All Forum Posts by: Karen S.

My impression of the standard here is that the laundry hook ups make the difference..the machines themselves are nice, but not a deal breaker for renters. Having said that, in the units where we have gas for a dryer, we have installed the gas dryer. I don't want tenants working with the gas lines. 

@John Guinta, I am a small time landlord (this is not a professional opinion). We have had a problem like this in the past, right down to the partial payment offer and the wrong-headed idea on the part of the renter that paying the late fee without being asked is a special concession. The notices must continue to be sent, but yes if you get paid in time you do not need to begin eviction. I can tell you though that we discussed asking the tenant to leave anyway, within the approved legal guidelines. At the time he decided he really couldn't afford it and left so that was easier. I would ask her to move. It's just too much stress doing business this way. The fact that it is an inherited tenant also gives me a bad impression-- I admit it's irrational, but there you have it. (edited to say...oops i see you already made the good decision...I didn't realize there was a second page of messages)

It looks great...those cupboards in the kitchen didn't look bad at all. What did you use to deep clean the shower enclosure?

I hope you were able to resolve the situation. We had a similar tenant once, with the issue being "I don't like white walls". My husband let her paint the walls. so now...we can't really touch them up. When they get scuffed it will be back to white for us. I think the problem was that she had been married and had owned a home and so she felt like it was her right to make changes here and there. The painting she asked about. Moving the soil and planting things next to the foundation she didn't ask about. I think that even if you lose a month rent, you should offer her out of the lease and hope that she takes you up on it!  Good luck and have fun getting married!

There are other better deals, I agree with Keisha. Now, if you have one that you estimate will work and it ends up costing slightly over what would have made sense, due to rehab costs, well you can write that off as a lesson learned. But starting out knowing that you paid too much? no, bad idea. In addition to the money you will lose, you will also begin with a reputation of being less than skilled at the business. 

Another cheap mini blind consumer here. and I have washed them off in the tub between tenants...it wasn't too big of a deal after 5 year tenancy. Thank you Dawn dish detergent for getting the job done

We also have some masonry walls and so we do not allow nails or screws in the walls. To prevent this, we have installed single curtain rods over each window. They can dress it up with curtains over the blinds or not, their choice. 

My favorite window treatment is none...for the windows with glass block in them.

another painted brick "no vote" here. Also, brick is difficult to paint well. I have mixed feelings about the planter. If you leave it, I would take the dirt out of it and cover the top.

I have done this (paint ceilings and walls the same color) and it looked nice BUT the wall color was "swiss coffee" (a k a White)

hi @Andrew Merritt,

to answer your question. in 2005 we used a commercial loan. Prior to 2008 you could just get one secured by the property to be purchased, even if not owner occupied. no more! in 2016 and now we are using a combo of capital and personal equity, but eager to try the true BRRR with a business loan next year, assuming that we have built up enough equity in the rentals to get a loan. This only works for us because we are aiming at small properties that we can handle outside our "real" jobs

I have refinished hardwood in a rental, but only because it was the only way that worked to cover animal urine smell. In another rental, we covered with laminate. cheap laminate, because all new laminate looks nice whether cheap or expensive. I find that renters really mistreat the carpet..