Inside a Sixplex We Own: The Realities of a Rental Turn in Algiers

This property is a sixplex rental located in Algiers on the West Bank of Orleans Parish, and it highlights a reality that many rental owners face over time. The key difference with this one is that it is not a seller’s property. It is owned by Aussie Steve, the founder of Home Buyer Louisiana.

Purchased around 2021, this sixplex has been held as a long-term rental and operated as lower-income housing. A tenant recently moved out, and the property is now in the middle of a full unit turn. As often happens during turnovers, the tenant left behind trash, personal items, and multiple maintenance issues that now need to be addressed all at once.

The building has several challenges that are common in older rental properties. There is prior stove fire damage, active termite issues, and general wear from years of use. Some of these problems stem from decisions made along the way, including letting a termite contract lapse during a period when insurance and operating costs were rising across the board. This situation offers an honest look at the kinds of trade-offs landlords sometimes make, and the consequences that can follow.

In this video, Aussie Steve walks through the property and speaks candidly about the mistakes, costs, and realities of owning distressed rental properties. By showing one of his own buildings mid-turn, he explains why even experienced investors sometimes decide that selling as-is can be the right option when repairs, time, and stress begin to stack up.

Video Transcript

Hey guys, Aussie Steve here from Home Buyer Louisiana. We buy houses in any condition in Louisiana. I’m here at a property in Orleans Parish, on the West Bank, and I want to show you this one.

If you’ve watched our YouTube channel or checked out our website, you’ve probably seen a lot of properties we buy in bad condition. This one isn’t in great condition either. There are some issues. The twist with this one is that I actually own it. I’ve owned this property for a while. We bought it around 2021, so we’ve owned it for about four years now.

It’s a sixplex, and the tenant just moved out, so we’re in the middle of a turn. I wanted to show you around and be honest about the issues here, some mistakes I’ve made, and the tenant issues you sometimes deal with. I buy a lot of distressed properties. We generally don’t buy nice, perfect properties. There’s usually a story, an issue, and a reason someone wants to sell for cash as-is. I want to show you that we deal with the same problems too. I’m not immune to this stuff.

The tenant is out, and they’ve left behind quite a bit of junk for us to deal with, including fast food trash. There was also a stove fire at some point, and the stove is burned up. That oven is definitely getting replaced. These are lower-income units, one-bedroom units. We rent them through programs like Unity. We keep them functional and clean, but they’re not luxury units.

One of the bigger issues here is termites. We did have a termite contract on the property, but I believe I stopped it in 2022. Insurance went up, like it did for everyone, and costs increased across the board. I made a decision to keep termite contracts on some properties and not others, and this was one I didn’t keep covered. As a result, we’ve got active termites. We’ll need to treat that, assess the damage, and see what we’re dealing with.

They’ve also left behind more personal items that we’ll need to clear out. This is all part of the process. We’re coming into a turn now. My property managers and my team are coming in this week. We’re going to fix it up, change out the kitchen cabinets, install a new stove, treat the termites since they’re active, and then address whatever damage they’ve caused. Hopefully it’s not too severe, but we’ll handle it. We’ll also paint the place and get it ready for a new tenant.

This doesn’t really faze me because this is what we do for a living. But I do want to say that we understand the stress that comes with owning property. We love property, and it’s a real asset, but there are headaches that come with it. If this isn’t what you do professionally, it can be tough. It’s tough even for us sometimes, and we’re professionals. We’re just used to it, and we have teams and systems to deal with these situations.

This isn’t a big deal for us, but I thought it would be interesting to show that I deal with the same pain points. These things happen to me too. If you’re looking to sell a house, maybe you have a rental property you don’t want to deal with anymore, or you’re facing a turn like this and you’re just done, we’ll buy it as-is. We’ll come in, handle the turn ourselves, and get it ready for the next tenant. That’s what we do.

Reach out to us at HomeBuyerLouisiana.com. You can check out our case studies and information on selling your property. If you want to speak to someone, just send an inquiry. Shanon or Arione will give you a call, talk through your property, and give you options. We’re never pushy, and we don’t need to buy your property just because you call. We speak to a lot of people and only buy a fraction of the properties we review. We’ll always have a conversation, always try to be helpful, and always give honest advice. Sometimes that advice isn’t selling to us, and that’s fine.

If the numbers don’t work for you, we don’t want you to take the deal. We only do a deal if you’re smiling at the closing table. Reach out. We’re friendly, approachable, and we’ll give you options for your property. Cheers, guys. Thank you.

Selling a rental property in Orleans Parish?

Owning a rental on the West Bank of New Orleans can come with real challenges, especially when tenants move out and leave behind damage, repairs, or pest issues. Whether your property is in Algiers, Gretna, Terrytown, Marrero, Harvey, or New Orleans East, situations like termite damage, fire-related repairs, and full unit turns can make it hard to keep going. Selling as-is can be a practical option when you’re ready to step away from another round of work.

Home Buyer Louisiana also buys houses across Greater New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, the Northshore, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, along with surrounding areas.