All Forum Posts by: Tami R.

I get rid of my carpet in c location. I put in vinyl laminated flooring or tile. Then I am not replacing between tenant. Nice paint. Also make sure your lights are updated... cheap and it looks good

I am working on a business plan and trying to get everything in order. I quit my job about 10 months ago to focus on our rentals we have about 175. I have a couple employees which I pay them under our construction payroll it was easier to do, but was wondering if anyone else has employees for just 175 doors? I have a handy man, he is basically sub contract he gets paid anywhere between $400 to $800 a week, depending what I have him doing. He does all my maintenance, mowing, snow removal, everything. He has been with me for 3 years. Then I have two gals that work 20 to 30 hours a week. 1 just paints the other paints and cleans. The gal that paints and cleans I might actually have her start showing houses etc. Then me... I do all the bookwork, collect rent, showings, everything else.

I learned from a landlord a long time ago that just because someone doesnt live like you and me doesnt mean we are slumlords. Now the l landlord that said this to me I would consider a slumlord because he will put people in properties that are not safe etc ... but heres my thought. 1. My standard of living is different from others. I have rental properties that I have a hard time going into just because when I bought the property they were cash flowing the tenants were great. The property is safe. Had plumber and electrician fix what needed but tenants are a little slow and messy but its their home and they love it. They've lived there for 10 years the outside looks good... I will need to completely remodel it when they move but they aren't going anywhere for years and I'm not kicking them out. If something needs fix we get it done... just a different style of life

In my state it's illegal to have a nonrefundable deposit. You would have to have a nonrefundable fee. I do a deposit, which is an extra $100 or $200 on their original deposit. My goal is to give tenants their deposit back so if theres no animal wear and tear, smells etc they will get it back. We do charge $25 per month for a pet and that is standard in my market

I always tell tenants we try our best to make sure everything is in working order but I have not lived in the property so please let me know if there are problems. Used appliances can always have issues. I check appliances all the time for a couple minutes and it's fine and when someone moves in and actually use it, it does need work. It's just the nature of the game. I dont think right now the tenant is being out of hand, i would rather know.ahead of time than too late. I have a tenant moving out this weekend and I heard in her one year living in the remodeled home she wrote a list of issues she had instead of calling me including the moisture in the basement causing the new floor to buckle! Grrrrr

I thinking this real estate stuff is making me crazy lol. I live in the Midwest, if you live where it's cold you know once December hits it's hard to rent houses and apartments until late March. The end of July and October I bought some some multis and had to do some work... so I am sitting here and I have some great places. Price good, etc but it's a struggle to get GOOD tenants. I can rent the properties to crap and have to do a complete remodel in 4 months and go to court but I would rather leave them empty. So I was driving today and thinking about how to get the good tenants etc to go with us and not another landlord etc.... This one rental mgmt company offers on occasion to get the 4th month free in rent. Well I don't want to do that... that could be between $600 to $900... and 3 months is too short. I thought if they went the first 6 months no late payments they get a free 55 inch flat screen. Sounds nice and people and tenants they want stuff and I can get a TV for 300. Now am I insane? Or what have others done?

I have put them in B units and then have been able to increase rent by 25 a month without question. C and d units are questionable but sometimes we do with used ones we have and that is just another way we can justify a rate increase

Great topic. I think my guys get tired of me saying the same thing but here it goes Led lights Grey and white trim is our new color. We use one color in all houses. It used to be tan and white. Door stops is my big one! I am going away from carpet... basement apartments always get tile. Lower end homes always get tile. Other homes get allure laminated. Smoke alarms I get cheap. Co2 cheap.... always find them on Amazon best price I have been switching to keyless code pad by Schlage. Tenants love them when they move out I delete their code, my subs all have their own code and so does my staff And lastly I am continuously reminding myself to run my business as a business. Run it like Steve Jobs or like Sam Walton... I know it's the holidays but when mortgage is due it's due... same goes with rent.

I would never try to discriminate my question was can I legally ask for a medical paper ensuring that do require a service animal or emotional animal.... because everyone is saying now a days this pit bull and so and so dog are my emotional dog

It seems like everyone has an emotional pet, or service dog or so on. And sometimes 2... i feel like theres a lot that are legit and then a large handful that's just complete ridiculous. Am I write that I read that you can not ask for their doctor note regarding the service animal, etc because that interferes with their privacy on their disability?