All Forum Posts by: Jennifer Donley

@Donald Allen, BP doesn't like when people post links.  Check out FasterHouse Buyers Club, meets next Thursday, Southside Investment Club, Core Properties has one, 3Doors has one, Master Investors Tribe has one.  It's kind of endless.  Feel free to pm me if you want to connect!

A home visit as the last piece of the screening process is a great way to find out how they're going to be.  I think of it as the "safety net" of the screening process.  I tell all my landlord friends to add it if they don't already do it.

@William Hubbard III I love Section 8 - done right, I think it's the most stable and profitable niche out there.  Here's a blog post I wrote about it: 5 Reasons Why I Love Section 8 Rental Properties

@Dominique Ellis, I own a portfolio of Section8 properties and teach other landlords locally to succeed in the niche.  I've bought a lot of occupied properties w Section 8 tenants.  You'll need to wait until after the sale is final.  Then immediately contact the PHA that the tenant's voucher is through (the seller can tell you this if you have multiple PHAs like we do here) or get on their website and find out what you need to do to change the ownership with the PHA.  

My experience is that you're better off to try to make the sale happen right after the first of the month so that you can get that month's rents through closing proceeds, and you have a lot of time to get the new paperwork processed at the PHA. 

I have had them pay the prior owner before (even though I had sent in the paperwork and got confirmation that it was all set up correctly). It took a while to fix but they eventually paid me for missed month.

Make sure you ask the current owner for a rent ledger (one for the tenant paid portion and one for the HAP portion) and ask for the most recent document laying out how much of the rent the tenant pays vs. how much the HA pays.  It's called a Notice of Change here, probably there too but not sure. 

Taking over Section 8 tenants is the same as market tenants mostly other than above.  Make sure you introduce yourself in person, give them info on how to contact you and how to pay you and get updated information from them.  Good luck!

@Manuel Salce I'd vote for this 10 times if I could!

@Manuel Salce, I'm not a lawyer and I haven't asked my lawyer (I might now), but I only take Section 8 tenants and state it in my ad.  I also only advertise on Gosection8.com.  

As I read the protected classes, I don't see anything referencing income source:

• race.
• color.
• religion.
• national origin.
• sex.
• disability, and.
• familial status

So I don't think it is a fair housing violation.  I know a ton (in fact, almost all of my landlord friends) will  not take Section 8 and many of our rental listings here even say so ("Section 8 not accepted").  So it stands to reason that if someone can deny a person for having it, I believe they can also deny someone for not having it.

I require the person's voucher to be for as many or more bedrooms than my house.  I make this clear in my initial listing and on my application info so the applicants don't apply for a house they won't qualify for.

Like the others have mentioned, having a consistent process/checklist for every applicant so that you treat them all the same is critical. 

P.S. I think it's a great strategy to go all in on Section 8, especially now.  I have and I love it.  Here's a blog post I wrote about why: 5 Reasons Why I Love Section 8 Rental Properties

@Manuel Salce I only take Section 8 for my portfolio.  I screen my tenants meticulously (I would for market tenants too).  Because they have a voucher, I don't screen for income but I do employment information.  I still run all background checks and I go back as many landlords as I can.  And I do a home visit as the last step of the approval process.  Feel free to contact me if I can help in any way.

Hi All - I've got a portfolio of 26 Section 8 SFHs in B and C class neighborhoods, mostly 3 bedroom.  I also teach landlords in my local market how to maximize Section 8 for profitability and stability.  I love this niche.  I always have but I especially do now.  

I would strongly recommend anyone looking into Section 8 contact your local PHA (the agency that administers the program in your county) and see if they have a class (likely a virtual one now if at all) that they give for landlords.  It will shorten your learning curve.  Each PHA operates a little differently so it's helpful to learn how yours does.

Advertise on GoSection8.com (it's the only place I advertise), screen meticulously like normal (if you're not doing a Home Visit as the final part of your screening process, I'd recommend adding it to your process for all tenants.  Also, I don't worry about income multiples for my tenants but I do collect employment information) and follow the PHAs paperwork process.

I'd also recommend learning how your local PHA sets & increases rents.  Many PMs and landlords here do not utilize these 2 processes to their full effect and miss out on some cash flow.  Feel free to contact me with questions.  I love this stuff!

Hi @Harrison Biddulph.  I own a portfolio of S8 properties in the St Louis area and teach other investors how to maximize the niche.

There isn’t a straightforward answer here unless someone from your county can respond because every PHA operates differently on how they set and increase rents. I work with 2 here.  One is very easy to get increases from, one is not.  For the one that isn’t, the first time I had an increase denied, I politely thanked the person for their time and help and asked what the process was to escalate/appeal the decision.  Then I followed the process (it includes sending at 3 rent comps for similar units within a half mile) and followed up over and over until I got it.

Good luck.

@Aaron J Latal, I’m jumping in too as I just saw this post.

I have a portfolio of strictly Section 8 properties and have 7 in Spanish Lake.  I bought them all in a package.  I sold a 2/1 earlier in the year there bc 2 bedrooms don’t fit my model very well.

My Section 8 rents (all 3 bedroom houses) range from $925 to $1045 in SL.  They all have 1 bath except for one which is a 1.5 bath. My 2/1 got $800.

The tenants that I vetted are all very good and all current- I am owed $0 in past due rent.

That being said, I did have a local police officer tell me earlier in the year that he thinks Spanish Lake is one of the worst neighborhoods in St Louis county. 

I was talking to him after a drive by shooting happened at one of my properties.  The tenant was inherited through the sale and it is my understanding that the tenants 15 yo son was involved in gang related activity.  The tenant is gone now.. I haven’t had any issues at my other properties.  No break ins or stolen ACs.

I don’t buy there anymore for the reasons above but I’m not selling the 7 I still have there either, if that tells you anything.  

If I was going to buy there again I’d only take Section 8.  But I’m biased because it’s all I take anywhere. 

Feel free to reach out if you want to chat more.