Renting a Maine home, and knowing that you would be a good renter.

There must be others like you out there right? But maybe if you would never trash a place, or forget to pay your rent on time, you become of the opinion everyone else is basically good, caring, considerate in the same way. Nope.

The track record of where did the person live before, what kind of a renter were they knowing your past is one strong predictor of what is ahead for drama. Litigation, no ones likes it, needs it. Except lawyers. Just be respectful of the property, keep your rent current and let the landlord know if a problem arises with the rental. That’s all the owner wants. Communication. Before lots of needless further damage happens because the property owner is out of the loop.

Call today from a Maine farm property owner wanting to downsize. To buy another home in Maine with 6 acres we recently listed for sale.

But he really needs to sell what he owns first. I explained Maine banks have lots of “bridge” financing home options. That they need to make loans. To put the money on a mortgage, out to work with monthly installments with interest added in for the cherry on top.

I said you could rent one place until it sells so not two properties to worry about exactly. But he had had a track record with rental tenants in his past. Still shudders and gun shy. He was a pretty capable state trooper retired kinda guy. But had one tenant, a mom with small child that paid the monthly payment for the rental ahead of time surprised him. When he visited the property to check on a leak, he was shocked upon stepping inside the unit. He had just remodeled a year before with new paint, rugs, appliances and some furnishings.

As he poked his head in the Maine apartment door, a shadow flew over.

A large parrot flying loose in the apartment made him hit the deck out of instinct. Then two dogs got his attention. That were taking turns, tag teaming the end of the shredded living room couch. Did not seem to mind him being in the place. As each lifted a leg to mark their territory. Three times a day at least from the smells of it. Eviction papers were quickly drawn up and the legal process started. Rugs, paneling and moulding trim hauled out holding his nose to fill the largest dumpster he could rent. For debris removal at seven cents a pound, destined for the landfill.

Renting a property in Maine short term. Ask lots of questions, do a credit check. Track down the facts, past making notations on a reporter’s ringed top notebook. Not just the current Maine landlord, but the previous ones need interviews. The current one will tell you anything to get the tenant six months behind on rent out. The one he is waiting for the court docket to open up for the forcible entry and detainer / eviction dog and pony expensive, slow legal circus.

Some folks are renters because their credit is shot but it’s never their fault. Like criminals in prison that are all innocent, set up, waiting for justice. Knowing the days of slum lords being able to have the upper hand are long over. And tenants crystal clear on what to expect. With rights, expectations from you to provide them housing whether the rent is paid or not. No matter if they treat the place with love and respect or not. Owning vs renting Maine properties.

Take notes with previous landlords, other neighboring tenants. Make a surprise visit to the place they are leaving and find out the real reasons why they are so anxious to get their foot in the door to the rental you have up for lease.

The best tenants have jobs, or are retired and brought up with a better sense of values. Taking care of property. Working hard for everything they have being where the pride, respect originate. The place is not to be a Noah’s Ark collection of two of every kind of critter. On the loose.

Get a month’s rent in advance for security and another pair of 1st and last month’s rent up front. That will separate the chaff from the wheat of who to let rent the unit you want to generate income, help pay the bills and come back at the end of the lease not looking like the set at the end of a Stephen King horror movie. And what happens to a rental deposit when no damage but landlord does not release?

And oh yeah, the guy who told me about the dogs, the parrot, he re-rented after totally overhauling the rental after less than a year from the same process before the cute tenant with one child moved in.

More dark clouds and bad luck in the landlord, renting business. Somehow a mysterious fire destroyed the center of the apartment within two months of the next tenant moving his things, duds, furniture in. I can see why he is a little timid from the track record experience of renting a property as the landlord, owner.

Maine, big state, simple living, lots of outdoor natural recreation.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
info@mooersrealty.com
207.532.6573