Accept tenants or hold out?

[Toon]

My PM rang earlier with a prospective tenant for an IP I've just built, which will eventually become our PPOR in a few years. Despite requesting No Kids, they have a 2yr old & are expecting another baby. They have offered $360, which is above the advertised amount of $340 & want to move in ASAP. The husband is a neurosurgeon, so they should be ideal as far as finances go. I'm really worried about the polished jarrah floors though - I know there will be wear & tear, but I just envisage a 2yr old pounding it with hard toys etc.

Should I hold out for some DINKS & perhaps miss a week or two of rent & take a lower amount too, or should I just stop being precious about my beloved floors?

Toon

 

[GIDDO]

Heelo Toon,

You do seem genuinely worried about the floors, so i would go with my gut and wait for another offer.

You will be worried about it all the while it is rented otherwise.

 

[buzzlightyear]

The skirting boards are more likely to take a beating! To be honest though and speaking from experience, wear and tear will come from just about every tenant, kids or no kids. You should embrace wear and tear and don't let it you put you off good prospective tenants.

$20 (or almost 6%) above your asking price is not too bad i would have thought.

 

[steveadl]

They sound like good potential tenants, so I would take them on. But I'm not as worried about my floors as you. It could be that you're feeling this way because they're brand new and you've built the house yourself?

After a year or two you won't worry about it as much anymore, and you're going to get wear and tear no matter who's in there - so I wouldn't lose a good tenant over it, especially if they're paying above market.

 

[weg]

Personally I don't think you would have any problems. Jarrah is a hardwood I think?? so should be reasonably tough.

Our previous PPOR was Tasmanian oak right through, and in this house we have baltic pine. Only time we've had damage was to the baltic pine, that's a softwood, and that was due to draging furniture and the fridge.

IMO the most damage very young children would create would be drawing on walls, and if you plan to repaint before you move in I wouldn't worry. Between tenants use a scourer called Magic eraser (there are 2 brands and one works well).

 

[Toon]

Thanks everyone,

You've swayed me & I'm going to bite the bullet & accept the tenants. I guess there's nothing that can't be fixed.

Cheers

Toon

 

[josko]

Hi Toon,

I would take the tenants, by the sounds of it, they can pay their rent on time and your PM should do regular check-ups on the cleanliness.

From personal experience with floors, I'd be more worried about women's high heels and parties than little toddlers.

Regards Jo

 

[ethereal]

I'd take them. Keep in mind that puke, milk and wee on the carpet (if there are any) is probably inevitable too.

 

[The Y-man]

I'd take them. Keep in mind that puke, milk and wee on the carpet (if there are any) is probably inevitable too.

Which is probably better than puke, cigarette burns, wine, beer (and worse) on carpet from a big party held by some DINK's...!

"There is nothing that can't be made to look brand new" is a great attitude to have. Besides, you might need neurosurgey one day too!

Cheers,

The Y-man

 

[GoAnna!]

If you stay $20 pw above market then in two years that $2K to bring the floors back. I think renting out something so precious is always going to be hard. I think you will need to let go of that if you have tenant (or even kids of your own!)

 

[Toon]

Besides, you might need neurosurgey one day too!

LOL, one of my colleagues daughter's just did actually.

 

[Toon]

Thanks GoAnna! I'm really going to have to let go of it, I know. It's amazing what a difference it makes when it's your intended future PPOR as opposed to just a pure IP. I have one other IP, a 2 bdrm unit, which I never think twice about.

 

[letiha]

I didn't think you could say "no kids" due to it being discrimanatory.

 

[softmonkey]

on wooden floors i have seen far more damage from women's high heels and furniture dragging than i have ever seen from anything else. a 15kg kid? hah!

 

[boods99]

Timber floors can always be sanded back to raw timber and recoated to look like brand new...

$20 above market sounds good to me...

Ive got a 2.5 year old and a 6 month old and have Tassy Oak floors throughout my house...they have trashed the floors...but they are quite soft as far as timber floors go...Jarrah is much harder wearing and impact resistant. Timber floors are to be lived on and will always wear more than tiles etc...

Boods

 

[Toon]

Now that I've said yes (nothing signed yet) I get an email from the PM with all these detailed demands from the potential tenant of what kind of landscaping they want & where etc. All related to the needs of the children mind you. Think I might just say no & wait for someone with less demands afterall.

 

[GoAnna!]

Ouch! I would let them go too. They need to accept as advertised.

 

[silversands]

If they want the house that much, tell them they can have a blank canvas and they themselves may pay for as much landscaping as they want, neurosurgeons wages shoul cover nicely!

 

[steveadl]

Nah, move on Toon. If they're demanding stuff before they've signed the lease, imagine what they'll be like once they're in there.

$20pw above market aint worth the hassle if they're going to be like that.

 

[buzzlightyear]

Now that I've said yes (nothing signed yet) I get an email from the PM with all these detailed demands from the potential tenant of what kind of landscaping they want & where etc. All related to the needs of the children mind you. Think I might just say no & wait for someone with less demands afterall.

They've moved the goal posts. Time for you to move them on as well.