Building and Selling Your Business - Smooth Work Life

Its April already and I have to say that this year at this time is 100 % better than last year at this time. The Smooth work life, again.

Last year I had over half of the rentals empty and I went to each and cleaned and did the repairs, some taking longer than others, I was living on half the income and using that same cash flow to repair each one, it was not easy but I managed it right.

I learned a huge lesson last year about the people that were coming to me for a house, most of them did not work regular, all of them had pets and none of them could afford to pay me what I wanted for the houses. As I repaired and cleaned the houses I as thinking about how to draw in the people that I wanted in the neighborhood, the peaceful people, the young families.

I upped my game, added a little more here or there, although it took me longer to get back on the market.

I also listened to someone I do not even know, I was so down about how someone left one of the rentals and when this person said "What kind of people are you renting to? They Don`t seem to care." That statement did open my eyes so I did a little research and found out why I was getting the so called "I don`t care" people. I was to cheap! My prices was an invitation for disaster.

Now I am in competition, no longer the lowest but the same price as other rentals in the area. It has been a long time since I raised the rent and I can say it was well overdue. I have a no pets policy that I stick to, they will be evicted if they get an inside animal and MUST have written permission for any outside pets, so far all of the tenants came to me without owning pets. All of the tenants, except the elderly ladies, work full time jobs and all of them have young children.

Collection this month was a breeze, for a change.

I called and made the appointment time to collect for each and all were on time. 

I have even stopped carrying the elderly ladies around, however, I do give them a ride to the bank but that is it, no more all day taking them grocery shopping or dropping them off at a restaurant and coming back to pick them up. Just as I knew they would, they have found someone else to do it, A member of their  church.

I made a list of small repairs or things that need to be done for each. I hope to get that started next week, today its raining so no working on any of the rentals.

I still have the one place that I am repairing, its at a stand still till warmer weather so maybe, just maybe I can get back on it later this month. I could have a yard sale there while its empty too, I often do that, at least use it for something :)

I also sold another house, "for sale by owner"  So far all is good and payments are on time but that will more than likely be the last I sell this way, I prefer all the money at once so that I can apply it back into the business.

How is your business life this year?

By Andria Perry

Photo By Andria Perry

Building and Selling Your Business - Selling And Leasing

When is it time to sell? 

I have been tired of repairing a few of the rental properties I own so when I find some good people I will offer them the house they lease. Today I took the down payment for one property and we will close next week. I do love this house and that is why I bought it but I am sure I will never live there so its time to sell so someone else can make a home.

When Do I lease a house? 

I  had a call from a lady needing a house, since the lady and her ex share custody of their children she wanted in the same neighborhood, I did check with the man to see what he thought about it and he said that was fine with him, that they got alone pretty good. I told him well at least the boys could walk back and forth if they wanted to.

So I had my sister to show the lady the house I have been working on, or rather hired people to work on.

The lady called me and she took the house. I am signing the lease today but she has to give me till Saturday to get the house finished inside because I have stuff to move out, my ladder and paint supplies and the like, it has to be mopped and cleaned. I will work on the outside all Summer because it looks so bad.

I did not have intentions of leasing this house out yet but sometimes I just have to go for it. Plus working outside no one has to be home. A empty house is not good, I like people in all the houses. Plus the money is always a help.

I do have to give thanks to God, my heavenly father, for providing me with the houses and the wonderful tenants.

By Andria Perry

Photo By Andria Perry

Building and Selling Your Business - They Murdered It

In a week March will be here and I will say goodbye to one of the jobs I have been doing this year and I will have no regrets of leaving this one. All the driving is finally getting to me.

For the past week I have relied on the phone to get work done on a couple rental houses since I have been for the most part living an hour away and being a 24/7 caretaker of someone very sick. 

This is driving me crazy- feels like I have lost control or maybe I just cant supervise the work and the quality.

More about : The Newborn house 

I made appointments with several people to get several things done in this one rental house, usually I do all the work myself but being an hour away its just impossible this time. 

1- Painting

2- Carpet cleaned

3 - Electric repairs.

