All Forum Posts by: Aiden Harris

@Theresa Harris thanks for the reply. Another concern is exposure to risk related to him claiming mold in apartment. There is none visible or observable.

I’ve got a new tenant who states he believes there is mold in the AC ducts. He has stated he is sensitive to mold & allergens. He filters his side of the property with HEPA filter system & MERV 14 (I believe) return AC filter. He moved in 1 month ago from another state (Midwest) and attributed it to feeling unwell. He came to this conclusion after violating the lease wherein it states, “Residents agree not to tamper with any mechanical equipment stored in this area [attic]”. He opened the air handler to install a UV light and found a dirty evaporative coil, which I have since then cleaned appropriately. Now he thinks the AC ducts need to be sanitized. I told him that we could discuss options.

My AC guy states, after extensive discussion, it was just dirt and a dirty coil.

We live in the south (New Orleans), so naturally life is incredibly humid. We have weekly localized flooding, although the property takes no water. So mold is relatively abundant outdoors. Additionally there’s an incredible amount of roadwork on our street.

I’m sort of just gathering opinions and trying to render a good and fair decision. I have many people in my ear telling me to let him know he can leave. No one except the mold remediation salesman is onboard with paying $1800 to clean the duct work. I owner occupy this property, so if there was an issue, I’m almost certain I’d be experiencing it too. Please let me know what you all think.

@Dennis M. Rental is higher end, for a tenant who commands a strong salary.

@Andrew B. I agree, I think the decision is whether I want to pay below retail price for decent budget Stainless appliances.

I’m back and forth on it.

Good Morning All,

I landed a great new tenant. They dont move in for 2 more weeks. As a first time landlord, I am trying to decide what to do next. He didn't make any comments about the appliances, etc. I think they are a bit dated, especially the formica counter tops...

I've got a friend of a friend who bought a condo and wants to get rid of the brand-new unused stainless steel GE appliances. He said he will take $1500 for the fridge, microwave, dish-wash, and stove. Currently, all appliances in-unit work flawlessly without issue. I could potentially see selling the current fridge/microwave/dish-wash/stove to offset the cost of the new appliances.

I have about $10k in cash reserves for the property for emergencies, etc. So, I don't want to break the bank and leave myself with my pants around the ankles in case of an emergency.

Additionally, the new tenant has requested that I remove the current W/D so they may bring their own. Which I have no issue with, and will likely sell the older W/D setup.

Does anyone have any advice?

@Rico D Williams thanks for your reply! I guess I should ask for 1-2 months of paystubs? Thanks again

Happy fourth all,

So, I have begun the journey of finding new tenants. My current ones are buying a house and I could not be happier for them.

I am using Cozy for the submission of screening (credit & background). 

I had a couple (stated they were engaged) apply this morning, one's credit score is 646 and the other's is 711. The 646 appears to be due to no credit history. The 711 has one incident of collections roughly 3 years ago ($1600 in collections). They applied to me because I specifically mention I am a pet friendly landlord (which I am). I have a big game dog myself, so I am very comfortable with animals as long as I am protected from liability.

As a first time landlord, how do I proceed from here? They are moving to my city from another city where (based on some snooping) they appear to have decent middle class jobs. I have not verified income or anything outside of the credit/background check. Is there a compensating balance for the credit score of one of the applicants, or should I weight them together? I am looking for feedback so I do not make a simple misstep.

Thanks so much!

@Alex M. Thanks for your reply, I will reach out to you after I think about it a bit

@John Underwood I guess it’s more of a time thing, as I already have a full time job. I’m not keen on creating a second job greater than being a landlord. As far as I understand, this company handles the nonsense for you, furnished the place (?), takes care of damages, and cuts you a check. If it’s anything over market rent & the effort level minimizes, I’m sort of interested. Which is why I’m asking the forum, after reaching out to the company of course, if they have any experience.

It ALMOST sounds too good to be true.

Hey everyone,

I was mostly considering doing standard renting out of my duplex, but I just caught wind of a third party that leases out your house in a short term rental basis. My realtor buddy said his clients make bank doing it. Is anyone familiar with “Sonders”? I have a nice property in a desirable area.

Thanks!