-installed new ceiling fans in all bedrooms and family room
-upgraded (to code) electrical wiring in garage (safety thing) and added exterior light which should have been there all along (also to code now)
-added three, exterior security lights
-added additional phone lines and new cable outlets
-planted grass (seed & LOTS of new dirt and fertilizer) and flowers in front and back yards
-hundreds of dollars trying to maintain sprinkler system that really needs to be completely replaced — LL said he’d replace soon…
-paid $2,000 toward new shower in MBR, and got to pick out all the tiles, grout, door, fixtures, etc.
-miscellaneous odds and ends required to maintain a house
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In return for all this, we don’t get rent increases, and our LL knows we’re here for a long time (over four years already), so pretty much let’s us do what we want here. They are long-time LLs (original owners in an older n’hood), so we don’t have to worry about being foreclosed on or having them sell the house — we discussed all this before moving in.
IOW, “home is where you rest your head.” If you like where you live, and plan to stay there for a while, a LL would be stupid not to let a good, long-term tenant customize things a bit. Remember, it’s your HOME, whether you rent or buy. Don’t be afraid to make it a more pleasant experience while waiting out this g*d-forsaken housing bubble.
