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House Rental
updated: Oct 01, 2012, 3:26 PM

By Edhat Subscriber

I've decided to rent my house out to a family that will take good care of it and move to a less expensive area. Do Edhat readers have any tips for renting it and/or pitfalls to avoid in the process? thanks!

Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

ROGER DODGER	2012-10-01 03:30 PM
Screen the Hell out of them don't just trust them..
PAMSB	2012-10-01 03:31 PM
Hire a good property management company.
COMMENT 326653	2012-10-01 03:31 PM
use a local property manager to be able to distance yourself - it just makes things a little easier.
COMMENT 326654	2012-10-01 03:33 PM
Rigorous credit and background checks for one. A very large deposit as even "nice families" will thrash your place. Don't be totally opposed to dogs, just require references for the dog and require meeting the dog before any approval. Long time local rental history of the tenant is a significant plus if they can be verified. Be prepared for major headaches. People lie way worse than you can imagine what appears to be a small family is really a family of 20 with Jimbo in the RV parked in the driveway, barking dogs that were never approved etc. Places are selling extremely quick these days as the inventory is so low, you could have cash in your hand and no headaches very quickly. Renting a place out is much much more of a nightmare than most ever imagine, if you have no experience with it, just sell and get on with life. It's not the dream revenue stream you imagine.
COMMENT 326656P	2012-10-01 03:38 PM
Go to Edhat referrals and check out the section on property management. Lots of comments.
COMMENT 326658P	2012-10-01 03:39 PM
Yes, use a property manager -- particularly because you will be out of the area. Make sure your lease agreement includes everything you wish (legally) ... not just the boilerplate agreement. For example, several landlords include in the lease that the property manager has the right to (and will) inspect the property once a year, with proper notice. Be sure there is a deadline for monthly rental payments and a late fee for late payment.
CAPTAIN HALEY	2012-10-01 03:45 PM
I have been a landlord in Santa Barbara for many years, and if you plan to live out of the area I definitely recommend a property manager. They will be your local eyes and ears. They will also recommend the proper level for the rent, and will be able to take care of minor repairs, etc., as they come up.
COMMENT 326663P	2012-10-01 03:47 PM
Make sure your neighbors know how to contact you and encourage them to call if they see anything amiss. When we couldn't sell our 2-bedroom condo 25 years ago we rented it to a married couple and their friend. We told them they could have a cat but no dogs, but unbeknownst to us they got a dog, which peed all over the place, wrecking the carpet (it even leaked down to the subfloor in spots). The tenants hid the dog in their car when we came over one time (since we had to give them notice). After they moved out we talked to some neighbors and it turned out they all knew about the dog, but no one thought to contact us.
COMMENT 326664	2012-10-01 03:48 PM
Be careful. From stories I've heard, renters have more rights than the landlords in this state.
COMMENT 326667	2012-10-01 03:58 PM
First, learn what your responsibilities and rights are under California rental law. The State of California has an excellent guide they will send or you can view online. Second, screen the heck out any property 'management' firms you may use. They may use sub-standard contractors to do repairs, saving you money makes them look good in your eyes. Ask who they use for electrical, plumbing, carpentry and general maintenance or better yet give them a list of your own guys to use when the time comes. Lousy contractors can do more damage than lousy tenants. And of course screen the tenants but don't get paranoid. Good luck on your move!
COMMENT 326668	2012-10-01 03:59 PM
even if you use a property manager, make sure that you know what's going on at your house. my mother rented out her house in goleta and the property manager rented it to a family that proceeded to sublet out every room. there were probably 20 people living there and they thrashed the place.
EMUWREN1	2012-10-01 04:01 PM
Just don't hire Bartline, no matter what. They were in charge of a property across the street from ours. Students moved in, keg parties were in full swig---I mean swing, on the weekends. Young "ladies" were outside shrieking the "F" word at the tops of their lungs at 1am. Motorcycles. (Upper Eastside, quiet area, normally.) Supposed to be two tenants, there were four or five. Bartline was contacted. Did nothing. All the neighbors were calling police. I finally got out-of-town owner's home number and it took two neighbors to convince owner there was a real problem. The clincher was when I said I had photos of these kids walking atop a flimsy carport and roof of house. I think the owner then feared liability. Kids were sent packing shortly thereafter. Bartline, phooey. Giving neighbors your contact number is brilliant advice.
