All Forum Posts by: Ricardo R.

@Jeff Pavlik here's the thing... your tenant signed a lease knowing full well the condition of the property before deciding to still proceed forward HOWEVER, I don't know what you told them or discussed with them at signing if you told them you would paint... then you should honor that and paint HOWEVER, if you didn't then NO you shouldn't paint it while they are there. 

You should however, (if you didn't promise to paint) allow this and other future tenants to paint themselves, in which they are responsible for the costs of painting in addition to the cost of fixing any issues due to improper paint why? because you are just simply not going to be  able to stop them from painting... you can try to go after them but thats after the fact. Instead you need to allow for an outlet to control the outcome. 

We run a management company and no I'm not trying to sell you anything... but here... we offer a free paint approval form... it on our website... it simply allows you as the landlord to provide it to the tenant and they input their color codes, colors etc. and then it describes the quality of what should and should not be done: https://www.g3manage.com/rental-paint-approval-form  --- there is no catch here, basically we provide this system on our webpage for free because it boosts our google ranking, but its free and theres no signup or anything funny like that. Basically, if a tenant asks to paint, you send them the link, they fill it out and once they submit you and the tenant automatically receive a copy along with a signed agreement by the tenant of how paint will be applied, what will be protected, etc. etc. -- In this manner 1) you have the color codes for future touch ups; 2) you have a binding agreement of the quality expected; 3) you're still able to approve/decline the paint colors selected. I hope this helps. 

Hey Josh,

Yeah — Airbnb’s setup for mid-term stays can be super clunky when you’re trying to control both gap days and booking length. You’re basically trying to tell Airbnb, “Only let someone check in within a week of the last guest, but still allow longer stays” — and unfortunately, there’s no single toggle that does that cleanly right now.

Here’s what most mid-term hosts (myself included) do to work around it:

1. Use “Availability Window” + Manual Extensions
You’re already doing part of this — keeping the calendar open ~30–35 days out. The trick is to manually extend availability only after someone books, but instead of opening the whole year, add a few weeks at a time so you can still line up those “tight” turnovers. That’s tedious but works.

2. Try Custom Rule Sets (Desktop Only)
You can create a custom rule set that says:

• Minimum stay: 30 nights
• Check-in allowed: only on specific days (say, Mon–Sun of the week after checkout)
  Then apply that rule set to your listing calendar right after your last booked date. It doesn’t guarantee no gaps, but it makes random short gaps much less likely.

3. Use Smartbnb/Host Tools for Automation
If you want less manual tweaking, third-party tools like Hospitable, Wheelhouse, or OwnerRez let you automate date openings based on the previous checkout. They’re not perfect, but they can help you automatically open a “block” starting the following week after checkout.

4. Update Listing Description
Be super upfront in your description about your booking rhythm. Something like:

“Available for stays of 30 nights or more. We open availability for the next stay within one week of our last checkout.”
That helps attract guests planning ahead for mid-term housing (nurses, relocations, etc.) who are flexible on exact move-in dates.

Looking at your listing, you’ve got a great setup for longer stays — cozy space, ideal for travel pros or temporary relocations. I’d honestly experiment with rule sets first and pair that with a short-term calendar management tool. That’s what most hosts running 30+ day stays do to keep calendars tight without killing visibility. Airbnb won’t fully automate your “within a week” rule, but custom rule sets + manual extensions (or a third-party calendar manager) will get you 90% there with fewer random gaps; Josh the listing looks good and I hope this helps you a bit, I sent you a DM on BP... it's one of the reasons I do this, I hope you can assist. Thank you.

@Jorge Vazquez I created a rental property color guide for this, it has colors for rentals and prep items. Would you like me to DM it to you? 

Update: I forgot BP now allows links... here it is if you want to download it from our site: https://www.g3manage.com/rental-paint-color-guide   -- If you rather me DM it to as pdf just let me know, I sent you DM... hope you can assist. 

@Christopher Rubio I'm so glad I was able to help a bit. Remember take your time to always verify the documents provided by Seller to include leases, etc. Best to always get an estoppel from tenants.

Hey Christopher,

Chris, great question — this one trips up a lot of newer investors. Buying with a tenant already in place can be a win, but it’s definitely a mixed bag.

Here’s the deal: getting rent day one sounds awesome — no vacancy, no listing photos, no showings — but the flip side is you’re inheriting someone else’s tenant and their lease, for better or worse. If the rent’s under market or the tenant’s been a handful, that’s now your problem. You can’t just bump the rent right away either if they’re mid-lease.

