Runin Fixer

Heat Pump

2011-12-12T09:14:00.000-08:00

My heat pump came on this winter. Is that a good or bad thing. Heat pumps work to warm up the house in the winter just as it cools the house in the summer.

Its just more effective to use the furnace. A heat pump's refrigeration system consists of a compressor and two coils made of copper tubing which are surrounded by aluminum fins to aid heat transfer.

Atlantic St Sump Pump

2011-04-14T21:48:00.000-07:00

Atlantic Street Needs Sump Pump

2011-02-26T10:50:00.000-08:00

Need this for basement in Atlantic Street.

Need a check valve for the Sump pump.

Sink needs to be fixed in bathroom. Wrong sized pipe. Drain pipe is too big. Right sized downspout

$125 to replace the PVC

Fixed Pipe for 3/4 hotwater pipeline supply for hot water heater

Marvelous Mellon and the Main Streets of MLK

2010-12-09T16:37:00.000-08:00

The building on the corner of Mellon and MLK had a storied past and hopefully to many nearby residents a bright future ahead.

For nearly a century, the building stood an iconic landmark and cultural gateway to historic Congress Heights.

Then came the 50s, the little town on top of the hill overlooking the vast expanse of a monochrome buildings perched on wide avenues laid out in a magnificent system of quadrants by French Architect Charles L'Enfant.

The war had ended, the Great Depression a fading image in the rear view mirror. All of a sudden, the Government was hiring and Federal workers abound.

From the Navy Yard to Bolling, thousands upon thousands of jobs were created to support the burgeoning Military/Industrial Complex.

The 1960s ushered in a period of hard drugs, rampant liquor and sordid strip clubs that dotted the strip, virtually every corner, on both sides of the street.

Slowly and steadily, the area started going downhill. Schools became desegregated and the white and wealthy moved out to the sprawling suburbs.

But now gentrification has come to this side of the river, and with a consolidated headquarters for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security with 4.5 million square feet of office space already breaking ground, thousands upon thousands of employees will start moving permanently within two years.

2013: Coast Guard
2014: DHS and FEMA
2016: TSA, CBP, and ICE

The 1960s was also an era of assassinations and in 1968, Martin Luther King was martyred. The ensuing riots ravaged the town for four endless days -- the capital ablaze, the scars left behind by the looting and arson still evident a generation later.

Lena had just finished her inventory at the store. The convenience store had opened up three years ago and was doing great business. They had a steady flow of customers from the amazing foot traffic and prime location right on the prominent corner.

Congress Heights was happy to get its first grocery store three years ago -- a sprawling Giant selling fresh fruit with clean aisles. For the last three decades, this area was in a sad state of neglect. Now 19 projects worth over $455 million dollars had been either started or slated since 2006 with the headquarters of the Department of Homeland Security moving into neighboring St Elizabeths.

Still, many local residents from east and west and up and down Malcomn X Avenue found the Corner Mom and Pop store reliable, well stocked and selling exactly what they wanted.

And with more than 2,650 residential units and 6.6 million sq. ft. of office space in the pipeline within one mile of Congress Heights, business would surely pick up and be sustained.

The Mellon Convenience Store had an advantage of many others -- their large basement that served as storage. Because of this storage, the store could maintain a large inventory of merchandise.

The advantage of this is that the store is always stocked which is extremely beneficial since the store never closes. However, since the store had to purchase goods ahead of time, they had to ensure proper documentation and accounting.

In Inventory Control, do you restock the shelves by pushing the old items back to make room for new items of the same kind (The Last item stocked will be the first one sold -- LIFO), or do you move them to the front (FIFO)?

Well it depends. Perishable items (dairy, mayonnaise, juice) need to be FIFO, but other items like clothing or raw material can be either.

Why does it matter, you may ask. Because it will make a huge difference in the Profit/Loss statements. For one, FIFO results in higher inventory accounts compared to LIFO. Also results in lower Cost of Goods Sold amount.

COGS = Beginning Inventory + Purchases - Ending Inventory

Subway works a little differently. They actually purchase raw material (flour, barley, sugar, salt, etc). All these ingredients cost something.

In Subway's case, whatever finished loafs, meat and veggies they have at the end of each quarter (Goods Avail for Sale) subtract the inventory of raw materials to make these finished products is the Cost of Goods Sold.

