As soon as fall hits, the rental prices go down and it's not easy to rent around Holidays as you can imagine.

It's rare in any market to see a rental with nothing installed in it.It's getter cheaper these days to always by package deals during major holiday sales.Many stores through in a dishwasher for dang near nothing when your buying a refrigerator and stove from the same manufacturers (Kenmore,Maytag,etc.).Add a Washer and Dryer to the mix and it can really be a money saving super bargain for the whole shibang.

After I had the heart not to boot out a tenant who couldn't walk during the holiday season, he proceeded to go bankrupt and drag it out forever.Needless to say, this tenant was a master class in both bankruptcy and running your real estate business like a business.My point is simply this: enforce the lease and its terms to the letter.  

(Allowing for weekends and Holidays) No excuses will be accepted as to why rent is late.Second of the month 7 Day Notice to Quit is sent to the Tenant(s).

That's a safe time of year, as it's past the holidays and taxes, etc.  

Some jurisdictions will not allow the charging of a late fee unless you allow a grace period before charging such, the reason being that weekends and holidays can delay the receiving of and processing of rent payments.

If you just want to always pay it on the 5th every month that's cool, or actually you can just pay your rent on the 9th and sometimes because of a weekend or a holiday it won't be really due until the 11th.

With the holiday, I won't be able to review the lease until mid week next week.Long term goal for the property is to hold it and have it generate cash flow...by years end, we'd like to have at least a total of 4 properties with at least 1 multi unit.

I'd go down to a 6 month lease, but not lower because sometime in the next 6 months, I'm going to be out of country, and with winter, holidays, and very little daylight, I think filling the unit will be harder.... not to mention, if I have another month of vacancy in the winter, I'd be paying a couple hundred more for utilities.I hope these thoughts help.

Too bad it's a holiday weekend or I'd be doing that right now...