Slumlord

My first house was frickin' adorable.

Actually, it was an out-dated piece of crap, but I learned how to refinish, texture, tile, and remove glitterized wallpaper.  Yes.  Glitter.  On the walls.  After much hard work, I turned it into a home in which I was quite comfortable.  I loved that place.



But, as it turns out, I loved Bee more, so I moved out of my cozy cottage seven months after moving in so that I could move in with Bee.  But, even though I'd given up living there, I just couldn't give up the house.  So Bee and I decided to turn it into a rental.

My adorable cottage is now the bane of my existence.  We've changed renters four times in the last five years.  Most have been good, but some have most definitely been not.  And, even when the renters have proven themselves to be good, I can't help but get tense as the first of the month approaches and I still haven't received a rental payment.

Whenever Bee and I go over there, we inevitably get into an argument about something that's going on, usually with the inconsiderate neighbors who park in front of the property or view the driveway as their personal short-cut to the alley.  To make it more fun for myself, I've started a silent bet on how many times Bee will say "I just want to sell this place!" when we're over there.

We're in the process of finding new tenants again, which is a very stressful thing.  Hey, did you know you can look up a person's court history with just a first and last name?  You may not always know if the John Doe arrested for axe murder is the same John Doe applying to live in your former home, but at least the information can keep you up at night!

Yes, researching new tenants can show you the worst in people.  Then again, it can also show you the best.  I've had great conversations with applicants' supervisors about what wonderful people they are, and friends who give character references tell stories of the selfless things they've done.  It's at times like that that I am very happy to be a member of the same species, and to be able to share my beloved, adorable cottage with such a person.