The $5 Subway sandwich is such a great marketing idea for the Franchisor. That's because the company gets paid no matter what the profit margin is for the Franchisee. The profit margin is normally $1.20 per sandwich. So we are hoping that the diner is extra thirsty.

Subway is such a great restaurant because

The bread is fresh and the smell lingers
The customer can ask exactly how they want their sandwich
The space is clean and presentable
The sandwiches are delicious
Price is Right (sometimes even as economical as making it at home)

The drawbacks of starting a franchise, is the amount of money invested upfront. There is a franchise fee along with an build-up fee which could run a couple hundred thousand dollars or more.

Because of the Time Value of Money, this is money that is tied up and will take some years before an investor recoups this investment.

FV= PV (1 + i )^N

FV = Future Value
PV = Present Value
i = the interest rate per period
n= the number of compounding periods

DCHA Section 8 Inspection (Need Handrail)

2010-12-01T08:57:00.000-08:00

Need grout or caulk on bottom of sink

Some bricks are loose. Need mortar

Need handrails -- "3 or more steps"
Contractors for handrails:
Kelley Welding (Hyattsville, MD)

Zottola Fab (Pittsburgh)

Needs caulking

Drawers need repair

Maintenance of Hot Water Boiler

2010-09-28T04:40:00.000-07:00

Long time plumber and pipefitter, Jeff Bishop describes how he repaired my 30-year old hot water boiler located at 500 Lebaum St. SE.

Jeff also showed the rust grime that came out of the boiler.

Seven years ago, Jeff installed the radiators in the basement.

This house is profiled in my blog: RUNIN Anacostia.

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The Long Living Boiler

2010-09-26T06:41:00.000-07:00

Jeff Bishop had to flush out the boiler and radiators today. The person who soldered the pipes for the HW heater did a messy job. The sweating was unprofessional. So Jeff came to provide advice.

Jeff came in and flushed the pipes for the boiler. This boiler is likely 25-30 years old. Few contractors understand hot water heat. They can lat 50 years with proper controls and maintenance.

A major drawback is that central air conditioning cannot be installed without a seperate air handler and ductwork which is a huge expense. Ultimately these factors should be reflected in the value of the home. Central air conditioning is almost a given in 2007 where it didn't exist in 1955.

A water boiler feeds radiators as opposed to the boiler that heats air.

Not staying cherry red. When gas hits it it lights. Jeff did find out there was a problem with the thermocouple (which costs less than $10). Then he realized that it was the valve.

Next he had to flush out the radiators. He charged $300 for the flush and another $300 for the repair.

Waterproofing Lebaum Street

2010-09-20T07:06:00.000-07:00

French Drain for House

2010-08-27T09:35:00.000-07:00

We installed this French Drain for Lebaum Street.

MLK: Please Change the Filters

2010-08-11T22:25:00.001-07:00

AC Blowing Warm Air

2010-08-05T13:28:00.000-07:00

While out of town, the AC stopped pumping out cool air. The fan was still working but just ambient air. When Mike opened up the unit, he discovered that the capacitor blew out. After changing out the capacitor, now the condenser wasn't coming on. (The capacitor has three connections -- one for the fan and two for the condenser.

Now that the capacitor is replaced, the next thing we need to troubleshoot is the contact.

Ikea Comes to the Rescue

2010-05-30T08:12:00.000-07:00

In just three short years, my tenant had destroyed my countertop.

Not able to wait any longer, I went ahead and moved forward with the new installation. Instead of purchasing cheaper quality material, I was enamored by what you could do with Ikea.
This was a proof in concept showing that we can get quality countertops from Ikea.

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House showing the scenic Oxon Run trail

Art or Eyesore?

2010-01-23T17:47:00.000-08:00

I am reposting this blog from Congress Heights on the Rise: Nov 7, 2009

OPINION POLL: Art or Eyesore?

The Advoc8te took a stroll up Mellon Street today to the corner of MLK Avenue and I saw that the Mellon Street Corner store has added a new mural on their wall facing Mellon Street, next to the tattoo shop mural of Dr. King and President Obama.

I am not sure if this new mural is art, an advertisement or both but I am pretty sure whatever it is I hate it - I really hate it. I think that that in order to encourage business development on the Congress Heights corridor the corridor needs to look more inviting for business - both for potenital customers and businesses alike. The visual standards need to be raised along with business services and options. Personally, I really like murals - when done tastefully they can really have a positive impact on a community and add a certain flair and character. My own personal opinion (and we all know what they say about opinons) is that the murals on Mellon Street perhaps aren't the best fit for where we are trying to go as a community.

