All Forum Posts by: Aimee Knier

Right now, I'm thinking I'm going to send her an email pointing her to a page on our website where we list our tenancy requirements and leave it at that.

We run background and credit checks on our tenants. The first tenants that applied for a place we have for rent were section 8. We have developed a policy that we do not accept tenants:
- with misdemeanors less than 8 years old or any felonies (excluding marijuana possession as it's now legal in this state)
- with collections on their credit report less than 8 years old, any evictions no matter how old
- that smoke

He has misdemeanors going back 6 years, they both have collections up to and including this month for bills that are over 9 months unpaid, and the only income they have is section 8 vouchers, her child support, and WIC. Also, she smokes, but she says she doesn't smoke indoors. 

I've already told her that we turned them down because he didn't pass the background check and she jumped in immediately trying to explain what his charges for, then told me they were homeless and that we couldn't discriminate against section 8... what a mess. I finally told her I couldn't speak about it at the moment and she asked me to call her back. 

My question is how do you handle when you've passed on an applicant? What specifically do you tell them? What do you do when they try to explain away their issues because I feel at this point that more information is just more fuel for her to argue, beg, etc.? I'm afraid they're going to push this issue with their case worker and try to force us to take them or try to come after us for discrimination.

I would agree that laminate just doesn't hold up. It gets water in the cracks and starts to bubble. It seems to only hold up about 3 years (if you're lucky). I'm thinking of going with tile-that-looks-like-wood. I own two 3BR apartments that are small enough that transitions from tile to wood wouldn't look good. I'm wondering if it's appropriate throughout the whole apartment. Has anyone tiled bedrooms and hallways with it, or is that too 'cold'?

I'm thinking of using carpet tiles in our remodel of a 1976 duplex. The bedrooms are just what you'd expect with that era, so definitely no hardwoods under the existing carpet. We're thinking of going with decent carpet tiles for a number of reasons: no hidden costs, no installation costs, if they get destroyed we don't have to replace the whole carpet, and they're a 'green' product (which is a big deal in our market). 

Does anybody have experience with carpet tiles? Any 'never again' horror stories I should be aware of? Any recommendations? 

@Account Closed I was actually thinking about you when I wrote this! I think what I'm most concerned about is whether they'll just balk at our revised offer and walk to the 3rd, 4th, 5th position, etc. 

We are about to buy our first duplex in a hot neighborhood here in Portland. They listed it incredibly low, so though our offer was $50k over asking it was still fair for the market (we had to make an offer to view it). It's a side-by-side from 1976, and in our rushed, uncomfortable walk-through we didn't see any glaring issues. Now that we're getting an inspector to go through it (without tenants this time!), considering the market, if we find something wrong should we negotiate?

1. We offered $50k over

2. We were 2nd and were shocked to get the sale (there are section 8 tenants in there now and with Portland's new renter laws we heard the first buyers balked at logistics of kicking out section 8)

3. We did our $360 offer blind just based on the numbers

4. Comps in the area of other duplexes are $340 to $380

Do you negotiate on wear & tear or outdated things like ancient carpet, no dishwasher, old patio doors? I'm kind of new at this as our own house didn't need anything repaired or replaced.