We are approaching the issue from a patience and education standpoint (thus the supplemental website), but it’s good to know we’re not alone (and that it’s not something we’re doing wrong) :>

great post, thanks.

Rob
RD House Property Management, Seattle

My “imperialistic” attitude is not directed at potential tenants who are less affluent than I am. The fact is that I am simply surprised that some people are just clueless that they are being evaluated from the first phone call.

In fact, now that I am a landlord, it makes sense why when I was a tenant myself I had the following experience:

I was already renting an apartment in downtown West Palm Beach, Florida and was unhappy with my current landlord in that they were raising the rent while living conditions were degrading due to extensive repairs being performed on the apartment building.

I went to view another unit for rent in town and I showed up dressed in casual work attire, was polite and well spoken. I decided not to lease the unit due to the fact that it was directly in the flight path of a runway at Palm Beach International Airport.

For two months the landlord of that building pestered me to rent the unit even offering to lower the rent because she felt I would be a good tenant.

It just goes to show what being personable and somewhat professional will do for your chances.

If you find people, particularly people less affluent than you, inherently difficult to deal with, perhaps a stock portfolio or a silent partnership in a small business might be a wiser investment.

The fact that many landlords require the tenant to virtually prove they have the wherewithal to buy their own place before they are acceptable tenant candidates is arrogant in the least and offensive in the greatest. And the 800lb gorilla in the room is: If they had the cash to spare, why would they be talking to you in the first place? They’d be the landlords.

Now, I’m not saying destructive, abusive, or late tenants should be tolerated, because then you’re risking your own investment and serenity. I never put up with any crap at all. If a problem arose, I immediately posted the 3-day notice, and then promptly moved to evict. No re-negotiations, nothing. Game over. But I told them up front before I rented to them that I wanted no hassles, and this would be my reaction at the first sign of trouble. Living on-property made it possible to be visible on a daily basis. The dead weight always left. But I was always polite, approachable, and acknowledkged they were NOT seeking employment from me, that they were the customer and I was the vendor, and I needed to EARN their business. I was a nice landlord, not a superior jerk lording it over them.

In my humble opinion, the overall attitude needs to change, or people should get out of the business. In this economy there are thousands of responsible folks like me who have lost everything and are now forced not only to rent, but to deal with a Nazi-like demeanor from many landlords. Additionally, this is a buyer’s/tenant’s market, and landlord arrogance will result in see-throughs. Maybe when the economy picks up you can be more of a dictator, but now it just loses you money. That’s just as bad for the bottom line as the other problems.

Lastly, a reminder: there are other investments out there. If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.