The Landlord Thread

[The Captain]

Amen.

We're in the process of our first eviction.  I'll let you know how that goes.

[snapdragon]

Aug 13, 2015 15:31:50 GMT -5 The Captain said:

Amen.

We're in the process of our first eviction.  I'll let you know how that goes.

Fingers crossed. 

[ponomo]

I'm relatively new to the whole landlord thing, I own a single family home in a middle class neighborhood, current tenants have been there two years and have given their notice to vacate Sept 30.  Dh and I manage it ourselves, we live 2 minutes away, and so far so good.  I have advertised the house for two weeks now, Zillow (hotpads, trulia and whatever other sites pull from zillow) and craigslist, I've had a lot of interest but it seems when I ask the tough questions, (credit score, income, etc.) I never hear from the people again.  So my question to my fellow landlords is am I wording things in a way to turn people off?  Or have I just found a wave of people with bad credit who realize they won't qualify so they never respond?  I appreciate any input.

Here's the email I send out if someone request a showing....



The house is still available, we do have some screening questions to ask before we move ahead and schedule a showing,

Basic information on the house- 1875 sq ft, 3 bedrooms plus loft, crawlspace(no basement), 2 car attached garage, $2150 a month, year lease, pets allowed with landlord approval ($300 non refundable deposit in addition to the $2150 deposit).

We do require credit score of at least 650 and income to be 3X the rent. Do you meet that criteria?

Available October 1st, does that date work for you?

How many adults and how many children will be living in the home?

How many pets? What breeds?

What days and times are you available for a showing?

Thanks!

[Bonny]

Aug 14, 2015 13:56:17 GMT -5 ponomo said:

I'm relatively new to the whole landlord thing, I own a single family home in a middle class neighborhood, current tenants have been there two years and have given their notice to vacate Sept 30.  Dh and I manage it ourselves, we live 2 minutes away, and so far so good.  I have advertised the house for two weeks now, Zillow (hotpads, trulia and whatever other sites pull from zillow) and craigslist, I've had a lot of interest but it seems when I ask the tough questions, (credit score, income, etc.) I never hear from the people again.  So my question to my fellow landlords is am I wording things in a way to turn people off?  Or have I just found a wave of people with bad credit who realize they won't qualify so they never respond?  I appreciate any input.

Here's the email I send out if someone request a showing....



The house is still available, we do have some screening questions to ask before we move ahead and schedule a showing,

Basic information on the house- 1875 sq ft, 3 bedrooms plus loft, crawlspace(no basement), 2 car attached garage, $2150 a month, year lease, pets allowed with landlord approval ($300 non refundable deposit in addition to the $2150 deposit).

We do require credit score of at least 650 and income to be 3X the rent. Do you meet that criteria?

Available October 1st, does that date work for you?

How many adults and how many children will be living in the home?

How many pets? What breeds?

What days and times are you available for a showing?

Thanks!

When does school start in your area? Your start date may be a problem for families with school aged children.

How much were you charging the old tenants?

I try to time my lease turnovers during peak season; e.g. for a large family house termination date of 6/30: AZ retirement house is 1/31. I generally need about 2 weeks to "turn" a property.

[ponomo]

I agree the start date makes it difficult, schools started yesterday,though most of the people I've spoken to do not have children. Current tenants pay $1950, there is nothing listed over 1800 Sq Ft under $2000 that I can find.  I am willing to drop the price but still feel like I have time to see if I can get the higher price?  Not sure since I'm new at this!  The house is in excellent shape, I've been super lucky and the house is cleaner and better kept then when I lived there, tenants are having it professionally cleaned on the 30th so it should be good to go on October 1st. 

[debthaven]

Soon after we left on vacation, and the day before our RE agent went on vacation, we learned out that the new renter had cancelled the day before she was due to sign the lease, because she found a place that was closer to her nursing school.

DD got a job offer yesterday. DH and I were debating whether or not to offer her the studio, at cost. We had offered it to DD in early July, she had said no, but her new job is local so we were wondering whether she might have changed her mind.

