All Forum Posts by: Kyle Meyers

When I first read your post I thought of the safety issues of not being able to open a window. If I were the landlord, I would not allow you out of a lease unless the windows truly could not be opened, but since I can't try out your windows myself and you say you can open them, though it is a struggle, I would assume they are not actually stuck to the point where they cannot be opened. I usually replace bad windows when I get a new rental before I move tenants in, but if any were in bad condition at move in, I would not let a tenant out of the lease because of that over a year later.

If I were your landlord, I would have a similar opinion on your ability to terminate the lease. You did sign a lease, and it sounds like you knew of the problems with the windows when you moved in. Check your local housing code to see if it addresses windows. Check with an attorney to see what your rights are, but I think you are stuck for now.

Depends on your area. My most recent rental was in a small town and I had very few leads from CL, much more interest from the sign in the yard. Post it everywhere you can for free to get as much traffic as you can. I also suggest having your own website, you can add floorplans, more pictures, videos, and anything else you want. Higher end rentals might lend to using the MLS, but again, it will depend on your market.

http://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/52/topics/70838-can-anyone-recommend-a-good-property-manager-in-indianapolis

I have heard it recommended to only accept one check per unit, but I think as long as you had the tenants sign the lease jointly and severally, there should not be any problems with this. Check with an attorney just to be sure it won't limit your rights in any way.

Since I'm not buying any tickets, I have bad odds (though only slightly worse than if I bought one) to win. However, if I were to win, I would take the lump sum and begin buying real estate like crazy.

With the hype around this jackpot, the odds of multiple people hitting the jackpot are increased, which will drop each winners actual winnings.

I think a landlord has just as much responsibility to the neighborhood as any other homeowner. I think that may be more in a higher end neighborhood because there is a higher standard. In the higher end neighborhood though, the landlord would not be able to fall behind because the neighbors would complain and government officials would be involved quickly. In the lower end neighborhoods, there are lots of homes with deferred maintenance, and any one home does not stand out. Landlords will play an important role in these neighborhoods to improve them.

In any neighborhood, the landlord must maintain a clean and habitable home for their tenants.

Edward Hooks, what do you pay for the screening service to get all 3 reports? What do you charge tenants as an application fee?

I would try to sub-meter if possible. If the tenants pay for their usage, they are more in control of their bills. There are many sub-metering companies, contact a few to see what they can offer you. You also have to be sure the plumbing is completely separate between the units so one tenant isn't paying for another one's use.

I invest in residential rentals and tax liens in central Indiana. I manage the rentals myself.