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Buy to Let & Letting

The Power Of Positive Property Thinking

Glass_half_full_kind_of_dayToday I am sharing with you a completely different post, to the post I was originally going to share with you.

And which I was *almost* ready to hit the publish button on.

Then I read it back.  I had a cup of tea and I thought to myself: “Really?”

The reason being, the post I was going to share was about my landlord week from hell.  It was, I thought to myself – a warning – that if you thought property investment was easy or passive – here is the reality check.

And then I thought: No.

Sam, you can do better.  You do know better.  Don’t let the f#ckers get you down.  Focus on the 90% of your tenants who you love and, work out how you can make things better with the 10% who are driving you crazy.

With a to-do list off the Richter scale and the imminent launch of Biddsy, I did not anticipate my next move.

Which was, and is: A Property Road Trip!!!

road-trip-390866_640

I obviously am insane.  However, I have an iPhone and so I figure the world won’t go to pot without anybody being able to get hold of me to tell me as much.

And I just have to share with you what a massively positive difference this has made to me and my thinking.  All the problems I have, are now opportunities to look into things further.  To see what can be done, with my own eyes, to make things right.

While I still do much of the day-to-day management of the properties, inspections are mainly undertaken by appointed agents.  And while this mainly works, it still means there is a distance, which being there in person just cannot bridge.

So I decided to bridge it…

I have already called up loads of tenants to check their availability for my road-pit-stops and that they’re OK with me visiting and having a cheeky cup of tea with them.

The reaction has been tremendous and I feel overwhelmingly joyful that I have crossed this bridge.  For some of my tenants:

  1. They have never met me; I am just the voice at the end of the phone and the bank account where they pay their rent.
  2. Their families have massively changed since I last saw them – babies have grown into children, couples have split and re-married, new babies and pets are now in occupation.

And I have to admit to being SOOOO excited.

I am not dumb enough to think I won’t come away with a list of issues from every property visit.  But, what excites me more is the chance to re-connect again with my tenants.  To spend more time with them in their homes.  To listen to their lives and hear what’s been going on.

And so now I must leave you as I am off on my property roadtrip 🙂

11 comments
  1. HMO Landlady

    Excellent idea. Whenever I feel disconnected from my tenants or the houses I spend the day pottering around and spotting any problems, defrosting freezers, checking light bulbs work and watching the comings and goings of everyone. It makes the tenants feel loved and I feel a little more in control. Have fun and look forward to hearing the results!

    1. Sam

      Ah thanks. It went really well and I have planned a few improvements and repairs. I was delighted to be met with open arms, so many smiles and lots of hot freshly brewed tea 🙂

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