The RE agent got back from vacation today and called this evening. The studio is rented!!! Apparently a woman who saw it late July didn't get back to the RE agent before she left on vacation. The RE agent told me that the woman called the agency 50 TIMES while she was gone. Our RE agent got back today, so the woman dropped off her file. It was sound so she will sign by Fri or Sat. We will have lost only a few days' rent (besides Aug). 

I AM SO SICK OF RENTALS!!! Here's to hoping the new tenant stays for a while. 

[Bonny]

Sept 1, 2015 19:40:56 GMT -5 debthaven said:

Soon after we left on vacation, and the day before our RE agent went on vacation, we learned out that the new renter had cancelled the day before she was due to sign the lease, because she found a place that was closer to her nursing school.

DD got a job offer yesterday. DH and I were debating whether or not to offer her the studio, at cost. We had offered it to DD in early July, she had said no, but her new job is local so we were wondering whether she might have changed her mind.

The RE agent got back from vacation today and called this evening. The studio is rented!!! Apparently a woman who saw it late July didn't get back to the RE agent before she left on vacation. The RE agent told me that the woman called the agency 50 TIMES while she was gone. Our RE agent got back today, so the woman dropped off her file. It was sound so she will sign by Fri or Sat. We will have lost only a few days' rent (besides Aug). 

I AM SO SICK OF RENTALS!!! Here's to hoping the new tenant stays for a while. 

The woman called 50 times? I'd be a little concerned about that.

I hope it works out.

[debthaven]

It's probably an exaggeration, but she really wanted the place! (The agency was closed for vacation so I guess she kept trying till they reopened). She signed the lease today! 

[debthaven]

A miracle happened today ... I've mentioned the man who sold us the studio near where we live, how he fired the PM company and how we don't have one anymore, which is not legal. How he (supposedly) started the process to hire another one, then got depressed, and announced he wasn't dealing with it anymore. 

We actually started looking into the procedure to get a new PM company up and running last week ... we found out it was 2000 euros, to be shared between the owners. So DH and I were planning to contact the referral we were given, and trying to figure out the best way to get the other owners to agree to contribute ...

LO AND BEHOLD ... the man's WIFE called me this morning (on the landline, it's a miracle I even answered!) She told me she has started the ball rolling to hire a new PM company, has started getting estimates on the reno, and that she does indeed have the reno funds in a blocked account. She lives in the south of France but she is coming up to Paris in 10-14 days to meet with the PM agency.  

She also told me that the owner of the pizza delivery place on the ground floor is helping her with the paperwork. Turns out he is a bailiff, CPA, and government auditor ... not a pizza chef lol. 

She said that she and her husband had/have 3 apts left in that small building. They sold one yesterday, and the other 2 are in the process of being sold. 

She said I just wanted to tell you that I'm on the case now. I will honour my husband's commitments, since he won't. I'm in charge now, so things will happen. In fact, they're already happening. Once everything is set up, I will never have to have anything to do with that building again. 

She even gave me her phone numbers (something her husband has always refused to do ...). I said, I suppose there's no point in me asking for your cell, since I know your husband has always refused to give me his. She said, I'm not my husband, of course I'll give you my cell. 

She says it should take about 2 months to get the initial paperwork done (things are SUPER slow here). I'm guessing it may even take longer but things are finally moving! 

About 90% of the buildings around are either brand-new or have been renovated. So this is fabulous news for us!

[Bonny]

debthaven,

Congratulations on the progress. Do you think husband and wife are still married?

[debthaven]

Yes Bonny, I think so ... I actually thought she was calling to tell me he had died/committed suicide. 

ETA: It will be a while before all the paperwork is in order and the reno is done, but it's a great relief to know that we will eventually be able to sell the place if we want to, or rent it out more easily. I'm guessing that the owner of the pizza place somehow managed to galvanise them her into action.

[debthaven]

It's been 3 weeks since the woman called me, I'm going to call her this week or next week to see how things are progressing. 

[Bonny]

Aug 13, 2015 15:31:50 GMT -5 The Captain said:

Amen.

We're in the process of our first eviction.  I'll let you know how that goes.

How did it go?

