The Vacant House

A few months ago, my tenant was in trouble and told me she was moving out. She then gave me a laundry list of everything wrong with the house. This was the first I had heard of some of these things. Even better, once she moved out there were additional items she neglected to mention.

She told me the hot water heater didn't work, the bathtub was badly stained and there were holes in the vinyl flooring.

She did not tell me her son's car was permanently affixed to the front yard, there was a slight leak in the bathtub that had turned larger, the doorbell didn't work, the furnace needed help, the back yard could easily be mistaken for a portion of the Brazilian rain forest and her dogs had done a number on the hardwood floors and--no matter what I did--I would need to seal the floors to stop the stench of pet urine before I did anything else. Oh wait! She painted the entire interior neon lime green.

The hot water heater was easy. The power company is giving them away to anyone who wants to convert from gas to electric. The handyman I hired made it through the primer before disappearing off the face of the Earth. Doing nothing else but leaving me scratching my head.

Handyman number 2 (who was originally number 1 if you have been following this blog) stepped up and was to have finished...wait for it... last week. He still is not done. Apparently he has made significant progress though and now has the hot water heater installed, the flooring almost done, the bathtub re-epoxied and the leak fixed.

My lawn guy came by today and graciously gave me the good customer rate. He didn't mention if his machete needs honing after this one. I was afraid to ask. My property manager went by to check and announced there is a shed in the back yard he had never seen before. The grass had been too high.

I got an e-mail from my former tenant saying she hoped this wouldn't affect our friendship. And, she finally had the car removed. It won't. I like her. A lot.

I have my property manager looking for Handyman number 3 to finish this job. I am letting Handyman 2 go when he is done with his stuff. Because, today, in a moment of unprofessionalism, he vaguely threatened my property manger.

So, there is still the painting, doorbell, etc. I need someone eager and willing to work--and willing and eager to work with my property manager for that matter. Because, my ultimate goal is to rent it back out.