# Property Preservation



## Guest (Sep 12, 2012)

Hello Everyone,

I am a new contractor in the property preservation business. Would like to hear from other new guys and ask what has been most difficult for you in getting into this business. (besides not being paid on time!) Thanks everybody!


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## thanohano44 (Aug 5, 2012)

kingman said:


> Hello Everyone,
> 
> I am a new contractor in the property preservation business. Would like to hear from other new guys and ask what has been most difficult for you in getting into this business. (besides not being paid on time!) Thanks everybody!


Go ahead and place an introduction first, tell us a little about yourself and your operation.


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## Guest (Sep 13, 2012)

I just started doing property preservation on foreclosed homes. I am doing this on my own with 0 employees right now. I used to do maintenance for a 300 apartment complex. The thing I am struggling with right now is all the photos that are required. The company I am contracted with is Asterisk.


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## BPWY (Apr 12, 2012)

Welcome to the site, there are a lot of hours worth of reading here for your enjoyment.

Good luck on being a newb in this industry. Its not for the faint of heart.


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## Guest (Sep 13, 2012)

Thank you.


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## JFMURFY (Sep 16, 2012)

kingman said:


> Thank you.


I'm sure you have the nuts an bolts with mechanical ability...Now you need a course in "the ridiculous" Remember you wanna get paid for your work. TO do that you have to show what you did...from start to finish... many FS reps have to be spoon fed. They won't understand at times you may need a "sky-hook" or for former military..."squelch grease". Remember to keep it simple.


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## Guest (Sep 14, 2012)

Thanks for the advice. Guess the hardest part about this new adventure is the 
bs you have to go through and not get frustrated just to get your paycheck.


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## JFMURFY (Sep 16, 2012)

kingman said:


> Thanks for the advice. Guess the hardest part about this new adventure is the
> bs you have to go through and not get frustrated just to get your paycheck.


Remember it's a game... Calculate your moves before you do'em, anticipate what would hold up payment... Photo's only show what you want people to see. Read the HUD P&P documents, know the documents you signed-on for, and if WO are unclear... send an email requesting clarification. Communicate with your client.


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## Guest (Sep 14, 2012)

Thank you so much! Obviously you've had lots of experience and know what you're doing and how to do it. I am still working my regular job plus doing this property preservation stuff and eventually will be quitting my day job - I hope!
Are you doing preservation jobs also?


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## JFMURFY (Sep 16, 2012)

kingman said:


> Thank you so much! Obviously you've had lots of experience and know what you're doing and how to do it. I am still working my regular job plus doing this property preservation stuff and eventually will be quitting my day job - I hope!
> Are you doing preservation jobs also?


I try to pick the work I want to do... I stay away from re-occuring services cuz they don't pay for what it's worth to do. Bid work is where it's at. Initial services, tenant occupied & brokers. If a property's for sale..call the broker... sell your company. There a manny dudes on here who will help you out.
But remember don't accept the work if you don't make any money at it...Profit isn't a dirty word.


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## BPWY (Apr 12, 2012)

kingman said:


> Thank you so much! Obviously you've had lots of experience and know what you're doing and how to do it. I am still working my regular job plus doing this property preservation stuff and eventually will be quitting my day job - I hope!
> Are you doing preservation jobs also?








In all seriousness............... DO NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! put all your income eggs in the P&P basket. 
That is a good way to wake up one day with no income.


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## JFMURFY (Sep 16, 2012)

BPWY said:


> In all seriousness............... DO NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! put all your income eggs in the P&P basket.
> That is a good way to wake up one day with no income.


Good avice...


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## Guest (Sep 14, 2012)

Thanks for the advice! I am maintaining 300 apartments and thought I could do better with property preservation jobs.. I am quickly learning that I need to hang on to my day job. There are lots of property preservation jobs but the pay is terrible.
I've only been doing this for 1 mo. so still learning the ropes of this game.


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## JFMURFY (Sep 16, 2012)

kingman said:


> Thanks for the advice! I am maintaining 300 apartments and thought I could do better with property preservation jobs.. I am quickly learning that I need to hang on to my day job. There are lots of property preservation jobs but the pay is terrible.
> I've only been doing this for 1 mo. so still learning the ropes of this game.


Good idea... I started doin this **** 16 years ago while doin estimating for enviro an demo outfits. If you do it right it'll mesh together...


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## GTX63 (Apr 12, 2012)

Don't quit your day job. Wisconsin's mowing season won't be around much longer.


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## JDRM (Apr 16, 2012)

kingman said:


> Thanks for the advice! I am maintaining 300 apartments and thought I could do better with property preservation jobs.. I am quickly learning that I need to hang on to my day job. There are lots of property preservation jobs but the pay is terrible.
> I've only been doing this for 1 mo. so still learning the ropes of this game.


Have you recieved a check from Asterisk yet?


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## Guest (Sep 14, 2012)

one check for a grass cut. I have done way more but they keep making excuses and say they want more photos.


