Rental Real Estate

I, very unwisely, used RRE for over 5 years and there was very little communication; all they cared about was getting their commission. Things started to go very bad in the beginning of January 2009 when my renters started paying 1/3 of their rent. RRE expected us to pay the remaining portion and assured us that the renters would "catch up" soon. I got this email May 6, 2009:

"S. W. 16 is vacant now.

The same family had been there for six years. We were lucky in that regard. Most of the time during the last three years, it was very hard to find new renters. So I am glad it did not come vacant then.

The guy was not able to get work and his various roommates were not helping with the bills. So I finally had to ask him to move. It was getting to be too large of a bill to catch up.

I always hate to ask owners for money to apply to their houses, but sometimes it must happen. You have not had to chip in many funds for repairs in six years. I am hoping that your budget is not quite as tight as when you first moved away.

The tenant was really broke so the power was off. He left quite a pile of clutter. We are starting to get that hauled away now. The walls will need paint. The carpet is looking old, but I think it will clean up and be useable. He did take all of his old vehicles.

The good news is that the market for rentals has improved this spring. I am sure we will be able to find someone who likes the place after it is cleaned.

The bank balance right now is $645. That should go quite a ways for hauling, painting and cleaning. There are a few closet doors with holes in them. Hollow cheap doors are often damaged over time. If I can get the place looking decent, we will get a new tenant’s money to pay the remaining repairs. If that doesn’t happen quickly I will ask you for funds."



RRE has expected me to "trust" them and allow them to contract the repairs keeping me completely in the dark. It turns out that the tenant was subleasing and would throw his roommates out and keep their junk if they did not make their rent. What was believed to be quite a pile of clutter was in reality garbage piled up in every room, our basement, front, side, and back yards completely covered in garbage, holes in the walls and doors, water damage to the sub floor and front door joists where the front door had once been kicked in, carpets ruined by cigarette burns and pet stains, kitchen and bathroom counter tops ruined by misuse, and all our appliances destroyed due to abuse. The roof was leaking as well which caused some damage and they never even told us about it. We had even purchased a new washer and dryer set to replace the old ones for our tenants which was no where on the property to be found. The house was completely trashed, the renters lived like slobs, and RRE never bothered to tell us about it; I doubt they ever checked the property.



Now my wife, her family, and I are making all the repairs ourselves and just scraping by! Thanks RRE; for taking us to the cleaners!