All Forum Posts by: Karen P.

My lease gives me the "right" to show it.  So I know I could "force" the issue.  I was just curious if people had better results showing the unit empty and if it was better to just wait. I don't want to waste my time and deal with the "hornet" if showing it while still occupied yielded poor results.

My contractors always pull permits on their work.  Better safe than sorry.  Permits are usually not very expensive.

I would love to hear any opinions on whether to show a unit while it's still occupied or wait till it's vacant and already cleaned, repaired and ready to go? Especially, when dealing with an unpredictable current resident? 

I have one of my duplex units coming available at the end of this month. The current resident is leaving because she is furious that we are raising the rents incrementally on her and asking her to pay late fees.  We inherited this resident and the conservative market rent on her unit is currently $135 more than what she is paying! So I'm not sad she is leaving.  But, I've never shown an occupied unit before. 

I listed the duplex and I am getting calls, but she is being uncooperative with setting up showings.  I'm thinking I might just delist and wait till she's gone. Thoughts? Opinions?

Leaving a small welcome gift is very common practice in the apartment manager business for apartments. I usually give a useful kitchen bowl filled with a few kitchen accessories and a welcome letter explaining the property rules and a list of helpful phone numbers etc.  They seem to really appreciate the thought. 

I view it not as "exchanging gifts" but as marketing, tenant retention etc.  But to each his own.

Congrats!!! I can only imagine the adjustment of going from 65 hours a week to the fun of just investing! Super excited for you!

Thanks for the replies!  None of the pics I have show any "personal" items, just furniture in the room etc.  Thanks for the advice. 

She's one of those people that is used to bullying people and getting her way.  I have made it clear that this is a business, I run it fair and consistent with all the tenants. She doesn't like not getting her way. So she has decided to move because of how "mean" I am to her. You know making her pay late fees is so unfair...

Now I can actually bump up this units rent all the way up to market instead of the incremental steps!

Again, thanks for your thoughts on the matter.

I have a tenant moving out next month.  I'd like to list this unit as soon as possible. The only pictures I have of this unit is when I went through on inspection. It obviously has all of her belongings in the photos, couch, beds etc.  Normally I wouldn't hesitate to put those pictures in my online listing ads, but this particular tenant is a bit of a "hornet" about almost everything in her life.

And of course, me being the strict landlord and laying down the new law of the land, I've hit her hornet nest a few times.  :)   Anyway... Just checking if anyone has ever had someone get all crazy for posting pics in their ads with their tenants furniture in the apartment?  I've tried searching for anything legal that could bite me and couldn't find anything.  But thought I'd ask the more seasoned landlord's what their thoughts, experience on the topic are.   The apartment is decorated very nicely and I'd love to be able to just use those pics.  I'm just imagining her looking online in search of her new apartment and seeing "her" apartment online and going all "hornet" on me. 

Thoughts?

Evictions in Texas are super easy. Tenant doesn't pay, tenant gets evicted. Simple. You can do it yourself. Just go to the courthouse, file an eviction. They will mail the tenant the notice of when to appear in court. Then they will let you know the court date to appear. You show up, the tenant 99% of the time doesn't' show up. You win.

As a landlord, I really appreciate it when other landlord's go through with evictions on bad tenants, as it shows up on my background searches! I don't want that loser tenant either. And it goes against my principles to pay "bribe" and encourage bad behavior.

Congrats! Super excited for you!

Sounds like a great value play opportunity to me, if the numbers work.  The clientele, can be changed. That shouldn't deter you. When you take over, let everyone know this will be a drug free, violence free property. Then strictly enforce it with evictions for violating the lease. Rehab the vacated units and put in good tenants. Within a year, if you clean it up and bring up rents you will then have a C class property instead of a D.