COMMENT 326670	2012-10-01 04:05 PM
I had the exact same experience as you from a Bartlein property in Goleta, only my bedroom wall was shared with their yard! Just so you know, if you choose a Prop Management company, they generally work to the letter of the law which means the first applicant with available funds must be chosen, regardless of any other issues they may present (i.e. clown house of students or illegals). Maybe get the tenant first, then hire a handyman or small manager to keep an eye on them?
COMMENT 326672	2012-10-01 04:07 PM
Save yourself the heartache--hire a property management company.
COMMENT 326673	2012-10-01 04:07 PM
Remember that tenants tend to keep their belongings up, but not yours. If you have high end appliances, consider selling them and supplying "rental" quality appliances. If they offer to paint etc, expect paint on your flooring, window coverings etc and in colors that can surprise you, make sure your rental is move in ready and all those little things that needed fixing are fixed. Take a good set of photos of every inch of the property before you rent it out. If you have family that lives locally, have them send you a monthly photo of the house taken from the street and let your prospective tenants know that you will be monitoring the house up keep. The State of CA has a great handbook that will help keep you out of trouble, it is free too!
COMMENT 326677	2012-10-01 04:12 PM
Bartline required a 30 thousand dollar payment to renew a lease.
COMMENT 326678	2012-10-01 04:13 PM
Contact the UCSB housing office and see if they can put a visiting scholar in there for a long term rental. My sister used to find visiting professionals from local corporations which was a similar setup. They have the money to buy, but just don't want to. The best of all worlds for you. For non-scholars, if they can't give you 5 yrs of solid housing references from professional companies, and haven't worked at a single company for 5 yrs, screen them out. We rented for years and always got our deposit back so you are trying to find renters like we were.
COMMENT 326683	2012-10-01 04:19 PM
678 - working 5 years or more at the same company (especially in this town) is hardly indicitive of a renter's suitability. Also, what if they've rented from private individuals? To the OP - do credit checks to determine fiscal responsibility and background checks to spot any past evictions or any "undesirable" convictions.
COMMENT 326688	2012-10-01 04:23 PM
That's so sad - hearing how people trash properties. I have been a renter all my life and likely will be for the rest of it. Trust me credit checks don't mean crap - I see it all of the time. Stay away from students and check referrences..past landlords are the best examples of how people are. I personally HATE renting from a property management company because so many of them do nothing when something is wrong - for example leave things broken and when they do "fix" them it's often cheaply done. Plus they jack the rent up higher so you do get the people who sublet every room in the house. It's a tough job to rent out property I can only imagine. Good luck!
COMMENT 326697	2012-10-01 04:39 PM
Do not do it. Sell your home if at all possible and invest the money. You'll end up ahead.
D8VANILLA	2012-10-01 04:42 PM
You MUST read up on all the laws and city ordinances concerning tenant / landlord issues. Contact the tenant & landlord mediation task force and I'm sure they will have lots of info. There are rules about how much money you are allowed by law to take as a security deposit.... etc. Have a good lease in place. It could be a nice easy experience, or it could be your worst nightmare come true!!!
COMMENT 326706	2012-10-01 04:49 PM
Its been my experience that the worst landlords always end up with the worst tenants. That the worse the neighborhood or the condition of the house the worse the tenant pool and the landlord. This is from being both a renter and a landlord. Its almost universal. I've discovered that the nicer the place, the better the condition and the flooring, appliances etc. the better your tenant will be. Quality attracts quality. And also remember that professionals have far too much invested in their lives to not pay rent or worse... And dog owners can be some of the very best people. So dont make a silly policy like a <30lbs dog only - the smaller the dog generally the more trouble they cause.... (bring on the hit patrol!) Its true, the little guys tend to have the most number of issues.
YIN YANG	2012-10-01 05:03 PM
Many good points. I agree with using a property manager. Having a neighbor in contact is, *in my experience,* as important. All management companies are or can be maligned, but I've been with Wolfe for decades.
COMMENT 326713	2012-10-01 05:11 PM
FYI just asking for a 'Family' is a violation of the fair housing act. (you can not discriminate)
COMMENT 326715P	2012-10-01 05:12 PM
In my downtown neighborhood, the worst neighbors (tenants) are in the properties managed by property management companies. The best neighbors (tenants) are in the properties managed by the owners. I wonder if these companies actually do background checks and call references. There are alot of great tenants out there so I don't understand the the disconnect. Otherwise, lots of good advice in these comments. I would add a clause in the lease making the property a smoke free property. This will prevent alot of headaches.
COMMENT 326726P	2012-10-01 05:46 PM
BTW-there are some advocating selling the house rather than renting it out. Keep the house-the transaction costs and taxes will kill you. In these troubled times, solid assets producing income trump paper assets with uncertain returns.
