Do You Drive By Every Day?
Residential Landlord · Greenfield, WI · Member since 2013 · 299 posts · 126 votes
I do.
I can't help it. It's part keeping an eye on things, but it's also part pride. I feel so fortunate to be able to say, "I own that."
I realize many here don't live as close to your buildings as I do, mine are all within 5 miles, but for those of you who don't live far from your properties, how often do you drive by?
Arnie
most I walk to. It is amazing what you learn with a stroll by.
This is the first year I have professional management....all the prop. Have gone downhill.
My exit plan is to die, and leave this mess to my children.
I'm a tenant my landlord used to sit outside the house late at night watching the person who lived in the unit next to me to make sure her boyfriend wasn't coming over at night. Now she used the excuse that she thought he was living there and nobody was allowed to stay more than 10 days. He never would stay the night more than 10 days. Secretly she confided in me it was because if there's another tenant in the house she wanted to charge more rent. Now I'm in a different property of hers single family home and she sends people by several times a week to check to make sure that I'm not doing anything wrong. And buy anything I'm wrong I mean anything that's not pre-approved by her. In my eyes this is harassment the police don't drive by my house as much as she does. For Christmas I put up Christmas lights she called me screaming and yelling and telling me there's no alterations to the home. They were Christmas lights. I shouldn't have to ask my landlord's permission to celebrate my religion and put up Christmas lights provided I'm not doing any damage to the home . Same thing with pictures provided I'm not doing any damage to the home a few little nails to hang out some family photos is not something that should cause threats. That's what deposits are for to begin with. My landlord believes it since she's the owner she doesn't need to announce that she's coming over feels she can do anything she wants and she deliberately rents to people who are in situations where it's difficult for them to find places to live. For example ex-convicts people who have felony convictions people who are easier to hold their home over their heads I understand that this is an extreme to have the landlord like this. But for those of you who think that driving by several times a week is acceptable it is not. It always starts out with just doing it a little bit the next thing you know you're harassing the person. Especially for a tenant who has never done anything wrong in the first place, not even late with payment. I'm on Social Security very limited income and there's not very many places for me to go . If you can't trust your tenant enough that you have to drive by several times a week then you should not be renting to that person. Additional thought when I had a year lease she was never a problem. Only when I went month to month something she wanted did this become an issue in the harassment began. And that's because she could threaten to kick me out monthly. As a result I went from being willing to allow her to come over and inspect anytime she'd like to strictly adhering to the law. She's only created a hostile environment and as soon as I found another place that's affordable she'll lose a perfect tenant. Please understand that if they're good people just leave them alone.
@Arnie Guida I drive by at least once a week. Some of my properties are on main routes so I see them more often and others are in towns I don’t normally frequent.
I feel I’ve got a significant financial investment in these buildings and it would be ridiculous to not check them frequently. I don’t bother my tenants, just drive by and on some pull into the driveway and turn around and leave.
Of course I also check my investment accounts frequently. Not that I make changes to them but once again feel that if I’ve got money sitting somewhere I should know how it’s doing and what it’s doing with regularity.
Call me old fashioned.