Pause

Things have turned into whirlwind this week and I need to take a moment and pause.

With closing on the Miller house complete, I made my punch list and dove right in. New shower curtain rods, closet rack systems, and an appointment with my HVAC crew to check on the furnace and hot water heater. I also made an appointment with our electrician because when I went to plug in the new dehumidifier in the basement, there was no outlet. Oof.

Surprise! The hot water heater is shot. Also the furnace is older than I am, and isn’t working (no wonder…) so those need to get replaced.

We need to vent the dryer, because right now it is just venting into the next room.

We also need to add railing on the stairs in the current opening and do some sort of finagling for the window a/c unit cord that goes across the stairs, it is a tripping hazard.

New gutters and gutter guards go in this weekend.

The Miller house is “rental ready,” but not.

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On the surface it is ready, new carpet, fresh paint, pretty clean. But these punch list items have to be completed before we can have someone move in.

We are aiming for a November 1st move in, but if we don’t find the right people before then, I would rather wait than settle. Pause. Don’t rush it, or we will regret it on the back end.

I put a “for rent” sign out in the yard earlier this week with a phone number that I have dedicated to the property.

This sign has generated SO. MANY. CALLS.

Which is great!

I have a voicemail set up so that the caller can find out a bit about the property and what is needed to take the next steps. I am not a management company and frequently have something else I am working on so this helps to fill in the gaps.

90% of callers fail at this step. They can’t or won’t follow the vm prompt, and instead choose to call 4-8 times in a row.

It seems like this happens while I’m up on a ladder caulking cracks and I have to pause what I’m doing to check to make sure it’s not school calling about the kids. I promise you, it doesn’t make you more attractive to a landlord if you call relentlessly. It’s a nuisance.

The next step is a short questionnaire to help weed out unqualified tenants so that we aren’t wasting time. Theirs, and ours.

So far out of the people to take and submit the questionnaire, 5/6 have previously been evicted.

Also, 4/5 of the evicted group said “no” to the question of ” have you ever been evicted from a property?” But, a quick court records search proved otherwise. Multiple evictions.

Do people really think I’m not going to check?

The one who hasn’t been evicted? That would be my husband, who actually took the survey when I had asked him to just look at it. And he gave all kinds of ridiculous answers…. yet is somehow still the most qualified.

He is a goofball, but he is my goofball.

Know yourself, and your strengths.

Back when we started this process, I told Josh I am on board with rentals and this passive income stream but that I don’t want anything to do with tenants.

Nothing. Nada. Zip.

Give me the auctions, the MLS searching, the walk throughs and offers.

I can do the renovations, pick out fixtures, details, and floor plans.

I’ll put on a hazmat suit, rip out ceilings, and have snakes in my arms.

Pick me to power wash the house, and paint everything from head to toe.

But the actual renting? That is not for me. I knew it then, and I only know it *more* now, if that is possible.

So. Much. Stress.

Last night to help pause, I went to The Palace and power washed the house. This is something I have been looking forward to doing.

It was so satisfying to see all the dirt and grime melt away from the brick and the patio.

Today, I haven’t left the house. I took a mini pause and did some things I needed to catch up on around here.

And, I communicated with my husband.

The things that I do, I want to do well.

I don’t enjoy this, and it is taking away from the work and family life I do enjoy. I am acknowledging my limits.

Back to balanced.

This pause has allowed me to recenter. To move ahead with my projects at home, and furthered my work at The Palace.

When we bought the Miller house it came with a homeowners’ warranty, so I am hopeful they will cover the costs of the hot water heater and furnace.

Josh says not to count my chickens. I will count the eggs instead, it’s better than nothing.

I scheduled a cleaner for a thorough deep clean on the 30th.
The electrician comes tomorrow. The HVAC company contracted through the warranty also comes out tomorrow. I’m going to see if our go-to guy can help us with the stair railing and dryer vent next week.

The house part is coming together over there.

That’s my wheelhouse.