Trouble Brewing...

I fucking hope these kids don't burn me. They still owe me a bunch of money towards last months' rent (called Saturday as the chic got laid off last week, which sucks) to say they'll just pay ALL of it this weekend instead of half and half last weekend and this one, as they were planning. Blargh. I've only got $100 of their money as insurance and I hope that's enough. He can afford the rent without her income but still - if they bail Rob is going to have a shit-fit. As am I. Honestly - I had so many good applicants for this place, and these guys are still great, as long as they come through.

If they bail, I quit. ;) I will never rent to another promising young couple again. Unless they have kids and are stuck with each other. I mean it this time.

This job sucks

And the pay is shitty too
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And...done.

The new tenants have paid their deposit, and are moving in February 15. I think that's the best case scenario for this place. L. is moving out January 31, and he paid a last months' rent deposit, so even though he's bailing on his sixty days notice, I'm only losing half a months' rent. Which actually gives me time to get the carpets cleaned (which they BADLY need - blech) and a couple of small repairs made.

The new tenants, P&H, are pretty good. The caliber of tenant has really gone up since I started doing this 5 years ago (FIVE YEARS!! Holy crap). They are 25 & 36, been living together for nearly 3 years (which almost kinda makes him creepy now that I think of it, LOL), and they both have decent steady jobs that they've been at for awhile. They are very excited about the place and can't wait to move in. I always like that - I feel like I'm giving people a comfortable home to live in. Later I'll be swearing about it when something breaks on a late Saturday night, but for now I feel good about it!

The downstairs tenants at Lottridge, B&H, were a little disappointed. They missed the boat though! Their friends decided on Thursday that they would probably love to live there, but unfortunately for them I had already signed the new tenants. I hope it doesn't cause problems, but honestly I'd rather have them not know each other so well. I don't want my whole house being like a big friends' party house.

The stupid fridge is STILL on the porch at Sanford. The guy that said he was picking it up bailed and nobody told me. So I have to call the scrappers and get that gone. Oh, and the front porch light is out as well. I'm sending Rob to do that one.

Hopefully things will be quiet now for a couple of weeks.

I think we have it rented!

Tonight I had two couples show up for their appointments out of three. So all told I was 7 for 8. I think that's the best yet!
I offered it to the good couple from Monday but they never called me back so pft on them. They probably couldn't get the deposit.

So tonight the nice couple from st. Catharine's (no kids two cats) got the place! Well, as soon as they pay their deposit that is. He's 36 and she is 25, they've lived together for 2.5 years and they both have good jobs. Plus they LOVE it! That's my favourite part. I hope they stay awhile.
I hope they pay their deposit so I don't have to do this anymore.

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EVERYONE showed up!

I had five appointments booked for yesterday to show Lottridge #1. I've learned in the past few years to double book - usually only 50% of applicants actually show up, and if you have more than one applicant there at a time, it creates interest and tension.

Anyway, they *all* showed up and it was a madhouse! Ah well. Here are the applicants:

1. Young couple, expectant mother due, like, RIGHT NOW. They've just now figured out that they drafty crummy 1-bedroom place is not suitable for a child and need to move asap. But they have a few conditions. She is on assistance and doesn't want to tell them that her gainfully employed boyfriend is living with her and chipping in. Oh, and could I falsify my rent receipts and rental agreement to show that she pays $700 per month, not $875. Because then they would be suspicious. NEXT.

2. Young family (so very young!) with a 21-month-old little girl, very polite. Mother is not working, recently lost job with plant cutbacks, is going back to college. Father works for his own parents at well-established local autobody shop - good income. They are well-spoken. Moving asap because of problems with other tenants where they currently live.

3. Young family #2 (even younger!) with a 20-month old daughter. Quiet, shy, seem unsure of themselves. Love the place (of course, everyone does). Boyfriend works but they don't make much money, barely enough to cover it. She is also on assistance, not working. She is gone back to school to get her GED. Eventually wants to go to college to be a law clerk. Medium-sized mixed dog.

4. Single dude. No references, no job (student), no visible means of support. NO.

5. Family of 4, children aged 1 & 3. Small jack russell terrier. Seem a bit obnoxious. Want to live there forever. Don't make a lot, and currently going back to renting after selling their house.

I have one more showing tomorrow night to a single father who has his two boys on the weekends.

I like option #2 a lot and called them to tell them so - but they haven't called me back! So I dunno yet. Option 5 looks good on paper, but I just didn't get a great feeling from them. I know I shouldn't go by gut feelings, but I do. I really liked the young kids with their daughter. I hope they come through for me.

We shall see!

It has been 12 hours without an emergency...

Wow! I feel refreshed. Ha! I got the tap fixed this morning. First I went to Lowes since it's closer. The guy there informed me that it's a Delta faucet type that's not made anymore and they don't have any of the cartridges. He sent me to a Plumbing Supply place that was closed. I cannot leave the water off until tomorrow.

I then went to Home Depot, where the plumbing guy took my cartridge, and climbed way high up in the shelves to a box labelled "Delta parts", fished out new cartridge guts to me, and gave them to me NO CHARGE! WOOT! Ten minutes at the house and it was all fixed.

Chris the snow guy came out and did all the houses for $40 again. I think I'm ripping him off.

I'm also getting better at taking pictures of apartments. I took the camera with me since Lottridge #1 looks way better than the website photos showed. I took all new photos and updated the website, I think it's much improved:

Lottridge #1

Oh my effing god.

This is not even funny. Here I was thinking I'd start a blog and talk about my houses - so I guess my houses have decided to give me something to talk about!

Lottridge #1 called me at 7:30. We were just on our way out to move the old fridge out of Sanford #3. His bathtub tap is frigging Niagara Falls. Turns out it's just a new cartridge (yay cartridge faucets!) but the hardware stores are closed. Yay! So the entire house has no water until about 10 am tomorrow morning. Good stuff.

This is a public service announcement - always install a panel so you can access individual shut offs without tearing out a wall. It is only a matter of time before something dies and you need to turn off the water. It is much easier to turn off the broken line instead of having the whole house off.

Also the inevitable came up. He hasn't got the rent. Sigh. I gave him the grace until today but he just didn't come up with the money. So he's leaving at the end of the month. I loved him as a tenant. But after his daughter moved out in September I knew it was a matter of time. Then closing his business nailed the coffin.