Discussions

I've got a rather large house that I will be moving out of, but probably won't be ready for sale for awhile. In the meantime, I was hoping to rent it out to a family. I've rented before to university students and was not impressed by their lack of cleanliness(ie: dents in the walls, walking through the house in shoes, garbage piling over, etc.).  
What is your experience with renting? I was hoping a family might be able to respect the property a little more. Of course, I know there will still be issues, but I'm not interested in repainting my walls every time a tenant moves out.

Honestly, you can't tell them not to wear shoes in the house, you also can't tell them to take there garbage out everyday. Some things are wear and tear. I take good care of the rental I live in (even paying out of pocket for updates because I wanted them) but some days when I get home I just don't feel like tidying up and if my landlord came over I'd hope he wouldn't judge me based on that. I don't know if kids would be much different. The parents may try, but kids hit toys into walls, some colour on the walls, these things only take a second but it leaves marks. And I'm not sure what you mean by not ready to be sold, does this mean you'll be doing work on it? Because no one wants to live through renos, especially when there renting and won't be able to enjoy the new updates.

Jeeper said "Honestly, you can't tell them not to wear shoes in the house, you also can't tell them to take there garbage out everyday. Some things are wear and tear. I take good care of the rental I live in (even paying out of pocket for updates because I wanted them) but some days when I get home I just don't feel like tidying up and if my landlord came over I'd hope he wouldn't judge me based on that. I don't know if kids would be much different. The parents may try, but kids hit toys into walls, some colour on the walls, these things only take a second but it leaves marks. And I'm not sure what you mean by not ready to be sold, does this mean you'll be doing work on it? Because no one wants to live through renos, especially when there renting and won't be able to enjoy the new updates. "

I wouldn't have a problem with it if the shoes were clean, it looked as if they had dirt on their shoes and they just stomped around on the carpet. And the garbage was piling over, not just a bag or two needed taking out. Anywho, I've learned my lesson with younger people.  
The house doesn't need renovating, but what I meant by 'not ready to be sold' is there are a lot of items in the garage that can't be moved to my new place.  

Rent a storage locker for the stuff in your garage, move it out and sell the house. Fewer headaches than renting.

Wish we could find a house, with landlord thats serious, thats for rent, we are a family and everytime we thought we can settle with the kids in an area, the owners need to sell their house, then its new school and new house.  

Ive been a landlord for a while now. Ive pretty much experienced it all, and honestly...if you are not willing to accept the outcome, don't do it.  
No matter how well you screen people, no matter your impression of them, you're gonna get screwed from time to time. You just hope they give you a legal reason to evict, and hope you do better the next time.  
Ive had families disappoint me, and kids amaze me...and vice versa. Proffesional people that don't give a damn, and SA recipients that treasure their home...and vice versa. there just is no rhyme or reason to it.  
IF you are not wiling to take the risk...I wouldn't suggest even starting.

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