In terms of the Mellon Street Corner store mural while I totally appreciate the stores desire to want to advertise their business, highlighting only the stereotypical things you would expect to find in a low income neighborhood with few services and options (check cashing, money wiring services and last but not least - the lottery) underestimates the needs of their consumers and in the long run places limitations on the potential for their business to expand. In regards to the Obama/King mural overall I like the intent of the mural - I just think it could have been executed a bit... differently (to be honest I thought the depiction of Obama looked more like Malcom X). I am super curious to know if DC goverment has rules or regulations regarding the installation of wall murals on commercial property. Do they have to go before the community for approval or input prior to being installed?

I am interested in hearing some other opinions of the murals on the corner of Mellon Street and MLK. Art or Eyesore? Both? Neither? What do you think?

Either way I would have preferred to see these type of public artistic/advertising installations be presented to the community for commentsbefore being installed.

On the far right wall is the Obama/King mural that went up after Obama won the presidential election. Lord knows I love Obama and Dr. King and I really do appreciate the sentiment behind the installation of this mural but again I just don't like it. My preference would have been for the iconic Obama "Change" or "Progress" poster or perhaps one of his speeches - after community input of course. This is yet another example of how I feel if ANC 8C was a productive ANC, partnerships could be developed with local businesses and local artists to work with the community to include wall art and other types of artistic expressions in the community - in a beneficial and aesthetic pleasing manner.

Tribute Mural at MLK

2010-01-04T22:51:00.000-08:00

Green St Furnace

2009-12-27T12:00:00.000-08:00

This Christmas weekend, we are replacing the relay and the switch to the furnace.

Put in a new fan relay and a new thermostat to replace the one above.

You can also see new wiring in the overhead.

The relay was on for an hour to show that it was cooling the motor. Then we had to shut it down to purchase some more oil from Petrol.

What My Busted Sewer Line Taught Me

2009-12-11T11:50:00.000-08:00

Reflecting:

This issue had been inexplicable, unimaginable, unbelievable and the solution appeared untenable.

And the lesson -- patience, trust, understanding, reflecting and decision making -- all virtues of 'RUNIN'.

We've had issues before with backups, but never this bad.

And the previous issues were caused by tenants pouring kitchen grease, hair and rag products down the drain -- at least that was the theory, which was partially substantiated and partially corrected by snaking the drain (by pulling up the toilet)

Sometimes, we used environmentally safe chemicals with plenty of hot water, which often opened up the drain. If this didn't work, we brought out our snake.

I remember two years ago, sending a camera from Grayton Plumbing. The plumber said that there was an issue perhaps due to a root, but it was extensive and recommended keeping an eye on it -- which I did.

Understanding:

We needed to act smartly, proactively QUICKLY.

Oh no, we have an issue. There was a backup in the sewer. The waste water was coming up from the drain in the kitchen.

And it was imperative that I take care of my tenants. At this time, I put myself in their shoes -- it was not a good condition to be in.

Negotiating:

Licensed plumber, Mike Lewis, snaked out the drain with the K-150. However, the route out through the house to the yard was too Rigid and couldn't negotiate the bends and turns.

The Rigid Snake was part of our Property Plant Equipment that we had purchased. And by using it for our properties, it was paying off. In fact, the price we paid for the Rigid Snake had had more than covered the use of it (Even without acomodating for depreciation)

Then we tried with a 75' snake we rented from Home Depot. This time, he went further, but he heard the grinding in the kitchen floor. We thought we ran into rocks.

MBWA (Managing by Walking Around):

So I included them (all 3 of them) as well as both my contractors (Mike Lewis and Milton Daley) in our thought process and decision making. We huddled around. Before we did anything, I asked the tenants both whether they agreed with what we were doing, explained to them why we were doing it and how. Yes, it required a buy-in -- but it game them an opportunity to provide ideas and input.

So the decision was to open up the floor where we thought we had run into rocks.

But as you can see, we ran into a T-fitting which explains why we had difficulty running the snake through and the cause of the grinding. We could have probably figured this out by the layout of the house which would have saved us time and trouble of digging up the kitchen floor.

Innovating:

It was no time to call the experts who had the latest technology: Grayton has the DrainVision Sewer Camera that can see where the rest of us couldn't.

We confirmed that we had a crack in the line. We also sent their snake down there (K-1500) and came up with dirt. Grayton used a Rigid 1500 gun which had a lot more power than the Home Depot snakes. We also found a lot of hair and rags.

