We run 236 doors in Memphis, mostly single-family, heavy Section 8, and one habit saves us more arguments than almost anything else: photos at move-in and move-out, done the same way every time. Same rooms, same angles, both times. Exterior, every room, appliances, floors, walls, fixtures, and th...
Most tenant problems I see are not repair problems. They are communication problems. A small leak becomes a big one because nobody said anything for three weeks. A late payment becomes a fight because the rule was never clear in the first place. We run 236 doors in Memphis, mostly single-family a...
I own a single family home that is rented out in Detroit,MI and the PM company handles everything. For the last 4 months my owner payments haven't been disbursed. They keep saying this week but it never happens. What are my options to resolve this efficiently? Has anyone faced a similar issue wha...
Several years ago I owned multiple long-term rentals in Orlando. Today I run my own portfolio and co-host short-term rentals for other owners, mostly as a mid-term/short-term hybrid. People sometimes talk about LTR and STR as two different businesses. In my experience, most of what makes a furnis...
During a turnover, the repair-vs.-replace call is usually where money gets wasted — either you patch something that fails again in three months, or you replace something that had years left in it. Across our 236 doors in Memphis, mostly single-family, we use a simple test before we spend anything...
Some landlords love buying rentals with an existing tenant in place. You skip the initial vacancy, avoid an immediate make-ready punch list, and collect cash flow on day one without spending weeks screening applicants. Other operators have a strict, non-negotiable rule: delivered vacant at closin...
Monthly rent can look great on paper, but the real picture also includes insurance, property taxes, repairs, vacancy periods, capital expenditures, and financing payments. I'm curious how other landlords evaluate whether a property can comfortably support its expenses before buying or refinancing...
I am somewhat new to this investment game and am curious to see what platforms, banks, and apps you investors out there use that you like and work well for you to keep track of financials as you scale to more properties? I just read the article about Baselane and that seems like it may work. I'm ...
The biggest mistake I see landlords make with Section 8 in Memphis is treating it like a completely different business from market rent. It is not. The house, the tenant, and the numbers still have to work the same way. We manage 236 doors in Memphis, mostly single-family homes, and a heavy share...
I’m a public adjuster in LA, and with the strongest El Niño on record expected to bring heavy rain this winter, there’s one issue I’d check before the storms: sewer backup. When storms overwhelm city sewer and drain systems, water can back up through toilets, floor drains, and sinks. The problem ...
Planning a rent increase for the new year? The number matters, but the process matters just as much. A few checks before you send anything: Know what covers your home. Check whether California's statewide rent cap or a local city rule applies to your property before you pick a number. Some homes ...
Rental income is important, but it's not the same as actual cash flow. Property taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancies, capital improvements, and mortgage payments can all affect the property's financial performance. For landlords managing multiple units, how do you monitor your property's fina...
I dicided to start manging my properites and I wanted to get some advice on using a service like google voice so I am not giving out my personal number. Has anyone used google voice (free version) would you recomended it or are there better service out there? I currently have one property but loo...
Hi, first post and relatively new REI. I just closed on a SFH in Springfield OR that I'm still contemplating on if I want to make it LTR or a MTR (it works both ways). I need to change the locks on the door and am considering one of those locks that has a key pad where a combo can be inputted to ...
My tenants have asked to end their lease early because one of them needs to move closer to her mother to care for her. I understand the circumstances and want to find a reasonable solution while protecting myself from the costs of an unexpected vacancy. The property is in Missouri. Rent is $1,700...
For anyone else renting to voucher holders: HUD is retiring HQS and NSPIRE becomes the inspection standard for the Housing Choice Voucher program on February 1, 2027 (Notice PIH 2026-18). Failed inspection = HAP abatement, same as before, but the defect list reads differently — NSPIRE scores life...
I’ve spent six years in property management, mostly on rent control compliance in San Francisco. In that time, I’ve noticed that very few owners file capital improvement or O&M petitions, even when they likely qualify. The process is a lot of work: documenting every cost, allocating it across uni...
Renting to a housing voucher holder in California? Here is the short list I use so the tenancy starts and stays smooth: Same written criteria. In California a housing voucher counts as a source of income, so voucher applicants get the same written screening criteria and the same checks as everyon...
Most late-rent problems I see start with a payment process that's hard to follow. Four habits for owners: 1. Offer online payments so rent isn't waiting on a mailed check. 2. Put the due date and late terms in the lease, in writing. 3. Send a receipt for every payment and keep one ledger. 4. Foll...
Turnovers used to run on hope for us. Now they run on a 21-day schedule, and the clock starts the day we get notice, not the day the tenant moves out. We manage 236 doors in Memphis, mostly single-family and heavy Section 8, so an empty house is real money sitting still. A 3BR here rents for $1,3...
Heads-up for anyone renting to voucher holders: the inspection standard is in the middle of a changeover, and which standard your unit gets inspected under depends on who administers the voucher. The old standard is HQS — the inspector literally works from HUD form 52580. The new standard is NSPI...
Buying Baltimore from out of state? Your photos are your eyes. Burned investors are rarely short on photos — they are short on the right photos, before money moves. 1. Wide shot, then close-up, of the same thing. A wide shot of a finished room tells you nothing. I want the wide shot plus a close-...
I owned long-term rentals in Orlando for several years before moving into mid-term and short-term. When the market gave me the chance, I sold them for a very large profit. Today most of the units I own or co-host are furnished, with the calendar set for 30+ day stays. I see a lot of landlords her...
Before hiring a contractor for a rental repair, here is the short checklist I run every time: Look up the license. Check it on the CSLB (Contractors State License Board) website before you hire, not after. Get insurance on file. Ask for a certificate of insurance before work starts, so you are no...
Setting the rent on a rental turnover, here is the short process I use every time: Pull real comps. Look at recent rentals nearby with the same size, beds and condition. Asking prices on listings that have sat for weeks are not comps. Price it as it is. Set the rent for the home as it is today, n...