All Forum Posts by: Patrick M.

I think the problem with giving advice is there are people on the site who treat this as a business and those that don't or wing it. 

If it was my business my unit would never be below market $900. And if that was just a very generous offer by someone who needed a place- I would tell him "no thanks." I have had people offer more when I chose another tenant or offer to pay for a year. Each time I was glad I went the other way.

My business is my buildings- I don't let a tenant "fix" anything. Besides their workmanship, I never want them to think that I owe them anything except what is in the lease. We both have only one job- fulfil the terms of the lease. That would also be the case with a SFH. Again, if you are winging it and just in the game to break even and hope the property appreciates (astro-friggin-nomically to turn a meaningful profit), then I guess you see it differently.

While I think that in the past you could have benefitted from a mentor, perhaps your best move is to get a property manager. +$900 tenant is going to want that unit humming perfectly and you sure as shinola aren't going to have them doing the work to keep it habitable.

We put in 2 pair of speed Queen washers and dryers. Coin-op. Never really thought of the return on investment- thought of it more as making additional parking spots, putting a grill in the back yard or picnic tables... it is an amenity. Shared between 9 apartments. More than covers the utilities.

Been a few years... only two complaints - coin box was full and wouldn't take more quarters and a bent quarter being stuck- slid right out.

We picked up a change dispenser when Covid hit and installed it in the wall... now I just collect bills and move quarters back and forth.

Some people swear by using a credit card service for convenience and to make sure they don't make a mistake in reporting to the IRS. I only have experience with Speed Queen- they are tanks and easy to set-up.

Good luck.

I do everything on Zillow. I don't want to take cash from a prospective tenant and them thinking I profited if they were rejected.

Zillow works for me because that is where tenants are in my market. They can pay a flat fee and have their credit and background check available for multiple listings. It is also a great way to know if someone is serious.

I have had zero issues with it over the years I have used it. Before then it was cozy.

We have different definitions of picky. Wanting repairs done is not picky and I agree with others- you want these calls.

I had a picky tenant in a multi-family who contacted me about some non-sense. Then a follow-up that the tenants upstairs had people over for dinner and they could hear them. (Not that they were being excessively loud). I tell all the tenants that they must communicate with one another regarding neighbor issues that will always spring up.

I kindly told her that I did not believe the tenancy was going to work and that I had numerous people interested in the apartment. If she wants to look for another place I would consider this her 60 days notice and let her out of the lease. Not a peep after that- we got along swimmingly.

I don't want headaches or drama and I have places people want to rent. 

I self manage 9 rental units in 2 buildings. Tenants Zelle to the respective buildings account.

I do all of my book keeping on excel.

I rent through Zillow exclusively.

I renovated a building that allowed pets. It entailed ripping up the subfloors from years of urine. All pet owners are responsible, upstanding people- just kinda funny how this happened.

I am an outlier in my market. My renovated rentals are pet free and I know this because I regularly check on them. I rent to primarily young professionals who work some days from home. But when they are in the city- that is a long day away.

I had tenants ask, especially during the pandemic. Answer is no.

NJ has a non-refundable pet deposit. If I thought someone was going to disregard my rule then I would tell them sure- the rent will be $500 more a month. But that wouldn't happen because I spend a lot of time vetting. 
Maybe when I am getting ready to sell I will jack-up the rent and allow pets.

Recently had turn over in one of our newly renovated apartments. It is a small space <700 sq. ft. and not HVAC. The tenant had complained about "dust" and waking up with black phlegm, etc. She was our second tenant in that space since renovation and the first to ever complain. Well on the exit walk through there was oily black soot stains on the walls in areas, mirroring the outlines of furniture and wall photos. I couldn't figure it out until I did some research.

Candles... a new prohibition in my leases moving forward.

Impossible to "properly" clean, had to prime and paint.

Just throwing this up there for as a lesson learned. I absolutely despise this new forum layout... so unlikely to follow-up.

By engaging them I have drawn out the fallacy of the "service animal." They have continued to refer to it as a pet, then as a well behaved pet... by drawing them out I have demonstrated that they had never viewed it as a service animal.

The converse to that would be to ignore them and have their messages continue to jump to the top of my Zillow feed (be it under the same or a different email). And I think we can both agree that she would have pulled out the "service dog" on one of those "non-replied messages." Now she is invested, she is on a crusade against a jerk! She is that all too familiar American who is being victimized and she will rally the momo's of facebook... and some state agency will tell her- "you don't even need it to be a service dog, it be an emotional support animal." No thank you. By demonstrating my command of the law in a quick reply she realized she was dealing with a professional landlord who knows the law and that she was completely outmatched.

No service dog owner will ever refer to their animal as a pet when applying for a rental- likewise no pet owner is going to be able to have their pet certified as a service animal.

It does not cost me anything for a quick reply which serves as a record and it precludes my getting a lunatic over invested. 

Engage to diffuse.

*Nevertheless, there are certainly times when it is fruitless to engage further, and had this persisted I would have had sufficient ammunition to defeat any challenge to discrimination. Getting back to the importance of text and email... especially in these anti landlord times.

 I rent in a vastly different market than yours. My state is run very differently for multi-family landlords than others. My state funds many organizations that pretend to be tenants. They inquire about Section 8, children and number of them, service dogs, etc. What you see as being played I see as operating within that paradigm. I will never be accused of saying something verbally which is contrary to the law in my state and the only evidence which will ever be presented is that of pleasant landlord conducting his business.

Once I informed them of the service animal all communication ceased, so I do not understand the fiddle? Additionally- they would have to demonstrate such a claim.

If I was in a market which was "pro-landlord" and did not have every branch of my government: legislative, executive and judicial, looking to impair my business, then perhaps I would do things differently.

But one thing is for sure, if I did operate in such "landlord friendly" market I would not presume to tell a fellow, successful, landlord in a more restrictive market how to conduct himself. I operate successfully in a state many investors won't even consider...

fiddle, yeesh.

We have done both. I used to swear by doors and now I won't go near them. If not regularly, well cleaned the soap scum builds up and the bottom railing gets real bad. Not fun at turn over.

Additionally, the affordable doors for that size shower (over 36") may have a rail across the top which is a nightmare for 6 ft + people. 

Shower curtain, shower curtain, shower curtain. Having both I can tell you that I have never heard anyone say "oh great a door!" Or "oh darn a curtain!"

If you go with a door, just remember on next turnover you are going to have to go in and clean it before showing it.