The camera and snake also localized the crack. So this is where we dug and made the replacement underground. We did not replace the entire line, but approx. 8 feet of it.

The line was completely replaced underneath the basement. The depth was as much as 8 feet.

Commercial Boot, C-Clamp used for the new sewer line. This was used to connect the PVC pipe with the existing cast iron line.

Navigating:

The contractor recommended that we not replace the entire line underneath the bedroom but just an 8-foot section that had the crack. So still remaining there was about another 6 foot section that was cast iron which appeared to be fine because water was able to go through. However, time would tell whether this was a smart decision.

Arrested (Almost) for Digging up my Yard

2009-12-11T09:17:00.000-08:00

Reflecting:

After the basement work, we thought we were good to go. A lot of thought process and hard work went into that project.

Within a couple of weeks, we had another backup. This time, we felt that the collapse was occurring somewhere in the front yard (based on snaking and seeing where the mud was coming from). There were both benefits and drawbacks. The benefit would mean we could dig without intrusion to my tenant.

Understanding:

The drawback was that digging the front yard could prove tricky.

It was both deep and we were concerned about digging the trench by hand (no backhoe) without the trench collapsing.

Negotiating:

I had the benefit to discuss this with the DC Chief Inspector who gave me some guidelines to dig the yard. Milton Daley told me that he could do it. I was leery at first, but then after much discussion, learned to trust him.

Innovating:

We agreed to start the cut right against the building as opposed to in the middle of the yard (15 feet long). The dig would be shallower and based on multiple snakings, we figured that the collapse was closer to the building. Our analysis was right on.

We were fortunate that the ground was red clay which kept the trench nice and packed.

Showing connection from the building going out to the street. 8 feet deep.

This time we also hired the help of Jerry Hunter, another DC licensed plumber who would snake the line after we cut it to ensure that we did not get any mud.

Well things were going to good. There had to be trouble. Sure enough, the tenant had called the police when we started working in the yard. The police came to get us arrested. However we did have permission to dig up the yard. We had to call DC Regulatory Affairs who came and confirmed that we had permission.

What's amazing is that we were doing work that would benefit the Tenant since they did not have water due to the sewer line collapse.

During this time, our Innovation paid off once again. We politely stopped work and contacted the Chief Inspector at his house (on Sunday) who directed his Deputy to visit the property to inform the tenants and the Police (7D) that we indeed had permission.

I assured the Deputy Inspector that I would take pictures on my Iphone and send it to him over the weekend as we continued our work.

Navigating:

This was a great decision to attack the yard methodically and only after guidance and permission from the Chief Inspector.

We did a great job, diagnosing and making the necessary repairs.

DCRA was more than helpful and supportive, working all weekend to provide advice and guidance, even when the tenant called the Police to arrest us for digging up the yard.

I had informed her we had permission to dig up but she wouldn't believe me. The police came to stop the work. I then called DCRA who immediately came over to tell us that we had permission and to continue the work -- they were remarkable.

The main take-aways here are

1) Honesty and Integrity

2) Respect to Authorities (Police who came to stop our work despite having permission)

3) Transparency and Decency (To Tenants and Authorities)

4) Faithful and constant Communication

5) Hard work, perseverance and ingenuity

At the last minute, we decided to install a clean out -- which was a great idea. Also from the clean out we can check to see whether there is a clear flow out to the street.

Copy of green sticker approving sewer line replacement work

Atlantic Street Equation

2009-12-08T00:10:00.000-08:00

In May 2003, I purchased Atlantic Street for $107,000.

Double Entry System

For 2008, the rent of $1677 per month. So each month I receive cash which is an asset. So I debit rent $1677. The total rent received for 2008 was $20,124.

___INCOME_______

DEBIT CREDIT

$1,677

However, I have to pay the mortgage which is an expense. So each month, I credit $2,356.

___EXPENSE_______

DEBIT CREDIT

$2,356

This does not include the expenses for

1) Repairs of $8,401 accrued.

2) Taxes

3) Interest Expense of $12,999

Because of a refinance in March 2006 (3 years later) to $200,000, the Liabilities went up.

Some of this money was transfered to Etrade.

Others was used for repairs and renovation. In 2007, I spent $8,289 for renovation. Due to move out of tenant, I retiled the entire living room, main bedroom and kitchen. Installed new countertop, cabinets.