COMMENT 326727P	2012-10-01 05:48 PM
If you're leaving appliances like a washer and dryer, you should decide what to do (in the lease) if they need repairing or replacing. You might say you are leaving them, but you will not repair them and/or you will not replace them. Tenants can be harder on (your) appliances than you are.
COMMENT 326728	2012-10-01 05:53 PM
Be sure to check out their car when showing the rental. How they treat their car is often a good indicator of how they'll treat your rental. My past experience with prospective tenants, makes me run the other way when I see bumpers or license plates hanging down, extremely dirty, problems with the muffler, car or tenant smoking as they leave, etc. Just sayin.
COMMENT 326730	2012-10-01 06:03 PM
Just know one thing: the law is stacked against the landlord in California, so you had better know and follow the law exactly. Tip: Under-charging going rates often gets you better tenants because they are grateful, but not necessarily.
COMMENT 326732	2012-10-01 06:08 PM
I am a renter, and take really really good care of the places I rent because I am greatful to be in a nice house. I would be interested in talking with you, because my 3 year lease is almost up. As a renter, Property One management has been wonderful to deal with. Jim Fox takes care of problems before they become big, he is reliable, and has a great group of plumbers etc he uses. I think that the owner of the property must feel confident knowing he puts dedicated renters like myself in his places. He also has a terrific lease, which covers all of the finer details mentioned here on edhat. I would like to find out where your house is, and how much you want...feel free to email me. Thanks!
COMMENT 326735	2012-10-01 06:27 PM
Hire the best property manager you can find and insist he do a walk thru of the house every 6 months and an inspection every 12 for leaks etc. Owners are responsible for any dog bites by their renters dog. If you rent to tenants with dogs get the best insurance you can find, you may need it.
COMMENT 326738P	2012-10-01 06:41 PM
You should also discuss the change in residency to your insurance agent to find out if there are exclusions or additional riders you may need going that route.
COMMENT 326770P	2012-10-01 08:11 PM
Best thing you can do, after you sift through and glean the best bits from above advisors, is to assure your tenants that you will return every cent of their rental deposit IF they keep your house in the same condition, as near as possible, as how they found it. Renters love to get back that deposit. Make it as large as is legal, and that may help weed out the bad 'uns. Just keep in mind that appearances (nice car, professional clothing) don't carry near the weight of your inner voice. Listen to that voice. And I have loads of dog-owning friends. Their houses are spotless, their dogs are flea less, they are all non-smokers, and they know they will have to pay you more to live in a nice place. Better to rent to a pair of females or a couple who own dogs, in my opinion, than a family.
FIRST DISTRICT	2012-10-01 08:39 PM
You might want to consider affiliating with the Rental Property Association. In so doing you would be kept abreast of what's legal. There are plenty of advantages to holding a membership. As with a lot of things in this life. . . luck can take you just so far.
COMMENT 326815P	2012-10-02 06:48 AM
You need to pay the water bill yourself or you will have a yard full of dead plants. Bitter (and expensive) experience! Use a property manager.
COMMENT 326820	2012-10-02 07:20 AM
I have 2 rental properties and I use property manager's for both. Don't underestimate the value of having a 3rd party deal with the issues that arise with screening tenants, taking care of repairs, etc. It's well worth the minor expense, which is deductible. I spent the first 10 years of my rental experience doing it myself and was just exasperated with working fulltime and being a property manager.
COMMENT 326823	2012-10-02 07:27 AM
OP here. thanks everyone. 713, if I want to rent the home to a family, isn't that my prerogative? Is a home owner really restricted by the fair housing act when renting their private dwelling? I suppose I wouldn't advertise "families only apply", but still, I will rent the house out to whoever I prefer as it is MY house and MY interests are at stake.
COMMENT 326827	2012-10-02 07:41 AM
326678 - renting to visiting scholars from UCSB can be a very good way to go for short to medium term tenants. If the place gets trashed, UCSB is on the hook for damages as they execute the lease and then "sublet". Don't ever expect them to pay up fast, but they always pay up eventually, and their visiting scholars tend to be above average tenants anyway. Deal with a GOOD manager - I have been landlord and tenat in this town and from either side of the equation, a good manager makes the game a lot more enjoyable. I find that families with kids tend to do more "wear and tear" damge but groups of unrelated singles (especially young singles) tend to do the most serious damage - since you will repaint walls and steam the floors every time you get a new tenant anyway, don't worry about kid-damage, worry about drunken idiot damge.
COMMENT 326837	2012-10-02 08:29 AM
Go check out the place your new tenants are vacating.
