[quote=sdrealtor]CAR
There is a big difference between being a 5 year tenant and some one looking for a rental today. When you rented everyone was buying and well qualified renters were buying not renting. Now the there are plenty of well qualified renters looking for quality properties. There arent many and the property you rent is a good rental but not what I would consider a great property.
Also is the maintenance you perform on your house worth ZERO? Surely it is worth something. You sound like great tenants but there are plenty like you today. If they were to put it on the market today they would be able to get close to 2500 anyway. Try to find something like you have for 2100 today without contributing your own sweat for maintenance. You wont find it, at least not easily
Do you honestly belive most renters out there are “deadbeats who’ve stopped paying their mortgages and were finally evicted.”[/quote]
You are right, they could probably get $2,500 for it today, which was part of my point. They aren’t raising our rent. You’re also right in that it was not “low” per se (a model match around the corner with a much larger yard rented for $1,975/mo at the same time, and their rent hasn’t gone up too much, either…but it wasn’t maintained as well).
We definitely have put money into the house for maintenance, and time…so it’s not worth zero. Just pointing out that people can approach things in different ways in order to get the best results for themselves.
From what I’m hearing, most of the potential renters today have very bad credit, and a majority have evictions, foreclosures or bankruptcies on their records.
High-quality renters are not nearly as common as you seem to think, IMHO; at least that’s what I’m hearing from current landlords. You’re in the business, so I’m sure you have your own experiences, though.
No matter what, high-quality renters with good credit (760+), excellent references and job stability should ALWAYS try to negotiate when looking for new rentals.
I’ve seen more rentals in our neighborhood lately than I’ve seen in the five years since we’ve lived here, FWIW.