___REPAIRS/RENOVATION_______

DEBIT CREDIT

$8,289

Basic Accounting Equation

Assets = Liabilities + Shareholders Equity

$200,000 = $200,000 + Negligible Equity

The following year, I decided to give Atlantic Street a new face lift. The expenses were $13,581 which included $6,831 for improvement for new siding.

Since then I had to purchase a new water heater, a new furnace, a new sump pump.

We had two floodings in the basement.

The first one occurred in summer of 2007 when water from massive summer rains came and through the foundation. The result was a ruined furnace and water heater.

These were liabilities. So for the accounting equation, I credited cash (asset) from my bank account and I debited repairs (expense account)

Note, in July 2005, Atlantic Street experienced a fire in the bedroom upstairs. The children were playing with matches and lit the mattress on fire. Everyone evacuated, but the firefighters came through the roof and broke all the windows in the house.

Repairs conducted after this included opening up the ceiling to expose the attic and create a cathedral ceiling.

In addition, we opened up two closets and created a nice size den.

Thanksgiving Blockage and Jeff Saved the Day

2009-11-27T14:19:00.000-08:00

Yes it was Black Friday, and I didn't sleep one lick. Wanted to rise early to catch the AM sales at Best Buy and Apple.

Yes, I bought a Tom Tom for $100 and a new Nano plus iWorks for a great price.

A mysterious thing happened over Thanskgiving. We had a blockage in the basement. There were 2" of standing water and the furnace was in jeopardy of getting wet.

Innovation

Here I was as usual -- going on Google and visiting Ask Yahoo to see what were the possible causes and fixes from other people like me. I learned to do this whenever there is an issue. The internet is there for us and the info is provided by others who have experienced similar issues before -- that is why I'm sharing this with you.

Luckily, Milton rushed over to Oxon Hill Rentals to rent a pump.

We thought that the leak was coming from the bedroom on the main floor. We even started opening up the wall. Unfortunately, it was wood not drywall.

The pipe was galvanized and it was solid. Then we thought it was the connection between the iron and PVC (in the basement). Problem was that the connection was in the joist.

But after seeing the water coming up from the ventilation pipe, it became more and more apparent that it was not just a bad connection.

Reflect and Remember

Nevertheless, we were getting ready to cut the pipe. But, wait one minute, let's call the guy who installed the pipe in the first place.

Jeff Bishop, the savior of Lebaum St, just happened to be around the corner. He rushed over and diagnosed it as a backup outside the house.

Unite

We were all together now. Mike, Milton, Jeff, me the tenants -- all working together for one common good, the day after Thanksgiving.

So Mike and I trek over to Mayfair Apartments to pick up our snake: K-1500, 120' Rigid.

We thought we had it.

Negotiate

Well, they went the entire length of 120' and it didn't work. What shall we do. I had already paid Mike. Now I had the option of calling Grayton Plumbing tomorrow which meant more money and delay. Well, calling Jeff was a great decision earlier on -- so if it worked, let's keep on doing it.

Jeff happened to be up the road again. He recommended we call Frasers (Just Ask Rentals) to see if they have a larger snake.

Jeff rushed to Penn Ave, SE. I called Frasers while keeping Jeff on the phone. The snake would cost $176 -- it was the biggest one that had.

But it was a gamble. I could easily spend this money and pay Jeff $300 more would no guarantee that it would work.

Then I mentioned to Jeff that if it didn't work, would he be willing to go for half: $150. He felt certain that it did -- the compromise and his confidence that this was the right thing to do made me feel that we making the right decision -- it was the best decision at this moment of time.

Navigate

This did it. The extra 30' and the thicker snake made the difference. Jeff and Mike found a bagful of rags -- body cleaning rags that don't dissolve. I took a picture of it.

Looking forward, we now know

1. Ask questions -- insightful ones and lots of them

2. Use the power of social media to find solutions

3. Tap all Subject Matter Experts

4. Cut and then think about it -- don't cut the whole pipe all at once. Start by cutting the wall, then ponder whether cutting the pipe is the right thing

5. Call the contractor who did the install -- he will normally have different insight

6. Involve the tenants -- ask them their thoughts

7. Work together and negotiate decisions.

8. Help out

9. I informed the tenants and told them that in the future I will not be paying this $800 bill.

10. Create a backup. We took this opportunity to install a new sump pump and a back up pump that is battery powered.

500 Lebaum

2009-11-08T14:05:00.000-08:00

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2931 Stanton Road SE

2009-11-03T20:00:00.000-08:00

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500 Lebaum

2009-11-02T22:26:00.001-08:00

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2931 Stanton Road SE

2009-11-02T22:25:00.001-08:00

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Tenant Left a Mess -- Renovation of Kitchen

2009-11-02T21:19:00.000-08:00

The tenants left a mess with the red streak paint all over the house. I have no idea what Ms. T had in mind when she painted the walls. At any case, we are going to repaint all the walls.

