All Forum Posts by: Justin Fox

@Jay J.

Never claimed to love my neighbors.

Never said homeless people weren't people.

I don't typically go out of my way to help people that break into my home.  Not my thing.

I file every year, for every property I own.  It's my duty to keep my taxes the same or lower than the previous year.  Not only for my margins but also my competitiveness. 

As for any negatives?  Your carrying costs are guaranteed to increase.  Which means you'll eat all of that cost now and defer the rent increase to down the road, which will probably only be a fraction of the total cost increase and may trigger turn over.

If you could possibly keep cost down and maintain the same margins, why wouldn't you?

Hell yeah, whoop that ***.  What would you do if some drunkard homeless guy was hiding behind your dryer at your personal residence?  Knuckle sandwich or 00, that's what.  It's a homeless guy, who's going to believe him if he says someone beat him up for living in their basement without permission?  Who would care?

Get a CHL, shoot every weekend and always carry.  

Most of the time the hardest lessons learned are expensive ones, and those are the ones we tend to not repeat.

@Ian R.

"...However, an individual with a disability who requests a reasonable accommodation may be asked to provide documentation so that the landlord or homeowner’s association can properly review the accommodation request.11 They can ask a person to certify, in writing, (1) that the tenant or a member of his or her family is a person with a disability; (2) the need for the animal to assist the person with that specific disability; and (3) that the animal actually assists the person with a disability....  Where the ADA applies, requiring documentation or certification would not be permitted with regard to an animal that qualifies as a “service animal.” - Source

That's under section c) Housing.

Does this mean that if someone simply claims their animal is a trained 'Service Animal', that you can't inquire about documented training certification(s)?

Also:

"...Emotional support animals that do not qualify as service animals under the ADA may nevertheless qualify as reasonable accommodations under the FHA.9 In cases when a person with a disability uses a service animal or an emotional support animal, a reasonable accommodation may include waiving a no-pet rule or a pet deposit.10 This animal is not considered a pet." - Same source and section.  I wonder how vague the 'may' is, in this case?

@Huiping S.

Ask to meet with the animal and stick your hand in its feeding bowl.  Visit their current residence and see how they live.  The animal can be rejected and it can be a lease violation of the animal is a disturbance or is a danger to the community.  If you don't want to be pet-friendly, have no fenced yards.  I believe any modifications/accomodations to the property to keep the neighbors/neighborhood safe are to be borne by the tenant.  Fences, ramps, doggy doors and etc.  They also have to cover the cost to restore the unit to the original condition.  Doggy-door's door replacement and etc.  You ask for all this money upfront for the modifications and might be able to also ask for the market cost of returning the property to it's original condition upfront to put in escrow (any fees for setting up an escrow account as well).

They are also liable for any damage the animal does as well.  Regardless if it's not considered a 'pet' legally.  You just can't charge them a deposit or extra pet rent upfront or during the tenancy.  But you can deduct from deposit and/or go after them post lease.

Like stated previously, I believe you can ask for written proof from a physician stating that they indeed have some sort of disability (nothing specific) that requires them to have the pet they do.  You can also make them provide proof of the animal's shot records and registration as a support animal.

Definitely get with an attorney about this though so you can have a bullet-proof hoop system that is crafted for your local area.  See if you can require the tenant(s) to have an additional liability insurance for having an animal in the home, maybe?

If the previous LL has negative remarks, deny them rental based on that.  You should have a criteria list that you send out.  One stating that any negative feedback from a previous landlord may cause you to be denied rental.   Also have a requirement for previous landlord or home owner ship.  

@Brian Olson

Reach out to other investors in your area and get contact info for reputable tradesmen.  Schedule the work yourself.  Pay for the work yourself.

Tenants are not going to be price sensitive when it's at your expense, and will exceed that $300 for work they determine an immediate necessity, which will be everything.  You will end up with situations where the tenant wants to do work for discounted rent and that work could be against code or they could get injured in the process.

Nope. 

I usually just email the inquirer that information after they reach out and tell me they're interested.  I send them a PDF document with our criteria and if they are still interested, we'll set up a viewing.  Saves a lot of time.

@David Whartnaby

I wouldn't worry too much about their personal business.  If the rent is short, charge late fees.  If the rent and late fees are not paid, evict.  If an eviction is pursued and/or judgement obtained (within the lease period), they'll both be on the hook (I believe).  If he stays longer than the year, upon renewal, draft a new lease with only his name.

Also, if she vacates the property then it will be up to him to give her any portion of a deposit that was paid down the road.  Do not give her any portion of the deposit.  That check doesn't get written and mailed until they are both out and you determine there are no damages outside normal wear and tear.

Good luck!

@Ryan Sajdera

Look around, you can probably find a painter that will paint for ~$100/room with you supplying the paint.  If the rooms are that bad, save the receipts from paint labor and supplies, and consume all the deposit you can and then mail out the rest (if any) to the forwarding address with receipt copies.  If you can not work at the expense of someone else, do it.  It's their fault, not yours.  When you play stupid games, you win stupid prizes.  Now you have new things to put into the lease agreement for next time as well : ).  I would only charge for the rooms that have been destroyed though.  For example, if the kitchen is getting a coat just because you patched/painted the damaged rooms, I would eat that labor cost or do it myself.

That's what I would do.  Make sure you take pictures too and have before photos as well.