All Forum Posts by: Christine Swaidan

Senior apartments. Old style buildings with lobbies and internal hallways. Tenants have started hanging their own artwork on hallway walls and placing furniture along the walls in order to add their personal touches. Definitely a Goodwill thrift store look that I'm not loving. Currently I'm painting and doing new flooring plus new furniture in lobbies. I'm looking for help on how to word a notice that personal stuff must be removed and not be put back without offending anyone. 

Also having an issue with a number of tenants that have decided they want to "beautify" the grounds by adding plants and "working in the yard". 

I accept complete responsibility for allowing this to happen and not nipping it in the bud. Just looking for a way to gain back control of the situation without antagonizing good tenants.

@Malik R. Certainly no expert here but I would think your decision depends on the quality of the rental and what is expected in the neighborhood. Either one should give you many more than 5 years. I've opted recently to go with the fiberglass surround in a SFR tract house built in the 1980's. While I definitely prefer the cast iron tub I felt it was too expensive for this particular project. FYI, we have 1970's apartments with the original fiberglass tub and surrounds still going strong. Some have required repairs but that's an easy fix.

@Mallie Messri My decision to rebuild was based on several factors. 

Mostly emotional, as it was my Home and just worked for me. I've lived there over 30 years. 

I was not intimidated by the rebuild process thanks to all the rehabs on the rentals I have done. 

I was adequately insured. 

The one person on my block who is not rebuilding for sure is 89 y/o and just doesn't feel capable of going through the process. 

I believe that the biggest reasons people are not rebuilding is because they were not adequately insured and the rebuild process is just too daunting. 

Amazon sells fake cameras. You put a battery in them and there is a blinking light plus it comes with a sign stating that there are surveillance cameras.  

I lost my home in the December 2018 Thomas Fire in Ventura. The cost to rebuild my original 1970's tract home will be $1,000,000 as it is now a custom home (3300 square ft.). It is costing me more to rebuild my house than I can sell it for at this point in time. Many people were under insured or just can't deal with the difficult rebuild process and have put their lots on the market or have not decided what they will do. There are lots for sale in my neighborhood with beautiful ocean views. Figure the lots are going for $500,000+ and add the cost of building puts you at 1.5 million plus. 

You are right about the issue with insurance. In my own case I was more afraid of my insurance company canceling on me than denying an ESA animal. Thankfully the perspective tenant didn't push it. It's a major dilemma. Sorry I don't have any advice but I am curious to learn if there is a better answer.  

You're the boss here. You can make any arrangement that you want. If you don't think they are doing a good job there are plenty of options. I opted to assign S8 rents to PM because for me it made sense that if they are taking care of the rents, they might as well take care of all the rents. I don't understand your second post about the HOA giving approval for PM to assign rents. What does HOA have to do with this?

@kyle j.  Thank you for the information. Yes it looks like I’ll be on the hook. 

I have a disabled man wanting to move into a one bedroom unit. This is a 1970's building. We do have safety bars in the bathroom but no other equipment. We also have 40 parking spaces for 70 units in our parking lots and there is no designated handicap parking. We are a 55+ complex. Am I going to get into trouble with this situation? I have already given him the okay to move in but now he is saying he doesn't want to walk from street parking. Our lease states that we do not guarantee parking lot spaces. We do have other disabled tenants and this has not been a problem so far. Anyone have any experience with this situation? 

My property is listed on this website. Over about 2 years I have gotten inquiries 14 times. I don't believe anyone has ever actually rented from me. I've noticed that some of the inquiries are repeats.