This is a good time to renovate the kitchen. Milton Daley ripped up the kitchen countertop and base cabinets. Here, he is pointing to the plumbing that will feed the kitchen sink.

Mike Lewis installing water source for Stanton Road.

Milton Daley installing tile flooring. First, he has to install plyboard.

Prepping the plumbing after the tile has been installed.

In 2007, I installed a new Goodman furnace and heat pump combo. HVAC tech was Mike Lewis (pictured above)

Check out Zillow.com's assessment of FMV

2009-11-01T13:04:00.001-08:00

125 Atlantic St, SE

2009-05-01T14:14:00.000-07:00

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2356 Green St SE Map

2009-02-14T20:32:00.000-08:00

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Different Types of Wiring in House (EHow, Tim Gibson)

2009-02-01T01:11:00.000-08:00

Obama and Martin Luther King Mural - MLK & Mellon

2008-11-26T17:48:00.000-08:00

I am reposting this blog from Congress Heights on the Rise.blogspot.com

Obama and Martin Luther King Mural - MLK & Mellon

Designed by two tattoo artists at the tattoo parlor above the mural this mural is located on the corner of MLK Ave. and Mellon St on the side wall of the Quality Convenience Store.

Stanton Gets a Rooflift

2008-05-22T21:23:00.000-07:00

One thing I've experienced often is roof leaks. I've had it in Galveston and Stanton as well as MLK.

One thing I've done over and over again is patch up the roof with roof patching compound especially around the chimney -- and like a boat, I keep on throwing money at it.

My patience was running thin and I felt I needed to take care of my tenants who didn't appreciate calling me about water dripping from the ceiling after a big rain storm.

So, I finally broke down and decided to go ahead and shop around.

As expected, I went to Hector Navas (who did an ingenious job with Galveston and Martin Luther King Ave )

Hector is a pro and can command great prices. But since money was tight, I had to negotiate for the best price or go looking elsewhere.

I checked prices on Angie's List and Craigslist.

Finally Hector came back with the best price possible. He knew I was a repeat customer, and he knew that I would treat him well. Likewise, he would do a fantastic job ensuring my roof replacement was complete and would never leak again, as long as I was alive or the house sold.

and hired Hector Navas to redo my roof. He did it for $4,000 including replacing the bad plyboard. Apparently, the roof was extremely old and some of the plywood had rotten.

The $4,000 was recorded as an accounts payable (just like the water bill for Galveston) for me and as an accounts receivable for Hector, since I did not pay him until the work was fully completed.

For the back end of the roof, Hector installed the rubber roofing membrane than coated it with aluminum roof coating -- looks super clean.

The rubber compound and aluminum paint in the back and addition.

Here is the house with the new roof. Looks like a champ and I'm enjoying the house

Charming Atlantic Street

2008-04-30T07:39:00.000-07:00

Atlantic Street was one of my first houses in DC. It is an old charming house built just after WW I. One of the neat things about the house is the gable type roof with a nice dormer for the bathroom -- a type of house that is no longer built.

I remember distinctly getting an email about the fire. I was in Guantanamo Bay and what was nerve wrecking was that there was not much I could do. I could not contact anyone and worst of all, I could not visit my tenants.

The firemen had also broken all the windows as well as cut a hole in the roof to vent out the smoke.

I didn't know what to do with the hole, so I decided to keep the hole and install a skylight.

The fire wasn't bad, but the smoke damage was. So instead of repainting it, I decided to take down the ceiling.

We also opened up the crawl space attic and created cathedral ceilings. It was tricky creating a vaulted ceiling, but we made it work, but when we were done, it looked fantastic.

We also opened up parts of the dormer for a space that was not been used and converted it to a den.

Read the Zillow.com assessment of the house to include fair market value:

Pictures taken before we installed the siding.

The quaint gable-roof house on Atlantic Street sometime after the fire. Notice the heavy-up by the side of the house.

