All Forum Posts by: Colleen F.

@Joshua Hughes what is your visitor policy, and key policy?  First option is non-renew but also set a visitor policy or you could wind up with 6 tenants. Best to say overnight visitor maximum days in a month if you allow overnight visitors.  

@Courtney Duong you can get quickbooks online or quickbook desktop pro.   If you get quickbooks desktop pro if you don't renew annually I assume it is like my desktop 2020 you can still use it but things won't download from your bank and credit card into quickbooks. You have to manually enter them.  I read online about a workaround for that using csv files but I could not get it to work.     So the shorter answer would be no, they don't offer it anymore. It is really bad if your volume doesnt' justify that annual cost and you don't like the online.

@Gayle Eisner  in a rent control area , raise your rent the max every year or you will fall behind. 

@Denise Evans  Modern smoke detectors start going off regularly if they aren't replaced after 10 years so why do 1 year batteries, I do the 10 year batteries.  Try to put at least 1 smoke detector somewhere the tenants can't reach. I had a house (good tenants gone bad) where they got sick, took down every detector, smoked in the house, had oxygen. There were burn marks on the floor. Now it could have burned down I wouldn't care so much but they never would have gotten out and that is a big liability issue. I also purchased a building where the fire department wasn't aware the owner installed a local (not 911 connected) fire alarm. The fire department was a little surprized.

@Emiline Lyell  itemize it out.   Also figure disposal costs (mattresses especially) and I am going to guess your stairs need repainting (maybe dark blue or brown treads this time) that is not normal wear and tear.  Look like you would be able to charge for repainting crayoned walls as this is not normal wear and tear.  I don't know what the deposit is but even if you figure just supplies for some of this stuff it will add up.  I would have people do at least some of this work you will lose time  market if you don't.  As @JD Martin says you can't charge for your own work in a lot of states.

@Jay Smith  There is a good chance if they don't pay the SD and don't respond they may not pay the increase as well.  First make sure you are charging market rent. Then get a lawyer to write a letter outlining under the lease what happens to their money when you get it. So for example if they fail to pay sd and increase how does the money get applied.  Also find out what rights you have to terminate the lease as that may be the best option.  I think in NJ you need "good cause". 

@Sharon Porter not sure if you can separate the yard but doing the yard work does probably result in a little possessiveness.  I know that years ago when my parents rented an upper floor the top floor got no yard. Bottom floor got the yard, maybe that is what your yard work tenant thinks. You need to be clear with the tenants and in the lease if yard is shared or not. You can switch to a lawn service and the major issue will be they have to move their stuff when the lawn guy comes.  

Another idea besides a fence for yard sharing is a  little patio for each unit. Makes it clear they both have access but more expensive. 

@Axandra Boselli  that is a curious one.  Maybe you should pick up the questionaire from the department of public works.  If you have anything registered to the address that may trigger an issue with the state or city. 

@Kathleen Andrade  I am not sure what registering a house as a faternity means.   Is it like that is their address for the university to send mail or are they having events there?     What kind of faternity?   Not relevant but curious how big of a house and did this come up when they rented.  Sorry can't help legally.  @cWill Gaston has alot of college rentals he may have some experience. Sorry can't tag him.

@Marc Shin  its not too ugly.  Depending on where you are you can change the facade with wood, metal, plants. I would not paint because it increases maintenance costs. Something tall to the right of the window will balance it a little.  When you get the opportunity down the road you could change the facade permanently. Painted stone is going to look like painted stone.