All Forum Posts by: Alissa Engel

@Dhaval Sheth

I think you are taking WAY too much responsibility for the tenant and HIS situation. HE needs to solve HIS problem. He’s got you chasing your tail when it’s not your job to figure out how HE can afford to stay in the house. Get the monkey off your back and back on his (where it belongs). Give him another month to find a roommate (that meets your criteria) or he needs to leave. IMO roommate situations are the worst (soooo much drama and chaos). Try to rent the house to one person/family/couple.

@Shadonna N.

The issue I see with S8 is twofold:

1. The inspections are delusional. When I first became a LL at 21, I had the inspection done on my newly renovated duplex. Seriously, it was pretty darn nice, good neighborhood, and I was naively willing to give anyone a chance. They nit-picked the unit’s so badly....what they wanted would have cost 2K, and none of the improvements would have gotten me higher rents or added value to my property. The same day I received their “demand list”, I found a highly qualified military tenant. It became VERY clear to me that a nice property like mine will easily rent to great tenants. Why in hell would I jump through government hoops??

2. I am also a mental health therapist. We learn in school that we have an ethical obligation to “give back” to the community and do some pro bono work. I totally agree as my $150/hr rate is simply not possible for some people. BUT we were also taught to never work for free, because people don’t appreciate free things. They become entitled and accustomed to getting whatever they want for free. I lower my rate to the point where it is affordable with some sacrifice on their end. They can pay me $25/hr AND as a result, they can’t buy their giant fountain pop from the gas station on the way, or a couple less packs of cigarettes, one less trip through the drive through, or no fancy nails this month. They must sacrifice to be there, or they will no-show appointments, be late, cancel a million times, or not do their homework....because they have nothing invested. THIS is the issue with S8. Many (not all) are not sacrificing for that voucher. The small amount they are required to pay is not a hardship. They become entitled and EXPECT the government entitlement. Entitlement is a disease, and it is spreading due to the way the program is set-up and run. That situation will always end poorly for the LL.

@Marc Winter

Posts like this make me so thankful that I live and invest in Montana. Certain areas are being over-run and ruined by fleeing Californians, but in general, we haven’t lost our minds....yet.

@Peter Sanchez

And that $200 a month is usually “made” by buying the products yourself, so you can meet some sort of false “goal” or reach the next “level” or achieve “____ status”.

@Dustin Burke

It’s a pyramid scheme. They have many fancy names for it now, but that’s what it is. Putting lipstick on a pig.

PLEASE listen to the podcast, “The Dream” before giving anyone money.

Remember that this is Amway. They changed their name for a reason....to escape a scandal. The podcast discusses it a bit.

@Jim Morris

I’m not a gentleman, but gonna chime in on the “gentlemen’s conversation” anyways.

At least make it difficult for him due to his little tantrum. I hate being threatened, so I make it a point to give them the figurative “middle finger.”

1. Ignore.

2. If he contacts you via a lawyer....ignore.

3. If he files in small claims....maybe pay him then. But at that point, he had to earn that money and pay a lawyer...lol.

4. If I’m feeling snarky...I might go to small claims to teach him a lesson. You should win if you followed all laws and documented correctly.

@Kyler Cook

Ha ha...I’m glad I’m not the only one with anger issues!

I wouldn’t pay them a dime and I’d make their life HELL (all legally of course).

For starters, I would install security cameras everywhere. Low life’s like this are doing more wrong than just squatting. Watch their every move and report to police for everything.

I also guarantee they are bad parents....make a DFS report so they have some social workers in their life.

Find out where they work and start calling for payment...several times a day...making sure to tell anyone who answers the phone what they are doing. Although they probably don’t work.

I’d do as many walk-through as the law allows. In my state I only have to give 24hrs notice. I’d go in every.single.day. and then give 24hrs for my inspection the following day.

Take pictures of everything while you are there.

I’d suddenly need to do a lot of maintenance....just to get in more often.

I’d stand outside their bedroom with a bull horn every morning....at 4am.

Post their photos on every social media site, Craigslist, Rentals FB pages letting the world know who they are.

They are probably receiving some sort of government assistance, so call and report them for fraud....I guarantee they are reporting they pay rent.

Post signs in the yard stating that they are illegally squatting in your property.

Id suddenly be landscaping the yard. I hang out with the hose “watering” then accidentally spray them when they walk out and try to get in their car. Hopefully they punch me; then I can press assault charges.

I love the idea of hiring kids to throw eggs at them....

I’m just getting started. I have no room for such pieces of crap. I don’t care about money- I’d make them pay. It would be my new favorite hobby.

@Sean Autry

Used some in a duplex that we were house-hacking. From Lumber Liquidators, but I can’t remember the brand.

Anyways, we had some issues with moving furniture and appliances. We were living there, so we know that we were careful. Added fuzzy pads to bottoms of all appliances and added it to the lease that they need them for their furniture. Also, had some scratching due to rocks in shoe tread. It was an interesting experience, and I wouldn’t use that brand again.

Long story short; I believe it depends on brand because I’ve used other types that held up great.

@Keesha Duminie

Experience. This sounds scary to someone new, but really, trial and error.

I started with a duplex, because I was 21 and could house hack. B class property close to a base so tenants were military. I liked it...got the bug!

The next year, I bought a 5-plex. Nope....lower class tenants (C) and it was an older property with a ton of maintenance issues. I might have kept it, because it did cashflow well but I was now stationed across the country and it was too much work to manage. Sold it. Broke even, which was a tough lesson.

Next two were condos. Nope. I hate HOAs...you have no control and they can kill your cashflow. But both were rehabbed and in growing areas, so I sold (1031) both at huge profits. I would consider flipping a condo again, but I’d never buy one for long-term holding.

Next, I bought two SFRs with one of the condo exchanges. Nope. The cashflow isn’t as good in my area. Good tenants, but they also attract too many people due to higher square footage.

Also, I bought a tri-plex with the other condo 1031. Very similar to a duplex but better cashflow.

So, just through trial, I've settled on 2-4 units as my niche. I prefer 2 bed/1bath, which attracts my ideal tenant situation. Similar to SFRs in the quality of tenants. Good cashflow. Currently, everyone wants these so I will see appreciation. Maintenance is similar to a SFR also...no need for employees, my husband and I can handle it.

@Chris Sukala

The other comments pretty much covered what you should do going forward and what you should do differently next time.

I’m going to cover the “Disabled Veteran” aspect. And before I get a bunch of back-lash for not being patriotic or PC....I am a veteran. There are many great people serving in the military, but not all people in the military are great people. Just like any other population, there are crappy people who don’t pay their bills, lie, create fake orders to break their lease, and commit felonies. You can’t look at someone’s status as a teacher, counselor, Doctor, Mother Theresa.... or disabled veteran as a signal that they are above screwing you out of rent.

And most veterans are “disabled”. When I retire I will probably be “disabled” for hearing loss after being around jet engines for 27 years and back issues from rucking....there now I’m disabled....that does not make me a better person. And unless the topic came up in regard to monthly income that they needed to qualify for the home; there’s a good chance you are being manipulated. Someone who leads with, “I’m a disabled veteran” is likely trying to get some concession from you.

This really goes for any population....but in your case it was a disabled veteran. In the future, you have to respond almost mechanically to these situations. I take the emotion out of the situation....No rent = Eviction notice.

NOT

No rent = Eviction notice....unless you are a veteran.