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Updated about 7 years ago on . Most recent reply

Why I am a Fan of Section 8 Housing Program - Am I crazy?
When I started out investing all those years ago I didn't understand all the details around Section 8 Housing. Like most newbie's I thought low income and maybe hard to manage. Well after 15 Years of investing and 1,000's of tenants I can tell you with out a doubt that Section 8 Housing as a Program is a good program for tenants and landlords.
Wow I think I just heard a landlord scream at me through the internet. Let me explain my position first and then I can take the beatings as opinions will be all over the board I am sure.
First I will say that over the years I have had a couple of nightmare tenants who were in the program but it is rare. Truth be told most of my nightmare tenants I have had were not Section 8 Tenants but instead tenants that qualified and then life happens and craziness ensues.
The positives far out way the negatives in my opinion. In fact the one negative I hear the most about I actual believe is a HUGE Positive. I hear landlords complain all the time about their "Yearly" inspections and the little things they find. I say great find all the little problems you can now so I can fix before they are big problems later!!!
I frankly see Section 8 Inspections as a second and unbiased set of eye's looking at my properties and I welcome every inspection and the report they produce.
In the end Section 8 Program is not for all properties in all areas but if you invest where I do there is nothing wrong with having a Section 8 tenant in your properties in my opinion.
What say you?
Z
Most Popular Reply

@Michael Zuber, @Alan G., @Jonathan Taylor Smith - I have the same experience as y'all. My troublesome tenants are an overall reflection of population. Same percentage of tenants "go bad" in Section 8 properties vs regular.
No issues with inspections - I bring a basic tool kit and can fix most stuff as soon as the inspector finds it. If I do so before they are done with the inspection, they don't even write it down. They mention, I fix it and we all move on. For anything I can't fix on the spot, the inspector will allow me to take a picture of the fix and send it in within a week and then they pass me.