Let’s be fair @Greg - the USA’s crime rates are a lot different than Canada.
When I advertise a listing if I get 10 applicants maybe one of them will be a convict - in Canada none of them would be until I got that 30th application. It’s easy to have idealistic values about this problem when your country has less than half our violent crime rate per capita. That’s the problem we should be addressing, but alas here we are.
I honestly would probably say the same thing you are if I was in your shoes, and I have full appreciation for your position and respect your opinion.
I don’t believe being Canadian has anything to do with the topic. This is not about crime rates it is about a landlords ability to screen applicants. My opinion will always be that the landlord will always have the last word on that topic.
I also do not believe I am being idealistic. This subject has simply generated the usual knee jerk negative reaction to media reports. The sky is always falling and in the end it is extremely rare that any change filters down to the grass roots level.
Politicians, government agencies and lawyers are always grandstanding and blowing smoke not to make change but rather to make political points.
There are many, many ways experienced landlords have to legally avoid accepting any applicant.
It’s just another day in the business.
Greg, from years of experience we are in a very nice niche market–retires. We have owned family parks and just like you try to help others on their journey in the park business. Being tough is really the easy part going to court is the way some learn how to be tough. Having guidelines that have real teeth with enforcement help. My wife is the smiling part and I am the nasty cop. We determined 25 years ago retires are a really nice class of people who pay on time and want a great place to live. Jhutson owning parks in some areas are very troublesome but we have a choice what we buy. We have in the last 8 months wrote 4 contracts on parks and doing DD bought none If my family is uncomfortable in the area or the park we move on–we have LIVED in four of our parks and enjoyed it–how many other park owners have had the experience???
Carl, my community is also primarily retirees although as a “adult only” community I do have a few still working. All 50 years or older.
As a small landlord I set my rules and easily operate under the radar being able to completely control my screening process in a extremely pro tenant environment. I have learned over the years that government rules are primarily only a guideline and surprisingly grey in nature. In addition my tenant base being financially better off is also socially more responsible and far more in tune with my goals and support my prejudices regarding quality of residents. Lower income individuals tend to be more troublesome due to a irrational scenes of entitlement. Those I screen out.
Any applicants I reject have no leverage to file complaints, although some have fought me, without success.
Informed landlords that know and understand the rules also know how to successfully work around or manipulate them to their advantage. I prefer to take minor risks and bend the rules to be able to stay in control of my investments. Business owners can be in control or under the control of others.
I am present looking at a lower end community that if I buy will need serious attention. There are a few residents that would require a attitude adjustment or be forced out. This will require some serious manipulation and rule bending but this is the part of my job I find most challenging.
Greg 100% agree. Most of the questions are coming from non owner-operators and we both agree NEVER, NEVER rental homes–usually a Pandora subset of problems and really a poor return WHEN money and time is figured. Hopefully the learning curve with rental homes is quick and most buyers of those former rentals are _______________________???
