All Forum Posts by: Colleen F.

@Alexandra Joy  From your answers it seems like this might be a furnished medium term rental and if it is the first tenant you have had in it you may be seeing some of kinks in the property, your process and you may also have a demanding tenant.  The printing could be a neighbor thing, tell her she can print at the library or staples, OR it could have been a message from her that she thinks this place should have a printer. some people are that way. 

For this type of rental I would expect to do the whole lawn. I would expect them to find someone on rover for the dogs. And I have a key replacement cost in the lease. I would expect to provide an AC where I want it unless it is longer term tenants and install before it turns 80. The printer isn't something I'd provide but those catering to some groups might. For the rest of her term set your boundaries and set expectations upfront with the next tenant. sometimes temporarily ignoring can be a good strategy.

@Tricia M Hoover  It will  be  obvious if your post goes through.  You can also check the tab for my discussions,  if it isn't there it didn't post. Regarding your  question if  the lease said no smoking then it doesn't have  to say anything  about smoking damages, they are  the same as other damages.   I  would guess not more than 7  years for blinds but its just a guess. You can  be  charged  actual damages so ask them for  the actual damages and check  your  local  state  laws.  In 2 months?  what do they look like?

@Luz N Taveras that's was my move but not for investment properties.  We live part time AZ (pinal county)  and part time in Narragansett with rentals in S. Kingstown.  Can't help you with the investment part but happy to talk about the area. are you actually moving or moving investments?  Curious how you arrived already at Phoenix and Tempe while skipping over some other areas.   

@Avishay Kolatkar you need a flooring guy and a painter not really a GC for those first activities. And actually you might do better to not get a GC if its a small job like that. Just get someone to do the jobs you want and yes  the condo association has requirements but does it say you need a GC or are qualified tradespeople with sufficient insurance ok?  Check some local flooring stores for reflooring depending on what you want. They often contract with or have in house installers. Bargain outlet has economical solid Ready to assemble vanities we swapped it in an afternoon. if you are gutting it, might be different. Again, don't know if this is just making it modern looking or behind the  walls stuff. We have a condo in acton and its difficult to find people.  You might also ask the condo neighbors.  

@Casey Howe  got to love the autocorrect deleting = de-leading.  

@Kelli Powell  I actually would explain that doesn't work for you.  They can have a month to month now at a much higher rate or a lease that renews until whatever month you think makes sense for you with a significant lease break fee. You could offer to back up lease end to April/ May if that works for you. Leaving it at June practically insures they have to pay a lease break fee which is fine if that is what you need to do but consider how you want the next lease to run. Do you have work to do on the house after they leave? build that into your timing. 

@Michael Calvey  don't price below market, it brings in the riff raff.  So for credit, set a minimum but look at pattern of payment and Debt to income.   A lot of recent missed payments ? no go.  Car loans eating up a huge amount of income no.  Rental history- larger unit- how long were they at the last place, big predictor or longevity.  Call previous rentals for reference.   Small unit, newer renter I will take personal references from neighbors etc. combined with an established job in the area or a new job with a strong employer in the area. The younger they are, the more important a social media search is. Do they have a FB page with their dogs and say they don't have pets. is it all about partying.     Lastly listen to what they offer up.   Complaining about the old landlord, who will visit. what is the attitude.  I also screen for number of vehicles but that depends alot on your area. Set up showing to get multiple good applications say by having an open house. 

@Will Gaston  What they try to get here is 3 per unit but there are a lot of 5 bedrooms so the ordinances have been taken to court several times.  Not sure how it stands now. 

That wasn't a specific question to you on 9 month rentals. You probably don't have the market for weekly summer rentals plus academic year rental for this to work. I just wondered if RI was only place that has this.  I was surprised not see to a similar setup in MA in areas close to the beach. 

@Michael Smythe  I can't agree more on the limitations there should be on section 8. Sure you have some people who have limited ability to move up the economic ladder because they have intellectual or mental health issues but I just don't get long term section 8 for as many people as there are on it. It crosses generations.

@Will Gaston I have to say this is one of the best threads on student rentals and I always try to send people to it when they ask about this space.  

Curious does your town have unrelated persons ordinance and noise violation fines? We have a party ordinance by the town with stickers on the door after the first violation and escalating fines by the town in addition to anything I put in my lease. Just wonder if it is similar in other areas.

When we did student rentals in RI it was a 9 month lease (because of summer beach rentals), any other areas like that?