Read my letter of recommendation for Milton Daley

Two Years Later, Atlantic Street Gets A New Skin

2008-04-29T20:05:00.000-07:00

The house been built in the 30's, the paint along the side of the house began to peel. I was tired of having to paint it, so I decided to install new siding.

Milton Daley and Company doing work on the front, side and on the dormer.

Before the siding was installed, we installed rigid foam insulation siding to ensure energy efficiency.

The siding we chose was light gray which resembles blue from the distance. (Special order from Home Depot in Oxon Hill.)

We also installed maroon shutters to the side window

The total for the labor and materials was $6,831

The entire house was completed with the exception of the addition in the rear. Also we installed new shutters for windows on the side and painted the bannisters the same maroon color as the shutters.

In this picture, you can see that we had to work around the heavy-up electrical cable.

In March 06, I refinanced the house. It was a debit cash for $94,500 and a credit notes payable to Indymac Bank for $94,500.

* All photos taken by owner

On Top of Green Street

2008-02-14T09:41:00.000-08:00

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A Wall with a View

2008-02-11T20:51:00.000-08:00

Ever since I saw the house five years ago for the very first time, I fell in love with it.

It all started in Feb 2003, After a horrendous snow storm, Old Man Winter was started to pack his bags and head up north to hibernate.

For five days, a record breaking snow storm blanketed DC resulting in over 20 inches of snow.

I was exploring the area in our minivan, just excited that we could finally drive around now that the streets had cleared up.

I stopped at an intersection. What seemed to be quiet a neighborhood turned hectic all of a sudden.

Seemingly out of nowhere, a bunch of kids came up behind me. Within seconds they were all around me, all eight of them -- there was no where I could go.

The kids looked no older than 12. But at this point and time, they were bullies, thugs, and they had held me hostage.

Then they came up in front and started pelting my windshield with twigs and rocks. The branches pelted snapped against my windshield, and there was not much I could do but to keep the door locked and to shift up the moment they would let me go.

Because of the freak incident, I took a turn up a hill, unsure of where it would lead, but for now I was running away from these thugs.

That's when I headed up the hill into a dead end street.

The street offered a beautiful view of a heavily-wooded and secluded park.

When I looked down, I could see the panoramic view of the Capitol, the Washington Monument and the Union Center.

The beautiful view of the US Capitol from the front yard

The view of the museum ship USS Barry (DD-933). Barry was laid down on 1954. During her illustrious almost 30 year career, she participated in the Cuban Missile Crisis as well as operations off the coast of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Barry has deployed with numerous aircraft carriers including Coral Sea and Enterprise.

Since I am by trade a surface warfare officer, with a longing to return back to the Fleet -- perhaps this was the real reason that drew me to this house.

USS Barry's underway replenishment in the Atlantic Ocean, mid-1960's.

Here is the beautiful red-brick house with the lovely, secluded woods in the background.

I had Milton remove the atrocious awnings from the windows -- makes the house open up more and also brings in more light inside.

I also installed a plastic white-picket fence around the front. This served to remedy a DC Housing Authority inspection. But it was a great idea since it not only provided safety, but also improved the cosmetics.

I used Long's Fence as the supplier and Milton Daley as the contractor.

Green Street has a brilliant view. So with the beautiful view from up on the hill and the collapsing side yard that was making it more difficult to walk across, I decided that it would be ideal to build a brick retainer wall, 40 feet long and 4 foot at the highest

The wall became a smash idea. It would cost $5,000, but it would make the yard more retro and more aesthetically appealing.

Milton Daley would do the work -- For four days, he worked hard and the wall looked immaculate.

If you walk alongside this wall, you are offered a splendid view of the Capitol and downtown DC.

** All pictures of the properties were taken by Chito Peppler

Atlantic Street

2007-11-30T07:33:00.000-08:00

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26 Galveston Place SW

2007-11-08T11:31:00.000-08:00

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Micro Economics Problem:

Tim Cole was the contractor who developed Galveston. We had an opportunity to use the $20,000 in downpayment and purchase a money market that brought in 8% a year.

We also provided our Dodge Grand Caravan to Tim since he needed it to move lumber and tools.

The van was worth $1500 and we could have easily sold it for that much.

Renovating this building took over ten months. I could have spent the time to work at the library in the evenings and in the weekends and earned $10,000

Our opportunity cost was $10,000 + $1,600 (interest) + $1,500 (van).

