are the details about the place. (Original Post) Tobin S. Apr 2014 OP
Good luck, Tobin. elleng Apr 2014 #1
Good idea. Thanks. n/t Tobin S. Apr 2014 #2
If it is anywhere close to a college town, Lars39 Apr 2014 #3
There is Wright State and the University of Dayton Tobin S. Apr 2014 #4
lol,perpetually! Lars39 Apr 2014 #5

Lars39

(26,109 posts)
3. If it is anywhere close to a college town,
Sat Apr 12, 2014, 09:46 PM
Apr 2014

there might be a source of cheap labor...college kids that are already on a paint crew to paint dorm rooms. Might have to call maintenance or somebody, but it's worth a shot.

Tobin S.

(10,418 posts)
4. There is Wright State and the University of Dayton
Sat Apr 12, 2014, 09:53 PM
Apr 2014

Wright State is more of a commuter school. UD is a private school for rich kids, but you never know. I guess they might be hard up for beer money, too.

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