All Forum Posts by: Tracy D.

Id not use his services.

I usually leave a new welcome mat at the front door, nice new soap dispensers in kitchen and bathroom and a new 4 pack of toilet paper in the bathroom along with a new pack of water bottles in the fridge. These are things, for the most part, people often need the first day but dont think about.

I am just curious for those of you in Cali, is this minimum wage hike there expected to seriously impact your bottom lines? For example, if you were previously paying good laborers, such as painters, carpenters, etc. $15-20 per hour, are they now going to want $20-40? I cant imagine this is going to be a good thing.

Its great that you are thinking about taking on something new. However, thinking and doing are two different things. Certainly we can offer you support as you begin your new venture, but you have to be self motivated if you intend to be successful. Ultimately you are the only person you have to answer to for your successes or failures. Something a great mentor once taught me is to figure out why you want to do this. Find the reason why this is important to you. What is the reason why you want to be financially free. If your 'why' is strong enough, your motivation should follow. And if your why is weak, your outcome will be also. Best wishes to you on your journey.

Ive had a few great tenants also. Always hope they stay...

This got a little more heated than I expected..... It seems we all feel strongly about it one way or the other.

I have 3 of my houses here on septic. I did have to replace one once and it cost about $7500. But i wouldnt avoid one. I have the tanks pumped every 2 years for about $350 each but other than that, i dont have any problems. Tenants bills are lower due to septic and i think most of them like that.

@Jason V. i guess first, im not really talking about decent paying tenants whose properties have just been sold and have been there long term and you need to get them out to reposition. Im talking about bad behavior: eg. Rude or disruptive tenants, drug addicts, law breakers, and non paying tenants. Specifically im talking about giving cash for keys to tenants who have in some form or other caused you to want them out because they have not adhered to the lease contract. 

Another thing which seems relevant also is that i am in Florida. I have done plenty of evictions but even a contested eviction here is over in 2 months or less, typically, and most uncontested ones take less than a month. There are plenty of states where this is the case. I cant imagine how i would handle it if i were in say, California. I guess i count my lucky stars for being where I am. But as my full screening process has much improved, it becomes less and less of an issue still. I just cant see why at least people in these easy eviction states do it. Although i guess im starting to feel for some of you in tenant friendly states.

J Beard ..... I have enough reserves to pay the lawyers and eat the costs of a non paying rental. I also am aggressive with my judgements, evictions, and collections. I do not want to be the landlord that ex tenants tell their looser friends i paid them to leave after they stayed in my house for free. Believe it or not, you do develop a reputation in the tenant world too based on how you handle your business. Its not so much about teaching the tenant a lesson or changing their behavior as it is about warning the next guy, preserving my reputation, and not giving into criminals. There isnt much about a house that cant be fixed, so i dont worry about what they are doing or destroying. They will eventually pay for that too when my judgement starts being garnished from their paycheck.

Thank you for the information