All Forum Posts by: Bettina F.

Bi -fold closet doors.  I don't understand it.  We have Allure floors and they are holding up very well.

Originally posted by @Paul Sandhu:

 I met the general manager of the construction company doing the work.  I gave him a dozen calendars of scantily clad women doing construction work to give to all his foreman, supers and leads.  The work on the cat unit started Monday morning.  I had 28 people from his company rent 8 houses from me on Sunday.

Paul, you are the master of marketing!  You certainly know your tenant base.

I also like yellow houses, but the color is a little dated.  If you want to go with an updated color palette, try a combination of a brown and greyish green.

Of course, in 10 years you will be painting it back to yellow.

Originally posted by @Jane Manzel:

My daughter also said that I didn't think this through and I don't have what it takes to follow up. I just wish an attorney would tell me anything besides good luck!

As you are beginning to realize, you are in very dangerous legal jeopardy.  That is why you are having a hard time finding an attorney to take your case.  Right now, the tenant has all the power.  She could sue you and get a lot of your money.

You need to get legal possession of your unit.  Meet with your tenant at a notary's office. Offer her $500 to sign a Release of Possession form releasing your rental property back to you.  Word your form so that possession is returned to you as of the date you moved her belongings out, and she agrees her interest in the property is satisfied.   If she agrees, have her sign the form, you sign the form and get it notarized.  Hand over the cash.  This is sort of like an after-the-fact cash for keys arrangement.  I am not an attorney, and I am not a California landlord, but this seems to me to be the wisest course of action.  Pray she doesn't hold out for more money.  Be sweet, even if it kills you.  Do not do anything more to p*ss her off.

Hire a property manager before you re-rent the unit.  Get some education on CA landlord/tenant law,  Fair Housing, and how to properly screen a tenant before attempting to self manage again.  You are in over your head.  Quit listening to your daughter.  Legal mistakes in Landlord/tenant law get very expensive for the landlord, especially in tenant-friendly states like California.

I hope this works for you.

Ok, I admit that I am cheap......

Do you have a friend in Seattle that rents from a large, professionally managed apartment complex or from a large SFH rental provider? (Should be the same city as your rental property since Seattle has more restrictive laws than King County.) If so, get a copy of his lease and use that as your template. These large providers have attorneys on staff to review their leases, to make sure everything legal and protects the LL's interests.

Retype the lease in your computer, add your contact info into the header, and buy your friend a beer.  Be sure to tweak the lease where needed, so for example, your tenant is responsible for establishing utilities with Seattle City Light, etc.  

Originally posted by @Paul Sandhu:

https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/documen...

That person that said painting the walls with kilz was bad advice, was giving you bad advice.

Paul, thanks for the link.  I saved the PDF in my Landlording file. 

Sounds like the most important thing is VENTILATION and detergent and water wash of walls and ceilings.

Those flat microfiber mops that look like re-usable Swifters are great for washing walls and ceilings.  You can clip or rubber band rags to the mop heads, so you can change your mop heads frequently.

Avoid local AirBnBers and those who book at the last minute.

My business currently is in an single member LLC (one married couple who files one joint return). We are in the 25% tax bracket. What is the best way to structure my business to take advantage of the new tax bill?

I am a church going Christain, so I am able to participate in Christian Health Care Ministries. My handyman recommended them.

Check out Idaho. Growing state, property prices are going to look very low to you, but have been appreciating. Unemploment is lowest in the nation. Business friendly state. You will have to adapt to snow in winter. Idaho is a right to work, balanced budget state. There are websites that rank the states by their business friendliness. Idaho usually ranks about #8 in the nation.

My husband recently had some business at the King County courthouse. He said Pioneer Park has been taken over by the homeless, there was an actual old couch sitting in the park. The city was power washing the human urine and feces off the sidewalks. Yeah, that pit is way over valued.