Quote:
Originally Posted by DrPhil
If I understand your post correctly, I highly recommend not renting your house. I know that you have to do what you have to do.
Here's what I recommend based on what my parents had to do with one of their homes that they rented out:
1) Be very critical of whom you allow in your home. If you have any doubts about whether the person/people can pay the rent OR whether they will tear the house up, don't do it.
2) If you have a really great neighborhood with really great neighbors who are home owners (not renters), let your neighbors know that you have to rent out your house. They will keep an eye on it and call you if the person/people aren't cutting the lawn or are tearing your house down.
3) Have the house in good shape so that the renters cannot claim that the living conditions were crappy. They know that they are not renting an apartment where there is a leasing office, so they won't expect you to do everything.
4) Tell them that they cannot alter the home without prior WRITTEN approval from you.
5) Keep the contact info updated and let the renters know that you can and will show up unannounced; and you have a key. LOL. It sounds strange but they need to know that they don't OWN the property and they can be evicted for the following reasons: 1) they don't pay, 2) they don't take care of the property, 3) they don't heed your warnings and/or 4) they don't update their contact info or don't respond when contacted.
I hope my response wasn't left field. LOL.
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No ma'am, you are not off base in the slightest. With the husband taking the new job in Columbus, he HAS to live in Franklin county, or an adjacent county. We prefer to be in one of the adjacent counties, that way my commute to my place of work is doable (if we find a place where we plan to look, I'll be about 45 minutes away from work, and he'll be about 25 minutes from Columbus proper).
In response to DrPhil:
Renting or rent-to-own is our last option. We have to paint one bedroom, hang some door trim, and pack some clutter into storage, get both kids twin beds (daughter is in a queen now, and it makes her room look really small. son is in a toddler bed now, and he just needs an upgrade). Once we do those things, the house will be ready to sell. IF it doesn't sell by next June, we will likely have to go the rent/rto route.
1. I have been told to ask for proof of household income for the last 3 months. I have also been told to look at potential renters cars, as the condition a car is in is a good indicator of how well they will keep a house. And even though we have dogs, we won't allow any pets. I've also been told to ask for the first and last months rent up front, plus a security deposit. Is that too much to expect a renter to pay up front?
2. Both of our neighbors are wonderful homeowners. The elderly couple is extremely nosey, and I'm betting we would get a weekly report on what the renters are doing. lol...
3. I've been told to take pictures of the house once all of our stuff is out of it, burn them to a CD, and give a copy to our family attorney, or real estate agent.
4. Noted. Makes sense!
5. I was under the impression you have to give 24 horus notice before showing up at your rental? Or does this just depend on what the renter/tenant agree upon? Is there a way to make it so they don't make copies of the keys, that they have to go through us or a delegate of ours to get a copy made?
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