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Consider A Roommate
If living expenses are eating up your budget, one of the most popular solutions is to find one or more roommates to share them. Rent for a multiple-bedroom apartment is usually not significantly higher than that of a single bedroom or studio unit....
Decorate your home's existing concrete surfaces
You can enhance your home's existing concrete surfaces using
acid stains, water based stains, epoxy paints, and scoring
techniques. If you're tired of looking at dull gray concrete,
there are some fairly easy projects for the...
European Real Estate Prices To Drop In 2006
Areas of Europe popular with holiday home buyers could see property prices fall by ten per cent or more in the year ahead, according to overseas property specialists Tribune Properties.
2005 saw the first signs of a property slow down, and even...
Living In Las Vegas
Las Vegas is one of the sunniest cities in the United States -- with an average 320 days of sunshine per year and only 4.19 inches of rainfall. The winters in Las Vegas are like no other. Many of us do not pack away our shorts because we can wear...
The Art Of Finding Motivated Sellers
The key to long term success in real estate is one's ability to consistently find the diamonds in the rough in a sea of mediocre to poor deals. Like diamonds, winning real estate deals come in many styles, cuts, sizes, colors, and other attributes...
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Renting Out Your Basement
Some homeowners consider their basement a wasted space. It's used for storage, they say, and maybe during tornado watches, but for the most part, it can be a vast unused area just dying for some renovation. With property values on the rise, many homeowners toy with the idea of turning that space into a rental property.
If you've thought about renting out your basement, there are a few important things you should know first.
First of all, you have to clear it with the authorities. Head to your local building department and find out whether or not rentals are allowed in the area where your house is situated. If they're not, renting- even just your basement- is not going to happen. If you are allowed to rent your space, you must make sure it clears all building codes. These involve having the required electrical systems (outlets, light switches, and wiring), exits, smoke detectors, ventilation, and the ability to heat and cool the space. Some areas have much stricter building codes than others, so it's important to check what applies in your neighborhood. In order to make your basement a rental, you'll have to bring it up to speed.
Many homeowners hit a stumbling block when it comes to the doorway factor. Having a tenant in the basement means that the tenant needs their own entrance and exit that opens to the outside. It can cost big bucks to remodel a basement door into a usable entrance, and some basements don't have a door to the outside at all, which means construction costs will be first on your list.
Even if your basement meets all of the
above requirements, there's still work to do. Unless you have a particular tenant in mind and know their needs, you must realize that your city is probably full of apartments, and your basement has to compete. This probably means the installation of painted drywall, carpeting, and other small amenities (including a bathroom and kitchen area!) to make this space truly appealing. Is this beginning to sound like a big investment yet?
Before you make the plunge of building a basement rental, it's strongly suggested that you think seriously about whether or not you truly want a tenant. Unless, as stated before, you have a particular tenant in mind, you will have to go through a screening process before allowing a stranger to essentially live in your home. Also keep in mind that your basement, unlike apartments in a complex, was not built to be a separate living space, and there will be sound leaks and other nuisances that might pose problems. It's a big jump to go from a private home to a private home with another private home beneath it. Make sure it's a jump you want to take before you start laying out the cash to make it happen.
About the Author: Kirsten Hawkins is a real estate expert from Nashville, TN. Visit http://www.king-of-real-estate.com/ for more information on real estate, mortgages, and finding the house of your dream.
Source: www.isnare.com
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