Well this post is definitely a rambling and complaining about landlording. If you don’t want to get any negative thoughts, or read about landlord issues, just back out before it gets to you, too. LOL 🙂 Cheers!
Turn-over is inevitable in rental property. Especially, when you throw 3 young men and women together in a 3-bedroom, 1 bath house. Eventually, the boy will meet girl, and the girl get him to move out. Then they found a girl to be in his place. Either way, that requires extra work from me to have new girl sign new contract.
Well, the drama won’t stop there, girl comes with a dog. Shoot! Man, what is it with all these young adult that could barely paying bills but take on a responsibility of having a pet. If they have a child, the child grow up to become an adult. A pet is a different thing altogether, the pet never grow up.
Anyhow, I received a complaint that that dog was barking and whining non-stop. It turned out it was a puppy, and it heard noises upstairs and it wanted some attention. Well, I had to make a house visit, making sure the dog was fine, the dog has school (lesson, behavior class, dog sitter when they out, etc). Phew!
But nope!! Here comes another noise complaint: One of the tenant is a musician, he plays all sort of instruments. With the keyboard he can put on the headphone, but with the ukelele, it could be tough for a pre-medical student to tolerate the ups and the downs. Well, your mighty landlord, me, stepped up again. Asked them to call truce, worked out a time where he can practice his music for church and she can study. Phews!
If you think it’s over, nah, it ain’t over. As it turned out, the washer and dryers in my acquired building wasn’t work property. Well, being pretty professional at fixing these appliance, I stepped up to the challange. I diagnosed the right thing for the dryer, but my handyman broke the washer somehow. I’ve sinked $400 into this. It’s a stack-able unit from longggg time ago. (When I opened, I just love it so much, the design is so beautiful, I guess that’s why it’s so long lasting. I did so much research on it, I even memorize the model number: LSE7804ACE). So, I can’t find matching washer. I’m going to brace the punch in my stomach and buy new washer and dryer.
Just when I thought the washer and dryer issue was over. I found the other unit, the washer is a dump. there is gunk and such in there, I don’t think it was working. So, I’m going to sink a total $1900 to get this sort of nightmarish behind me.
To be continue … 😛
Update: I found a pair of washer and dryer front loader on Craigslist for $100, Delivery, install, removed $120 = $220. So I didn’t have to pay $1200 for the pair. I’m still looking for a washer though.
From the picture, it doesn’t look bad, hopefully it would last for a long time. The lady has just moved from New York, she brought her washer with her. I emailed her 3 days ago, but no respond, once she responded, she wanted it gone immediately. I was able to arrange a 2 guys with a truck mover from Craigslist’s. He said he also have people looking for a apartment, and know a guy who sell used washer, maybe I can get this issue behind me.
It’s not easy being a landlord. I miss the passive income, but not the complaints or replacing items. Nice buy on the washer and dryer. They look brand new.
Hi Vivienne
I have experience too in the past being a landlord and having to cater to the needs of the tenant when things broke down and stuff like that.
I must say that after the whole experience of passive income, I don’t quite like being a landlord though. It seems there’s many errands to run, not to mention the paperwork and the taxes and stuff like that too.
We feel you pain…
These are definitely the downsides of being a landlord. I read about the positives of the cash flow all the time and unfortunately, these stories are much hard to come by. Hopefully the situation takes care of itself soon and you won’t have to ramble anymore.
Bert
Nothing wrong with owning real estate or being a landlord. Just don’t kid yourself into thinking it’s all about collecting rent checks in a passive manner. There is a lot of legwork and expense that goes along with being a landlord.
Landlording can be hard work and it is definitely not for everyone. But if you keep going, the rewards will come along the way.