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## JFMURFY (Sep 16, 2012)

kingman said:


> one check for a grass cut. I have done way more but they keep making excuses and say they want more photos.


I do 4 photo's for a grass cut... B4 leftfront & right rear & after same place... or vice-versa if I'm wearing shorts that day...


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## BPWY (Apr 12, 2012)

kingman said:
 

> one check for a grass cut. I have done way more but they keep making excuses and say they want more photos.







More than likely you aren't getting paid.



They know its impossible for you to produce more grass cut photos of that day at this late date.
Oldest tactic in the how to screw your P&P contractors 101 book.


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## Guest (Sep 15, 2012)

You're right- Took me a month but I figured that out. Looks like I won't be wasting any more of my time doing this work.:jester:


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## JFMURFY (Sep 16, 2012)

kingman said:


> You're right- Took me a month but I figured that out. Looks like I won't be wasting any more of my time doing this work.:jester:


If you give up that easy... what's that say... do it part time, learn from your mistakes... Ask them clearly what they want in terms of photo's, an give it to them.


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## JDRM (Apr 16, 2012)

kingman said:


> You're right- Took me a month but I figured that out. Looks like I won't be wasting any more of my time doing this work.:jester:


I had a bad feeling about them which is why I turned them down, they basically begged me to work for them but the pay was questionable also. There are some good companies to work for, but you have to do your homework, and be skeptical of everyone! This site is great to find out info on other contractors experiences with certain companies, feel free to ask. If we all work together, and share these bad experiences, these clowns will eventually vanish. Definiatly if you go after the company or banks they are working for, file liens,etc. 

Be fully aware of what photos they want, and give them to them. But as someone said earlier, this is the oldest trick in the book, and my guess is that they got paid, they are just beating you up and collecting.These small companies thrive on finding ways to not pay their contractors.

Keep your head up!

One more thing that I have done and it has worked, start out doing lawns which requires little out of pocket money until the checks start flowing, if they do not start flowing, you have wasted mostly time and minimal out of pocket expences. Ex. Dump fees, anti freeze,locks,materials


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## Guest (Sep 16, 2012)

you have to be able to take 1000 pix standing on one foot with a mower running and a hammer in your hand, a sqr of shingles on you shoulder and make sure you smile the lips curved upward especially to show amusement or pleasure and your behind lubricated. because you will get shafted.


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## HollandPPC (Sep 22, 2012)

nopay said:


> you have to be able to take 1000 pix standing on one foot with a mower running and a hammer in your hand, a sqr of shingles on you shoulder and make sure you smile the lips curved upward especially to show amusement or pleasure and your behind lubricated. because you will get shafted.


Hello and welcome to the forum. Care to introduce yourself? I take it you are one of the P&P boys making peanuts?


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## Guest (Sep 16, 2012)

HollandPPC said:


> Hello and welcome to the forum. Care to introduce yourself? I take it you are one of the P&P boys making peanuts?


Making a living and working hard for a days pay has be cut off. only crumbs thrown out to the wind and the scavengers on it like black birds. i went from building (new construction). now i'm the lawn mower man, cleaning up sh*t, debris, trash, mold. i live deep in the hills and hollers south of the mason,(Dixie land) got a shot gun, rifle and a 4 wheel drive. life is good all but the pay.


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## GTX63 (Apr 12, 2012)

I've seen that nopay guy before. He was at the walmart buying three new vivatars.:scooter:


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## GTX63 (Apr 12, 2012)

nopay said:


> Making a living and working hard for a days pay has be cut off. only crumbs thrown out to the wind and the scavengers on it like black birds. i went from building (new construction). now i'm the lawn mower man, cleaning up sh*t, debris, trash, mold. i live deep in the hills and hollers south of the mason,(Dixie land) got a shot gun, rifle and a 4 wheel drive. life is good all but the pay.


I think those are the lyrics to a song.


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## HollandPPC (Sep 22, 2012)

GTX63 said:


> I think those are the lyrics to a song.


If you play it backwards you get your house back, your truck back, your real job back, your real pay back, etc.


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## Guest (Sep 25, 2012)

Here we go round the merry go round - work, work, work and no pay yet - anyone got any good jokes? besides this one?!!!


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## Guest (Sep 25, 2012)

Anyone work in Wisconsin? Snow season is coming very quickly and I'm wondering if there is any money to be made doing snow removal?


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## mtmtnman (May 1, 2012)

kingman said:


> Anyone work in Wisconsin? Snow season is coming very quickly and I'm wondering if there is any money to be made doing snow removal?


Only on REO properties. I have NEVER got an approval on a pre foreclosure property. That said, if you in a city with a sidewalk ordinance you MIGHT get a few....


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## JFMURFY (Sep 16, 2012)

kingman said:


> Anyone work in Wisconsin? Snow season is coming very quickly and I'm wondering if there is any money to be made doing snow removal?


I stay away from snow plowing/shoveling... like other "reocurring" sevices for Nationals, they generally pay a third of what the general market rate is.


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