Rent to Own Troubles

After my tenants deserted my property in Cheektowaga, I spent about a week cleaning it up and put our a "Rent to Own" sign on the front lawn- no other advertising. I received about 50 calls in the past 2 weeks and 3 serious contenders for the house.

The first was an older couple without children who I thought would be ideal tenants. They called my excitedly last Friday indicated that they had received a large legal settlement and wanted to sign the paper work. I drove 40 minutes up to the house and met them. They proceeded to tell me that they could not get out of their lease (wife in tears). I suggested they negotiate a pay off with their landlord.

A second couple contacted me through a Realtor several times and kept making verbal offers but all lowball offers. Sunday another couple came to the house and gave me a check for $1750. I told them I would decide Monday night and called the other two couples.

Monday I contacted the other two parties. The buyers came up slightly and the first couple could not be reached, so I deposited the check from the third party and told them they could have the house.

Today the second couple called and offered my asking price - too bad that their Realtor didn't give them good advice (She had sold a lesser property for $196k last fall)

The first couple called and said that they had paid their way out of their lease. When I told them I had leased the house, the wife broke in tears again because now their land lord would not let them continue in their apartment.
So now I've added to the ranks of the homeless - must be Bush's fault!
Now I've created a

Whiny Blacks

While I was away on vacation I did not answer my voice mail to check for calls. About 30 people left messages, many several times. One woman called about 6 times. After I did not return two calls she started leaving more and more hostile calls accusing me of being a racist. Some were quite vulgar.

This type of behavior is so sad. It seems that many blacks believe that when something is lest than perfect, it must be about race. I'm not sure if these people have super low self esteem or just developed a sense of entitlement that they deserve special treatment. I find many of Obama's whines about race repulsive. I think he is using guilt as a political tool. Maybe this woman was as well.

The experiences that I've had dating a black woman in college and adopting a black child 15 years ago have led me to believe that most of the racism in this country today is in the minds of blacks - not in reality.

I don't think electing Obama is going to solve any racial problems in this country. In fact, I think it may just create more whiny blacks.

Bad Tenants vanish while I'm away

While I was away on vacation my MIA tenants reappeared at my Cheektowaga house after being away for two months. They took about half of their stuff and left me a mess. They didn't leave any of the $3500 that they owed me behind. They wouldn't leave the mail man a forwarding address and the utility company didn't want to switch the power back on unless I put up a security deposit, so I guess they screwed everyone and don't want to be found.

Fortunately, with the security deposit and option money I had collected, I am not out anything. I put up a "rent to own" signs and have had 50 calls already. Hopefully I can do another lease-option before the end of the month, otherwise I'll be borrowing against credit cards to pay the mortgage.