All Forum Posts by: Jon K.

Dave Meyer

Ah, I see. I'll try it utilities not included and see what happens.

What would happen if I don't list a price at all and see who inquires? Would people just not inquire, or try to negociate?

Steve Babiak

Usually I would say "NEXT" to a smoker, let alone someone on probation or someone so much older than me. But, I'm getting desperate to find someone even moderately sane with stable employment who doesn't suck.

Dave Meyer

Good idea. I'm trying varying the price now. I've tried it a little, but I'm trying it more significantly now.

My price is really good, I thought.

What they're paying for a room "bills paid" is basically my monthly utility costs. Actually, my utility bills are often more than that in the summer.

I'm charging about the same rent for a room as nearby houses... except dirt cheap ones in the ghetto. Most of the houses priced similarly in decent older neighborhoods are worth half what mine is or less. But, maybe house quality doesn't matter to renters as much as own baths, garages, storage, etc.

Perhaps I shouldn't be including utilities.

Downsides are: they park on the quiet street uncovered. Shared fridge. Shared bath with 1 other person. Bedroom unfurnished.

Upsides: Just to rent a house in this neighborhood, utilities not included, would be at least 5-6 times per month in rent what they're paying in rent. Plus utilities, repairs, lawn, community pool fees.

Nice spacious home, not brand new though. Tall ceilings. Lots of fine finishes, huge windows throughout, custom cabinets everywhere, and chandeliers with a great floor plan. But, I don't have a granite kitchen, nor garage or storage space for them.

How much of a "concession" in price should I give them for not having the master bedroom, shared baths, and not having garage space and having roommate(s)?

Oh, and I've gotten more "I have a kid, but he sleeps in my room." Of course he sleeps in your room... where else would he sleep? The lawn? I'm not living with your kid. Risk plus more utilities. Guess I'm stuck considering big dogs, granny thug, or tranny thug.

I saw the name of the other Jon. K and thought I started this thread, too, without realizing it. Ha!

$1300 here could rent a nice 1-2 bedroom apartment. Or, a studio or loft urban apartment. Or, an older, small 2-3 bedroom suburban house in a middle class (but not upscale) neighborhood with good schools. Older and less house could make it a 3-4 bedroom house, as could a very rural property. I'm not factoring in utilities in these.

Aside from probation vehicle person, I had another inquiry.

This is a 50 year old lady. I decided to quickly search court records for this 2nd persons name. Guess what? Yep, you called it. The second person also has a record. Theft related. The second person's charges appear to be dismissed in leiu of other prosecution. I can't find what the outcome of the trial was or if they ever did time. It doesn't appear they did. The charges were nearly a decade ago. They have a variety of small claims cases, also over a decade plus ago. So much for thinking this could be some nice old grandma. Granny with a record. Oh my.

The person on probation's charge was in 2012, more recent. But, it was "only" a vehicle charge. They would live here part-time, which would be nice. I have no interest in getting involved in someone's probation, but if them living part-time here wouldn't affect me...

Maybe I should go with the people with large dogs and take that chance instead.

I guess it's true that anyone wanting to rent a room or a roommate has issues-- a record, a large dog, bad credit-- something that makes it harder for them to find their own place.

Lynn M.-

I once had a guy offer to wear a dress to live with my former roommates and I. That had been a "female preferred" ad since it was sharing a bath with a girl. I'd prefer the lingerie.

So long as having alcohol doesn't affect me, that's good.

This person lives half and half in two places. I wonder if they live "mostly" in their other apartment, if they even have to get approved by their probation person or if it's considered travel.

This is lame that I'm googing "probation rules" to find a roommate. Shesh. Where did the normal non-smokers, employed people go?

I googled their state, and apparently leaving the scene is a felony either when there is damage, or it's the 2nd offense. I couldn't find a prior, so I think there must have been damage. I see payments required of under $100/month, no alcohol, and offender aversion few day program. Part of me sees leaving the scene if there's an injury as a horrible thing to do as a human-- while part of me wonders if they had some personal crisis or hit a parked car and planned on contacting the person later to pay for damages. I really should ask, awkward as that would be.

15 years of payments for you to pay that one off? Ouch!

If they're on probation, am I going to have to submit documents and let their probation supervisor come here? They live part-time in this state, part-time in another state. I'm assuming their probation supervisor knows they travel a lot for their job. I'm not sure if there's some liability here... they damage/hit a car, leave,... what will they do to my place? Am I going to have to not have alcohol on the premises or be affected by someone's probation?

I don't rent to drug or violent offenders. No way to either of those.

With this a vehicle charge and a roommate situation, I wonder:
1) Why they left the accident
2) If they're a terrible potential roommate, or someone who got nervous and left-- and learned their lesson.

It doesn't sound like they're a risk as a roommate/tenant, but I wonder what this says of their character. I'm probably trying to talk myself into it since I need a roommate asap and this person lives in 2 different cities each part-time for their job, and since this sounds "less" than something like drugs. Definitely not ideal, but no one has been an ideal match so far.

What kind of risk is someone with a motor vehicle charge?

Man, I get some real winners.

This one I'm actually considering, only because I need to find someone now and this person lives part-time here, part-time away. All other inquiries were smokers, twice my age, unemployed, massive pets, or people with kids.

This person pleaded guilty to a felony charge of leaving the scene of a vehicle accident within the past 6 months. They have a few years probation. They're supposed to pay fines, etc. No evictions that I can find. Job was able to be verified. What does their probation mean for me as a roommate/landlord?

Am I crazy for considering this person?