So, you want to be a landlord

[stillworkin]

For the folks that haven't started investing yet, don't let situations like this discourage you from starting. Chances are, they are bound to happen. Some people here probably have worse pics and stories than mine. All you can do is laugh, take pics, complain a little because the house is vacant and it has to be cleaned, then start a new. Its a never ending learning process. But in the end, it always pays off. After renovations, it makes the home and the neighborhood better. This is after one tenant in there for a year.

View attachment 735
There was new grass.

View attachment 736
How water is left in the dishwasher after you use it is beyond me. They never complained that it was broke.

View attachment 738
I take it they are not good cooks

View attachment 739
Bathroom's not too bad...just cleaning and updates

View attachment 740
Lesson learned...no more carpets. Wood floors from now on.

View attachment 741
All that by the dumpster was left behind. We had to tear down the fence to get it to the alley. The fence was getting replaced anyway.

BTW, the home should be ready again by Oct 1.

 

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[hatterasguy]

Happens, my uncle just had to get some carpet replaced in a new unit because of a crappy tenant.

 

[randallg99]

the pictures you've posted are nothing more than wear and tear... I would be grateful if every tenant left the property in that condition.

here's a real dandy of a tenant who burned out a kitchen, ruined the fire alarm system in the building, kept tires in the bedroom and had vibrators all over the house.

 

[bflash98]

Randall- you win. I could compete with stillworkin but I have never had a burned out kitchen and that much trash inside. I wouldn't even know what to say with a burned out kitchen like that. It is one thing to have trash but it is a different ball game to have a kitchen burned out like that..

Did the tenant just disapper or did you talk to them after you saw the apartment?

 

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[Jito]

I got to say, Randall seems to have one upped you with an abundance of vibrators. Pretty gross if you ask me. You would think they would be a bit embarrassed leaving those behind....

 

[randallg99]

the property manager told me I had to see it for myself and he heard through the grapevine heard that the tenant lost her marbles after family services removed the children from her custody (go figure)

sad story really.... but I did get a hell of a laugh when I saw the place... it's all you can do

 

[randallg99]

oh, and the tenant lived there for another month even after the kitchen fire...

 

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[NoMoneyDown]

Holy vibrations that was funny. Definitely beats anything I've come across yet with my tenants.

 

[stillworkin]

I agree, you did get me on that one. Haven't experienced a kitchen fire yet (knock on wood). But yeah, I just laugh at this stuff. Its amazing how people live sometimes.

Jito, I agree also. They could've taken the vibrators with them.

 

[Bilgefisher]

I will never understand how folks can live like that, especially with kids. My uncle had to change out all the carpet on his rental. Feces and urine. Human Feces.

 

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[stillworkin]

It's a shame sometimes. Instead of the urine and feces, insert crack pipes and seringes. I threw away a majority of that stuff before pictures were taken.

 

[M&T]

I suddenly don't feel so bad. I thought I was the only one getting schmucks like this!
M&T...:great:

 

[hatterasguy]

When I was an agent I made the mistake of showing low end, mostly Section 8 rentals one time. The pictures above are about right, talk about holes.

A lot of them had impressive big screen TV's though!:coco:

 

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[Edge]

When I was an agent I made the mistake of showing low end, mostly Section 8 rentals one time. The pictures above are about right, talk about holes.

A lot of them had impressive big screen TV's though!:coco:

You nailed it with this one. My last section 8 tennant was kicked off the program because she didn't pay her gas bill. No gas at time of annual inspection is a no no.

About a week later my PM told me that she went by and she was apparently all moved out. Apparently she did a drive by and didn't enter. Well me and my handyman went by later that day and opened the door to a ceiling that was now sitting on the floor! But, all her stuff was still in there. I don't mean the normal garage sale stuff that you don't want to move stuff, I mean pictures of kids on the wall, food in the fridge, and a big screen TV that Best Buy would kill to have on display!

I didn't know what to do, I couldn't live with throwing out all this lady's wordly posessions, and transporting the big screen to my house. I couldn't turn my rental into a self storage unit either, especially since nobody was paying the rent.

Come to find out, she had driven to another state to get her family to help her move all of her stuff. While there, she was arrested and thrown in jail (I don't know what for). Anyway, her family showed up a few days later and got all of (well most of) her stuff.

I don't think that there is anything that could suprise me on the other side of a newly vacated rental property anymore.

 

[PEERless]

So you guys don't do walk-throughs with your tenants on move-out day?

 

[bflash98]

So you guys don't do walk-throughs with your tenants on move-out day?

