In many heads are the images of old where a person would sit on the deck of a cruise ship and read a book by the pool all day as they waited for the ship to get to the next destination. Sure, you can chose to spend your time that way if you want to, but there are plenty of other, active things to do aboard the ship as well.
Never fear, even if you were planning weeks of cruise travel you would not get board on the ship. Think of your stay onboard as a rental property in a floating city. It has all the great things that a city will have - entertainment, restaurants, and your lodging. But, unlike a rental property, this place to say keeps taking you to new places for adventures and memories that will last a lifetime.
If you have not been on a cruise ship, or floating city, in a while, consider this one. The Carnival Cruise Ship Elation is 885 feet long. In that space are a number of restaurants, three swimming pools, a theater, a gym, and a series of other venues for shows and entertainment offerings. That is a lot of entertainment space to cover in just a few days aboard. Chances are you will not be able to experience all of it.
Even if you manage to see all the major venues during your travel, there are also a number of minor venues that will be dotted across the ship.
If you are the type that likes the bright lights at night in the big city, make sure to check out the nightlife aboard the ship as well. Most evenings will find you a seat at a theatrical or musical performance, Broadway style. Alternatively, you may get a chance to see a stand-up comedian who will keep you chucking well into the night. And don't forget to check out the ships clubs and other nightspots for the rest of the nightlife offerings.
For daytime activities, you will not get bored either. If swimming some laps or playing a pool game is not enough for you, never fear. There are often volleyball games, racquetball courts, even putting or driving ranges on many cruise ships.
If you are worried about bringing the kids on a cruise because you think they'll get bored, think again. On today's ships are arcades, computer rooms, rock-climbing walls, and kids-only facilities that will keep them occupied throughout the travel time.
By the time you just start to be able to take in all the entertainment opportunities available aboard the ship, you'll likely be arriving at your first destination and preparing to go ashore. The good news is that once you get back on the ship and head to your next travel spot, you'll have plenty more onboard exploring to do.
I have read a lot about how you have rule with an iron fist to keep your tenants in line. Our philosophy is much more laid back, and it has worked out amazingly well for us. Every property is different, but this was our experience.
Our first rental investment property was somewhere we would move into ourselves, and in retrospect, that was an aspect more important than I would have guessed. There's many decisions along the way, and being a potential tenant yourself makes those decisions much clearer.
First off, when it comes time to market your place, you are part of the target audience, so it is easy to find the right place to advertise. Just ask yourself... how would we go about looking for a place? We actually mistakenly put costly newspaper ads out initially, bringing in the completely wrong renters who were completely not interested. Once we switched to advertising in places we would look, 90% of the people who came were actually interested, the place would rent faster, and the tenants were happy to be in our place.
That leads to the next reason why buying something you would live in as your first rental property makes the landlord learning process so much easier. The tenants! These will be people that you basically get along with because they like what you like, and if you meet them, they will most likely like you, or they would not be renting it. You will make sense to them, and they will make sense to you. When you are at odds with your tenants, the whole interaction and experience can be painful, so getting along helps tremendously.
Why, you say, should I care if my tenants are happy? Because everything is easier. They will more likely pay rent on time, respect & keep your place in shape, and stay longer. Believe me, there is nothing like a completely wrecked apartment by a short-term tenant. Sure you can charge money for damages, but it will still take time and be a hassle to get it back up to a rent-able state. And dealing the whole time with bitter, angry tenants is no fun either.
How do you make your tenants happy? There's a couple things we do. One is that we allow tenants some flexibility with painting and decorating. 95% of the time, our tenants actually do wonders with our apartments and leave them with a better style than we could have done ourselves. Many times, we even get good ideas to carry over to the other apartments to make them more marketable, like some basic drapes & mounted wine racks. We even had a tenant call us to ask if she could plant some flowers by her porch. We welcomed it. It was an indication that she felt invested in the place and felt at home. Of course, I am not advising you let someone remodel your kitchens... I am talking small things that are easily undone, but make the tenant feel invested and at home.
Another thing to do to have happy tenants is to give them a sizable re-signing bonus when their leases end. And unless it is painfully needed, do not raise the rent, especially if the tenant is someone who pays on time and is easy to deal with. We offer a $500 re-signing bonus each year with rents at $800. It is almost a free month and about the cost it would be for us to do a make-ready, so it is good for us and them.
Also, we do not rent our places at the maximum. We make them a somewhat good deal so that many people will inquire, and so we have a better chance of a good fit that will be happy and stay long. We also do not overcharge because feeling ripped off is one main reason a tenant will leave.
We also treat our tenants with a lot of respect. We call them every time we enter their units, and if repairs take an extensive amount of time or hassle on their behalf, we give them some rent back. We also maintain the property and do pest control. And we always answer their issues within a day, at least with a phone call.
Becoming a landlord was definitely a learning experience. Everyone has their own style, and even different properties may prescribe a different style. Just be open to handling your rental property business (which is basically your tenants) with respect rather than the stereotypical overbearing attitude.
Both Eric J. Slarkowski & Austin Real Estate Team are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Eric J. Slarkowski has sinced written about articles on various topics from Property Investment, Travel and Leisure and Interior Design. Concentrating on latest developments in Guardamar, Eric Slarkowski writes primarily for . His work on. Eric J. Slarkowski's top article generates over 8100 views. to your Favourites.
Austin Real Estate Team has sinced written about articles on various topics from Cruise Ships, Property Guide and Real Estate. is a husband wife team in Austin Texas serving the Austin Real Estate market. Their website offers a free. Austin Real Estate Team's top article generates over 9900 views. to your Favourites.