Out with the Old, In with the Who the Hell Knows

@porwest I know it's easier said than done. But the more due diligence you put into it, the more likely you will get decent tenants. But it's still a crap shoot.

@moffittjc I don't know about that. I vetted pretty hard and you'd be amazed at how many losers out there look like gold.

I had pretty strict vetting criteria. Unfortunately, people are liars and former landlords can't say much about former tenants. Or maybe I just sucked at it. lol But yes, hopefully what comes next will be better. But like I said. Who the hell knows?

People, like the neighbors I had, simply have no respect for themselves or other people's property and think they are entitled to everything. Like I said, who knows who comes next? I HOPE they are better. But they could wind up being worse for all I know.

@arunima25 Certainly that is true.

@porwest We can only hope and pray for good neighbours. Things are not always in our control

The pits would be putting it lightly. I think I would prefer the guy just put the house up for sale. Having homeowners next door doesn't guarantee they won't also be tools, but it's more likely they will at least care a BIT more about something that's theirs that they have a vested interest in at least maintaining.

@porwest That is true and you would think that, but these days, nothing surprises me!

@kareng Nope. Nothing on my end surprises me either.

@porwest So I've noticed. People who live in apartment buildings tend to be a little better, (not in all cases, but generally) but homes are the worst. Our house had to be renovated because it was a rental situation, and the renters tore it up.

@kaylachan To me, renters are renters. They simply don't care.

Those are the worst. Not to say that all renters are bad, but based on my own personal experience with them, most of them aren't good. It's just part of the "thing," I guess. Many of them have an animosity toward anyone who owns something—it's just part of the deal.

@porwest That is a good idea if the alderman approves.

@Deepizzaguy I will have to wholeheartedly agree with you. lol

I am checking with the alderman as we speak to see if it is legal if I shoot them if they act up. lol

You hate to say it, but the ratio of renters to homeowners in a neighborhood certainly impacts the quality of the neighborhood. Where there is a higher concentration of renters, the neighborhood becomes less desirable, and if you happen to own a home in a neighborhood that shifts ratios... Your property value and quality of life greatly suffers. It is a shame that it ever happens, but it does, and one always has to be prepared, for whatever it is worth, to be ready to make a change soon enough before the value of your home goes down in value because the neighborhood changed. There was actually a deal once or twice I was not able to close because when the seller asked if I intended to rent out the property and said, "Yes, I am an investor," they wouldn't sell to me. Whether it was legal or not, I don't know. But I respected their decision nonetheless understanding that some people have a sentimental attachment to something like a house where they have built memories and like you would not want to let your daughter date a bum, you might not want to think your house (even if it no longer yours) might be destroyed after it is sold. When we bought our house in West Allis that seller was like that too. They were happy to know we were a newly married couple, they knew I owned real estate, and they asked, "Are you going to live here?" I said yes and they were elated, even though 8 years later we moved and did rent it out, and despite it being a nice house in a great neighborhood, the renters did to that house exactly what I feared they would. In hindsight, that neighborhood did shift ratios, and the value of our house would have depreciated regardless, and we'd have sold or rented it out at some point anyway.

@porwest ' Do people have no pride or honor? Do they just not care? I don't get it...I remember renting in the college years, I rented a very small home for two years. The landlord came around to check it when I was moving out...he said, I have never seen one of my rentals look like this when a tenant left. I was proud but that's the way you are supposed to leave them! He gave me my deposit back, and an extra $50! He said he always had to spend hundreds to fix things and he could rent my home tomorrow, and do nothing. Plus, I was very young, he said I could use him as a reference any time. I did!

When it comes to renters it is mostly a mixed bag. But the bag is mixed with more bad than good I have found. Unfortunately.