All Forum Posts by: Dick Stevens

I wouldn't bother.  If there are 3 separate hook ups just let them use their own washers and dryers and make sure your rental amount reflects the convenience of the tenants having their own private hookups (this will offset your water cost).  If you provide the washers and dryers now you have another maintenance item.  Providing each unit with its own set out of your pocket would be nuts; let them bring their own.

Why do you want the tenant evicted?  If you're making it a condition of sale and they don't leave on time you're going to have problems.  

Pull the property field card and see how it is listed.  If it's listed as a two family, then for legal purposes, that's all it currently is.  

When is the last time you have been inside this property?  I'm guessing it's trashed (especially with all those puppies).  Schedule a walk through and after you see the condition you likely won't feel bad about evicting them.

If you're going to live there you might as well self manage.  You'll save a lot of money and don't have to travel far for maintenance calls.

Ask for a co-signer on the lease with verifiable credit.  And Tom, not having a credit card is silly.  You're missing out on valuable rewards.  Just pay the bill in full every month and you never "pay more for something than it costs".

Buying an out of state rental as your first one was probably a mistake.  Is it really worth the aggravation and liability to make $50 per month under a best case scenario?  If you have a moderate repair for say, $300, it's going to take you 6 months to recoup the expense... and that's assuming nothing else goes wrong in the mean time. 

Start the eviction process now.  Just because their lease is up doesn't mean they plan on leaving.

Whatever you pick, use cordless so the tenants kids don't strangle themselves and then sue you.

Flora, if jobs are moving out of the area, as you stated, then this will impact rents.  When the economy in your area was doing better rents go up, now that you're in a decline, maybe you're too high.  Check out your competition and their pricing.  Are their homes sitting vacant as long as yours.