Re: don't know how to choose a tenant
....dont listen to the last landlord, they could be just moving along a problem and willing to say what you want to hear.
As someone who has to live next door to renters let me be a voice for the owners in the neighbourhood and thank those among you landlords who take care to choose responsible tenants.
We live in a townhouse complex and when the place next door (with whom we share a front lawn) sold we were looking forward to meeting the new neighbours and basically welcoming them to the street, etc., etc. Next thing we know we discover it's become an investment property for some couple living in the next town over.
The tenants when they arrive turn out to inconsiderate idiots, parking their cars on the lawn, wrecking the grass, and damaging the trees. This, because they can't be bothered to jockey three cars in a single driveway made for two. Surely when they looked at the place someone did the difficult math and realized there was a parking issue?
The owner of the place has never shown the consideration to give me his contact information in case I need to get in touch (as in, "hey - your idiot tenants just turned half of the lawn into a barren, rutted wasteland and are in the process of destroying valuable trees...where do I mail the landscaping bill..."). When the tenants finally coughed it up themselves (after a pleasant chat wherein I tried not to use the word dumb***** more than would be neighbourly...) the owner seems intent on ingnoring any attempts at communication.
Yes, real estate can be a good investment vehicle - please remember that there are usually people living on either side that consider their investment a home and must actually live with whomever you choose...
(Actually - we can be good allies, spying on....er...I mean keeping an eye on your place and reporting dumb behaviour to you before it costs you much money).
Good luck with your decision. Rant over!
