Tariff Costs: How Ed Nice & Other Local Real Estate Investors Are Responding to Price Increases

In addition to entertaining you on the radio and the WBLK website, I am a mortgage broker and a real estate investor with several rental properties.

And let me tell you, if you feel like home improvement and supply prices have increased dramatically lately — it's not in your head. You're not shopping in the wrong stores. Tariffs have undoubtedly affected everything from lumber to windows to HVAC components.

Just one example is the sticker shock I got buying replacement items for aluminum siding; it was twice the amount it was last year. If I had known this was coming, I would have bought a whole pallet before so I could sell it on the side of the road.

My prediction is that prices won't dramatically fall when the tariff situation is resolved, so we have to look for ways to adjust. I'll be mowing more rental property lawns myself this summer.

My friends over at Buffalo Brick & Mortar are listing the ways they are adjusting, too. They're reducing downtime between jobs, stockpiling common materials, and buying in bulk more. Their business buys unwanted homes for cash with quick closing dates, repairs them, and then offers them for rent or sale.

It's not the right solution for every homeowner who is looking to move, but it's often a good fit for homeowners who are just done with the property — they don't want to deal with repairs, they don't want to deal with the hassle of preparing a home to list, or maybe they feel like they can't afford or keep up with general maintenance. With today's prices, a leaky roof or a broken water heater can quickly become overwhelming with alll the other obligations.

If you're curious about whether Buffalo Brick & Mortar can help with one of your properties, request a no-obligation quote at buffalobrickandmortar.com or by calling 716-403-2016.