patrick.net

I've got a question to the seasoned landlords and property hunters. I'm looking at some properties up by the University in Old Town. Typically these houses were built between 1900-1935. Many have a legal (or illegal) duplex in the back or basement.

What are the typical checklist points for considering necessary maintenance on these older properties? And what additional items must be considered when the house has been a long term college student rental?

Which Old Town are you talking about, San Diego's?

@ TOB

Throwing out some humor, I like that. You must have gotten lucky this weekend. :-)

@ Justme

Just for the record, I'm not sure what I think about technological singularity theory. I indicated and do think it is a very interesting and facisinating concept. I the meme when Joy did his wired piece and resigned from Sun from fear of it, subsequently read "Age of spritual Machines" by Kurzweil which I recomend. And thereafter many others. So many unknowns and so much interdisplinary complexity one might as well contend he understands our climate system.

I think it's a big fat unknown. But very interesting. Speculation on the combined future of advancing technology in bio genetics, computing, and nano tech is mind bending fun.

Also let it be known that these "ideas", the the meme, has passed the proverbial tipping point in scientific and technology circles. A majority seem to be buying in. I think its worthwhile to understand as a trend and societal influence forward.

I think you will really like this piece by Jaron Lanier in rebuttal to the meme, the man is a first rate poet thinker. He paints singularity theory as religion in same manner Marxism became a "religious belief". Excellent short read. I wish I was as smart as this guy. He may be an alien.

http://www.edge.org/documents/archive/edge74.html

I know a whole slew of folks on anti-depressants, and conclude it definitely changes behavior as well as sexual side effects of certain classes.

Unfortunately, there is so much of the stuff being imbibed we are all now taking them. I read awhile back that so much of it is being "excreted" through urine into the ecosystem, municipal water systems are not able to filter out the compounds, as well as being consumed by the food chain working back to the grocery isle. We all have increasing traces.

Speaking of mass medication and effects.....governments have trialed mass medication through water supply and otherwise to weight effects on propensity to aggression and revolt. Fluoride has been known to significantly reduce aggressive tendencies. Europe has banned it in water supplies, yet we still are getting this industrial waste product introduced into our water supply here. Supposed benefits to teeth. Europe’s dental health numbers show no difference from ours.

A flouride compound is a major active ingredient of prozac.

31 people were shot in Chicago over this weekend. It ain't even summer yet, what's that number look like in August?

Crime wave cometh.

Jimbo: I'm from Colorado. The university of which I speak is Colorado State.

Crime wave cometh.
Meanwhile in subprime BA (as opposed to the Alt-A Bay):
An Oakland liquor-store owner shot and injured a would-be robber who shot him, the second incident in two days in which employees have fought back, police said. At about 9:55 p.m. Saturday, a man walked into Ed's Liquors at 2700 23rd Avenue and pointed a gun at the store owner while going behind the counter, police said. The owner pulled out a weapon of his own, but the assailant shot him first in the leg, police said. The store owner then fired back, hitting the man at least three times, police said. The suspect's condition could not immediately be determined Sunday. The store owner's injuries were not considered life-threatening.
The shooting occurred two days after a similar incident at Wah Fay 8th Avenue Corner Market at East 21st Street and 8th Avenue in Oakland. At about 9:30 p.m. Thursday, a store clerk shot and wounded a 18-year-old Pittsburg man who tried to rob the business with a second man, police said.
The incidents underscore the measures some store employees are taking.
In April 2007, the owner of a pizzeria at 89th Avenue and International Boulevard in East Oakland shot and killed a would-be robber armed with an assault rifle. A month later, a clerk at a liquor store on 28th Avenue in Oakland shot and killed a 17-year-old who had fired first.
The incidents come at a time of heightened concern over robberies in the East Bay. Police in Oakland, Emeryville and Berkeley are investigating a series of eight takeover robberies at restaurants over the past month. Oakland police are also trying to identify a man they have dubbed the "Chicken Hawk" because of his tendency to rob fast-food restaurants that serve chicken. From the SF Chronicle.

EBGuy,

Oakland doesn't need your help in being identified as the crime capital of the Bay Area. OK, maybe Richmond will contest that title.

I thought Oakland is the crime capital of the West Coast if not the nation.

All under-aged robbers should be tried as adults. We should not age-discriminate criminals.

NVR,

Thanks, I'll check out the link.

Peter P Says:

> All under-aged robbers should be tried as adults.
> We should not age-discriminate criminals.

We should treat all people the same. If I get shot by a 17 year old gang member it is not any different then getting shot by a 19 year old gang member…

It is a myth that you can “rehabilitate” someone just because they are young. I’m guessing that about and 99% of the 16 year old “kids” caught doing drive by shootings at 15 are doing them again at 18 when they get out of juvenile hall…

Brand Says:

> looking at some properties up by the University

What University??

> What are the typical checklist points for considering
> necessary maintenance on these older properties?

You need to do some walk throughs with some contractors. A picture is worth a thousand words...

....and a word from a contractor is worth a thousand dollars. ;)

It is a myth that you can “rehabilitate” someone just because they are young.

When you have guilt-driven liberalism...

All of the robberys that were stopped by an armed victim sure don’t get the media time they should.

Perhaps the media thinks the victims should have been submissive. After all, they think anything illegal deserves more rights.

Brand I'm curious about something.

Buying near a college seems smart as you have a sure supply of renters in perpetuity. Given that this fact should be obvious to everyone, are these places holding on to their high (inflated?) per sq. ft. prices better than the rest of the city of Ft Collins?

or is Colorado State in Greely and not Ft Collins? I'm soory but I get them confused. Hope nobody is offended :-)

Buying near a college seems smart as you have a sure supply of renters in perpetuity.

I have never been a landlord but I heard college students are not exactly the good kind of renters.

Maybe they're not the best Peter P, but you can charge a large deposit just in case. You can also probably overcharge for rent since it's generally shared between 2-3 sets of parents ;-) - add the fact that your rental is never empty, and you should come out a winner (if you got a good price when you bought). I think.

or if you really want to be safe, don't rent to B-school or Liberal Arts students. Rent only to graduate engineering students - less partying aftereffects.

In Fremont, we were looking for a house this past week, and when we found a house that was REO, there were multiple offers,and overbidding.
We didn't buy in the end, since we still think the prices have some more ways to drop. But the psychology is crazy

All of the robberys that were stopped by an armed victim ....
Bap33, I knew I could count on you. I think that is what caught my eye about the article -- welcome to the Wild West.

Unfortunately the press does not see "good news" as being a good news story. They apparently feel the need to dwell on the negative of everything in order to stir up emotions and increase their ratings, thats why I have pretty much given up on watching the news.