All Forum Posts by: Bill Cereske

First, make sure you're not contributing to the problem.  One year we discovered that mice were in our "private" closet, eating boxed and bagged food, while nesting in some towels.  Some plastic boxes fixed that problem.  We also bought one of those Pesticator repellers, so we'll see what happens this winter.

One of the things I have successfully done is incorporate timers onto the bathroom exhaust fans.  That, and replacing every light bulb in the place with LEDs.  Not only does that reduce energy costs, maintenance is also drastically reduced.

I have a VHR in South Lake Tahoe, which has been very successful.  The first thing you have to understand is that you are in the HOSPITALITY business, which is different from long term rentals.  You have to stock the kitchen with utensils and the bathrooms with towels.  You are not renting to a tenant, you are catering to a guest.   You want to keep up the interior and exterior as pristine as you would expect a Hilton Hotel to be, while maintaining an aura of a friendly home.

Being cheap is a sure way to failure.  Don't even consider bringing up your old pots and pans to your VHR.  The new stuff goes to cater your guests, when they get old you bring those home and replace them with new.

Let nothing be broken or worn in your VHR.  Guests will notice.

I LOVE my ring doorbell -- AT MY HOME.  For my VHR, I have no cameras there.  I think it would offend my guests.

Many of my guests are "regulars", so I try to do one "over the top" per year, and it usually turns into two or more.  This year is a complete remake of the kid's room, with new bunk beds and furniture.  Then, I did a complete remake of the front yard / entry.   Last year, I remade the master bedroom furnishings, moving the 52" TV from the living room to the master bedroom wall and getting a new, 64" HDTV for the living room.  The year before it was new hardwood / tile flooring in the living room and a new hot tub.  You get the idea.

I mentioned that shoplifting was spreading like wildfire here in San Francisco and how I get bumped by fleeing shoplifters.  Now, the result is death.

An 85-year-old man died over the weekend after a shoplifting suspect ran into him while fleeing with stolen goods from a store in San Francisco, authorities said Monday.

https://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/Fleeing-SF-shoplifter-accused-of-murder-after-12985386.php

@Matt R.  The problem isn't just the knuckleheads running San Francisco, it's the airheads running the State.  The 12 cent new gas tax, the $100 vehicle registration fee rise and the coming 67 cent "climate change" gas tax is coming to get you, no matter if you live in San Francisco or Eureka.  It is still a minor misdemeanor - no jail time - to steal something worth less than $950.  The cops don't even bother to show up to write a ticket.    The illegal gang bangers are given sanctuary here and we have dead bodies to show for it.  It doesn't matter if you are in South LA, Compton or South Lake Tahoe - the criminals know that are untouchable.   

Soon, you will be limited to indoor water use of 55 gallons per day, but there are exceptions for your swimming pool and outdoor gardens.  Sales Tax may soon be extended to services.  

With all of this, California is swimming with a $9 BILLION surplus.  The state recently opened new bank accounts, in order to circumvent a law that requires them to lower taxes when the state is drowning in money, like now.

I don't think my State Representatives are representing ME.  But they seem to be representing the vagrants, who are all registered to vote when they do "outreach" and are driven to the polls.  No, I'm not kidding:  It's called the political "machine", or more accurately, the "Burton Political Machine".

I was born in San Francisco and, save for a 4 year stint at school, have lived here all my life.  We are actively looking at selling everything and moving out.  The city I was born in was a military town and most civilized.  Not anymore.  Downtown and in many neighborhoods you have to dodge tent cities, aggressive bums demanding money and watch out for the poop and infected needles littering the streets.

  Last week someone busted out a neighbor's car window for no reason and a neighbor reported that some bum has been sleeping by our bushes. 

  Thanks to the state laws, it's hard just to stand in line at a store just to buy something, as shoplifters push you aside to escape with their loot!  Yes, it happened to me.  Nobody chases them, because it's essentially no longer a crime to steal less than $950.  

We now have new gas taxes, with HUGE new taxes on the way, a higher vehicle tax and a new water use limit of 55 gallons per person per day.  The sales tax is being extended to services.  

If we vote an airhead for Governor and fail to repeal the gas taxes, this state will be sinking and we will be hitting the lifeboats to another state.

For as much noise the South Lake Tahoe "war" on VHRs has been making lately, their main enforcement has been nailing VHRs with no permits.  You have to live with the rules - especially once you have been warned!

@Luke Carl  You and your guests should be very happy.  Last year I grabbed a towel at the house, and it was MOST unsatisfactory.  It turned out to be a lesser towel from another property using the same management.  That's why I stick with the Wamsutta.  The dogs at the local shelter liked it just fine, though.