And I haven't heard an update from Knee Deep in Water Chloe on the MF(*&^ing)H

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Nov 9, 2015 19:41:23 GMT -5 Bonny said:

Aug 13, 2015 15:31:50 GMT -5 The Captain said:

Amen.

We're in the process of our first eviction.  I'll let you know how that goes.

How did it go?

And I haven't heard an update from Knee Deep in Water Chloe on the MF(*&^ing)H

No update. I did email him earlier today since it's been a MONTH since I've heard anything. I like my attorney personally. His secretary seems incompetent. Maybe it's just because I've not dealt with the legal system much, but this just seems to be taking forever! They haven't paid rent since June. How are they not evicted yet? God is teaching me another lesson in patience. 

[zibazinski]

Welcome to where the tenants have all the rights.

[Bonny]

Nov 9, 2015 20:45:53 GMT -5 Knee Deep in Water Chloe said:

Nov 9, 2015 19:41:23 GMT -5 Bonny said:

How did it go?

And I haven't heard an update from Knee Deep in Water Chloe on the MF(*&^ing)H

No update. I did email him earlier today since it's been a MONTH since I've heard anything. I like my attorney personally. His secretary seems incompetent. Maybe it's just because I've not dealt with the legal system much, but this just seems to be taking forever! They haven't paid rent since June. How are they not evicted yet? God is teaching me another lesson in patience. 

This seems excessive. Wasn't the action filed over a month ago?

I know you are a nice person but now's the time to be a PITA with your attorney. Something doesn't seem right.

[The Captain]

Nov 9, 2015 19:41:23 GMT -5 Bonny said:

Aug 13, 2015 15:31:50 GMT -5 The Captain said:

Amen.

We're in the process of our first eviction.  I'll let you know how that goes.

How did it go?

And I haven't heard an update from Knee Deep in Water Chloe on the MF(*&^ing)H

(Takes deep calming breath).

So I needed to send a retainer to the lawyer to start the eviction process.  Ok, fine.  Did so.  When the check didn't clear for over three weeks I called and he claimed he never received my letter.

So I send another one (about a week before the post office returns the first as undeliverable - yea the address was correct).

The eviction notice needs to be served in person.  The tenants dodge the server for close to a month.  When they were finally served suddenly they can't speak English and refuse to sign the receipt.

The server signs an affidavit stating the notice was served and the lawyer goes to set a court date (also required).  Apparently things are a bit backed up because it takes 5 weeks to get a date.

(All of this is second hand btw, it was super busy season and I couldn't take off work).

So our lawyer shows up on our court date.  Tenants show up with someone from legal aid.  They claim they don't speak or read English (bullshit!) and didn't understand anything that was going on.  Their lawyer tried to claim I was required to provide the lease in Spanish (no and the judge did correct him on this) and it was all a simple misunderstanding. Can they stay if they get caught up in rent over the next 4-5 months?

Oh. Hell. No.  (Already told my lawyer I wanted them out.  Period)

Judge doesn't really buy this and gives them 30 days to move out.  In the meantime their lawyer immediately files for a stay because there are minors in the house (there aren't supposed to be, but they claim they have two grandchildren living in the house)  and they need time to find a place within the school district.

Judge gives them another 30 days and informs them the additional rent and legal costs will be added to their judgement (duh!). Like we'll ever see that.

So now they have until the middle of December.  Which doesn't really mean anything because the earliest we can get the actual physical evection scheduled with the Sherrif in sometime toward the end of January (at this point - we can't actually get it scheduled until the evection is finalized by the judge).

Our laywer tells us to expect another extension request because the rental market is tight and yea, places with three bedrooms and decent rents are impossible to find. If it were just adults there would be no question of no additional extention, but the courts have an interest in keeping a roof over kids heads. And what kind of heartless bastard would put kids out on the street before Christmas, yadda, yadda, yadda.

It didn't help our case that the tenants' lawyers found out we have a total of five rental units so we are supposedly "sophisticated commercial landlords" who should have done everything in our power to ensure the tenant understood the terms of the lease (ie - you're supposed to pay rent on time). I'm not sure if that's what was actually said, but apparently having more than one rental unit counts against you and gets the tenants more lienancy.

