All Forum Posts by: Grant Hasting

Looking for some landscape advice! My wife and I are in our first year of remotely managing our duplex. The previous owner of the duplex provided a mower for the rental and the tennants took care of the lawn. I looked into having the lawn professionally kept up, but that was going to be about $400 a month (Seattle area is expensive). Also got some quotes for landscaping to create less mowing and make our hillside lot easier to maintain, but those were $10k quotes!

We inherited one tennant and filled the other unit with a tenant and put in their leases that the lawn was the tennants responsibility as well as advertised the unit with this information. We drove by today and the grass was about 8 inches tall! How would you all handle this? Should I get a lawn mower for the tenants to use?

My wife and I put our first unit up for rent and have received some requests asking if we accept Section 8. While this is our first rental, we are wanting to keep things simple and prefer a more traditional Tennant. One person responded back saying I had to accept Section 8. The property is in Everett, WA and we have the requirement of 650 credit score and require income 3 times the rent. I have tried to read up on the laws, but am a little lost on the execution. Any suggestions on how to navigate this or techniques to pivot with?

My wife and I purchased a duplex a few months ago to house hack and inherited a tenant that has lived here for 10 years. He is very low maintenance, pays on time. and I don't believe he has intentions of going anywhere. Perfect tenant, right?! However, he is currently paying way below market rent at $1400 (water and garbage included) for a two bedroom/ two bath/ and a garage in Everett, WA. There is a comp next door of similar size without a garage that just rented for $1700. I'm debating between raising his rent to $1550 (marketed as $100 increase with $50 fee for garbage/water) and including a 3% raise every year in the lease or not renewing, do about a $15,000 renovation, then rent it at $1800 a month. Any advice would be great!!

Hello Bigger Pockets! First post on the forum and very excited to get more involved in the community. My wife and I have started to take our first steps towards our first househack! We are looking in Snohomish County in Washington State. My question for you is how relevant is the "1% rule" in this area? I have begun to analyze properties to the best of my ability and have yet to find a multifamily in my price range that meets this rule. Granted, everything I have looked at has been properties on the MLS, but as a first time buyer I am a little overwhelmed on the path to find deals off market. I appreciate any advice!