All Forum Posts by: Linda S.

@Jane S.,

I don't know Colorado laws, but my landlord translator  is hearing "I don't want to do a background check because I did something this year that would cause you not to renew, but refusing it is easier."   If she is a good tenant, I'd absolutely renew!   Judge her on her history with you-- does she pay on time, make sure the house is maintained, etc.   Turnover sucks, and if she can pay and is taking care of the place, why not? 

Personally, I wouldn't play any of those games-- you aren't an investigator, and don't play that-- either decide to rent to her, or not-- and stand firm.  

@Nick Sanders,

Before you do all the work and extra cost/storage, check with a lawyer. In VA, if a tenant isn't out by the eviction date (for whatever reason), then legally the landlord is to put all the stuff on the curb, and change the locks. Putting stuff on the street ASAP is a lot easier than dealing with storage/moving!

If you have a strict screening process, and this one slipped through the cracks, just focus on getting the new tenant in.    We had a tenant-- who passed all the background/credit checks (everything clean!)-- actually pull a gun on the pregnant neighbor, and we're evicting him now for non-payment, he's 4 months behind and court is on Wednesday.  If you would have told me this 6-months ago, I wouldn't have believed you-- never had a problem with him prior.   Stuff happens, and people change-- just make sure you follow your state law and focus on getting the unit rented ASAP!

@Amir Navabpour,

Is it a dead tree that they have warned you about?  If so, it is your fault, as they have warned you-- and you chose to not fix it.   If it's a living tree,  and just an "act of God" as insurance puts it, it's on them.  If they want to make a claim with their homeowners, it's on them.   How much to fix it?   If it's a small issue (under $500),  I'd probably just fix it or offer to split the cost.

Just to warn you of what's coming,  because I had a tree limb fall on a neighbor's shed.. they will likely do an insurance claim, and then the insurance company will hire someone to try and come after you for the debt.  

At the end of the day, they are responsible for trimming any branches that might hurt their property.  I just paid $1,000 to move a huge limb of the neighbor's tree that was looking like it could hit our house, or hit my tenant's cars.  It's part of the game, always better to be preventative!

@Justin Youngblood,

Whenever we have vacancy, we always start showing it a week or so before the tenant moves out.  The right person will see the potential, and it's really just to meet the potential tenants, and see if you want to possibly work with them.   Be respectful of the tenant's belongings, don't let anyone go in by themselves, and make sure obvious valuables are out of sight.   Most people will need a month or so before they move in, so this just starts the clock and lowers vacancy rates.

@Diana Costta,

The market is speaking, and it's saying you are asking too much.     You can do a move in special, of say -250, or you could just lower price $20-25/month, and see if it gets more attention.   I don't think we've ever had a house be on the market for more than 2 weeks, so again-- the price will dictate if the market sees the value as correctly listed, or overpriced.    Set the pride aside, and lower rent and watch the market react!  

Think of how much money you are losing by NOT having it rented?!   

@John Morgan,

100% Absolutely NO. When we initially included lawn care, and switched to making tenants take care of their own lawn-- we gave them a $75 credit to buy their own. Now, if it's a SFH we make lawn care on the tenant, they can get a lawn mower or likely has a friend/relative to help them out.

Now that I'm 6 years into it, I look at each item I provide as a "reason for a call" -- the less stuff I provide, the less calls I get.  When we started, we offered W/D/microwaves/lawn care-- now all of those have been removed, and my life is better!   I also offer cheaper rent than the competition, so everyone ends up pretty happy! :)

@Christopher Helwig,

Doing an "Open House" is your best answer IMO.    I tell people it will be available Saturday 2-3PM, and ask 50% to come at 2PM, and 50% to come at 2:30PM.       

This locks your time to 1 hour, and then you can pick from who shows up. I don't actively screen until after the showing, at which I can weed people out pretty quickly.  I don't get why people do lockboxes,  seeing people in person, seeing how they present themselves, if they actually like the unit, if it's actually for them-- all of this can be determined easily in person.   This way after the showing, we tell them if they like it-- contact us, and apply and then I screen based on that.   It narrows it down from 50-100, to then only 10, and then you determine your top 5.   This way you waste minimal time, and essentially cast the widest net.

@Ty Tucker,

First,  TALK TO THE TENANT, maybe they'd be willing to get rid of all of their animals and clean the place?     If they're willing to do that, then say they have 1 week to fully clean the place, and do all the trash removal.    If they know they are getting kicked out if they don't shape up, you'd be surprised how clean a person can make a house!   People can be gross, but a paying tenant is nice and can delay the huge cost of renovation.  You could even say "If it's not cleaned and sanitary, I will hire a cleaner, and charge you directly.   If they do clean the house and get rid of the animals-- great, raise the rent and keep them, I'd probably do quarterly inspections of course. 

Second, if they are jerks, and you immediately want them out-- know your state laws regarding the time frame of terminating an M2M lease. If it's a month-to-month, in VA you have to give someone a full calendar month, even with a 30-day notice, that 30-day notice could technically be almost 60. Worst thing you could do to waste your own time is trying to do this yourself the wrong way, and then go in front of a judge (after waiting 2-3 months for a court date) only for the judge to tell you that you did it wrong, and then have to wait another 2-3 months for your next court date!

It sounds like they are a serial bad tenant, and eviction won't scare them, so consider cash for keys.  Yes, you're paying them to trash the house, it makes no sense and makes peoples blood boil.  Figure out how much you'll be paying a lawyer (ours is $750-$1000) and offer it to them to be out by a set time.  This way you'd out potentially the same amount, and you get your house sooner!   Think about what YOU as the owner want, and make it happen.  No emotions are involved, this is business.

Also.. @Bruce Woodruff, goats???

Hope this helps!

@Evan O'Brien,

One thing to always check is their story, does it make sense?    Does the timeline line up, and do the facts align and can be verified?   Another thing I like I look for is what will be a good, long term fit where someone is happy.   If it's a 2bd house, it's a family with 3 kids, they will outgrow it within a couple years-- whereas say a retired couple might find a 2bd perfect.     I also put a lot of value on meeting them in person-- are they on time?  Polite, or nitpicking?     The in-person meeting will show you a lot about someone, in how they carry themselves and how they will be as a tenant.

@Michael Clark,

The catch is that it's bought sight unseen.  You can try peaking in through the windows, but you don't have an inspection period.  It's also cash only, so there is no backing out.

  One house I got at an auction, was literately an episode of hoarders--- there were clothes/stuff, piled roughly 3ft high throughout the 1000 sq ft house.  It was crazy, i mean piles and piles of stuff where you can't even walk. One house I got was pure luck, and without a doubt, one of my best buys!   If you do an auction, be ready for pretty much everything to be wrong-- expect HVAC stolen/pipes blocked/rot/pests/stuff.   If you do an auction, you just have to be okay with the gamble that you might be buying a lemon with a ton of problems!