The Next Chapter

We are closing our accidental business. It just isn't necessary any more. I still have all of my gazillion rentals. But, I am only managing a few of these properties. I am leaving the picking and choosing of tenants and the day-to-day crazy stuff to Kirby and Mario, my two property management companies.

In actuality, nothing is really changing except for the amount of paperwork, money and time that I am spending. When I started my accidental company, Marty Sunshine and I did not have any properties in just our own LLC, and needed an outlet to collect rents and a place to handle expenses. Now that we have three particular homes in an LLC all to ourselves, on paper at least, the accidental business is somewhat redundant.

When Polly heard we were "closing our doors," so to speak, she was alarmed. She asked if I was sad. Yes, in some ways I am. I have fleeting feelings of failure as a property manager--though this is completely my choice and I have been somewhat quasi-successfully managing rental properties for the past 10 years. And, for that matter, I am still managing a few homes--just my easy tenants. I know I am not a failure as a property manager, at least I know that intellectually. But shutting down still stings just a little. Even if I am willingly doing it.

What I explained to Polly was ending our accidental business is like getting to the end of a delicious and captivating novel. You are sad to come to the last chapter, because you want to know so much more about the characters and what happens next. But, reading the last page and closing the book leaves you room in your life to read another book that might be just as wonderful.

 I want the next chapter in my life to be like that too. I need too make room for that adventure.

This blog isn't going away. Writing is a form of therapy for me. Writing is cathartic. Writing is as a part of me as breathing. Besides I still have things to write about. Trust me. The weirdness hasn't ended. And just maybe I will find something new to write about too.