It's funny but the times my units have been left a dump is the same times my renters are no where to be found...

 

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[PEERless]

Sorry. Dumb question. I was assuming people want their deposits back.

 

[bflash98]

Sorry. Dumb question. I was assuming people want their deposits back.

That is what I thought as well why would people just give up their deposit. :smx4:

From my experience people who leave their places like this are use to not getting their deposits back and I think when the give the money away they already count it as being gone.

 

[EasyMoney_in_NC]

That is what I thought as well why would people just give up their deposit. :smx4:

From my experience people who leave their places like this are use to not getting their deposits back and I think when the give the money away they already count it as being gone.

Or they think every one lives like they do and don't understand the true meaning of "normal" wear and tare Those pics above (either set) are NOT normal!

 

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[kurtyordy]

The worst place I ever saw was as a real estate agent. I had a relationship with national bank and I got to list all their properties in a particular county.

I took back a 3 unit for them in the city once.

Apparently the landlord had stopped paying the trash bill. The mountain of trash was in the back yard was as high as the second story balcony. Plus it was snowing when I took it back. I thought of trying to sled on it.

The roof leaked bad, so the second floor tenant had to keep an umbrella tied over their toilet so they would not get wet when it rained.

It was disgusting.

 

[PEERless]

Wow! I charged a$1000 deposit on my $800/mo. apt. Think that's enough to discourage THIS ind of behavior?

 

[Edge]

Wow! I charged a$1000 deposit on my $800/mo. apt. Think that's enough to discourage THIS ind of behavior?

Sure that works great if your units are in that type of area. My example was in the inner-city core. The only thing that a "for rent" sign in the yard followed up with a "I want a $1000 deposit" would get me is my copper plumbing stolen.

I'm not complaining, I chose to buy these houses for the section 8 cashflow. Was it a good decision? Jury is still out, after 3 years it seems like a wash compared to nicer areas.

 

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[hatterasguy]

Sure that works great if your units are in that type of area. My example was in the inner-city core. The only thing that a "for rent" sign in the yard followed up with a "I want a $1000 deposit" would get me is my copper plumbing stolen.

I'm not complaining, I chose to buy these houses for the section 8 cashflow. Was it a good decision? Jury is still out, after 3 years it seems like a wash compared to nicer areas.

Thats what I have seen, I rather rent higher end places. You still have problems, but they are usualy less.

 

[PEERless]

Edge, how much is your deposit? And rent, for that matter?

 

[stillworkin]

For my lower end, rent is 625 and deposit is 600. 200 non refundable if they have pets.

 

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[PEERless]

I see. OK. I have no pets, so all $1000 is NRF in that case.

 

[Edge]

Edge, how much is your deposit? And rent, for that matter?

My inner-city open market is between $600-$700 rent, deposit is 1 month non-negotiable.

Inner-city section 8 ranges between $775-$900, I advertise $300 deposit but it is alway negotiated. I haven't ever collected more than $250 for a section 8 deposit. I've actually let one section 8 tennant move in for $0 deosit, and she has been a great tennant.

 

[NoMoneyDown]

I see. OK. I have no pets, so all $1000 is NRF in that case.

Maybe I missed something, but are you saying a $1000 NRF security deposit?

 

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[MsMoney]

Wow! So, are you telling me that these pics and these stories I've read are ALL Section 8 tenants?

Even with the cashflow, I don't want that much of a headache! I've NEVER had any problems like that with my tenants. Is it worth your time & energy to have to deal with that kind of b.s.?

Do any of you have GOOD Section 8 tenants...paying on time, taking care of your property? I just don't see the long term financial value in that....can some one educate me a bit more? Is it that profitable? It just seems more of a headache and having to put out that kind of time on something....I find my time is more valuable to me...

I'd rather rent to someone that will care for my property, and I have my PM check it out every 6 months for "maintenence" inspections (i.e., changing the air conditioning vents, making sure the unit/home is in good condition)....do any of you do that??

I'm just in shock. Those are the kind of props I'd buy and rehab....but I would NEVER want a tenant like that....are all those Section 8 people like that??....

Sorry, I'm rambling....I'm just in a state of shock!

 

[stillworkin]

Those were regular tenants in that house. At first, when the PM went to check on the house, everything seemed OK but when they started falling short on the rent and not paying on time, thats when they had nothing to lose, hence the furniture being left behind.

I threatened them with the pay or quit letter, so they moved out, no notice or anything. They even kept the keys. But that's the low end of my rentals, I have other decent ones in better areas that fair alot better.

The nature of the business.