In this episode of Courtney's World we find her peering out of her kitchen window to find someone pulling up to the apartment dumpster throwning a bunch of trash into our dumpster. Ever the good "Do-Bee," she writes down the license plate number and calles the police. Yea! Then she digs around in the newly-delivered trash to find the name and address of the offender. Yea!
The cops respond and take Courtney's statement and proceed to contact the offender who says she'd gladly retrieve her trash rather than get a "theft of services" ticket. However, somewhere along the way Courtney told the woman that was okay for her to leave it there. WHAT? The cops trot back to Courtney to verify and, sure enough, Courtney gave her permission to leave the trash. So, the official disposition of the Police case is "unfounded" and we/they won't prosecute because Courtney gave her consent to leave it.
So if you can figure this one out, call me! Why did she give permission for the woman to leave her trash and yet still call the cops AND give them a statement? On what planet does she have authority to tell someone that I'll pay to have their trash hauled off? Why...I could go on, but ...Why?
If you are thinking about becoming a landlord - think twice. Here's our experience managing rentals in northern Colorado.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
We offered one of our tenants who was significantly behind on rent the opportunity to do some painting in exchange for rent credit. He did a great job! He was kind of slow but we were "paying" him for the job, not for how long it took.
Subsequently he split up with his wife and is living with his mom about 15 miles outside of town. He has now asked if he can live in one of our vacant apartments in exchange for more work. Without a doubt, there is plenty of work to do. He's proven that he can do a good job and he's eager to work.
My fear, however, is getting him back out of the apartment. We have a vacant apartment that is going to require a lot of work and is on the bottom of our list for renovation/repairs and he offered to take that apartment.
Call us crazy, but we're actually thinking about it - but with parameters. Written parameters, with a sunset clause. Hear me out. The grass will be growing (or is that groaning) again very soon, which means fixing sprinklers, spreading weed and feed, mowing lawns, and trash pick-up. We also have two other vacant apartments that need lots of attention; painting, carpet shampooing, window blinds, screens, etc., etc., etc.
So we'll see what happens. I don't know whether we'll do it or not. And if we do, it might turn and bite us. Stay tuned.
And now for scenes from our next episode...My favorite tenant, Courtney is in rare form when she calls the cops on someone dumping their trash in our dumpster.
Subsequently he split up with his wife and is living with his mom about 15 miles outside of town. He has now asked if he can live in one of our vacant apartments in exchange for more work. Without a doubt, there is plenty of work to do. He's proven that he can do a good job and he's eager to work.
My fear, however, is getting him back out of the apartment. We have a vacant apartment that is going to require a lot of work and is on the bottom of our list for renovation/repairs and he offered to take that apartment.
Call us crazy, but we're actually thinking about it - but with parameters. Written parameters, with a sunset clause. Hear me out. The grass will be growing (or is that groaning) again very soon, which means fixing sprinklers, spreading weed and feed, mowing lawns, and trash pick-up. We also have two other vacant apartments that need lots of attention; painting, carpet shampooing, window blinds, screens, etc., etc., etc.
So we'll see what happens. I don't know whether we'll do it or not. And if we do, it might turn and bite us. Stay tuned.
And now for scenes from our next episode...My favorite tenant, Courtney is in rare form when she calls the cops on someone dumping their trash in our dumpster.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Spa Day
We've been pretty absent from the 8 plex since October. It's a case of the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Our attention has been on getting Mom's house ready for our daughter and working on one of the vacancies in the four-plex. This combined with relatively few maintenance issues this winter, we just haven't been over there very much.
Then, last week, Jana tells us that she's rented #8. It's been vacant since July and we'd already painted, shampooed carpets, replaced window blinds etc. I thought it was ready to rent - until it was actually rented. Then we looked again with a critical eye. Yikes! Our walk through on Saturday yielded a long to-do list.
I spent last Saturday afternoon in the tub. It wasn't a spa-day, however. I was scraping grout - except it wasn't grout. It was more of that blasted rock-hard putty* - my Dad's favorite cure-all. This stuff does not scrape out. I spent hours and still didn't completely win. I even tried our nifty little multi-tool that has a jiggly little saw-blade kind of thing.
I was back in the tub on Sunday with caulk. It doesn't look great, but it's water tight, and that's the biggest thing. I also replaced the doorbell and the latch on the storm door, installed the smoke detector, measured for window screens.
Meanwhile Diego was under the sink. Repairing the air gap, fixing the diverter to the sprayer, replacing the valve stems, replacing cabinet floor, and more. I love him. I feel like everything he does at the apartments is a tangible demonstration of his love for me. He didn't ask for this but what a guy!
**************
*Durham's Rock Hard Putty. My Dad's answer any maintenance issue that requires filling a hole. It is a fine yellow powder that you mix with water in a disposable cup. Don't use too much water - keep it the consistency of peanut butter or maybe a bit looser, depending on the application. You can cut it, sand it, and paint it, and if it's thick enough, you can mold it. But be careful - it really does dry rock hard.
Then, last week, Jana tells us that she's rented #8. It's been vacant since July and we'd already painted, shampooed carpets, replaced window blinds etc. I thought it was ready to rent - until it was actually rented. Then we looked again with a critical eye. Yikes! Our walk through on Saturday yielded a long to-do list.
