All Forum Posts by: Kyle Ratzlaff

Fairly new to real estate investing but have several properties now.  My latest listing has an applicant wanting a long 3 year lease.  I've only worked with 1 year leases and don't want my rent to be locked in without the ability to increase for three years.  This is a well qualified tenant based on background check and income.  Are there any options that would allow me to evaluate and increase the rent part way through a lease?  My agent says they don't have the ability to add something into a lease that would allow for rent increases.  The tenant doesn't want to have a 1 year lease for potential of being asked to make a move.  

 Yeah, I'm questioning that as well.  Their income was a little over 3 times the rent and the credit score was just under 600.  Thank you for your advice.

I had a tenant move in a couple months back and seemed like a good tenant.  Didn't have an issue supplying the deposit and 1st months rent of 1,700 each.  However, for rent due on the 1st of May they were not only late, but had to go through social services to supply the rent.  Discussed this in the first month and allowed for this while still charging a late fee which they paid.  They mentioned they had unforeseen monetary issues come up.  Now this month, they haven't paid the rent, and I've sent another late fee notice.  They haven't answered the phone when I've called to discuss when they will be able to pay and are very unresponsive to text messages as well.

Are there any other options I have, or do I need to reach out to an eviction attorney and let them handle it from here?

Also, any recommendations for an eviction attorney South East of the Houston area to discuss with?

That's true, I could hire a property manager to take care of most of the work required.  I didn't consider the difference in property taxes, I'll have to check into how much they are in the Houston area.  I know they are more.  What would change when moving that would make it more difficult for me to get approved for a loan?  I would be in a different area, but would have the same job and company with about the same pay.  

I currently work full time and have been saving up for several years and have started researching real estate recently.  Due to my girlfriend living in a different state, I will most likely end up moving from Iowa to Houston Texas by the end of 2019.  

Financially and mentally, I am ready to start investing in rental properties and would like to start with single and multifamily homes.  I've been living in Eastern Iowa North of Davenport for the last 6 years, so I know people and places around here.  

My predicament: I want to start investing now, but I don't know if its the right decision to start buying places in the community where I am now and then have to manage them from a distance.  Or do I delay my drive to invest in real estate and wait until I move to the Houston area?  Maybe there are some other options that I can invest in prior to getting to Houston?

Let me know your thoughts.