Tax time has meant various things to me over the years, but in landlord speak it means paid rent. "Huh?" Really. Two of our tenants were desperately behind in their rent. In fact, Jana posted a 3-day eviction notice on one of them. The very next day she walked in the door with $1,770 in cash. The other tenant also walked in with a wad of cash to catch up. Both said it was a tax refund.
Don't get me wrong. I am very happy they are caught up and we desperately need the money to pay bills and make repairs. But I am concerned whether they will be able to remain current. I'm trying not to borrow worry.
Here's this weekend's to-do list:
#103
Replace medicine chests in both bathrooms
Replace light fixture in stairway
Paint upstairs bathroom
Replace bath faucet
Replace valve stems in lavatory faucet
Buy new drip pans for stove
Fix evaporation tray in refrigerator
Replace smoke detector
Spray paint the stairway and closets
Paint bathroom vanity
Check window coverings and replace if needed
Replace light fixture in kitchen and dining room
Ugh...that's not all, I'm just tired of listing things.
If you are thinking about becoming a landlord - think twice. Here's our experience managing rentals in northern Colorado.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
The Pit Bull and the Screen Door
One of our most reliable tenants showed up with a pit bull. We actually saw the dog about two months ago and told him the dog had to go. No Pit Bulls. Well, that fell on deaf ears! But bless our dear property manager's heart! She confronted him when he paid the rent on Feb 1.
He said if the dog goes, he goes. She said, "don't let the door hit you on the way out." I love it! Then she sent a follow up letter confirming his intent to vacate before March 1. YEA! Although I'm sad to lose a steady tenant, the other tenants were complaining and it's all good.
Also, our dear property manager has worked miracles! Remember our dear Courtney? Rubber bands in the drain? Tub wouldn't drain because the lever was down? Two big dogs? Jana found them a new place to move effective April first. Meanwhile, they got ride of the nasty dog, took down all the signs and paraphenelia that screamed "Beware of Dog." She's a miracle worker.
He said if the dog goes, he goes. She said, "don't let the door hit you on the way out." I love it! Then she sent a follow up letter confirming his intent to vacate before March 1. YEA! Although I'm sad to lose a steady tenant, the other tenants were complaining and it's all good.
Also, our dear property manager has worked miracles! Remember our dear Courtney? Rubber bands in the drain? Tub wouldn't drain because the lever was down? Two big dogs? Jana found them a new place to move effective April first. Meanwhile, they got ride of the nasty dog, took down all the signs and paraphenelia that screamed "Beware of Dog." She's a miracle worker.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Call the plumbers, would ya?
A plumber responded to #4 on New Year's Eve to fix a bathtub that wasn't draining. Here's the bill:
Tub not draining.
Put lever down.
Drains fine
$49
Help me!
Monday, February 7, 2011
Speechless!
It's amazing, and stunning, and unbelievable. We did, indeed, talk with our fabulous property manager and decided to proceed with evicting Courtney and her dogs. Jana posted her 3 day notice today and tonight I was getting cell phone calls from Courtney on my cell phone. When I didn't answer I received a text message.
I responded that I was unavailable and she should call Jana with any issues. Here's her response (verbatim):
" K i hope ur okay i just had a question if u or ur husbend had a problems with my dogs...i'll let u know how everything goes."
I am speechless!
I responded that I was unavailable and she should call Jana with any issues. Here's her response (verbatim):
" K i hope ur okay i just had a question if u or ur husbend had a problems with my dogs...i'll let u know how everything goes."
I am speechless!
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Puppies, paint and panic
1. Puppies (aka DOGS) I've had it. The property manager and I never did get together to confront Courtney but I'm SO done. Every time we're over there the dogs - the big dogs - are alone in the apartment, barking like crazy, clawing at the window. There is big poop all over the little back yard that they've wire-tied together. Now they've posted a "Beware Of Dog" sign.
We had resolved that we would have to wait until we rented the vacant apartment next door before we started eviction notice on Courtney and Trinidad for their dog violation(s). What to do? We aren't getting enough income from the rented units to cover the expenses. Do we evict a paying tenant? AAARRRRGGGGHHHH.
2. Paint: We're working like crazy on Mom's house for the kids. They're planning to move in asap, but target date is Feb 15. Diego and I both took Thursday afternoon off work to work over there. We taped and masked the ceiling and floors in prep for spraying drywall texture. The sprayer must stay parallel to the wall - well that's just fine between 3-5 feet off the floor - but at floor level and ceiling level? Squat, stand, reach, stand, squat, repeat. Who needs Work Out West?
We vowed to spend Friday night doing nothing, but Saturday we were back at it. We sprayed primer in the morning and paint in the afternoon. Same technique for spraying paint: squat, stand, reach - keep the sprayer parallel to the wall. I was exhausted.
What's left? Bedroom ceiling trim, bedroom base moulding, fix acoustical ceiling tiles, closet shelves, install bi-fold closet door, repair carpet in bedroom and living room, build new counter top with new laminate, install new kitchen sink, paint second coat on dining room walls, and a few other things. Individually each task isn't bad, but as a composite - Yikes! None of this takes into account what the kids have on their own to-do list: grout tile back splash, finish final touches of paint on cabinets, install new cabinet pulls, replace cabinet doors paint living room, etc.,. etc,. etc. Even after they move in they'll have a long to-do list.
