The Long Road to Restoration: A Real Estate Journey in Roy

Case Study: The Roy 4-Plex Transaction Saga

Part 1: The Property & Initial Listing

Some properties just steal your heart. And when I first set eyes on this beautiful 4-plex in Roy, Washington, I was smitten. Sitting on a hill in the middle of an adorable small town, it was a massive home with character—one that reminded me of the house I grew up in... on steroids. But it wasn’t just the property that drew me in; it was also the clients. From day one, I truly enjoyed working with most of the parties in this transaction—except for those who made things unnecessarily difficult.

From the moment I listed it, the offers rolled in. After carefully reviewing a stack of competitive bids, we went with the best one—around $900K. Everything seemed to be going perfectly, right up until closing. And then... BAM. The buyer checked with the city about permits and found out that this wasn’t actually a legal 4-plex. It was zoned for a duplex. Uh oh...

Part 3: The tenant Saga – Landscaping & A Surreal Encounter

As part of preparing the property for sale, I invested thousands into landscaping. But during the process, my landscaper accidentally put water in one of the tenants weed eater (yes, seriously) and bumped a truck bed they had sitting on the ground. This led to threats of legal action, and I ended up paying $1,000 out of my own pocket to resolve it.

But that wasn’t the only memorable moment with that tenant. During an early visit to the property, I sat down with her in Unit A to discuss the situation. As I sat on her couch, she casually reached for a pillow next to me and pulled out a gun. It was the first—and only—time I’ve ever had a gun pointed at me in a professional setting. Thankfully, I kept my composure and de-escalated the situation.

These moments are rare, but they leave a lasting impression. Real estate is never just about houses—it’s about the people, the challenges, and the unexpected. I was beyond relieved when that tenant finally moved out.

Part 4: The Nightmare Begins – City Interference & Evictions

Dealing with the city was another disaster. The officials were unhelpful, and in my opinion, outright cruel. They gave the tenants just 48 hours to vacate—on Memorial Day weekend—and they were never allowed to return. One of our sellers, who has been in the late stages of Parkinson’s, was left scrambling.

I advised my clients to seek legal counsel, as I was unsure whether the city followed proper procedures. This experience underscored how difficult it is to deal with a small town with a four-person city crew. Thankfully, staff turnover eventually worked in our favor.

Part 5: Structural Issues & The Contractor Disaster

To move forward, we needed to restructure the building, hire an architect, and navigate one of the more complicated single-family remodels, requiring a full roof replacement and restructuring—something that should have been the first priority. I'm not sure why money was spent on other renovations when it wasn’t in the correct order per permits and construction plans. However, the wrong contractor was hired, and he completely botched the roof restructuring work, failing to do the job correctly. Instead of focusing on the critical roof work, unnecessary remodels of the kitchen and bathrooms were done instead of just the stairs. Now, we may need to pull out every window to check if the correct materials were used.

This experience has inspired me to show people how projects should be done, which is why I’m now focusing on building properties of our own with a more structured and efficient approach.

The electrical panel was also left exposed, becoming weather-damaged, and we’ve been told it was the wrong type to begin with. The septic design also created problems, requiring the decommissioning of a well—a significant loss in an area like Roy where wells are a benefit.

Part 6: The Lender's Nightmare & Legal Battles

The private lender our clients have has been a nightmare as well. They've ignored us for years and now suddenly want $150K in additional interest. We recently submitted a $425K offer, hoping the updated architectural reports will get them to accept.

Meanwhile, the original construction company that botched the job is refusing to release the lien. I also need to get to the bottom of the escrow account payoff and where all the funds have gone. This case is a prime example of why tracking real estate transactions is crucial.

Part 7: The Future – A Fresh Start with the Right Buyer

Despite all the chaos, we feel incredibly blessed to have found a new buyer—who isn't afraid of a big project, in fact, this is something like they are looking for - WIN WIN for a long coming WIN we hope. This project could be an amazing career kick-starter for someone willing to take it on, and I would love to be part of that journey.

We now await the lender’s decision, but I am hopeful that this chapter will finally come to a close, setting the stage for something great.

Final Thoughts & Lessons Learned

This case has been one of the most challenging real estate transactions of my career, but it has also been one of the most educational. I plan to use it as a case study to track growth, development, and lessons learned in real estate and development.

Real estate isn’t just about closing deals—it’s about overcoming obstacles and standing by your clients when things get tough. And that’s why I love what I do. ❤️