All Forum Posts by: Theresa K.

C.A.R. = California Association of Realtors. Google "car form fld." In the search results should get a link to the pdf form on the www.car.org website.

Daniel Miller: If you are using the standard C.A.R. residential lease form, section 23 addresses lead-based paint. Check that box for section 23, give them the additional C.A.R. "form FLD" and make sure they sign it, and give them a copy of the "federally approved lead pamphlet." I belive you can get the pamphlet on the www.epa.gov website.

I've used http://www.hotpads.com. The map in helpful.

Danny Chan: I emailed you some info on the subject property. Let me know if you didn't receive it.

For everyone else on the thread: property is 6 bed 4 bath 4065 SF

Sold comp: 4/4 3500 SF sold for $1.065M in Nov 2010.
Current active comps:
5/4 3370 SF listed for $915K on mkt for 1 week
3/4 3388 SF listed for $975K on mkt for 5 months
3/3 2705 SF listed for $939K on mkt for 4 months

As Karen M. said: "More than likely if the property were worth what the broker is asking, he wouldn't be selling it."

Danny Chan: I have MLS access in San Diego. If you want to give me the address I can look up the property for you.

Cheryl S: We put in Home Depot laminate countertops in our own kitchen about 8 years ago. Of course we never got around upgrading so we still have the laminate ones today and they look just like they did when they were installed - no stains, no knife marks, no burns from hot pots. I think it just depends on how well someone takes care of their property. I'm sure you naturally take good care of your granite since it's in your own kitchen so that's probably why it seems bulletproof to you. But
I have to agree with Uwe K. - tenants "use it as if it's not theirs, if you know what I mean."

How many properties do you need managed and what type of properties are they? Does the RE agent have the resources (contractors/handyman/accounting) to manage them? If the properties are SFR's in fairly good condition, the tenants are screened well and you don't mind a little involvement, I would probably lean toward the RE agent. No need to pay maintenance supervision fees on top of repair costs to a large company when a local handyman can take care of a lot of small maintenance issues for less. Same with eviction costs. It's not foolproof, of course, but good tenant screening can help reduce your need for eviction services and you can always hire a outside company to do an eviction if necessary. Not sure what they charge, but I know here in San Diego there are several companies that specialize in evictions. On the other hand if you don't want any involvement in the property and just want a check a the end of the month - go with the larger company.

We had to completely redo the kitchen when we bought our rental so we went with the laminate countertops because of the cost factor. We did the work ourselves too. Ours is not a high-end rental and we figured that even a good tenant could ruin granite if they didn't take care of it properly so why pay the more for granite. Also, the kitchen area is small so we didn't think that the granite countertops would translate into much of an increase in the rental rate. I'm pretty sure we'll go with laminate countertops again when these ones need to be replaced. Definitely tile for the floor in the kitchen and dining area. It's cheap and durable.

A good handyman and some property management software will help alot.

Thanks Michael. Hope to make it to a SDCIA meeting soon since it's closest.