Last weekend, Steve & I worked on installing the stairwell railing. He used manual Jorgenson miter saw to cut the angles. And he installed the hardware. He stained it today and will poly the railing tomorrow.
I cleaned the front entry floor(see left) with an abrasive disc attachment on a drill and Comet. I got up the stains and paint residue, but I didn't want it too clean. After all, it's 100 years old and it shouldn't look brand new.
The only trick to this project was that I had to paper off all the walls and doors because the stuff splatters everywhere.
We also showed the apartment to a couple of youngsters and they absolutely loved it. It's a guy and girl and they've been friends since high school and now are out of college and 23 years old and moving to the city from the burbs.
I had my "quiet building" talk with them and told them some about some of our previous tenants bad behavior. Their eyes got very wide and they were sympathetic. They said they are computer nerds and the only noise they might make would be video games and they would turn them down if asked. I liked them.
We were trying to avoid younger people because they can be more loud we think, but they seem okay and we are willing to give them a try.
They haven't signed a lease yet, but probably will soon. I will be so relieved to have this task accomplished and am hoping for the best.
4 comments:
May I just add a few comments, playing 'devils advocate' in a way: there will never be anyone who will treat yr place as well as you would like....this is true for children also: there will never be anyone who loves them as much as you will...this said, as a landlord, I will caution you, young ones do not live in a vacuum. They will have visitors, they will have loud parties, they will wear shoes at all hrs of the night, they will (in essence) live like the young will: without a care in the world. This does not make them 'bad' people, however landlords learn that YOU have to NOT expect too much. You have put a loving effort into remodeling that 2nd floor, now you must do as foster parents do: prepare yourself to GIVE it up. I don't mean that you must lower yr standards, but I do mean that no one will ever live up to standards that are set too high. It is very very hard to be an 'on-site' landlord. Good luck.
23 year olds can be very good tenants. For instance, when I was 23, I finished (at my expense) the renovation on my half of a two-story townhouse in DC that my lazy, pot-smoking landlord refused to finish. We had a Christmas party every year, but other than that kept our gatherings to a minimum out of respect for our downstairs neighbors (who were always invited anyhow). That being said, unless you install wall to wall carpet (ick), you can pretty much expect to alway hear the pitter patter of feet, whether young or old. At least, that's always been my experience.
We are not inexperienced landlords and have been renting the apt. out for 8 years. We've had young tenants before. I don't think our standards are too high and I am confident we will make the right choice. We had 2 other sets of people look at it today- a couple and an older single guy- both very interested.
I don't agree that we won't find anyone to treat the place the way we would like- we have had that before so we know it's possible.
It is not always so hard to be on on site landlord in our small bldg.- but it can be at times.
Emily- I totally agree with you.
So happy you found someone. They sound perfect. They sound like me at that age. I was a total nerd and I loved the apartment my boyfriend and I rented in historic downtown Orlando when I was 23. We were great tenants. I bet they are the same.
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