So yea.  And the city wonders why all the decent landlords are leaving.

In the meantime the other 4 units are performing well.  Even with one unit not performing we're cash flow positive close to $1K a month.  That's building up my improvement fund so I can (hopefully) attract a better class of tennants.

I don't ever want to hear another freaking word about evil landlords.

[zibazinski]

Yup, this is why people get out. Tenants have all the rights and landlords have all the headaches. I knew this was going to go down this way.

[Bonny]

Oh The Captain, I'm so sorry you are going through this. That truly sucks.

What is wrong with people who think this kind of behavior is o.k? And the lessons they are teaching their kids (and grandkids)?

I'm glad your other tenants are behaving themselves.

[The Captain]

Nov 10, 2015 10:26:24 GMT -5 Bonny said:

Oh The Captain, I'm so sorry you are going through this. That truly sucks.

What is wrong with people who think this kind of behavior is o.k? And the lessons they are teaching their kids (and grandkids)?

I'm glad your other tenants are behaving themselves.

Quite honestly?  The lessons are that it's ok to steal from others that have more than you do, regardless of what you or they did to earn it.

[andi9899]

I've thought about buying a rental when the girls are out and I still don't know that I want to do it. I'll just wait for a few years longer.

[debthaven]

It's been 3 weeks since the woman called me, I'm going to call her this week or next week to see how things are progressing.

I did call her then but forgot to update. I called again this evening. Things ARE moving. They're not moving quickly (this is France), but at least they're moving.

Hopefully the building should have new management in about 6-8 weeks. One company came this week and will give her an offer next week. She has a second company in mind if the first doesn't work out, but she prefers to hear from the first one before deciding whether to contact the second. I probably would have contacted both but she's dealing with it, I'm not, so I'm extremely grateful.

The other thing was, she and her arsehole DH had 3 apts left. They sold one and they are about to sell another. I didn't even know you could sell an apt in a building that's not managed ... as far as I know it's illegal! She told me "they are aware of the situation" (so I'm guessing they signed a disclaimer).

This said, I asked her how much she sold / is selling them for. She sold them very badly, compared to what we paid for ours. But, she told me one was on the ground floor (less desireable) and totally uninhabitable, needed to be gutted and have a kitchen and bathroom put in. The other (the one directly above ours) was a wreck, a studio with 2/3 people living in it for 7 years. It has the same footprint as ours but it has dormer ceilings so ours is (legally) about 20% bigger.

So I'm sort of worried about how much we paid for ours, and if we'll ever get our money back. But I've decided I'm not going to think about that right now. As long as the situation keeps moving forward, tomorrow is another day. 

ETA: Our studio was in great condition when we bought it, and back then (5 years ago) the building was in decent shape too. We had the studio redone in Feb, so it's in even better condition now, although the building is in worse condition.

Captain what's your update?!

Also, she told me that even if the owner they have had problems with for years refuses to come to the meeting, we already have a vast majority of the owners without him.

Obviously the situation isn't ideal, but at least it's moving forward.

At this point DH and I would really like to sell another place, whichever place comes available first: either this one, or the life-annuity in the less-good neighborhood. We'd prefer to keep the other life annuity and the other (totally painless) studio.

Also, for some reason I felt like we have 4 kids so we need to have 4 rentals. DS1 is looking to buy his own apt ... so I'm realizing that I no longer feel the need to have a rental for him (not literally for him, I mean inheritance-wise, if that makes sense).

[debthaven]

One company came this week and will give her an offer next week.

The woman called me this evening, the PM company accepted! It's apparently a very standard contract, the woman is emailing it to me. 

We (the tenants) have a tentative meeting to approve the PM on Jan 6 or 7 (can't remember which) AND approve the renovation of the building. Even if the problematic tenant doesn't show, we still have a vast majority. 

Am I evil for praying that the elderly woman who is dealing with all this holds out until this is all done?! She is a true force of nature! 

[debthaven]

I am posting this here. It's probably not the right place but I don't want to start a new thread. 

