More townhome Stress, just wanting to vent, I hate stress
Background:
Bought a townhome as a short sale. Got awesome deal. Glad I bought it.
Current renter ( perfect record, been there since Jan. ) is moving out June 1 ( she gave 30 days ... again ... she has been awesome ). I can not decide what to do with the damn thing .
I get really low rent where I am ( my little 2 bd. apartment ... a little run down .... but again ...awesome deal ) because a family member owns my current place and I'm a headache free tenent. I find the place a little embarrassing though ( it definitely looks a little ghetto from the outside, but the inside is fine ).
I wanted to live in the townhome with a roomate , but haven't got anyone to sign an agreement / do money yet.
I also haven't done an agreement or money to rent the whole thing out.
Basically .... it's only 9 days away .... so I'll do whatever agreement comes first. I'm just very stressed.
Oh ... and option #3 . Live in it while it sells over the summer ( which would make me lose my economical apartment though ).
I bought it under value. I bet ( it's always a guess or course ) that the amount I could get now and what I'd get in 1-2 years are pretty close numbers. I would probably just be babysitting it until real estate goes back up ( who knows when that will happen .... could be 4-5 years for all we know ).
Maybe this should be this in dollar den, but it's no so much $ related as high stress related.
Re: More townhome Stress, just wanting to vent, I hate stress
Do you have enough money to live in it for a month and still keep your current place while you shop for a good roommate or two?
Re: More townhome Stress, just wanting to vent, I hate stress
^ Yeah.
One roomate would be fine.
I get an unheard of deal on my place now ( $350 for a 2 bedroom place ) because I take care of it and help with the surrounding units ( admittedly ... I help very little though ). I'm completely spoiled by the deal and by living alone.
They type A in me wants it all lined up yesterday. I'm kind of scared to have a roomate again , but I think it would be fun too.
I just hate making decisions. I think it's the decision of " should I live here or at the townhome with a roomate ? " that's bugging me. If someone signed to take the whole place , I wouldn't have the decision to make . If a roomate gave me a deposit .... the decision would be done.
It also occured to me to maybe put 2 roomates in there. If I did .... I could live for like $200 bucks a month. ;)
That would probably be too much too fast though.
Re: More townhome Stress, just wanting to vent, I hate stress
I would say that if you can survive keeping both places empty until you can find a tenant or tenants with whom you are completely comfortable, I'd go that route. Go on roommates.com or someplace like that, interview some people. That way you don't have to give up your sweet rental deal, and you can get some solid people in to rent your townhome until you're ready to move in or sell.
Re: More townhome Stress, just wanting to vent, I hate stress
Read that wrong ....
No ... can't affoard to live in the townhome alone and keep this place. If I move to the townhome soon, this one will already be empty ( and paid for for 30 days ) because I won't move without giving 30 days notice. If I go there .... I lose this place.
I hope something comes together in the next few days. So far, the only people the have called about the place have a dog and I really wanted no pets there.
Re: More townhome Stress, just wanting to vent, I hate stress
Pets...pets...oh man.
Smokers and people with pets that can't buy their own place need to rent too...but at the owners cost? No.
Deposits for smokers and deposits for pets...period.
I totally know what you mean by the stressing out. I have property too...and I currently have 3 headaches known as tenants. My smoker deposit is the same as my pet deposit is...$25 a month. I find that people are easier to pay that...than say $200 per pet up front. And smokers...no offense but fumigating and painting and cleaning windows isn't cheap. Smokers don't realize how much damage that smoke does... they think air freshener and a cracked window does the trick...it does not.
Pets...Look at the owners...look at their pets.
People with pets that rent from individual owners vs complexes tend to love their pets...and if you are fair with them they'll be fair with you.
Re: More townhome Stress, just wanting to vent, I hate stress
I have a pet, and I expect to pay a deposit (and frequently, pet rent) although obviously I try to find a deposit that isn't too outrageous. Some places want something like $600 per pet, $300 non-refundable, plus pet rent, and it's like, gah--come on. But, I've had pets that peed on the carpet (and paid a pretty penny for carpet replacement) and my parents are also landlords, so I know from both sides that it's a pretty tricky situation. Everyone SAYS that their pet is the nicest darling on earth and wouldn't leave so much as a smudge, but most of them are lying.
My personal rule is to require a deposit up-front that's competitive with other rentals in the area, and don't negotiate. People who CAN pay, will pay. People who argue or try to nickel-and-dime you are going to keep doing that, probably to your detriment. It's your property and you have every right to protect it.
I live in complexes, though. I prefer them to individual owners, because then when you want something fixed or whatever, it's just business. It doesn't become personal.
Re: More townhome Stress, just wanting to vent, I hate stress
I'm scared to have a roomate if I move ( just one roomate will keep my costs about the same ) , but it could also be fun. I've lived alone for 5 years and am just being overly nervous .......
So far ........ if they have a pet or smoke.... I am not letting them come see it. I'll open it up to pet owners in a few days if I don't finalize something pet free by then.
I don't live in a hip neighboorhood and can't seem to find a roomate that wants to be here.
Re: More townhome Stress, just wanting to vent, I hate stress
Whew .......... rented it finally with only 3 days to go until the other person is out. A new restaurant manager moved to town and was living out of a hotel and eager to get out. He did the whole deposit ( $900 ) and full rent up front with no " can I split the deposit " nonsense ect. No pets ! No smoking. No kids !
So glad that it's a done deal. One less thing to worry about .
Thanks for listening. One property is definitely enough for me right now ( I was considering buying another now that housing is low ) . Holding off for a long while on property 2.
This thread probably should have been in dollar den .
So ........ I'm still living in my slightly run down little place. Oh well. Now I don't have to move or deal with roomate drama.
Re: More townhome Stress, just wanting to vent, I hate stress
I'm happy for ya! Right on time :)
You must have good karma.