All Forum Posts by: Keaton M.

@Austin Culp

I’ve been using Wave for my accounting. It syncs to my bank accounts.

@Jordan Moorhead

I think those few dozen armed officers showed up across my fourplex due to “gunshots”, also known as kids with fireworks.

I’ve never felt unsafe in this city and I doubt that will change. My neighborhood is improving just by the quality of tenants being brought in.

So pretty much everywhere except for the I-35/183 intersection is expensive. Do y'all think that area will get sucked into the growth of the rest of Austin, or will it stay stuck as is?

@Michael Noto @Mike Cumbie @Kris Wong @Bjorn Ahlblad

There have been a lot of lessons learned for sure. I broke my own standards for allowing them in. Is it a violation of Fair Housing on my part to discontinue their m-m lease due to the situation changing and not meeting the standards? 

If I put them on the same lease together and tenant 1 moves out immediately, what would my options have been? How would he get evicted if he moves?

If they intended this to be temporary, should I still have put them both on 1 lease? How could I remove the 2nd person if things didnt work out? Or is that their issue to work out?

I have offered her $500 and no rent payment if she leaves by the end of the month. She responded with "I'll see you in court". I think she is a lot more prepared and well versed in the eviction process than I am. 

@Nathan G.

Is that only allowed because they are m-m? If they were year leases, would that be different?

@Bjorn Ahlblad do you have any recommendations to get her out? I'm grateful that evictions are allowed soon, but I imagine there are going to be tons of cases happening and it could take months to go that route.

One of my long term tenants moved a roommate into his unit without my permission at the beginning of June in Austin Texas in a multi unit apartment. Their idea was to split rent. I told him I needed to add her to the lease and I decided to make her on a separate month to month lease with her own rent and security deposit. My thinking was that she would be liable for any damages incurred by her as well as I could remove her if there were any issues with a 60 day notice. Her security deposit was non refundable for the first 6 months as well. I checked with the existing tenant that she intended to stay until next summer and he was ok with that. I signed a lease with her and 2 days later the existing tenant said he was breaking his lease to move back home. He is fine losing his deposit and paying the exit fee. The m-m tenant had a bad rental history and criminal record and would not have met my minimum standards if not for the existing tenant. I gave her the option (1) to move immediately at no cost, (2) stay through July and the security deposit would be refunded, or (3) stay the 60 days and lose the deposit.

As of today, she has paid no rent ( says she’s still going to pay July), will not pay a deposit unless refundable, and wants to stay for the 60 days.

(1) should I have structured adding her differently through sublease or something? I wanted her to be liable for damages and to be able to get rid of her if needed.

(2) Should I just make the deposit refundable so she leaves and not have to go through eviction. Eviction moratorium lifts on July 25th.

@Chris Bell

Why rent to mom? If you’re wanting to take care of her, I’d say rent it to someone who pays more and split the difference. The house may be too much for just your mom too if it’s too big for grandma. Also, I love my mother but I’d never rent to her. I don’t let any one move in that I couldn’t evict.

@Austin Mountain would the addendum still hold her to the existing lease even if I made her m-m?

@Perry Livingston thanks, I'm trying to keep emotions out of it, but also see where I can work it for my benefit if reasonable. Its in the lease about extended stay guests, which definitely gives me the upper hand. 

I will charge a pet fee/month but is it reasonable to raise the rent as well since there is an additional person there which increases wear and tear? I will have her put down a security deposit for herself and her dog so I will need to go through and document the current condition of the place. 

This is a twofold question.

1) I have a long term tenant who has been great. He pays early, quiet, respectful, and not needy. He had a friend move in with him for the summer. Is it reasonable/possible to put her on a month-month lease and keep the existing tenant on the 1 year lease? I don't want to give her a term lease, but how would I keep the leases separate? 

2) The tenant moving in had to break her previous lease due to abuse relationship. She paid all the fees to the previous place, but did break the contract. She also has a felony 2 years ago that is being moved to a misdemeanor soon. Would you allow this person to inhabit your rental? These would be warning signs for tenant screening, but since the existing tenant was paying rent on his own and she would be month-month with a security deposit, I see this as less risky. I just don't want to open the doors for a terrible situation for everyone. 

Thanks