After getting paid today, it looks as if I'll be able to reach my goal of $4500 by the end of August. The only variable seems to be the Indians of property Alpha.
As I stated in an earlier blog, the Indian family living in the upstairs of property Alpha are moving out the third week of this month. This means that I have to return their security deposit of $850 once they leave. They referred the apartment to new Indians and I met with them on Wednesday. My plan was to have the new Indians move in almost immediately after the old Indians leave, thereby not losing any money for the month and reaching August's quota. As usual, my plans may have to change.
The current tenants, let's call the spokesman Lex, called me Wednesday night to say that the new tenants, let's call the spokesman Shanti, wanted to speak to me. I had just finished a 12 hour shift at the bank job and I was in bed, so I really wasn't in the best of moods. But since it's about money, I put on my happy face and went upstairs. Shanti asked me a bunch of questions, and didn't seem to like that the driveway can only fit one vehicle. After the complaints, he asked me if I could lower the rent. $850 for a three bedroom UTILITIES INCLUDED apartment and they still wanted it lower?
All immigrants, especially Indians, will ask to have the rent lowered. I think that tactic was taught to them or something. After I told him no, Shanti talked it over in Hindi with his family and Lex's family, and he agreed to take the place. He said that he would give me the security deposit Thursday, then everything will be set. He even saved my contact info in his phone. Well, it's Friday and I haven't heard from Shanti or Lex.
Normally I wouldn't care. Prospective tenants back out all the time, and there's always another one in line. The reason why it bothers me this time is because, by giving the security deposit back to Lex, it will be more difficult to reach my quota of $4500 for this month! Lex and his clan leave in two weeks. Next week, I'm going to start painting the staircase and get the place ready for a weekend showing. I would rather show the apartment without Lex and his family still living there, but I have to take every opportunity I can to get that place rented out before the end of the month.
Property Alpha is in a great neighborhood, so I don't anticipate the problems that I had getting property Chi rented out. The bedrooms are not as big as they should be, but the selling points are the neighborhood, the huge backyard, and the utilities being included. The upstairs unit is the only utilities included apartment I have. A couple of years ago, tenants moved out and I told National Grid that I needed the power on to do renovations. They gave me a week, but never turned the power off. Ever since, I've been making $250 extra dollars a month. When something is going good, I don't ask questions.
I shouldn't have a problem getting the place rented out, and I may even get it rented for $900. I think I'm actually the only landlord in Smalltown that even owns a utilities included THREE BEDROOM apartment. All I know for sure is that I can't wait for Shanti to make up his mind. Maybe if he sees that I'm showing the apartment early, he'll be forced to take the place before someone else does. I take my quotas seriously, and it looks as if I'll have to work harder to meet this month's goal of $4500.
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