Galveston Place: Serenity Above Discord

2007-11-08T10:39:00.000-08:00

Galveston has a spectacular roof deck offering peace and quiet above an area that in the past can get downright dangerously loud and hectic. What is amazing is that the roof pavers which provides a nice walkway around the perimeter of the roof is not physically attached to the roof, but simply floats on the roof.

Here Hector Navez, roofer, who installed the pavers, checks on the stability of the pavers and the rails.

Hector also reflashed the roof around the rails and around the brick structure.

Read the zillow FMV

500 Lebaum

2007-11-02T21:51:00.000-07:00

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Fair Market Value Lebaum

2007-11-01T09:22:00.000-07:00

Fair Market Value and local area info for 500 Lebaum:

Atlantic Street Gets a New Kitchen and Tile

2007-10-01T16:26:00.000-07:00

This is the open expansive view from upstairs at the "little house on the prairie" on rough, rugged Atlantic Street.

Beside all the violence on the street and in the drug lots scattered throughout the neighborhood, the back end of the house offers a peaceful, serene view of river scenery, streaming water from the Potomac and water lillies and other vegetation along the canal.

This calm and relaxing body of water is Oxon Creek which reaches out to a scenic cove on the Potomac River straddling the border between DC, and Maryland.

So why are we renovating? Because of the splendid view? Because the tenants had just moved out and this was an opportune moment to make drastic improvements on a house that suffered through a fire just two years ago.

Amanda was a great tenant since I purchased the house in 2003 -- even with the small fire in the bedroom and the subsequent smoke damage.

I remember getting the call when I was assigned to Guantanamo Bay -- it was heart wrenching -- especially since there was little I could physicall do.

My Alstate insurance did go up for the next five years.

Insurance is usually purchased in advance. For Atlantic it was around $750/year. I purchased two years of insurance.

Prepaid Insurance: $1500
Cash: $1500

By December 2006, one year of insurance would expire.

Insurance Expense: $750 (expense)
Prepaid Insurance: $750 (asset)

In preparation for our new tenants -- Sabrina, I wanted to renovate the kitchen and tear out the carpet in the living and dining room and install tile.

So we decided to do the following:

1) New countertop

2) New base cabinets

Both items were installed by James Crudup shown here

3) New tile in kitchen

4) New tile in the dining room/bedroom

5) New carpet

6) Electrical work of $250

We decided to install a nice classic tile design using Mexican tera cotta tile from Morris Tile in Hyattsville, Maryland.

To see original HUD-1, click here.

We also decided to use this special 18 inch tile in the living room and dining room. Essentially, we were virtually tiling the entire bottom floor. Working with large tile is challenging. It's more difficult to measure and cut. It's also more difficult to make ensure that it is level. But when it's done, here is nothing more spectacular.

Total price for the tile and labor from Alphonso Richardson is $4,279

To see one of Richardson's invoices, click here

So now we have a brand new kitchen. I'll be interested to see what it looks like in a year or two after the tenant has stayed in the house for that long.

We also took the opportunity to purchase a new stove at Home Depot for $538.

This was a prepaid expense since I purchased it a month before we needed it.

It was a Credit cash, Debit Asset.

Finally, James painted the house for $1500.

Credit cash $1500. Debit Accounts Payable $1500.

Accounts Payable $1500 (current liability)
Cash $1500 (asset)

An asset is decreased as a credit.
A liability is decreased as a debit.

Interesting that this project required the work of all my contractors. Jeff Bishop helped out with replacing the kitchen piping and venting. He also repaired a hair-line crack in the plumbing. He charged me $2150

Power Panel Change out to Install Disconnect

2007-05-05T21:21:00.000-07:00

Orlando Catana changes out the power panel. Reason was because DCHA Section 8 inspector said that we did not have a main disconnect switch.

Interesting, since there was a lot of drama from the tenant who did not want to cooperate. Orlando had to return a couple of times.

Read Orlando's Yelp review.

Asset = Liability + Shareholders' Equity

On my ledger, the journal entry was

1) ASSET ACCOUNT: Debit Accounts Payable $500

(It's Accounts Receivable for Orlando)

Then when Orlando completed the work:

It is an asset because I got service out of it.

2) LIABILITY ACCOUNT: Credit Contractor $500

Renovation of Lebaum

2006-10-02T20:33:00.000-07:00

Tim Cole installing the vanity in the basement bathroom

Jeff Bishop installing green board to the basement bathroom.

Painting the walls orange in the living room.