What I’d do is dig into the details before you close:

• Ask for the lease agreement, payment history, and security deposit records.

• Double-check rent amounts versus market rates.

• If possible, meet or talk to the tenant — you’ll learn a ton from a five-minute chat.

If the tenant’s clean, pays on time, and rent’s close to market — sweet, you’ve got instant income. But if it’s your first out-of-state deal, you might want the control of picking your own tenant and setting things up your way from the start.

Bottom line: inherited tenants can either be a shortcut or a headache — depends on who you’re inheriting. If everything checks out, go for it. If not, don’t feel bad walking away; it’s way easier to start fresh than to fix someone else’s mess; I hope this helps you a bit, I sent you a DM on BP... it's one of the reasons I do this, I hope you can assist. Thank you.

Hey Justin,

Solid breakdown — sounds like you’ve done your homework. Grand Rapids is a great market long-term, but you’re right: that non-homestead tax rate in Michigan can sting for investors. It’s not a deal-killer, but it’s something you absolutely have to bake into your numbers from day one.

Here’s how I’d look at it:

1. 30% down isn’t wasted money — it’s protection.
You're buying into an appreciating market with a DSCR-friendly property. Yeah, it's a bigger check up front, but that equity immediately lowers your risk. Grand Rapids has solid fundamentals — job growth, schools, medical hubs — and the appreciation trend you mentioned isn't hype. You're not parking cash in a dead asset; you're transferring it into something that will likely outpace inflation and kick off monthly income.

2. Taxes suck, but they’re stable.
Once you buy, that taxable value’s “capped” for future years except for inflationary increases (thanks to Michigan’s Proposal A). So even though the first-year jump hurts, you’re not going to see wild hikes every year like in some states.

3. DSCR reality check.
With $2,600–$2,900 projected rents on a $260K property, you’re right on the line but still in the zone. If you’re truly cash positive and locking in a solid area, that’s a green light in my book — especially if your plan is to hold mid-term and use bonus depreciation to juice year-one returns.

4. Section 179 bonus depreciation:
Smart move. If you’re furnishing it as a mid-term rental, that depreciation on furniture, appliances, and improvements can seriously offset your first year’s income. Just make sure you’re running it as a legitimate rental business (Schedule E won’t capture those benefits as well as a business structure might).

If this were me, and I had the liquidity to stretch from $50K to $75K without draining reserves, I’d do it — especially since you’re getting both cash flow and appreciation potential. Michigan’s investor taxes aren’t fun, but they’re predictable, and Grand Rapids has proven to weather downturns well. Just make sure to get your insurance quote confirmed (wind/hail can swing it a bit), and verify that the township hasn’t reassessed yet post-sale — they sometimes do that late and surprise new owners.

You’re thinking like a long-term investor already — this isn’t “throwing money at a deal,” it’s repositioning your capital into something that compounds in more than one way; Justin I hope this helps you a bit, I sent you DM on BP... it's one of the reasons I do this, I hope you can assist. 

Hey Joe — that’s a tough situation, but you’re handling it the right way by getting ahead of it.

You've got a few moving parts here — POA, a revocable trust, and DSCR financing — so lenders are going to want crystal-clear documentation before touching it. Here's what usually trips people up (and how to work around it):

1. The Power of Attorney part:

   • Most lenders will accept a POA signer, but only if the POA document specifically authorizes real estate and loan transactions.

   • They'll likely want to review and approve the POA before closing, and they might require you to sign an affidavit confirming the person is still living and the POA is active.

   • Some national lenders (think big box) get squeamish about POA loans — you'll have better luck with smaller DSCR-friendly lenders or portfolio lenders that do more "case-by-case" underwriting.

2. Trust ownership:

   • Since the property’s in a revocable living trust, you’ll probably need to show the trust certificate or full trust document proving you’re the trustee and authorized to borrow against trust assets.

   • Some DSCR lenders can lend to trusts, others require the property to be deeded temporarily into an LLC or individual name before closing. That's a discussion with both the lender and your title company.

3. Finding the right lender:

   • I’d skip the big banks entirely — they’ll send you into paperwork purgatory.

   • Look at DSCR lenders like Kiavi, LendingOne, CoreVest, or Easy Street Capital — they tend to be more flexible and used to trust/LLC ownership structures.

   • Tell them upfront that you're acting under POA and as trustee — transparency saves a lot of wasted back-and-forth.

If your DSCR is over 1.5, that's actually a great story to tell — it gives lenders confidence the property can comfortably service the new debt even with a rehab budget baked in.

