She promptly texted back that there was some in the garage when they moved in (January) but the cold weather was probably keeping them dormant.

I did not know it had a dormant investation of bed bugs from the privious tenants (slobs is kind).   

You must include a picture of the contraption.Are you brave enough to explore your dormant landlord income potential?

Maybe if it was a dormant LLC with no assets and absolutely properly maintained, but they have always been active and had substantial assets.

I know this thread has been dormant for a while, but I am in the process of planning to rehab a historic property myself, and would like to hear more on the topic.

After, @andrew crowley 's comments, however, I think the smarter play may be to use the margin for investing and transfer some cash from the checking account that's sitting dormant earning no interest into the margin account to reduce the interest payments on the LOC.  

After that point it then lies dormant inside the property and waits your passing and the step up in basis.  

The bugs can lay dormant for a long time (hidden in the carpet/baseboards), so you may have had an issue already and then the tenant moves in and months later starts getting bit when the bugs become hungry again. 

It creates activity on the account and prevents it from going dormant.

I closed a bunch of dormant credit cards a few years ago and pretty much only use one credit card, which I pay off the balance every month.