All Forum Posts by: Justin K.

I tested Google voice and found it more annoying than anything. Being asked what number I wanted to call out from etc. got old quick. I do give my tenants my personal cell number. Usually I'll allow it to go to VM and return the call when it's convenient or immediately if it's urgent. The only time this has been a problem is when my one tenant texts excessively asking when the plow company will be doing rounds during the winter months. I've only used CL for postings and try to keep all communications through email. So far it's worked well for the handful of vacancies I've had in my 8 units.

Scripted reality! That being said Income Property was the reason I bought a duplex as my first home. So I can't say they're all bad. You just have to realize it's fake and there are tidbits of reality sprinkled in.

I'm also going to start taking a water meter reading each day I'm at the property.

I got a pack of 1.5gpm aerators in from Amazon that'll be going in all bathrooms and kitchens this weekend. I'll also be dye testing the toilets and checking what shower heads are installed. My gut still tells me to remove the washer but I don't want to do so without clear evidence of misuse. Maybe talking with the tenant about water usage tomorrow will be enough.

@Sant Li Thanks for all the suggestions. I didn't realize aerators could be used to reduce flow like that. I'm currently rehabbing one of the 6 units and replaced the older toilet with a .8 gpf Niagara toilet. It hasn't seen any tenant usage yet, but I'm impressed with it's flushing power.

Friday after submitting my water meter reading I received a call from the water company informing me that the water usage at my 6 unit property was twice the average and that I should expect ~$1000 water bill for the quarter. This is up from $400. Over the weekend I installed a lock on the outdoor hose and informed tenants I would be making visits to check for leaking toilet flappers etc.

After word got around I was contacted by one of the tenants to inform me that the one unit that has in-unit laundry (preexisting when I bought the property last Nov) has been running the washer at least once a day. The unit is occupied by an unemployed single female on section 8 assistance. So she's not cleaning uniforms for multiple jobs or anything that would explain running the laundry that often.

I want to do my homework before contacting the tenant. Is there any way to monitor washer usage besides separate metering? i.e. a single meter in a lock box behind the machine? With no way to prove she is using the appliance for a commercial use I think my only option is to modify the lease to exclude washer/dryer which would take a month or so to take affect before I could remove the machines.

This is a month-to-month lease. Water rates in the area are high and also include sewer based on the amount of water used. So excessive water usage is a double edge sword. Any advise or tips would be appreciated! Thx

Shortly after purchasing a 4-unit I had to evict a tenant. The unit was in very poor condition and required a full rehab. The renovation is taking longer than I had hoped and I've had a contractor there most days in March and will probably continue the rest of April. It's an older building with poor noise insulation. Rent is ~500 per month/unit.

So far I've only received one complaint because the contractor was working late one night, but I would like to offer a gift or rent reduction to the other 3 units this month as a gesture for putting up with the disturbance.

Any suggestions or things to consider? Thx

I do believe in Austrian Economics and followed Schiff pretty close from '07 until a year or so ago. The constant 'sky is falling' got a bit tiresome, but I do believe the days are numbered for fiat currency.

The term, like other "hacks", does bring back memories of 2600, Captain Crunch and Kevin Mitnick etc..but the word has evolved. That being said I do have some discomfort using the term because it's relatively new (to me) compared to shows like McGilivray's Income Property which lead me to purchase my current "house hack".

I try to get 6. According to my Fitbit I'm actually only getting 5-5.5 hours of actual sleep...I need to try and increase that.