All Forum Posts by: Anthony R.

So I've been trying to find someone to install cameras into my buildings but I can't seem to find 1. people that do this and 2. solutions that work.

So far, companies want $1000+ to install 4 cameras and you have to have wifi at the house, there's no cell network solutions. Well, I don't live at the buildings and I don't want to setup an ISP at each of these places. It's expensive and way over kill for a camera system. 

So my idea is to do this:

Buy a camera system from harbor freight ($250 I think?). Get a lockable steal box for the housing that I can stick in the basement and get a mobile hotspot to access it with. I think the mobile hotspots are $100 to buy and then $0-$20 a month depending on data usage. I'd have to install it myself but the total setup should only run ~$350-$400 per building and only an extra ~$20 a month in expenses for each building. 

Is this a reasonable setup? Has anyone else done this? I feel like this should be a solved problem. I have no idea why this is such a pain to get rolling. 

@James Wise fair enough. You've built and manage a much larger portfolio so I obviously respect your opinion.

That said, my motivation right now, outside of growing my rental holdings, is innovation. Throwing as much as I can at the wall and seeing what sticks. 90% might fail but that 10% that doesn't fail might end up being revolutionary. You only know by trying so we'll see! 

@Melissa Gittens Shortly after I bought the building I started a rehab on each unit. As I moved from unit to unit I saw the daily shenanigans going on there. Then, someone broke a window in a common area. It was a pivotal moment because if I didn't act then it sends a message to the tenants that it's okay. 

I asked each tenant to come out in the hallway where the broken window was and asked who did it. No one fessed up so I told them something along the lines of:

"I'm not the old owner. I care about their quality of life and I care about the condition of the property. I won't tolerate destruction of building property and I won't tolerate blatant disregard for the standards I set in the lease. 

If they care about these things too then if they see something, say something. Get a photo or a video of someone destroying building property and they'll get half off the coming months rent. Get a photo or video of someone leaving trash around and a smaller reward will be given off their rent" 

I also incorporated a "Keep it Clean" initiative in everyone's lease that assigns each tenant a section of the building to keep clean. A small area, like the landing out their front or back door. This has worked really well also. 

6 months after I implemented these policies, the "worst" tenant in the building was taking pride in the exterior of the building; picking up trash, hanging up halloween decorations, sweeping etc. All without being asked

I would say that I'm not parenting or changing the way people live, but instead inspiring them to conform to the rules and standards that I've put in place through self correction. It's like a self healing algorithm for the building. 

@Alexander Felice and for my next move, raising rent for everyone and then sending out notices telling them that I actually lowered it :-D 

@Doug Pintarch @Jason D. 

It's just an information pipeline being put down. How you act on that information is up to you. I choose to act on it quickly and unambiguously. 

@Peter M. it depends on the offense. For something eviction worthy I've offered 50% off the following months rent. For little things like trash and cigarettes I've offered only $50 off their following months rent. As for the offender, my leases are pretty clear. If I have proof someone is littering or damaging property they can be ousted. 

I see a lot of great points here. For those saying it's a bad practice, I encourage you to try it before you shoot it down. It might surprise you. As I said, I've been using this now for almost a full year on this new property and the tenants have responded well to it. I've had zero fights about it and, as I mentioned, I've seen a complete stop to the obnoxious stuff like cigarette butts being left out and trash piling up behind doors. It's been very nice. 

@Russell Brazil I'll make sure to update it next year with some more data. 

So I picked up a 4 unit building in a lower income area earlier this year. I had some significant challenges when I took it over, (see https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/223/topics/617743-shameless-self-pat-on-the-back) for more info.

I always like taking on challenges like this. I see self-managing rental properties as the ultimate in leadership challenges. It’s a true test of your metal when you can’t bark orders. You can’t threaten penalties all the time or they get numb to it. You need to think critically about how to inspire tenants to want to follow your lead.

One tool I wanted to share with the community that I’ve been using this year and that I’ve seen success with is my bounty program.

It’s hard for me to constantly be policing units that are 30+ min away each and every day. So what I do is I tell the tenants that if they catch another tenant doing something that is blatantly against the lease;

• Throwing trash on the ground,
• Not disposing of cigarettes in appropriate areas,
• Destruction of property, etc;

I tell them to get a photo and or video of it and send it to me. If I can confirm it then I give them a discount off their next month’s rent.

So far no discounts have been needed to be given but I have noticed a complete stop to the shenanigans that were taking place when I first took the building over. I think the thought that the other tenants are keeping an eye on them discourages foolishness.

What are your thoughts BP?