All Forum Posts by: James Barnhart

I never ask for it. I use a tenant screening service that is owned by one of the 3 big credit breaus. I just get the tenant's full name and a. email address. Then I email the screening co. and tell them that this person is wanting to rent a property. THEY contact the prospect via email and they ask for SSN, etc. Then they email me back with their recommendation. very fast and the prospect pays them for the screening.

Thanks for the great report on your experiences. It was very interesting.  You did a great job,

I considered renting to students from a private university near here. My wife said I wouldn't like it because I can't just put the properties on "cruise control", like I do with a regular SFR rental. She is right and I listened to her and didn't do it.

I would suggest you do business with a small local bank that has just a few locations, and not one of the giant banks that don't care about you..  You can get to know the folks and receive more personalized service.   We do that, also use a credit union and we also use USAA.

it's interesting that you are seeking out houses with pools.  Many of us avoid those properties because they are a big expense and a pain to deal with.

I definitely shy away from homes older than 1990, for reasons stated above.  Also my insurance agent says it's harder for him to get insurance from good companies on old older homes, unless the electrical, roof, and plumbing and have been updated.  Newer homes have PVC drain piping instead of rusty iron piping.  And, in Florida, the building codes were really tightened up after Hurricane Andrew 1992, so the insurance rates are much higher in the older homes.  And, it's nicer and easier to do rehabs in newer homes.

Welcome to BP.  It's a good place to meet people. 

 I don't know if I can help, but let me know if I can.

I have visited Hudson and I liked the area.

You might want to contact BP members right now, in the Sarasota area, and start networking with them.  

It will be easy to find properties, but it may take a longer time to build your "team" of people, such as attorney, contractor, Realtors, painters, etc.  

You can get a good start by going to Google,  Craigslist and You Tube, and searching in your area for everyone that says they buy houses.  There are probably well over a thousand of them.  If they buy houses, then they must sell them too.

We bought a house to flip that was located across the street from a cemetery, in 2014.  My wife and I didn't see any problem with that, but she said it would be a turn off for some people.

I liked it because there were not going to be more homes built there, and it was quiet.

But, for some reason, it took about 4 months to sell the house.  I was somewhat surprised.  Maybe the cemetery bothered some folks.  

I suggest considering a separate HVAC system for each floor.  I do not know what your building looks like, so I cannot suggest a ductless or central system.  That os for you to discuss with your local HVAC contractors.  Apparently you have a separate tenant on each floor.  Even if you don't, you will be better able to maintain the temps you want on each floor, that way.