All-Star Tenant Search
I was going to blog about the details of my all-star tenant search experience (Next Top Tenant – Single Ma Edition LOL), but a friend who reads my blog warned me about the potential legal ramifications. Needless to say, Single Ma aint no fool! So my mouth is :-X
To make a short story shorter, I found a tenant! A very nice military family who are on orders until November 2009. They signed a one year lease and will move in on the 15th. Hopefully they’ll renew in a year and stay through 2009. I’m so excited! Now I won’t feel like a peasant living in the city.
As usual, it was a group effort. I have a FABULOUS circle of friends! First of all, my neighbor (bless her heart) offered to show the house for me. I don’t think she realized what she bargained for. When the ads hit the paper and word traveled the chit’lin circuit, I was getting at least 10 inquiries a day and scheduling at least 2 of the 10 for viewings.
School is letting out. Military personnel is being shifted around. Thank God I moved at a perfect time of the year!
By week two, she was showing my house to someone EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. On Thursday before Memorial Day, she called me up and said “listen here Ms. Thing, I plan to enjoy my weekend. And since you aint paying for my superior services, you better tell them people not to rang my damn doorbell until Tuesday evening!” BAAAA HAAAA HAAAA “Yes ma’am” was all I could say. She’s so sweet though. Love her!
By Friday, I had several applications. More than I knew what to do with, so I quit scheduling people to view the house anyway. Then another friend, a real estate professional, came through at the perfect time. *I know you’re reading – THANK YOU for everything*
Today I selected a tenant, emailed a copy of the lease, and discussed payment arrangements. I now hold a signed lease in my hands and expect a cashier’s check for the security deposit NLT Friday at 5pm.
*exhale* Two weeks and $250 later, I’m very pleased with the outcome. I still can’t believe I’m somebody’s Landlord. HA HA that’s just too funny!
Peace & Blessings
~*~*~*~*~*~
Work to achieve, not to acquire.
And as always, BE FABULOUS!
~SM
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Fabulous Financials » My First Year Being a Landlord (Pingback), 14 August 2008, 6:31
[...] Once I made up my mind to rent my home, I went on an All-Star Tenant Search. [...]
God is good!! :-D
Congratulations to you and your network of fabulosity! Your tenant search went MUCH faster than mine did last year, and I’m wishing you all good fortune and smooth sailing with your new renters.
Congrats on being a landlord. Sounds like all is going well. You were able to fill that vacancy very quickly, that is good.
Congratulations. And I must say, getting a check each month is a sweet, sweet, thing – even if you have to use it to pay the mortgage.
Congratulations Single Ma. I know you’re happy to have crossed that item off your checklist!
Woo Hoo! That is wicked awesome (highest kudos a Bostonian can give) news!
Now, just a few things left to do before you can really sit back and just wait for those monthly checks to roll in…
1) Check what your state requires for handling security and last month checks. In my state (Massachusetts) I have to put the security and the last month each in a seperate interest bearing account. I then have to provide the info on the security deposit account only to the tenant.
2) Fill out a “Move-In” condition form. Fill it out when the place is empty and take pictures and attach that to the form. You should try to walk through the house with them with two copies of the filled-out form. If they want to change anything both of you make the change on your forms. Once everyone agrees to the condition, both parties sign and date each others forms and now you each have signed originals. FILE THE FORM WITH YOUR LEASE. This form can become a critical piece of documentation if condition of the unit becomes a problem later.
3) Make sure to get the tenants new home phone number or if starting a new job new work number. With everyone now having cell phones this is less of critical issue, but still, make sure you know how to get in touch with them once they move-in.
Now you can sit back and enjoy those checks rolling in :) Welcome to Landlordhood!
boston gal nailed all the to do’s..
congratulations ma!!! :) fabulous job!
Yea!! Girl, He is truly orchestrating isn’t He? I know you’re excited to have this behind you. Sending up prayers for a glitch-free tenancy! Gon’ on wif ya fabulous self!
singing:
~~singlema gonna work it out~~singlema gonna work it out~~
xoxo
Congrats girl!
@ dimples – Aint He though? :-)
@ meeegan – I can’t believe how fast it happened either. Other RE investors were telling me all along that it would rent fast. I didn’t believe it though. Now looka here. LOL
@ tired – Yep, all is going well. Not perfect, but “well.” I’m content with the ups and downs.
@ cyn – HA HA that’s the thing. As soon as I get it, it’ll go straight to mortgage. Dang, I wish it was ALL cash flow!
@ chele – One less thing to worry about. Hallelujah! I’ve given myself 6 mos to rest before I start looking for another house in VA. Now all I need to focus on this thing called “work” because the C.S.S. is kicking my arse.
@ boston – LOL @ wicked awesome. I likes, I likes. Might steal it one day.
I opened two new accts at BofA dedicated to the property. A savings acct for the security deposit (didn’t require last month’s rent) and a checking account so the tenants can deposit the rent every month. I don’t want to hear “the check is in the mail, it got lost in the mail, or insufficient funds” – none of that BS. Deposit my money in THIS account by the 1st, three days grace – that’s it! LOL
I printed a move in/out checklist but I hadn’t considered taking pictures too. Thanks for the heads up. As for contact info, I have the work and cell. Will request the home number after they settle in. Another good suggestion!
One good thing about military renters – if they screw up, just call the Commanding Officer and s/he will get up in their arse. Any unnecessary damage, it’s coming out of their check. I really lucked up.
Thanks for ALL of your help. You have provided a wealth of information throughout this whole process.
@ bk – Thanks sis!
@ msjayy – He has been sooo busy. This is EXACTLY why I prayed for His will to be done when I wanted this job. There was so much to do AFTER getting the job and no way I could have done it all on my own.
Like we discussed last night, the job itself is turning out to be more of a challenge than I expected. But every time the words STRESS or WORRY creep into my brain, I can hear Him say “I got dis!” and it relaxes me.
@ ukd – HA HA the original lyrics – “God’s g’on work it out” – and that He does. :-)
@ diva – Thanks!