SNIOPED - Susceptible to the Negative Influence of Other People.

Lots of LL believe they cannot rent or sell a home during the holiday season. For years I have been trying to help folks eliminate this false concept and fear. We rent homes every day of the year except Christmas Day because we’re closed.

Today’s proof: our Nov applications are still coming in, same as any other month

AND We rented a home the day before Thanksgiving

AND another home the day after Thanksgiving.

The first to someone moving here for a new job which starts Jan 2, wanted to lock in the home with time to move and get settled, and the second to someone who must be out of their home Dec 1 because the LL is moving back in.

I understand a 6 foot snowfall might slow things down a bit but I have to believe people in that area are still signing leases.

Had an apartment come empty because the tenant bought a house. I let the tenant stay weekly until closing, which took longer than normal.

Had a few updates to do to it including painting the walls and cleaning the carpets.

Finished it up and put signs out on turkey day. Got calls/ texts starting the next morning at 7. Couple losers tried to tempt me then I got a phone call.

For some reason I answered it. Glad I did. Soon to be divorced, early 50's, no kids at home, no pets, manager at a retail store for a bit with solid work history before that. Nothing shows up on criminal search.

Got a signed lease late afternoon on Black Friday!

Though we didn't have six feet of snow, anyone remember the story how my spouse (to be, back then) and I rented a condo on Christmas day?

This was back in 2004, we'd only met a couple of months before and were living in a hotel suite in San Diego, where my spouse was attending college. I was just getting started flipping houses, but hadn't received funding or found a place to buy yet. We were nearly broke. My spouse had maxed out her credit cards and literally was down to her last dime in cash. I had about 6 grand in the bank, no job, my credit score would have been a negative number if they went that low. We were looting the free breakfast buffet every morning, taking enough extra food for lunch.

The hotel said we had to move by the 28th because of Innkeeper law on rentals. We couldn't keep paying $200 a night anyway, so we'd been scrambling to find anything, without success. We were a bit discouraged and afraid that in 3 days we'd be homeless.

The only thing we had going for us was my beach house, which was rented out and I was trying to get a million dollar equity loan on. Shortly after we found our condo, I got the loan with no credit, no job, no nuttin, and we were "in da money" again! I loved those boom years. Such insanity. LOL

Anyway...

It was late afternoon on Christmas Eve, after driving past it for a month, we realized there was a huge apt complex behind some office buildings right next to our hotel. We saw the usually closed entrance gates were open and the guard house was empty, so curious we drove on through.

We found an oasis in the city. It was a community of 250 condos in 5 buildings, with ponds and streams running through, and 90 foot pine trees! And pinned to a bulletin board next to the mailboxes was a 3x5 card. "Condo for Rent," $890 a month!

I stole the card, and we called the guy right then. He was nice, I explained our prediciment and asked if we could see the apt the day after Christmas, since tomorrow was the holiday. He said, "Oh, I can meet you there in the morning if you like."

I thought, "Oh boy, this guy must be desperate, I wonder what's wrong?" But we made the date and enjoyed our first Christmas Eve together. We'd decorated the suite and even had a tiny table top tree. And presents! ;)

On Christmas morning we met our new landlord. Showed us the amenities and our parking space. He had a one page application that I filled out on the counter. I wrote him a check right there and he gave us the keys. So much for background checks. I don't recall if he even asked for ID's.

But wait, we aren't done!

We gave the hotel notice and started moving our stuff over on Christmas afternoon. The next day we checked out. We had no electricity or furniture the first night. And on top of everything, it started pouring rain. We went to IKEA in the rain, and bought a roll up queen bed, and a box of tea light candles. We stuffed it all in my little Mistibushi, and slept on the floor in the living room under candle light, listening to the rain and wind in the pines.

We got the power on the next day, our landlord stopped by a week later to see if we were doing ok, and we NEVER SAW HIM AGAIN!

And that is how we ended up living on San Diego's famous "Hotel Circle," for 3 1/2 years. We talked to the LL once or twice a year by phone and over time became pretty good friends. "Yup, everything's fine." I didn't mention I'd renovated the unit with new carpet and granite counters. LOL

We got two applications on Thanksgiving day for our ONLY empty rental.

And many years ago, I evicted a mother and 4 children Christmas week. ho ho ho.

I've always been able to get good tenants over the winter holidays, but man, it is stressful. Most of the applicants are people being evicted for cause so screening is particularly stressful.

My new tenant contacted me this morning to bail. Told her she was responsible for the month. She agreed. Got the keys back. Called the next in line and have another signed lease. It was a toss up between the two and I gave it to the first contacted.

This tenant has been living with her father for the last four years. She had husband issues, got divorced and moved in with the parents. Then Mom passed and she stayed on.

Been looking and saw my sign. She was so happy the other tenant bailed. Full rent and deposit. No criminal back ground. Twin 16 yo kids. No pets. Good job with the local VA that more than covers rent plus the kids get SSI for dead dad. Nice vehicle, well kept.

zero,

FYI Indiana law specifically states the LL can require a 30 day notice.

BRAD

Thanks so much for this encouraging thread. I have been helping a relative with a rental home and have received no responses.

Bless you, LTD, for having taken the time to fully describe your own experience of renting during the holidays. It's amazing that everything miraculously worked out.

Brad,

Thanks, I knew that and told the ex-tenant that. I got dinged for a couple days empty and she is going to cover that. I didn't feel right collecting a full month when she never set foot in there since I got it filled the same day.

I'm too soft, I know. At least I got a couple days rent out of it. I guess that's a step in the right direction.

The only reason I'm not leasing my two vacancies right now is because I'm selling the houses to owner occupants. Yep, that's right: houses not only RENT, they also SELL this time of year.