All Forum Posts by: Caitlin Cartwright

Hi,

I’m based in Palm Springs and the new hot theft item (now that all the catalytic converters have been taken) is theft of pool equipment. I have a side gate that opens right up to my pool pump, etc. — I plan to install a ring camera over the area but does anyone have a gate lock style or brand that they recommend to really secure the property? If it is keyed, I would be open to providing a copy to tenants, but for now I would be the only key holder (if it is keyed). A combination lock would be acceptable too. 

The only time anyone has told me – without any prompting or context –that he was “a good Christian”, it was a “handyman” in his mid-twenties with a troubling hair cut and a two door car. He showed up the next day three hours late and violently hungover, and then asked for an advance on a future job I wasn’t even sure I was going to undertake. Caveat emptor! 

Quote from @Shoshana Shulman:

Thank you to anyone who can advise me in this situation. Tenants complained that the washer and dryer are not working. I sent a technician to trouble shoot. He said the washer would not empty because it was off balance and it was off balance due to the tenants overloading it. He said there is nothing wrong with the dryer other than the tenabts overloading it and then expecting it to dry everything..quickly. These are relatively new machines and it is the second time I have had someone out for troubleshooting. I did not pass any charges on to my tenants the first time. Now I think I will have to do so as they do not really want to be compliant with not overloading.....how would you handle this?

Does this washing machine happen to be a Samsung?

And this specific scenario just happened to me; I have had three very specific and clear conversations with my two tenants about the sensitivity of the machine and how their laundry day will go much more smoothly if they just break up a huge load into maybe two or three smaller ones.

Last week the tenants sent me a complaint via text, noting that they had been washing the same load, over and over, from 6pm until 11pm, over and over, because the machine “kept filling up with water” (trying to re-balance itself).

I asked for a picture and sure enough the machine was filled to the brim with huge beach towels, jeans, sweatshirts, you name it. 

As I am sure you can guess, this is not the only issue with these two and the issues seem to be gaining speed as they continue to go downhill, so I decided this is where my limit is, as I have really taken the time to talk about it extensively with them. I sent a notice of non-renewal of their lease (month-to-month) the next day. 

Beach, 100%… being near a significant body of water has always seemed like a major predictor of appreciation in value to me, and there seems to be STR demand year-round. Just my personal choice and opinion!

Cash is still a valid form of payment isn’t it? Why not accept the cash and give them an actual old timey receipt written from one of those paper receipt books with carbon copies for you.

Hi, that does sound gross. 

What has worked well for me in communal settings is the procurement of professional cleaning service people, hired to come in regularly to clean the common areas; it could be weekly, every other week, monthly, etc. 

Divide the cost of this service by the number of tenants, which means that everyone has some skin in the game, and no one gets to leave the space messy and not contribute to its cleaning. 

I also write into rental agreements that tenants are required to keep the communal space in good, regularly cleaned condition. If one individual is responsible for most of the trouble, I would probably take pictures to document the incidents as they occur, talk to them directly with a verbal warning, then a written warning, and so on, depending on the tenant laws in your area. 

Hi Shaival, 

I don't know how familiar you are with Coachella Valley/Desert Cities, but generally there is what we locals refer to as "The Season" which covers the best weather months of the year. During this time, the valley is flooded with snowbirds (retirees coming to their second homes or renting STRs for the good weather period), weekend vacationers, longer term vacationers, convention goers, etc. The peak of STR activity is the festival season, as you correctly noted, and the demand for STRs does a slow decline after that, as the transient population returns to their main residences around the country for summer, and as temperatures start to go up dramatically here in the desert. I believe the typical strategy for renting during the off season summer months is to list the property's availability with specific dates, for example, June 1st - September 1st, at a lower rate.

With regard to location, Bermuda Dunes is closer to Palm Desert, La Quinta, Palm Springs, etc. and has historically had a more upscale reputation than Indio, but in the last 3 years Indio has really become up and coming and will probably continue to improve and experience reputation improvement. Worth noting if you are in the market to buy an investment property right now: check the tax rates of each of these areas. Indio is working hard to reinvent itself and currently has the highest property tax rate of all the desert cities - but as a result they also have a really beautiful big new high school and a lot of other projects in the works. 

I'm a semi-long term resident of the desert and a new property owner here so I'm learning the ropes here too! Always happy to network and connect! 

Quote from @Luke Carl:

Check out a book called Loopholes of Real Estate. This will have the answers you seek. 

 I read this in a Yoda voice 😄

Quote from @Andrew Bosco:

Quote from @Caitlin Cartwright:

Quote from @Andrew Bosco:

I personally like Rent Redi. It gets the job done well! 

 Hi Andrew, I am a new investor / about to begin renting/landlording very soon, and I have narrowed it down to either Rent Redi or Innago. What do you like about Rent Redi that makes it your favorite over the others, if you wouldn't mind sharing. Thank you!!!

 It's a good general PM software that you manage many aspects of RE. I also like transunion for background checks as well! 

Thanks so much for your thoughts/time - sounds good! :)  

Quote from @Andrew Bosco:

I personally like Rent Redi. It gets the job done well! 

 Hi Andrew, I am a new investor / about to begin renting/landlording very soon, and I have narrowed it down to either Rent Redi or Innago. What do you like about Rent Redi that makes it your favorite over the others, if you wouldn't mind sharing. Thank you!!!