All Forum Posts by: Robert T.

I agree with the peanut butter on the old school wooden Victor mouse traps. The problem is setting them is particularly stressing... I can build engines, remodel houses, cut down huge trees, you name it....but have the hardest time setting those things. What works for me is pulling the snap back, setting the rod and using a long flat blade screwdriver in my other hand to lift the pad then let go and pray.

Is she on a month to month lease? Should have plenty of options...but I see you're in CA..

It would be nice if this topic didn't get locked so the OP could come back and update us on how he never heard back from service dog veteran dude again.

That's crazy.

Are you sure it wasn't the previous tenants? I had an uncle that was so cheap he would hang out in the attic when it was cold because he didn't want to turn the heat on. He had a house on the intercoastal in Lighthouse Point FL (Ft Lauderdale area). When I was a kid I would go fishing behind his house. There aren't that many cold days in that part of FL. One day I come over and I can't find him in the house. I yell "Uncle Frank! You here?" thinking I don't want to find him dead, I'm probably 13 at the time. He yells "Hey Rob! I'm in the attic!". I go find him thinking maybe he needs help getting something in or down from the attic...nope, he's hanging out reading his paper in the attic with the single light bulb on because it was in the 40's that day.

You're not describing the property accurately. You should be advertising it as "Quiet Neighbors!"..

I had a tenant not necessarily trash the place, but left me A LOT of trash. Junk furniture, bed mattress, broken tools, 5 gallon buckets, total random junk...there was even a stripped out jet ski. 

I knew where he moved to after I kicked them out nicely (gave them over 60 days, the law is 30 days here). I have a 1 ton dump truck I use around my farm. I loaded EVERYTHING and dumped it in the driveway where they moved. He has my number. Never heard from him.

Don't make a mountain out of a mole hill.

The prospective tenants, whom you never met and never toured the property, ask that you modify your lease. You said no and moved onto the next tenant.

My question is: if this is a "service dog", why was he so interested in modifying the "pets" clause? As someone who sounds so versed in the law, he would know this does not apply to him. "Fill out the lease as instructed and send it back to me", you don't have time for silly games, you have a business to run.

Good luck

Are you going to be living near (within an hour) the rental property? If so, I don't believe there is any benefit to hiring a PM. I manage my own (3 SFR) while working a full time career (engineer) and have never thought to myself "man I just can't handle this". They are all within 30 minutes of where I live. I rarely receive calls and if I do it's stuff that can wait. I am proactive though in pest control, yard maintenance (not mowing), and weather (checking pipes during freezes, roofs during wind storms, etc).

$2000 on a $1550 mortgage isn't terrible, if you can manage the property yourself. If you screen tenants thoroughly and ensure the property is in good condition, you shouldn't have a problem self managing as those two things will minimize the number of calls (or at least the number of calls that require your immediate response). You could always get a surprise like many of us have experienced. A good piece of advice is to learn to say "no".

Good luck

 I agree. I use vacancies to thoroughly inspect the house, make changes I think will improve the appeal of the house, tenant proof things that weren't before, and adjust the rent price. 

Get him out.

He isn't paying on time with the $400 discount he's getting, what makes you think he would be on time or any more reliable? 

I also don't understand why your PM (I manage all of my own) would want to raise it roughly half the amount to keep him. That makes zero sense and I question the competency of your PM. I also don't understand the need for remodeling just because he leaves. If it's clean and the market value in it's current state can get you another $400 why bother?

His lease is up for renewal, do not renew it and get someone new who will pay what you want and will be more reliable.