All Forum Posts by: Tim Wilkinson

@Michael Totman "I suspect she is a PIA, but it sounds more like you acted just like any other tenant and rushed to get into the nice house without reading and realizing your responsibilities. It doesn't sound like something an investor would do, but you did it."

You nailed it. And I do have buyers remorse. I caved because I was tired of my wife calling me during her 2 hour commute from Danvers to Northborough crying about her commute. At a time when I was building a brand new business, so I suppose I am probably more annoyed than I should be. 

We'll figure it out. I only hope she accepts my offer in the Fall.

yes, MA is very tenant friendly. It's a tough place to be a landlord. I think maybe she's heard a lot of horror stories. The house was empty for four years after her uncle died and we are the first renters.

I think the personalities don't match up. She seemed pleased that I was coming here with trades skills before signing. I just prefer more privacy, that's all.

@Michael Totman

I hear you loud and clear. I've never been to court, nor evicted, and am really just pissed she was so nice in the beginning and then the bait and switch.  I always would prefer compromise before getting any third party involved. I just am not sure she is the compromising type. 

I am working on comps to figure out how to make an offer for the home at the end of our lease. That will likely be my options: buy if she'll accept or leave if she doesn't. This home has an extra 800 sf ready to finish in garage (which will still leave two bays for cars). It also has high basement ceiling and can finish 700 sf there, adding 1500 sf of living space for about $25,000 (self-performing). There really is a method to my madness. I'm not the kind to be sentimental about the house without making some business sense. 

We pay all utilities. In the past, there have been options to take care of yard myself and with that comes a discounted rent. My last house was $100 a month cheaper because I handled yard maintenance. Here, it wasn't optional.

Thanks for your input. I really do appreciate it. 

I agree with you, 

@JD Martin 

I'm just starting and working on cash flow and very resistant to take a check from my business. Before I start giving too much detail around personal finances, just suffice it to say the three days was an acceptable risk to me and it really isn't a huge deal. 

I think we will be moving on in October, but it costs a fortune to move, and we both planned for this to be at least two years. Bummer, is right @Account Closed.

we are fantastic tenants. We were late one time for three days when my wife's company got bought and her payroll frequency changed. We keep the house clean including hiring cleaners, our dogs don't do any damage and are very well trained.

We were in the last house, when my wife had a two hour commute, for five years. Only one time in five years did the landlord ever come to my house. The reason he came is because a tree limb went through the roof. I made every repair in that home and only build the landlord for the part. He was in heaven, and I had my privacy. When you have a good tenants, hey sane person would maintain a relationship, not chase them away. I am hearing all the arguments, but if you gather that we were bad tenants from what you read, I am thankful I'm not your tenant.

I agree that she doesn't have to allow me to fix things. It just means she'll get email requests for drippy faucets or running toilets instead of me fixing them. I wasn't asking to reside the house or change out a pre-hung door. 

The dogs are allowed on my lease, and expecting perfection of me on any level is unreasonable. They **** about 14 times per week each. If 1/28 gets missed on a 2 acre lot...be reasonable. 

From the forums here, I also see that the two main dissenters are landlords in two states that are not only LL friendly, but also right-to-work states. I live in MA...it is very, very different. The individual has more rights here. Having also lived in FL (which is much more like Ohio, than MA), I know where you're coming from. I also know where I'll never go back. 

@Account Closed That made me laugh really hard. I appreciate your input. She doesn't have kids and has never been married, though. Her sister and brother-in-law own the original farmhouse next door to me and her brother lives 2 acres behind me. Her uncle built this house in 1950, it is the newest house of a few that were part of their family farm. My ideas for this property would have involved hopefully buying them all out eventually. There is 5o acres here, where it is very difficult to find acreage. 

I've always know it would be tough to talk them out of it, and I'm even more sure now. Oh, the best laid plans of mice and men...

To anyone who thought I was being nitpicking, if you are also a landlord, I'd ask you to take a look at your context as a landlord. When you rent a SFR to a family, it is more their home during their tenancy than yours (obviously not legally theirs, but it should be treated as such) Constant phone calls and visits run tenants off.

I respect others privacy, because it is very important to me. All free citizens, whether owning or renting, have a right to privacy. Honor it. 

I thank everyone for their input. 

@Samantha Klein I agree with you. Can you sell it to my wife? :-D

@Jeff Rabinowitz we really love the house and the town. It cost us a lot to move here and saves my wife from the 2 hour commute each way she used to have. 

I would prefer to work things out. I just was curious if what she was doing is legal and what, if anything, we could do to make it work. 

I have a lot of personal experience as a renter, as I married at almost 40 and never bought while I was a bachelor (silly me). I've never had one so annoying. I seriously believe she has some sort of obsessive disorder or something, but maybe a letter from an attorney might correct the behavior.

I even sent her a letter 30 days in regarding our right to quiet enjoyment. I don't think she knows what it means. She is definitely a nuisance landlord. $2,350/month for this hell...yikes