3. Panic: A new tenant moved into in the 8 plex this weekend - Thank God! Wednesday night I had a dream that he backed out of the lease because he was told there was asbestos. I woke up at 3:30 a.m. trying to decide if it was real or a dream and worried in a half-conscious state til morning. Good grief!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
If you give a mouse a cookie, the story goes, he will ask for a glass of milk. If you allow a tenant one small, 10# dog, he will bring in a 40# dog, and then two. It's true.
In August, when Courtney signed the lease, she told the property manager she had a dog. A small one. We soon discovered it was a 40# black lab mix dog that BARKS! Now we find Courtney has two dogs that bark in stereo. We've actually known it for a month or so, but we haven't done anything proactive about it yet.
Flash forward to today. Chris, my son, was at the 4-plex painting one of the vacant units. Courtney, who has been spying on Chris between the slats of the blinds for two days ran outside to tell him "you're going to have to replace the carpet, you know, because of the dog."
He proceeded to tell her tenants were allowed one small, 10# dog and not two large dogs. And if the carpets were damaged and needed to be replaced it would come out of her deposits. "Oh no," she said, "I mean in this vacant unit. Inez had a dog."
A. Inez did, in fact, have a dog. For two months she had the tiniest chihuahua you ever saw.
B. There was very little 'evidence' left behind in her apartment.
C. Where the heck does she come off "ratting out" Inez, when she has two dogs the size of Manhattan?
Chris called to tell me the story - and we chuckled. But the big laugh came an hour later when the property manager emailed to tell me that Courtney called to say, "We had to get a (second) male dog because one of my husband's friends said he was going to come have sex with me." (Cue to barf here. This is not a pretty picture)
The saga will continue tomorrow when the property manager and I confront Courtney.
You couldn't make this stuff up!
In August, when Courtney signed the lease, she told the property manager she had a dog. A small one. We soon discovered it was a 40# black lab mix dog that BARKS! Now we find Courtney has two dogs that bark in stereo. We've actually known it for a month or so, but we haven't done anything proactive about it yet.
Flash forward to today. Chris, my son, was at the 4-plex painting one of the vacant units. Courtney, who has been spying on Chris between the slats of the blinds for two days ran outside to tell him "you're going to have to replace the carpet, you know, because of the dog."
He proceeded to tell her tenants were allowed one small, 10# dog and not two large dogs. And if the carpets were damaged and needed to be replaced it would come out of her deposits. "Oh no," she said, "I mean in this vacant unit. Inez had a dog."
A. Inez did, in fact, have a dog. For two months she had the tiniest chihuahua you ever saw.
B. There was very little 'evidence' left behind in her apartment.
C. Where the heck does she come off "ratting out" Inez, when she has two dogs the size of Manhattan?
Chris called to tell me the story - and we chuckled. But the big laugh came an hour later when the property manager emailed to tell me that Courtney called to say, "We had to get a (second) male dog because one of my husband's friends said he was going to come have sex with me." (Cue to barf here. This is not a pretty picture)
The saga will continue tomorrow when the property manager and I confront Courtney.
You couldn't make this stuff up!
Sunday, January 9, 2011
The (undesired) Return of the Evicted
It's been about 2 months since Vicky was evicted. (Read below for full story) She was two, three ... I lost count ... months behind in her rent. Then, standing before a judge, she had the nerve to lie to him and tell him that our records were faulty and that she should be allowed to stay. But it's all behind us now. I thought.
Today it was snowing and the temperatures are going to be in the single digits this week so we stopped by the 8 plex to check on the boiler . Julie was shoveling the show - hallelujah! Here's my conversation with her:
Julie: Hey, remember that girl who lived upstairs? (Vicky) She came by here the other day asking where your mom lives. She said she wants to move back in here. She said she didn't want to talk to Jana (our property manager), but wanted to talk directly to your mom.
Me: WHAT? There is no way.
Julie: Yea, I told her "after all you did to them and you owed them so much money? You need to leave them alone."
Ya think? After all her lies, I am done dealing with her.
Vicki is street smart and a good liar and great at manipulation. However, I'm confident that Mom won't give her the time of day. She'll refer her to The property manager. But I'm still amazed at her nerve. Either she is the most nervy person I've known, or she's the most delusional. I'm not sure which!
Today it was snowing and the temperatures are going to be in the single digits this week so we stopped by the 8 plex to check on the boiler . Julie was shoveling the show - hallelujah! Here's my conversation with her:
Julie: Hey, remember that girl who lived upstairs? (Vicky) She came by here the other day asking where your mom lives. She said she wants to move back in here. She said she didn't want to talk to Jana (our property manager), but wanted to talk directly to your mom.
Me: WHAT? There is no way.
Julie: Yea, I told her "after all you did to them and you owed them so much money? You need to leave them alone."
Ya think? After all her lies, I am done dealing with her.
Vicki is street smart and a good liar and great at manipulation. However, I'm confident that Mom won't give her the time of day. She'll refer her to The property manager. But I'm still amazed at her nerve. Either she is the most nervy person I've known, or she's the most delusional. I'm not sure which!
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