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All Forum Posts by: Bernie Neyer

Bernie Neyer has started 6 posts and replied 150 times.

Post: Hello everyone here is me

Bernie Neyer
Pro Member
Posted
  • Investor
  • Chanute, KS
  • Posts 155
  • Votes 60

From a Navy family, Anchors Away my friend. I didn't serve, but my father and his 4 brothers served in the Navy during WW2. They split the family up after the Sullivan brothers died. My brother retired Navy after having enlisted and serving 23 years. He rose to the rank of Lt. Commander.

Thank you for your service to our country.

Your profile doesn't indicate where you presently live, are wanting to locate or invest. To help you in your decisions, it would be good to flesh out your profile.

Post: Long Distance Self managers... How do you show the property?

Bernie Neyer
Pro Member
Posted
  • Investor
  • Chanute, KS
  • Posts 155
  • Votes 60

First and foremost you need a good company that does good background checks for a reasonable price. There is a company that tell you a lot about someone, www.BeenVerified.com. Now they don't run background checks, but can verify the person is who they say they are.

To allow certain people to view the property in your absence, there are locks now that use Bluetooth to unlock them. You can actually text them a code that will expire in a short period of time. They don't know the code so they can't hack it later. There are actually locks that you can add to a bolt action already on the door. It simply unlocks or locks the door by actuating the bold lever.

You can also purchase a wifi hot spot from a cell phone company and use Ring or another security camera to actually view them while they are in the property. I'm sure you've seen some of the ads on TV that have the owner remotely talking to an intruder. You can talk to the prospective tenant while they are viewing the premises and actually view some of their friends they bring along. You can also add wifi lights and thermostat, allowing you to control the lights and temperature at a distance.

Only allow them to enter the premises in your absence after they email you a photo of their driver's license and if it is more than one person, get photos of all of their driver's licenses.

After renting to them remove the remote entry wifi lock and put on a Schlage or Honeywell keyless entry lock. These locks are not remotely controllable. Now they come with keys, just don't give the tenant the key. These are programmable combination locks and you can find them on Amazon or even at Home Depot or Lowe's. Build.com sometimes have refurbished ones with a full warranty at greatly reduced prices. The prices run as low as $75 ea. for refurbs to $129 at Home Depot/Lowe's. They allow you to program them with a combination specific to that premises. I usually use the tenant's birthday. If it is a couple I use her birthday, she'll remember it, and he better had. LOL

Only put a single combo on it for them. You can add up to 20 others though. You can add a throw away combo for a repair man. You can discard these after used. I also add a combo specifically for me and it is on all my locks. That way I don't need to know the tenant's combo to enter the premises if I need to. In addition, you can change the master code, I call it the God code. All my locks have the same master code so when needed I can clear any of the locks of all entry codes.

I use these locks on all my units. They are great and have a life time warranty. The only time I ever had trouble with one, Schlage replaced it free of charge.

Post: Can you take a pet deposit for service dog?

Bernie Neyer
Pro Member
Posted
  • Investor
  • Chanute, KS
  • Posts 155
  • Votes 60

Joe Arida, is correct. Pit bulls are never used as service animals. While they can be quite loyal, they are usually not easily trained and tend to lose focus if a threat draws their attention. In addition, they are considered a dangerous breed. If you check your insurance, it probably has a rider for large breed dogs and may even directly mention the breeds the rider is for.

Post: Looking for window replacement contractor for 16 unit apartment.

Bernie Neyer
Pro Member
Posted
  • Investor
  • Chanute, KS
  • Posts 155
  • Votes 60

Have you ever heard of Window World? Not sure if there are any contractors in your area, but they are on the Internet. They advertise that it's only $189 a window, but that doesn't in include installation. They have a lifetime warranty on failure and should someone break one, the replacement is extremely reasonable.

I looked into it for my units, but they needed HVAC before windows, so I decided to postpone them for a while.

Bernie

Post: Property Management in Wichita, KS

Bernie Neyer
Pro Member
Posted
  • Investor
  • Chanute, KS
  • Posts 155
  • Votes 60

I've been having issues with my property manager in Wichita, KS. I'm wondering if someone out there may have know of a property management company or person in the Wichita, KS area they like or can refer.

