All Forum Posts by: Gretchen P.

We converted a 3 car garage into a 2 bed 1 bath cottage in Colorado Springs. It cost about $85k (in 2019), the biggest expense was the sewer line, which had to be 5' in CO if I remember correctly. The property was unique in that the entrance for the garage was through a street behind the main house, and zoned for 2 dwellings. By fencing between the cottage and main house it is completely private. It took longer than expected but it turned out great and rents easily. Current rent is $1700. Front house rents for $2200, and with a garage would probably rent for about $2500, so the cottage was great ROI.

@Bonnie Low

Who pays for the background check using keycheck?

Quote from @Nicole Heasley Beitenman:

You're probably seeing less about applications because the most frequently discussed MTR tenant is a travel nurse who provides a contract, and the hospital already does a background check. 

First, I wouldn't hand an applicant a paper application even if they were local. That's a hassle for both me and the tenant. For my LTRs, I embeded a Google form into a Weebly website and created my own electronic application. No trees killed. They initiate their own credit and background check. 

That being said, I don't see any reason why you couldn't continue to use your application with MTR tenants as long as it's revised to accommodate them. But if I'm a tenant in a more saturated market, I'm much less likely to pursue a unit that has me scanning stuff.

I was only requiring a contract thinking it would double as a background check. After 13 great experiences in 3 units, I had 2 CNA tenants trash a unit in 3 months, left evidence of drug use, smoked in the unit, had an unapproved pet poop and pee on carpets and in the bed, damaged or stole several items and shorted me on the last month's rent. When I did a quick Google search, oh boy. One of them had an assault charge and eviction, and the mystery of why the other one broke the bed was solved; she has an OnlyFans. I will require background checks just like my LTR tenants. 

Sad these women are allowed near patients, they lived like pigs. 

Tenants should theoretically pick up their own dog poop. Some won't, so you will need a service, but thats what pet fees are for. 

Short-term tenants expect to do NO maintenance. Hire a lawn service. 

Hi Gregory, 

I was searching to see what others do for a screening process because maybe I need to make mine more robust. ;-)

We've had these 3 units in service for about 18 months, 13 renters, with no other terrible renters. One renter lost $150 of her security deposit due to extra cleaning and damaged linens, but not a big deal, it was just a pain, nothing out of my pocket.

I use a standard lease for tenants, prepared by a lawyer. To keep in line with other listings for HCP rentals, I charge $250 cleaning and $350 damage deposit. I notice some areas are higher, but this is in line with what other units in my area charge. I allow pets with a non-refundable pet fee of $300. 

I assumed the traveling nurses were professionals and would behave as such; until now, that has been the case. We screen heavily for our long-term rentals. 

I have required a copy of the contract, and any non-HCP traveling along must do a background and credit check. I may require a background credit check for all tenants in the future, I'm on the fence about this as this market has gotten tighter in the last few months, and I had a vacant unit for 2 months (and there were lots of vacant units on FF), which never happened before. On the one hand, I don't want to discourage renters; on the other hand, I don't want to get in this situation again. I am thinking a landlord referral is probably a good idea. 

The two renters I posted about were young CNAs. They couldn't come up with the initial deposits until they were paid. That should have been a red flag. These positions pay enough that they should have some savings. On the last month they had a BS story that one tenant had trouble accessing her bank account, so they paid a little more than half the rent. At that point I didn't want them to trash the unit, and eviction would have been more expensive than the $850 owed. 

I would love to hear how other MTR landlords screen renters. 

Not sure it is legal to contact their employer, but I agree they should NOT be caring for patients, the place was unsanitary and they are not people who have any scruples.  

Quote from @Theresa Harris:

Is the employer on the lease?  If so, send all of the people on the lease a copy of the full cleaning bill and follow your local rules as to how long they have to pay it.  Make sure your cleaner took photos of the condition of the home.  You can take them to small claims court.

 Damages and lost rent are over $2000, so I am doing the small claims court route. I have very good detailed photos. 

We have three nurse/HCP provider MTRs, and have been doing well with this strategy. I rented to 2 CNAs who were a nightmare. They claimed the sturdy bed broke and my husband had to go and repair, then broke a glass in the disposal so when my husband went to fix it he cut his hand. I only got half the rent last month, and they had a BS story about their checking account being locked. At that point, eviction would have been more costly than eating the month. 

My cleaner is in there now, and she found marijuana and paraphernalia, (the lease states NO smoking or marijuana use on the property), dog poop all over the carpets (they said they didn't have a pet and didn't pay a pet fee), a broken kitchen cabinet, dog pee on the bedsheets, sex toys under the bed (just in case the dog poop wasn't nasty enough for my poor cleaner), stickers on the wall and a hole in a door, and lots of personal property of the tenants. Cleaning is going to be much more than typical. 

We have long-term rentals where tenants typically move out with NO damage, this was 3-months!

Unfortunately in our area the security deposit is only $350. What are my options? One tenant stayed in the area for an extension of her contract, I have no idea where the other tenant went. Can I contact her employer? It is a joint lease, so both women are responsible for everything. 

There are lots of house/cottages in the Springs as well, you could live in one unit, rent out the other to room by room, travel nurses (furnished 1-3 month rentals that aren't considered short-term) or AirBNB (check out if the property can be used for short-term before buying). 

I regret not starting sooner. After years of thinking about it we started in 2017, bought a house with little cottage in Colorado Springs, then a triplex then a house we added a cottage to, all in the Springs. Last year we bought a duplex plus cottage we turned into nurse rentals in Pueblo. We actually just listed the first house with cottage property for sale, and are going to buy something in Arizona, which is where we will eventually retire. Its been a great little investment, and I hate to give it up! As long as you have cash flow, you can't go wrong!

The springs has lots of house/cottages or ranches with basements that would make great second units for house hacking.
Best of luck.