All Forum Posts by: Andy Richter

Welcome! I have just started lurking again myself and hope to begin making some moves in REI soon. I live not too far south of Dayton in Liberty Township.

 Obviously this applicant is not the greatest of human beings, but I guess you have to give him props for not leaving her homeless or scrambling to find a place.

Let's put it this way: If I own property, who is the State to tell me what I can and cannot do in it/ with it, provided the activity isn't illegal or harming anybody else? (Obviously by illegal, I do not mean "You can't use it as a short-term rental" but more like "you can't cook meth".)  I'll bet that is what Anthony Kelley was alluding to.

 Funny that you should say that. While I do not subscribe strictly to either major political party, I do notice a correlation between sometimes extremely restrictive landlord/tenant laws and the color of the state on the electoral map every four years. There definitely need to be safeguards for both landlords and tenants in place, but sometimes laws are so restrictive that they tie the hands of one or the other.

I need to study the laws of my home state more. We're a purple state.

I have read that, when there is a discrepancy between the numerical value and the written word value on a check, words trump numbers as far as banks are concerned.  I'm obviously not advocating that you cash her check for $12,000, but it is a good lesson for us when we are writing checks.

If I were a tenant in this situation, I would be very irritated if I were approached about losing my job by somebody that I have not told directly or I didn't put it out there for the world to see (i.e. social media). Maybe I knew about the impending job loss and I took action steps to ensure I could fulfill the terms of my lease. Maybe I have 3-6 months of living expenses saved up in the event of an emergency such as this.

On the flip side, I also understand being proactive as a landlord and mitigating the risk as much as possible. @Ron Tafoya How does your friend across the street from your tenant know he lost his job? Did your tenant tell him directly or has he just noticed he has not been going to work? One possible way I can think to hear it directly from the tenant's mouth is to schedule some type of maintenance call at a time the tenant is normally known to be at work. If he happens to be home when you visit, an innocent question such as "Day off today?" in passing could help you find out.

So, what the City of Hamilton, OH wants to require for apartment owners sounds pretty tame compared to Seattle: http://www.journal-news.com/news/local-govt--polit...

Update on the original post: City Council in Hamilton, OH delayed any action due to too many attendees at their regular Council meeting.

Source: http://www.journal-news.com/news/local-govt--politics/hamilton-delays-landlord-hearings-after-too-many-people-show/d2G0J8rVIKeDVSHrUYz7tL/

@Bret Rubash There are things you can do that can help you to accomplish both your real estate goals and finding employment. As @Christopher Blanco stated above, it definitely sounds like you need to get your financial house in order. If I imagine myself in your shoes, finding steady employment/ a steady source of income would be my top priority. I do realize you have the added challenge of caring for your disabled Mother.

One avenue I would utilize to accomplish both your real estate goals and finding employment is attending as many networking events as time and money (they are not all free) allow. You can find networking events via a Google search such as "networking events Fort Wayne" or a site such as meetup.com. You can maximize your potential at these events by reading a book called "Knock Out Networking" by Michael Goldberg. This book will help you to develop your elevator pitch and really focus your mindset on asking others great questions to build both personal and business relationships. I know this post does not answer the question of whether or not it is possible to go from zero to hero, but it certainly can help you to accomplish this goal.

Good luck and best wishes!

The City of Hamilton is considering passing an ordinance that will require owners of apartment buildings in Hamilton to register and pay for inspections every year. Also on the table is an ordinance that will hold the building owner responsible for any unpaid utility bills from the tenant.

I'm not sure if this will affect any of you, but the first discussion on the proposed ordinances will occur at tonight's City Council meeting.

Source: http://www.journal-news.com/news/local-govt--polit...