My DS1 has been looking for a place here in Paris. His GF was buying a place in London. Her place fell through (through no fault of her own). They both decided it was a Good Thing, and that they would look for a place here, together.

They made an offer on Fri night, it was accepted Sat morning.

They will both be going abroad again (they both want to go back to school, and they are humanitarian aid workers so they work abroad) but their base will be HERE!!!

Plus, they are SO savvy! They are buying a place that was originally a studio + a 1BR apt, and was turned into a 2BR apt. They got a great deal because it needs a lot of work, but they are going to turn it back into a studio + 1BR apt, with an "outdoor door" separating the two apartments, so they can occupy one space and rent out the other, or eventually replace the door with an "indoor door" and occupy both apartments.  

I AM SO THRILLED!!! My birthday was yesterday, and this was just THE BEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT EVER!!! Their base will be here!!!

ETA: Plus they already have a GREAT tenant who wants to rent whichever space they prefer to rent, and who is willing to move between the two ... DS2 LOL. I have to admit I hope this gets DS2's butt into gear, even though he could never afford anything that size. It's still better to buy, because prices are NOT going down here!

[Bonny]

Happy birthday day debthaven!

Is their place suitable for a VRBO rental? That would seem to be the best of both worlds if they will be bouncing back and forth between assignments.

[debthaven]

Is their place suitable for a VRBO rental?

Yes. That's a possibility too. It looks like DS2 will rent one apt, they will live in the other, and they will do VRBO or short-term rentals with theirs when they go abroad again.  

[Bonny]

Dec 1, 2015 2:52:14 GMT -5 debthaven said:

Is their place suitable for a VRBO rental?

Yes. That's a possibility too. It looks like DS2 will rent one apt, they will live in the other, and they will do VRBO or short-term rentals with theirs when they go abroad again.  

Excellent

Now have you or DH thought about becoming Air B&B hosts as a career encore?

In a couple of years DD might be ready to be a specialist.

[debthaven]

Us, no way lol.

[Bonny]

Dec 1, 2015 12:09:15 GMT -5 debthaven said:

Us, no way lol.

Oh I think you might be good. With your teaching and parenting experience you know how to handle people.

 Doing the VRBO/Air B&B thing is more of the hospitality business than being a LL. We would consider doing it ourselves if our cabin was closer but at 500mi away it wouldn't be fair to either party.

I think it could be a fun part-time retirement gig. Not sure I would do it for family though. They might have higher expectations than I could fulfill.

[debthaven]

Bonny, frankly, no way. DS1's place is in Paris, we're in the suburbs. There is seriously no way on earth I would take that on unless I lived either in the same building or next door or directly across the street. Since I'd rather go to the dentist than live in central Paris, there is seriously no way that that would ever happen.

DS1 DID mention giving DS2 either a reduction on rent or a commission if he was willing to deal with renting out the other half of the apt, assuming he does live in one of the two spaces. However, DS2 has been in LA for work for the past 3 weeks so nobody has a clue as to how DS2 actually feels about the idea. 

The one thing I CAN guarantee is that if anybody does the VRBO/Air BnB thing for that apt, it certainly won't be us.

ETA: This said, you're not wrong, it can be a good retirement gig, IF you're retired. We're not. And if you're happy to change the bedding / change the towels / clean the apt / clean the toilets within a few hours turnaround. I'm not.

DH's ex's family does it for their rentals and their adult kids' rentals, but they are retired, and everything is very very close by. And they are very luxurious, very expensive rentals in the 4th, so they don't get reserved all that often. 

Again, personally, I'd rather go to the dentist than deal with prepping/cleaning apts and letting ppl in and out of them. I have enough trouble with my own rentals, no way in hell would I take anybody else's on, not even my own kids'. 

As they say in French, chacun sa merde. To each his own shit. If DS1 and his GF can afford to buy an apt, they can find a way to rent it out short-term that doesn't involve us. 

Yes I am thrilled that they are buying here, but that doesn't mean that we will maintain the apt and rent it out for them. They know they can always count on us if they need us, but not for that.