All Forum Posts by: Simone Montague-Jackson

Hey everyone, 

I own a SFH in Buda, TX (close to I35 near South Austin) in a vibrant and safe neighborhood. Usually, I rent my rooms for long-term rentals with a minimum 6-month lease. However, I've been having difficulty renting one of the rooms because I've noticed some of the potential renters are either super particular, end up wanting to live on their own or with one other person (I have one room currently rented), flake, or come up with an excuses for not meeting with me.

I've decided to explore mid-term renting through Airbnb, but I'm unsure of the best methods to get started. Initially, I didn't select this route because I'm not located in the central part of Austin, but I would like to give this a try since the room is fully furnished, but will require some bedding, artwork, and a desk.  However, keep in mind, the renter will need to share a bathroom with the current tenant, and I've spoken with her about this, and she's fine with this arrangement. 

First, I need to learn how to protect myself and my current tenant against some of the issues I've seen online where renters will stay past the date they're supposed to leave. Second, I'd like to know any specific marketing tactics and methods to screen potential renters. Third, I'd like to know what data I need to collect in order to write this off on taxes. Four, I'd like to know any additional information that will be helpful. 

Thanx BP community in advance for any advice you'll give. I've gotten such great help from this community, and I've learned so much so far. 

Thanx for responding, and I'm glad you're in the group to answer my questions. Also, with the investment, is there a monthly ROI or is the money simply held in the syndication?

I've experimented a bit and realized that I need to post every two days and ensure the craigslist ad is up to date as well. I'm getting more people calling me, and they're professional women who just need a cheap place to stay and don't wanna live alone. 

Thanx everyone :)

I've heard of them as well. I'm testing them out on the FB group to see if I'm able to attract anyone. 

Hey guys, 

I'm currently house hacking an SFH near Austin, TX. I've had success finding female tenants in the past, but for some reason, I'm having difficulty attracting them these days. Fortunately, I found one woman to occupy one room, but I'm having trouble find another to take over the other space across from my bedroom. I even offered a discount for the first month rent, and I'm either getting flaky people or scams. I've been using FB groups, roomster, Craigslist, and I just started using Zillow approx. 5 mins. I'm not sure what to do, but I'd love some advice.

Thanx guys!

I'd like to diversify my real estate portfolio and get involved in syndications so I can put less money down in some real estate projects. 

Hey everyone, 

I'm interested in RE syndications, but I'm quite cautious because I don't want to incur any scams. And I don't know how to start any on my own at the moment. However, I attended an RE meetup and learned about this company called Spark Rental (https://sparkrental.com/coinvesting/?utm_source=SparkRental+...). If anyone is currently investing with this company or know more about it, please comment below or PM me because I don't want to jump into anything that would cause me to lose money. 

Thanx in advance :) 

Wow thank you for all of your input. I'm glad I didn't purchase one and kept thinking I needed one. So, the best course of action is to have liquid cash for repairs and trusted contractors who are willing to fix the issue at a good price ? Is this what you do with all of your rentals?

Gotcha okay thanx for telling me this. I wasn't sure if I should get one or not. After leaving the property and renting it out, I'm gonna hire a property management company which will have a maintenance account to take care of such issues. 

Hey there, 

I've been house hacking for a year, which has been great, but I've had a few issues with the house. I need to fix the garage, garbage disposal, and there's possibly mold in the attic (don't know how true this is since the guy who cleared my vents was getting me to purchase his service for $2k). My realtor recommended I get a home warranty to protect against issues that could cost me $1000s of dollars. While my home is new, I'd like to maintain it well, and I plan to do this with all of my properties because I like taking care of my possessions. 

Any thoughts and recommendations on home warranties in Austin or Texas in general? I was recommended to get the Sears home warranty since it's more affordable and more effective, but I'd like any help in this department. 

Thank you!