All Forum Posts by: Henry T.
Henry T. has started 21 posts and replied 1588 times.
Post: 2006 buyers have gained $169,000 in equity, while renters lost $229,000

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If you bought at a peak, you still did ok. For you number crunchers out there, I found this interesting.
https://blog.firstam.com/economics/housing-affordability-imp...
Post: Can you add cleaning to a lease?

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I have one of those. Been with me for over 10 years. Nathan is right. My guy is under market. Not a hoarder, he's organized. But everywhere is dirt. You don't even want to touch a door or cabinet handle, not to mention corners of the house or bathroom floor. Gross! To top it off people like this, that are so normalized to their filth don't understand why deep cleaning eats their entire deposit. A set of pictures usually resolves that issue. I do inspections regularly and make suggestions, but nothing changes. I'm ok with my guy for now, if he leaves, that house will be sold (I'm thru with Seattle) and I'm not ready to ditch this place yet. If there's garbage doing damage around the house or exterior, that's something to correct or evict. If you want to keep your places looking sharp, try to time your turnovers around 5 years or so. Its' not the rule but certainly common that filth grows with long term tenants. Then when the rats come ITS YOUR FAULT(sarcasm). Nathan is spot on.
Post: High Property Taxes in Detroit 48228 - Seeking Veteran Investor Advice

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In Seattle no house pays under 5k/yr. I originally paid $250/yr, now its $10,000/yr and rising. Yeah, ouch! Hire someone that will do the footwork to file an appeal. I've heard theyre worth it. I filed my own appeals but only successful 1/3 of the time. Assessor tells me many people file every year. Its your right to appeal, you should do so if you have the time. Be professional. Have good data and comps. Funny, they never mention property taxes when talking about housing affordability. Go figure.
Post: How to do showings the right way

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I'm glad that works for you. We have to pre-screen at the very least. If you're situ was Seattle, a good portion of them would be vagrants.
Post: Zillow is listing all three houses as apartment units, but they are separate houses.

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Sorry to hear. Zillow is a mess. I have a house where the information bubble (assessment, stats, value) is a house two blocks away, even shows a street view picture. Just happened out of the blue a couple years ago. Nobody at zillow responds to anything. Zillow is a mess. My neighbor down the street works for them. Must pay well, she door dashes breakfast, lunch, dinner like clockwork. I always wonder what the heck a zillow employee does. They won't fix my issue nor respond. I gave up.
Post: What are the rules for evicting ABNB guests?

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May I ask a couple questions first?
Is this in Seattle?
Does this renter have kids that are in school?
If no to both, and he hasn't paid, call the police.
Post: Liable for tenant’s high hotspot cost due to internet setup delay?

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Quote from @Roger D Jones:
All of you, in all your wealth, pressed shirts and fancy headshots squealing about $175. Just explain to her you can't cover every utility outage, then credit her the $175. Be a human being first, a landlord second and an investor third. Your sunrises will be a little bit brighter.
Whatdya mean, all of our wealth and high pressed shirts? I live in a tent by the river with a nice little otter, and don't even own a shirt. Gee! This is a matter of taking responsibility for yourself and stupid decisions. If there was an expectation of reimbursement then there should have been a discussion before moving in about money owed in the event of (whatever)?? I love how everybody has their hand out when things don't go their way. Real class. Buck up, find alternatives, research before you leap, be smart. Off to such a great start(not), I'd have 2nd thoughts about this tenant.
Post: Eviction advice needed in Phoenix, AZ

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You need to read and understand the laws that are specific to your state. Read eviction process and requirements for granting. I would focus on abandonment. If you've sent notices, allowed the required time, no response, no activity, no water, no rent, garbage left, no sign of anyone.?. Go in and take possession, change the locks, but make sure you know the law first. Start reading some municipal code. I'm in Seattle and have no clue what they allow down there. It should be on line, look it up.
Post: Seeking Renovation Advice for My First Investment Property

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I cant imagine where you'd find better than conventional unless you have a crazy friend with a lot of money. Like Samuel says, Move into the fixer and start making money with the good unit, now. Zero interest days were an anomaly that I don't think you'll see again.
Post: Should I buy a property with mice problem and likely mold in the basement?

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