Before and After
The Landlord Chronicles
by buyfixrent
2y ago
As the years have gone by, I’ve updated the insides and exteriors of most of my rentals. The result is that I’m finding more responsible tenants who are staying for years. Even through Covid, I’ve been able to keep all my tenants — remarkable! This is a duplex I purchased over 16 years ago. I’ve replaced the roof, windows and updated the interiors. However, the exterior left a lot to be desired. It has aluminum siding which wasn’t in terrible shape, and wood trim around all the windows, which required upkeep and repainting. I recently had the exterior painted with a Sherwin Williams product ..read more
Visit website
Streak-free Cleaner?
The Landlord Chronicles
by buyfixrent
2y ago
One of my least favorite chores is cleaning the interior windshield of my car. No matter what I do, I end up with smears and streaks. I was on vacation last year and checked out a small art fair. One of the booths was demonstrating a product called “The White Green Cloth.” This caught my attention right away. You don’t have to use ANY sprays with this cloth … all you do is wet it thoroughly and wring it out — really well — and go to town on glass, mirrors, stoves, eyeglasses, car rims, stainless, counter tops, chrome, etc. Hard to believe, right? Well, I was impressed enough with the demo to p ..read more
Visit website
Pets in Rental Properties?
The Landlord Chronicles
by buyfixrent
2y ago
I’m a big-time pet lover. I grew up with dogs and cats, and my kids grew up with dogs, cats, a snake or two, turtles, fish, bunnies and lizards. But even so, when I began investing in rentals in Indianapolis 25 years ago, I decided I wouldn’t allow pets of any kind in my properties. Why? — They can cause damage, to floors, window coverings, etc. — They cause additional wear and tear. — They can be a potential liability, if they threaten neighbors or other tenants. Through the years, I realized I was missing out on a lot of really good tenants by not allowing their pets to live with them in my ..read more
Visit website
Hard Water Issues?
The Landlord Chronicles
by buyfixrent
2y ago
Most of my Indianapolis rental properties have extremely hard water. (I don’t install water softeners … one more thing to maintain and fix.) The sinks and toilets get stained pretty easily. I’d used everything, trying to remove the stains. Barkeepers Friend did a pretty good job, and someone advised I use Tidy Bowl or other stronger bowl cleaners. But some of those were so toxic, I couldn’t handle the smell. I happened upon a product called Pumie Scouring Stick, and thought I’d give it a try. And voila! It worked better than anything I’d tried. My own house is on well water, so I have the sam ..read more
Visit website
Before and After
The Landlord Chronicles
by buyfixrent
3y ago
I bought a four-plex rental in Indianapolis in 2000. It had been vacant, utilities were turned off, and it was kind of a mess. The basement apartment had water in it everywhere, and a huge family of rats had taken up residence. So, I bought it anyway and started the rehab, with the help of a trusted contractor. Immediately after closing, I bought four rat traps. After loading them with peanut butter, I put them in the basement apartment. Every day, for about two weeks, I’d unload the dead rats, and reload with peanut butter. Got rid of ’em! Through the years, I’ve made small and large improvem ..read more
Visit website
Flash From the Past
The Landlord Chronicles
by buyfixrent
4y ago
When I began investing in rental properties here in Indianapolis, I usually communicated with my tenants via phone (land line) or in person. To make my life easier, I got a pager. When my tenants had questions or a repair issue, they could call my pager, and I’d see their phone number on the read-out. That was the easy part. The hard part (before cell phones) was finding a pay phone in the area so I could call them back. Typical scenario: I’m working at one of my empty rentals, trying to get it rent ready. It’s the middle of winter, and there’s 8 inches of snow on the ground. I get a page fro ..read more
Visit website
Flip vs. Buy and Hold — Indianapolis
The Landlord Chronicles
by buyfixrent
4y ago
The real estate world is in a constant state of flux, as we all know. After the collapse of the housing market in 2008, values plummeted and there were thousands of foreclosed homes, sitting empty. Smart investors started snatching up those homes, at bargain prices. They knew the major dip in the market wouldn’t last forever. The collapse enabled them to fix up/rent out these homes, because the rental market surged, everywhere. I was fortunate to be interviewed by CNN online and USA Today about the phenomenon: click on this section to view the whole article. Well, those days are over for the m ..read more
Visit website
Ground Clear!
The Landlord Chronicles
by buyfixrent
4y ago
I try to keep up with all the trimming, weed control, etc. at my Indianapolis rental properties. It’s a challenge. At my own home, I’ve had the same issues … the back of my property runs along a small creek, and weeds, undergrowth, etc. have crept up into the yard. I finally had someone come and clear it all out. I asked him how to control regrowth, as I don’t want to lose any of my property to weeds! He suggested I purchase Ortho Ground Clear. He sprayed it all along the back edge of my property after he’d cleared out all the undergrowth. Thistles galore, mulberry, etc. That was about a mont ..read more
Visit website
Weapons of “Mouse Destruction”
The Landlord Chronicles
by buyfixrent
4y ago
Over the years, as I added to my Indianapolis rental portfolio, I came across a myriad of pests that found their way into my units … ants, fleas, bedbugs a couple of times, cockroaches, and mice. I’m not afraid of any of these, but I certainly don’t want my tenants to share their space with them! So, I’ve done lots of research on eradicating all kind of infestations. 20 years ago, I purchased a fourplex that had been empty for quite a while. There had been squatters in the second floor unit, and they had left all kinds of drug paraphernalia and a toilet full of human waste and dirt. Utilities ..read more
Visit website

Follow The Landlord Chronicles on FeedSpot

Continue with Google
Continue with Apple
OR