Let your investment property repair knowledge grow like plants in a garden. Follow my advice and you will be prepared to respond to any problem.
This is how I learn new skills:
Stick to experts like Glue
Always be there to help when maintenance personnel or contractors work around the house. Ask questions. Take mental notes of how things work. For example, every time a technician works on my air conditioner, I stand there on the roof with them, watch them analyze problems, ask them what the different components and parts are called, and ask them how to identify other types of problems. air conditioner. Now I know what to look for and can do what he did, if the same problem arises.
Take community college classes
Community colleges offer a smorgasbord of helpful classes for the repairman investor. Most of the time I have taken electrical wiring classes, but I have also done plumbing and carpentry work. Classes are at night to adapt to the schedules of working people. No need to fall asleep in the back of class during boring lectures because classes are focused on hands-on learning.
Start a library
Take seriously the old saying “A house without a library is like a body without a soul.” I have at least 100 books related to buying, selling, repairing, taxing, and tenant management of real estate, as well as several instructional videos. Whenever I’m at a book sale, I always walk across the aisle with the real estate books and the aisle with the home repair books.
I have more home repair books than any other type of book. Before starting a new project, I consult a book to show how professionals demonstrate how to do it. During a project, when I get stuck, I refer to a book to find the answer to my problem.
Sometimes when I’m not working on a project, I like to flip through my repair books for ideas for the future.
Ask for help at hardware stores
I’ve always had better luck getting my questions answered at smaller hardware stores, like ACE, rather than big-box stores, like Home Depot. When I was learning how to lay rugs, I got some good advice from a salesperson on how to secure the carpet to the floor. The people who work there generally seem to have the practical experience to offer helpful advice.
Internet
This is an area that I often overlook, but it is potentially the most useful tool for finding repair information.
To find out the answers to repair problems, I just type what I want to do on Google. For example, “I want to change a washing machine on a kitchen faucet”. Usually there are several good links that offer solutions to my problem.
When you need help repairing your superior repair houses, don’t get frustrated – get ready!