COMMENT 326848	2012-10-02 09:07 AM
How much are you renting it for? I need a house! :)
COMMENT 326852	2012-10-02 09:19 AM
@823 - You must accept the first qualified applicant. That is why I recommend you avoid a property management service. The obey the law meaning high probability of a clown house rental. You can be more selective as fair housing laws are not really enforced (or even provable) with private rental transactions.
COMMENT 326865	2012-10-02 09:49 AM
713 here Page 12 of the CA Landlord Tenant Handbook, read it, you can not discriminate based on familial status. Property Managers can not take your request for only a family. They have to show to all that ask and take their applications. Often the first qualified applicant is selected; they will have found a qualified resident, will have not caused discrimination dispute by using the "first qualified" as a standard and have completed their job in finding a tenant. However, in a local SBCC taught RE class, the instructor also said that you can pick the MOST qualified (guessing income and credit history) and if some one is hard to work with (personality conflict) you can skip them.
8111989	2012-10-02 09:57 AM
All these comments are right on. I have been a landlord here for decades. I use a property manager but that doesn't keep me uninvolved. I am consulted on major repairs or appliance replacement. When I rented my own house, I could choose my tenant. With apartments, the first qualified gets first in line. You're right about that. I always interview prospective tenants myself because I can usually tell if this person will be honest and fair. That said, I had a rich lady complain there was a spider in the house and she wanted it fumigated, I had a woman forget to turn off the bath water and ruined the floor. I had a man go off the wagon and set fire to the kitchen. I had young teens who joined a gang inspiring grafitti on the fences. You can ask 1 1/2 times the rent for security. I have an ex- tenant who needs a house who would be great for you. Professional woman who lived at my 2-bedrm for 7 years before I sold that building.
COMMENT 326897	2012-10-02 10:51 AM
If you do it yourself, contact the Santa Barbara Rental Property Association, join up, use their forms and listen to their advice. They can assist with reasonably priced credit checks as well. Good folks to know.
COMMENT 326937	2012-10-02 12:24 PM
OP - Because of the Fair Housing Act, you cannot pick and choose who rents your place. If you were staying there and renting out rooms, then you can pick and choose. I am a landlord with a small building in downtown SB, which I also manage. I am a member of the SB Rental Property Association and have learned a ton through them. If you advertise to a certain type of person/family etc, you can be fined a large sum if someone complains. You have to rent it to the first person who sees it if they have all of the credit/financial qualities you're looking for. I know it sounds unfair, as the homeowner, but it's the law. The SBRPA can help you with the credit/eviction/background checks. Those are crucial. And ALWAYS call the prospective tenants past landlords and current employers. Hope that helps.
COMMENT 326953	2012-10-02 12:59 PM
937 - very good advice. I own several homes in the area. I've been lucky. I always check previous rental and employment history - that tells me more than a credit report can. I interview everyone who will be living in the house (and have them bring their pets if possible). The neighbors around each property have my business card and know to call me if there are any problems. And I do not allow co-signers - the people who will live in the house must quality independently. I make it a policy to never raise the rent on a good tenant (a good tenant to me pays the rent on time, reports problems promptly and is respectful to the neighbors). Wish you well on finding a good tenant - they are out there.
COMMENT 326955	2012-10-02 01:04 PM
google is your friend too, you can use street view to see how they keep their current home.
COMMENT 327040	2012-10-02 04:05 PM
what? no deleted comments? how can this be on a thread????
COMMENT 327051	2012-10-02 04:30 PM
Follow your heart. Bad landlords have bad tenants. Don't listen to the greedy people on here . They are the ones who are whining. Can you identify their tone? Many homes, you should be so proud. Always allow dogs.Big Dogs. Treat the tenants better than you treat yourself. Think of a fair price, not on what you can 'get'. If someone complains, ask the tenants to resolve it. Don't drop by without proper notice-that's trespassing. Don't reserve storage space on your rental. Vacate it completely if you are going to rent it. Store your extra car at one of your other houses. Fix the broken things right away. A Flushing toilet more than once per poo is unacceptable. Pay for the water, especially if there is a landscape. Pay for the gardener-because that's what you would do for yourself. The lords of SB have set a very bad example-just read some of the yucky posts. Perpetual high rent and bad living conditions show a general lack of respect and absence of humanity. Behave Greedy ones.
COMMENT 327060	2012-10-02 04:40 PM
I am a family of 3, my husband, my daughter, and me. My daughter is an sbcc student, we are great tenants...Ive been at the same job 23 years, please contact me. Thank you

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