All Forum Posts by: Erin O'Connor Smith

@Hammad Arif Benjamin Moore Classic Gray for living areas and bedrooms. Stonington Gray for bathrooms. Half bath in asphalt.

@Hammad Arif yes. I use Trafficmaster LVP in French Oak throughout all rooms. Waterproof and just enough brown and grey.

These are gold. Thanks everyone. Rejected that applicant and adopting these policies. Other applicants asked for reduced security deposits due to COVID, while showing me their overflowing bank accounts. No deal!

@Michelle B. thank you! looking for a california approved version of this.

@Michelle B. can you please share that language?

@Michelle B. can you please share that language?

Just found a tenant and signed a lease, but he says he can't make payments until he receives his deposit back from his current lease.

He screened well with good landlord and professional references and great income to rent ratio (4.2x rent) due to a large monthly annuity he receives for a lifetime insurance settlement. I verified this with his bank statements which have big deposits and big withdrawals. Credit score 690, a history of good steady payments. 

Bottom line - Our lease begins in 5 weeks at $4000 per month. I've always required full payment of both first month's rent and one month's deposit upon lease signing - doesn't everybody? So. Should I stick to my principles and tell him the lease is cancelled unless he pays the $8,000 this week (I can do, that right?) Or should I work with him in this time of COVID and ask instead for a non-refundable holding deposit (how much)? Or ask for the first month now and deposit upon move-in? Something else? I know times are difficult but I want the peace of mind that my tenant is fully committed so I can take it off the market. I am getting a few inquiries a week and don't want to miss the window for renting by September 1.

How does the neighbor feel about large dogs? You don't want calls at midnight about this. I ask for a $600 pet deposit from large-dog owners, but never in a house with nice hardwood floors - no dogs allowed. Make sure your tenant has renter's insurance to cover any additional damage. Sign a separate pet agreement and first meet the dog at least if you still want to go forward.

Looking for any experience with SPC flooring. I need about 1400 sf professionally installed in my two-story rental house built in 1990. The company I am looking at is Bel-Air, based in LA for $1.99/sf not including labor. This stuff sounds indestructible. There are two flights of stairs inside, all floors are relatively flat, will be exposed to a lot of direct sun in areas. It might not be the most sound-deadening one but I'm not the one living there, I just want the floor that's going to outlast the rest. It has a 10 and 50 year warranty and is 100% waterproof. Low VOC, recyclable, waterproof, skidproof, etc. Any pros and/or cons of SPC to personally share?

SmartMove is terribly inconvenient and $40. I assumed it would ask for all of the rental application info like RentSpree, but it didn't. Will never use again.