All Forum Posts by: Jessica DiPonziano

Hey there, I'm very confused what I need to do to rent my single family row home in Philadelphia. I have moved out of Pennsylvania. I have an LLC that's my management company but I personally own the house (will move it to an LLC at some point).

This is what I think I am supposed to do but not sure???? Seems like an infinite amount of steps and papers.

1. Register for a Philadelphia Tax account using my LLC as the property manager?

2. Get a commercial activity license using the eCLIPSE platform? (which requires the tax account number)

3. Get zoning approval?

4. Get an agent with a Philly address? What does that even entail if self-managing? What do I do? (You must identify a managing agent with a Philadelphia mailing address on the application). 

5. Then submit a Rental Application AND a Rental License Supplemental Information form

6. Get a Certificate of Rental Suitability

7. Have a lead paint inspection?

This seems like an insane amount of things to do just to rent your house. Is there a service that can help me or someone willing to walk me through what I need to do? 

Didn't think it would be so hard just to rent my house.

I am so confused, I have a single unit I'd like to rent long term, used to be my primary residence. But every page I go to I feel like I need 8 different forms. Is there a service or something to walk me through all this? I'm also out of state so it looks like there is other stuff I need to do? Finding this quite frustrating, trying to do the right thing and its difficult

Quote from @Eric Greenberg:

I would only do a queen bed if you are renting by the room to traveling professionals. What percentage of the time  are you renting to families now? Most of our guests are looking for an office for WFH

 I haven't started renting yet. I am getting my house ready. I do not plan to rent by the room

Yea as someone who works from home I am a fan of there at least being a desk to work out which i plan to have. Looks like leaning towards a trundle bed with a desk in this room might be the best option?

Quote from @Nathan Harden:

Why not a futon? Create like a multi purpose use of the space so somebody can use that room as their living room and also their bedroom. This will create a space that feels larger because there are many possibilities that come with having a shape shifting bed... haha 

Futon is a multifunctional tool that isn't utilized as much as it should be.

 I've used futons before but despite getting thick mattresses I haven't found them all that comfortable. Is there a particular one you recommend?

I am looking to put a lease together for a mid-term single family rental in South Philadelphia.

If you happen to be an experienced landlord in Philadelphia and have a lease you'd be willing to share and I could use at least as my starting point I'd be super grateful.

If not, what things should I make sure are in the lease?

Also for Philadelphia owners, is there anything I can do to add protections for myself since this city is heavily tenant favored?

Quote from @Bob Stevens:

Quote from @Jessica DiPonziano:

I searched for squatters insurance the other day to see if it was a thing, has anyone gotten it before? Any have to use it and has an experience to share?

I'm witnessing my neighbor go through hell and paying for squatters living in their house and losing money instead of making for 7 months while trying to get these people evicted. I would like to protect myself from that when I put my house up for rent in 2 months just in case this happens I'm not hemorrhaging money while trying to get them evicted

 Never heard of squatters ins. When I get those losers I typically get them out in a day, 

Unfortunately Philadelphia makes it very difficult to evict, takes months if not a year for some people I've seen

 I saw it on this page at the bottom and was curious if it was a thing https://www.proper.insure/

Quote from @Glen Wiley:

Quote from @Jessica DiPonziano:

Quote from @Glen Wiley:

One way to handle this is to stay in the house while it is vacant, or pay a friend to house sit until you find a tenant.

I'm talking of a situation more when you have a tenant living in the house and they stop paying the rent and won't leave.

 In that case you evict them. I have evicted people as recently as last fall. Start to finish it takes 2-4 months in Virginia. I include non-paying tenants as part of the vacancy risk included in calculations I make prior to purchasing a rental to ensure it will cash flow.

How do you calculate that? I'm preparing a house that I bought as a primary residence but now moving out of it and want to rent it out

in Philly it can take so much longer than 2-4 months. My neighbors are trying to evict and they're on month 8. Since COVID Philly has made it difficult. 

Quote from @Colleen F.:

@Jessica DiPonziano  a murphy bed if you can do one. The  middle space would be open when the bed is up and you can put a desk in there too. They can use it for excercising when the bed is closed or with a small child they could add a crib. If you are going to use if for a family rental then bunks or a trundle. However no family is going to rent and put someone on a pullout sofa that isn't a temporary guest. Murphy is just a regular matress bed that folds up.  You likely won't find 3 travelers renting together most of the time.  I actually think you need to commit to a type of renter or the murphy gives you flexibility for a smaller family. just a jumble of thoughts on the topic.   It isn't as small as you think, just maybe awkward.

 Yea the awkwardness of the shape is what is killing me. I figured it wouldn't be 3 travelers renting together. I have seen traveling nurses with a partner and a child on some requests, or generally 2 parents and 2 children. It's a 3 bedroom 2 floor house so I figured individual renters is not what to go for. What kind of renter would you look for with a 3bed/1.5ba house?

Quote from @Erin Spradlin:

@Jessica DiPonziano - What about making it flex space? You have a couch that pulls out and a desk (office)? Or a couch that pulls out and a tv (den)? We have this sleeper sofa and we absolutely love it. It's comfortable, and it also has storage. This is what we do with our slightly tighter space. https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/friheten-sleeper-sectional-3-se...

 Would it be ok to not have dressers and all in the flex space? Just trying to imagine how to compensate for an office, but also when the person uses it full time as a bedroom

Quote from @Bill B.:

A non-paying tenant is not a squatter. They have rights that squatters don’t. There is rental income insurance but I believe that’s usually for when the property becomes uninhabitable. 

If you listen to the rental income podcast with Dan lane he talks about “the guarantors”. They and their competitors guarantee the security deposit and the rent for a monthly fee. You simply charge that fee on top of the rent and the tenants don’t  need to come up with a security deposit and your rent is guaranteed. 

Do you happen to have a link to the episode of “the guarantors”. I have no idea what it is. So you would make all tenants get this essentially or you can get it for them?

Sadly, my neighbor said the non-paying tenants are purposely breaking things in the house to cause violations and prolong the eviction process