I Haven't Filed Since January

I would like to start out with the following disclaimer: I suspect I bug the hell out of Kirby. Or, Kirby just doesn't know what to do with me. Or, both.

However, I personally find him to be a kindred spirit--even if he doesn't feel the same way. We both manage about the same number of rental homes. Though, thanks to him, his number is getting higher and my number is getting lower.

I know what his job entails. And, I know how frustrating it happens to be. One has to pay for the advertising upfront. Then, one has to show the home to prospective tenants--who may or may not show up. And, if they do show up, one crosses their fingers they are not crazy, or at least gainfully employed.

Then there is the application process, the screening process and the waiting time frame, I call the "BS Zone"--that is, the period of time between the application process and receiving the security deposit where the landlord in question is waiting for the tenant to lie and/or act stupid. This is the most crucial time in the landlord-tenant relationship, however most tenants don't realize this.

The one extra variable Kirby has to deal with in his job is me. Just like doctors are lousy patients and lawyers who represent themselves have fools for clients, landlords who manage properties are extra um... "particular". And if the landlord in question possibly has control issues, happens to be undercaptialized and a tad bit of a high-strung type-A personality, it is a wonder Kirby isn't charging extra for management.

Truth be told, I hate calling Kirby--which doesn't stop me from doing so. Nor does it stop me from envisioning him cringing when he sees my name on caller ID. I fully realize if he had news for me--like a potential tenant for the home in Fultondale--he would be on the phone to me.

To my defense, I generally wait until around Wednesday or Thursday to call him, figuring he does have news for me but hasn't gotten around to telling me the happy news. So, why not just help out by calling him first?

Because Kirby is one of those well mannered Southern types, he isn't shooting as straight with me as I happen to need. I seriously have never had much room in my life for the subtlety that comes with good manners. So, saying things like "you might want to consider cutting the rent a bit down the road," does not mean "You need to reduce the rent. NOW!" Last week I explained to him I too suffer from optimistic landlord syndrome, and to please treat me the same way you would a hype-active toddler. Sugar coating doesn't work. I think he drawled "bless your heart" as a response. But I am not sure.

I don't really have metrics to measure whether having Kirby help me has been worth the property management fee. On one hand, having lessened my burden by two homes has been wonderful. I have noticed a certain peace about not fretting about these two properties which are a bit too far out of town for Carolsue to handle. However, in all fairness, these two tenants haven't been high maintenance (Mrs. Waterford is a bit whiny, but her complaint about the AC and the HOA are legitimate). Heck! One tenant moved out months ago. Those folks certainly haven't been high maintenance. In fact the highest maintenance part for poor Kirby has been me, giving my suggestions on what should happen with these two homes once the lease is up.

My hope is, if nothing else, I amuse him enough to keep him interested in renting out my homes. In the long run, maybe the more I get this stuff off my plate, the more I can concentrate on those things I should be doing instead.

Like tackling the filing.