So yeah — it's doable, just takes a lender who's comfortable reading trust docs and POAs. I'd start by calling one or two of the smaller DSCR outfits (not the giant ones) and explain the structure exactly like you did here — clean, honest, and clear.

You’re basically doing everything right — you just need a lender who knows how to color outside the lines a little; Joe, I hope this helps you a bit, I sent you a DM on BP... its one of the reasons I do this, I hope you can assist. Thank you. 

Hey Jonathan,

Nice pickup — a quad that size is perfect for dialing in your rehab systems. Since you’re keeping it long-term, I’d stay focused on tubs that can take abuse, clean easy, and don’t break the bank when one eventually needs replacing.

Here’s my take:

If you’ve got good bones under the bathroom floors, enameled steel or acrylic tubs are your sweet spot. They’re affordable, light enough to move around without breaking your back, and can last 10+ years easy if installed right. I’d skip fiberglass — feels flimsy, stains fast, and once it dulls, it’s done.

If you’re feeling fancy or want that “forever” tub, cast iron is bulletproof — just heavy as sin. I’ve used them in single-family homes but usually not worth the headache in small rentals unless you’ve got solid joists and extra hands.

Brand-wise, Kohler, Sterling, and Woodbridge are solid — decent price, easy to find at Home Depot or Lowe’s, and you can replace parts later if needed. Tile to the ceiling is a good move too — it helps with moisture control and looks way better to tenants. If it were me, I’d grab something like the Kohler Elmbrook or Woodbridge 60" acrylic alcove tub — both hold up well, look clean, and you won’t cry when one eventually gets dinged up.

So yeah — go acrylic or steel, keep it simple, and focus on waterproofing and install. The best tub in the world won’t matter if the caulk fails in year two. Jonathan, I really hope this helps you with your project, I sent you a DM on BP... it's one of the reasons I do this, I hope you can assist. Thank you. 

Hey Tekoa,

That’s an awesome find — small mobile home parks can be gold if you buy and fill them right. Since the infrastructure’s already there (septic and water), you’re halfway home. The main challenge is figuring out how to fund and structure both the dirt and the homes.

First, try to buy the land itself with a conventional commercial or local bank loan — local lenders love small parks if you can show a plan to fill the spaces. They’ll lend based on the land and hookups since that’s real property. The mobile homes are where it gets creative — they’re usually treated as personal property, not real estate, so traditional mortgages won’t cover them.

You’ve got a few plays:

1. Ask the seller if they’d carry financing on the land while you focus your cash on getting homes in place. Seller financing can give you time to stabilize before refinancing later.

2. Look at used or repo mobile homes through dealers or wholesalers — sometimes you can get them for $15–25K each, then space out installs as you can afford it.

3. For funding the homes themselves, you can use personal lines of credit, small business loans (SBA 7a if you structure it as a business), or even private money lenders. Some investors buy one or two homes at a time, rent them out, then use that income to buy the next few.

Start small, get a couple homes producing income, then use that cash flow to leverage more. Once the park’s partially filled and making money, it’s way easier to refinance or attract investors to fund the rest.

Bottom line: get the land under control first, then scale the homes in phases using creative or private financing until the park stabilizes. That’s how a lot of people build these from the ground up without huge upfront capital; Tekoa, I really hope this helps you a bit, I sent you a DM on BP... it's one of the reasons I do this, I hope you can assist. Thank you.

Hey Heidi,

Good question — this is where a lot of seller-finance deals go sideways if the paperwork’s thin. Here’s what I always make sure is in place:

1. Promissory Note – this spells out the debt: amount, rate, term, payment schedule, and what happens if someone defaults. It’s basically the IOU that makes it legally enforceable.

2. Deed of Trust or Mortgage – this secures the note to the property, so if the buyer stops paying, the seller can foreclose. (Which one you use depends on the state.)

3. Purchase & Sale Agreement (PSA) – make sure the financing terms are clearly baked into the PSA or referenced in an addendum — no “side handshake” terms.

4. Amortization Schedule – simple but helpful for clarity; shows the payment breakdown and remaining balance over time.

5. Insurance & Taxes Clause – clarify who pays property taxes and insurance (usually the buyer) and what happens if they don’t.

if you’re the seller, make sure you record the lien — don’t just hold a private note and trust the buyer to pay. Treat it like a real bank would. Everything in writing, everything recorded. That’s how you protect both sides and keep it clean for resale or payoff later; Heidi I really hope this helps you a bit, I sent you DM on BP... it's one of the reasons I do this, I hope you can assist. Thank you.