All Forum Posts by: Katie Peugh Davis

I live in Florida which is very humid and mildew is a common occurrence.  We actually have the tenants sign a mold addendum that explains how they are responsible to keep mildew or mold at bay by running exhaust vents when showering, treating visable mildew in window sills and bathrooms with bleach, cleaning the AC drainline, running AC when humidity is high ect... 

My first thought would be to perform a walk through and see if they can show you what they think is the source of the smell or mold.  It could be as simple as dirty laundry in a closet or a smelly drain.  A walk through inspection could allow you to rule out alot of tenant related issues of false mold.  Most types of toxic mold develop from a water or moisture source.  If there is a leak or problem that you can identify it would be less expensive to remediate versus paying for inconclusive mold testing. 

When a tenant complains of mold and complains that it is unsafe we always offer them the right to vacate, should they choose to remain they would have to sign a hold harmless agreement.  we do always inspect and see if we can determine that the house may or may not have mold.  Most of the time in my experience it is just a false alarm and tenants are looking for an excuse to live rent free or vacate without penalty.   

I would recommend hiring a local property management company for that.  They would handle the advertising, tenant screening, legal paperwork such as rental agreements, perform property condition inspections and any maintenace or turnover work such as cleanings.  They would also handle any issues with the tenants/guests and track your expenses and income for you. Some people do try to do it on their own, but sometimes it can be a major disaster and a lot of work.  

Good Afternoon,

Thank you, for sharing your story.  I also am an investor and real-estate broker. If you are looking for a growing market and area that you could get more "bang for your buck" with less risk. I would recommend checking out Northwest Florida (Crestview, Niceville, Destin).  Our area is booming with growth with being nestled amongst 3 major military bases.  Most of the tenants are military so rent is guaranteed with their base housing allowance.  in addition to the military growth the tourism from our emerald coast beaches is flourishing.  I would be happy to send you some area comps to look at! Best regards! 

Good Afternoon Eric,

It is wonderful to hear of your success of your previous investments and management of your current assets. The next step should be investing in real estate!  I work in Northwest Florida and recommend it as an area to check in to for rental investments.  We are experiencing incredible growth here and it is an area that always does well despite market shifts and economy because we are surrounded by 3 major military bases.  In addition, our beautiful beaches and tourism are flourishing.  Residential rentals, house flips and vacation homes are hot in the area.  If you want I would be happy to email you some comps. I am an investor and real estate broker myself.

Best regards!