Post: I found a safe during a tenant move out. Tenant has no idea.

Bernie Neyer
Pro Member
Posted
  • Investor
  • Chanute, KS
  • Posts 155
  • Votes 60

You don't need to pay anyone to open it, unless you want to use it. Don't you watch "Storage Wars"? Simply drop the safe on the corner of the hinge side repeatedly and it will open. They've done that with several different safes.

Post: BGE Cut Off my Gas for Reasons Out of My Control

Bernie Neyer
Pro Member
Posted
  • Investor
  • Chanute, KS
  • Posts 155
  • Votes 60

First, let me say that the reason they probably want the line replaced is they now require a poly line to the meter and for the gas line to enter the property above the ground. 

I had a tenant hit a gas meter and damage the feeder line from the street turnoff, and we were responsible for replacing it. Now, even if an accident wasn't causing the issue, and the pipe had just degraded till it leaked, we'd still be responsible for replacing it. 

Unless your city or state requires that the line to the meter is the responsibility of the gas company, they can dictate your responsibility. Usually when statute requires the gas company to be responsible for the line to the meter, the gas company will require that all meters be set outside, sometimes at the sidewalk.

Sometimes the gas company will do most if not all the work for very little and charge back the costs over time. Simply ask your contact at BGE what your options are.

Finally, contact a knowledgeable attorney about this. Sometimes companies will reach a more amiable solution when you have an attorney that can't be pushed around. 

Post: Are leases unnecessary?

Bernie Neyer
Pro Member
Posted
  • Investor
  • Chanute, KS
  • Posts 155
  • Votes 60

If the attorney doesn't own and/or manage rental property, he doesn't necessarily know what he is talking about. Don't be surprised, attorneys don't know everything about the law. While it is true, that it is easier for you to evict a tenant that is month to month, it doesn't mean that it is a good course of action.

Without a lease, the tenant can move as well with 30 days notice. You could get a succession of tenants moving in and out, doing damage and your having to continually clean and repair the premises, not making any money. The main reason for eviction is failure to pay the rent, which is pretty easy to evict on in most states.

In some states, which I believe Oregon or Washington recently enacted, have statutes that don't allow you to evict a tenant, even on month to month, without a reason. I keep my tenants leased up. That means I generally know, there are some exceptions, that I will receive a years income and can plan for improvements/repairs with other units supporting the costs of down time in the unit being repaired.

Post: Noooooo tenant is 10 days late on rent. What to do ???

Bernie Neyer
Pro Member
Posted
  • Investor
  • Chanute, KS
  • Posts 155
  • Votes 60

The process for eviction in your state should be conveyed by an attorney, or at least by an experience investor in your state. You can do an eviction Pro Se, but from what you've written, an attorney is highly suggested.

You can deliver a 3 Day Pay Rent or Quit (in some states it is a 5 days) notice yourself. In fact, you must deliver that notice first before beginning eviction procedure. I don't quite get when her due date was, but if they are late, I start by calling them and asking where the rent is. I explain the contract and that they are supposed to contact me before the 1st if the rent is going to be late. If it is late again the next month, I deliver a 3 Day Pay Rent or Quit notice. Usually that gets their attention, but often it is needed for them to go begging for help.

Don't give them 30 days to vacate unless their rent is current, or you will still have to evict them after 30 days of their having not paid the rent.

Cash for keys may work, but have them sign a paper indicating they have vacated the premises of their own accord and without coercion. Only give them money after you've inspected the premises, they have left it generally clean and you have taken full possession of the premises.

I am not a fan of cash for keys. Not because it doesn't work, but rather you send a tenant out to prey on another unsuspecting landlord without a paper trail of verifiable historical facts. When you evict someone it stays on their credit history for several years.  

Post: Anyone install cameras in common area in apt buildings?

Bernie Neyer
Pro Member
Posted
  • Investor
  • Chanute, KS
  • Posts 155
  • Votes 60

Actually the management company had the game camera. You  and get them at Walmart. Some can record for a week. Keep in mind they tend to be motion activated.