All Forum Posts by: Tyler Rowland

This is an easy one for me- many lifelong renters feel victimized by their landlords- helpless that they are living at the whim of the rent increases and invconveninces that renting comes with. There are two simple responses:

1. What is stopping any tenant from either buying their own home or becoming a landlord themselves? Absolutely nothing- that is true for every person in the US. If they have no money, poor credit, etc, they can start working to fix that and take control of their destiny, just like every person on this forum is trying to do. The victim mentality destroys lives, we all have control of our destiny, it's a matter of whether we harness that or let things "happen to us."

2. In general, especially the last five years, it's difficult to keep up with annual property tax increases, let alone create better cash flow on a rental. I've found renters tend to vote for and support tax increases on landlords, levies for public improvements (that come from property taxes) etc, because they think they don't have to pay for them since they don't own property. OF COURSE they have to pay for them- through rent increases because they voted for property taxes to go us. It's silly to think that a property owner will just eat those increases indefinitely- voting to increase taxes is the same thing as voting for your own rent increase. 

Thank you for the reply Corby.  Honestly, increasing property taxes has been on my mind as ours just went up another $100 this Year.  Thank you for the advice it was much appreciated.  

@Tyler Rowland

For a young family of 3, I was just notified my health insurance will be going up another 30% beginning January 1. Fortunately, we have never used our insurance other than our annual flu shots and having our son 7 years ago.

Life does not balance out like a simple accounting equation and most expenses will always be growing more expensive than the rate of inflation. Rent however is not one of those astronomical, out of this world growing expenses compared to the rest of our society.

I suggest the next time you have the same type of conversation you simply smile and move on. Many people are naive and have no idea what lengths many owners go to for the benefit of their tenants.

Create the best product you can for your investment and don’t sweat the small stuff.

Best of luck!