I spent last Saturday afternoon in the tub. It wasn't a spa-day, however. I was scraping grout - except it wasn't grout. It was more of that blasted rock-hard putty* - my Dad's favorite cure-all. This stuff does not scrape out. I spent hours and still didn't completely win. I even tried our nifty little multi-tool that has a jiggly little saw-blade kind of thing.
I was back in the tub on Sunday with caulk. It doesn't look great, but it's water tight, and that's the biggest thing. I also replaced the doorbell and the latch on the storm door, installed the smoke detector, measured for window screens.
Meanwhile Diego was under the sink. Repairing the air gap, fixing the diverter to the sprayer, replacing the valve stems, replacing cabinet floor, and more. I love him. I feel like everything he does at the apartments is a tangible demonstration of his love for me. He didn't ask for this but what a guy!
**************
*Durham's Rock Hard Putty. My Dad's answer any maintenance issue that requires filling a hole. It is a fine yellow powder that you mix with water in a disposable cup. Don't use too much water - keep it the consistency of peanut butter or maybe a bit looser, depending on the application. You can cut it, sand it, and paint it, and if it's thick enough, you can mold it. But be careful - it really does dry rock hard.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
How did Dad do it all those years?
I'm not sure how Dad did it all when he was younger - manage the apartments alone, that is. Mom helped for a lot of those early years. Both of them cleaned, painted, collected rents, posted eviction notices. But in the later years mom couldn't do the physical stuff.
Clear up until three months before he died he was still responding to calls for plumbing emergencies, no heat, etc. He poured his heart and soul into those apartments. I'm not sure if he enjoyed it or just did it because it was his retirement. He was self employed most of his life and there was no 401k, no defined benefit plans, no PERA. Just hard work.
The biggest problem that we face with the apartments now is that Dad didn't really do it for the last 10 or so years. Not for lack of trying, but climbing ladders, painting, and cleaning trashy apartments is really more than should be expected of any 78 year old man.
So the maintenance issues just piled up over the last 10 years and Dad either did things just enough to get by or just ignored problems completely. But it's caught up with us now. I've thought that I might have grieved more over his death if he hadn't left us such so much work to do. Sounds kinda heartless, but honest.
So we spent the day getting #8 ready for a new tenant. We did a walk through first then I scraped tile, dug the nasty grout out from the bath tub and installed a new smoke detector. Diego worked on some leaks under the kitchen sink and fixed a leaky bathtub in another unit that we discovered. We called the glass company to measure windows to replace cracked glass.
We're hoping to take tomorrow (Sunday) off from the apartments, but stuff just keeps stacking up. While we were working in #8, the gal from #1 said her oven door won't open and the garbage disposal won't work. We found the leak in the bathtub in #4, and Louise in #8 has a broken window. Yikes!
Clear up until three months before he died he was still responding to calls for plumbing emergencies, no heat, etc. He poured his heart and soul into those apartments. I'm not sure if he enjoyed it or just did it because it was his retirement. He was self employed most of his life and there was no 401k, no defined benefit plans, no PERA. Just hard work.
The biggest problem that we face with the apartments now is that Dad didn't really do it for the last 10 or so years. Not for lack of trying, but climbing ladders, painting, and cleaning trashy apartments is really more than should be expected of any 78 year old man.
So the maintenance issues just piled up over the last 10 years and Dad either did things just enough to get by or just ignored problems completely. But it's caught up with us now. I've thought that I might have grieved more over his death if he hadn't left us such so much work to do. Sounds kinda heartless, but honest.
So we spent the day getting #8 ready for a new tenant. We did a walk through first then I scraped tile, dug the nasty grout out from the bath tub and installed a new smoke detector. Diego worked on some leaks under the kitchen sink and fixed a leaky bathtub in another unit that we discovered. We called the glass company to measure windows to replace cracked glass.
We're hoping to take tomorrow (Sunday) off from the apartments, but stuff just keeps stacking up. While we were working in #8, the gal from #1 said her oven door won't open and the garbage disposal won't work. We found the leak in the bathtub in #4, and Louise in #8 has a broken window. Yikes!
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Who knew? The Pit Bull and the Screen Door - Part II
One of our rock-solid paying tenants moved out last weekend. He was such a nice guy. The tattoos and piercings were scary looking, but he was polite and friendly. His apartment was always spotless when we had to be in it for some reason. But he refused to get rid of the pit-bull dog. And since he said it was either the dog or him...we waved goodbye.
He left the apartment clean and brought the keys back - just like you'd hope a tenant would. So, what's the catch? The other tenants in the building are dancing with joy. It was only when he moved out that they started telling us about the parties, the noise, the tons of people who were always hanging out there and the fact that his friends would take up all the parking places. I need to vacuum the front yard to get all the cigarette butts!
Why wouldn't they tell Jana or us? They didn't want to cause trouble. Were they afraid of him? Or are they afraid of us? Or are they just nice people who don't want to make waves? Regardless our remaining tenants are happy campers. Now if they'll just pay their rent ...
He left the apartment clean and brought the keys back - just like you'd hope a tenant would. So, what's the catch? The other tenants in the building are dancing with joy. It was only when he moved out that they started telling us about the parties, the noise, the tons of people who were always hanging out there and the fact that his friends would take up all the parking places. I need to vacuum the front yard to get all the cigarette butts!
Why wouldn't they tell Jana or us? They didn't want to cause trouble. Were they afraid of him? Or are they afraid of us? Or are they just nice people who don't want to make waves? Regardless our remaining tenants are happy campers. Now if they'll just pay their rent ...
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