My sister needed money this month for an unexpected bill so I hired her to do the painting. One coat was done and half of the trim by the previous tenant. She started right away and has been working at her own (slow) pace but she knows there is a deadline.

More about :The dead beat tenant. 

I had hired this one guy to do the carpets a month ago but he was a no show on the best weekend so I went ahead and got the painting scheduled and now the guy wants to do the carpets.

Read more : Do not pay first 

Now to the electrician.

My sister has a key to the house so she saved me some time by letting the electricians in to work.

Last tenant also pulled down the dining room over head light fixture and broke two more so that the bulb had to be screwed in to use. Plus this house had a gas stove but I wanted it electric because most people do not use gas except for heat so I had him put in a new breaker with a 220 line.

But let me tell you, the Electrician murdered my wallet! Took all of what I had and I owe them $50. The quote was for around $200, the bill was $340. 

But they also removed the stove, took off the gas pipe and told me to buy a plug but I am sure I have one, before I rented the house.

The guy showed up to clean the carpets while I was there and I told him to wait till my sister finished painting because it would take them days to dry, BUT I gave him work of cutting in a carpet for one of the bedrooms.

I have yet to call and check on those two.

Dead wallet I have. Plain out murder.

By Andria Perry

Photo By Andria Perry.

Adventures Of A Landlady - I Got A Man

Being a landlady can be boring at times and other times filled with drama, I prefer a nice smooth running business but I have yet to find any business that is drama free.

I rented a house back in November to a man with four young boys. He is the tenant that I collect mid month from. He had asked if it was possible when I rented this house to him and I agreed. Today was collection day. He knew I was coming because I called last week, but he was not up and had not went to the bank and it was already noon. I told his mother that lives with him and takes care of the boys I would be back in 30 minutes. But he had not returned and I asked his mom if she would get the rent and let me come back later.

I really needed to inspect the house, its a month over due but last month they boys had strep throat and now the adults have the flu. Just by looking into the house via kitchen it looks okay BUT I really need to see the rest of the house.

I also rented a house this month to a family that rented from me some years back and they took their time moving in and that was fine by me. Late yesterday I got a call that when the water company cut the water on a pipe was busted outside by the house. Well, I was over an hour away with someone sick so I asked her if I could come the next morning and she said he dad could fix it if that was okay, I said yes because he has worked for me before.

While in the neighborhood I seen the man that fixed the pipe and I stopped to pay him, he wanted next to nothing and I paid him a lot more, it was worth it to me. Then he was moving a refrigerator out and to another house for me because they have their own, so he also got hired to move two fridges.

After I got finished with my other job I went back to the rental neighborhood and I blew the horn when I seen him leaving his daughters and he stopped, I handed him a $20 and he said , no that`s okay." I through it in the truck and said " I might need you again and I want you to always get paid for work you do for me." He said just call if we need to work him. 

I think I finally got me a man, a handyman that is.

I did collect the rent.

Now to the only empty rental house. 

I am hiring my sister to paint the rental for me, I had this one guy paint it weird colors and the next man was supposed to paint it for the deposit but it is just a smear job and none of the trim is done, I got awarded that money in court! Anyways I took her paint, two new brushes, a new roller nap and a roller handle, I also will pay her to clean so I took a new bottle of pine-sol. I showed her what to do and then I had to go buy light bulbs! The last man took them all and I had put the 5 year light bulbs in, never again.

By phone I set up the appointment with the electrician  and the guy who will clean the carpets, I did put him on hold because the electricians will be in and out and their boots track in a mess. 

It is very hard not to do the work myself because I always have but at the moment I cannot get away from the 24/7 care taking job I have. It is really hard because I am a no nonsense get it done and not waste time doing so, everyone else is SOOOOO slow and I am not paying by the hour but the job.

I am hoping to sell another house next month, its not that I don`t want it I just feel like its time to sell a few and get busy using the land just setting, maybe a trailer park? 

I would like to get out of the rental business but seems this business has claimed me :)

Another day in the life!

By Andria Perry

Photos By Andria Perry