Statistics show that tenants use up to 40% more water when they do not pay for it.Your options are usually to:1.Have the total rent include water,sewer,and trash.2.Sub meter out the units from the water company if they allow it3.Prorate the amount of water usage for the building an bill each tenant.4.Have a company bill them instead of you.5.Have a private company install meters which is cheaper and they bill the tenant for what they use.This avenue you are still responsible to pay the water to the city/county even if you bill the tenant and they do not pay.On lower income housing I see about 60 to 65% pay their water you bill them for every month and the rest you have to chase for the money.You have to pay the water company regardless.The other factor is tenants will let friends was cars with the outside spigot,take showers,do their laundry,etc. and the tenants will also usually not report leaks or drippy faucets as they do not pay for the water.Another thing to look out for is what does the city/county charge for water and sewer rates.If you research a county you might find they have upped the water rates by 50% in the last 6 years.So one county using 1,000 gallons costs you 100 and in another county it costs you 56.You have to really look at how old the water and sewer system is for the city/county etc. and look at all the costs.I can tell you water is the talk of the town with buyers of multifamily.It can just crush your bottom line.

Electric , gas, water would run $150 a month in this area and lawn care another $50 so even if I had an additional 300 monthly in cost I would come out ahead but would have case mangers to help manage the tenants.

Furthermore, replacing them gives one a good excuse to enter the property, replace the filter, and give the property a once over in the meantime.Oil heat: in the past when I rented, the lease spelled out the remainder of oil like the amount of gas in a rental car.

My guess is that if it's not from a ceiling leak, it's probably from the HVAC unit or a drip line.

I have a condo where the next door neighbor's washer is apparently leaking and causing damage to my unit.

Always.And, if possible I add a gas log fireplace.

Cost of goods will increase to new highs - look at gas, food, utility rates already.

It is pretty useless, but they test the plumbing lines for leaks, etc.

There are lots of very simple and effective way to market that you buy houses without spending a lot of money from signs in the yard, bandit signs around the neighborhood, negotiating with a local business that has a blank wall facing a major street (think gas station on a corner) to hang a banner on the side.

There are these things called utilities - you know, things like electric, water, gas, phone, cable, etc. - that are turned on when somebody lives in a house.