The Reluctant Landlord

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Archive
  • Work with Me!
    • Guest Post
  • Contact
  • Disclaimer
  • Self Management
  • Military & Real Estate
  • Buying & Selling
  • Property Manager
  • Our Strategy
  • Books
You are here: Home / Archives for Lifestyle

How we saved $140,000 in 6.5 years!

October 16, 2016 by Elizabeth Bennett Colegrove Leave a Comment

My husband and I got married right out of college at ages 22 and 23. In the beginning, we felt very poor as we were single income living on a Ensign's salary while I was going to school for my master's degree. One of the goals we established early on in our marriage was financial independence. Our goal was  when my husband could retire from the Navy with a pension (god and Navy willing) that we did not need to find another job. We knew that to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Lifestyle

Why My Husband and I Bought a Boat and not a House

October 12, 2016 by Elizabeth Bennett Colegrove 2 Comments

We we bought a boat and not a house

My husband and I own eight houses which are all currently rentals purchased bought in the past five years. We own in three states; CA, SC and VA, and I self manage all of our rentals from all around the world (check out my adventure in self manning while in Fiji.) All of my buddies would tell you that I gleefully look forward to each new duty station as it is an excuse to purchase our next personal property, meaning I get another rental at 5% … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Lifestyle

7 Sites to List Your Short Rental

October 10, 2016 by Elizabeth Bennett Colegrove Leave a Comment

My husband and I are building an empire with our 8 Rentals & Counting. Since I left my job in April, I have been able to increase our income from $1800 a month to over $5800 a month (check out our October Income Report). While we are fortunate that rents increased at three of our houses, the biggest asset was turning two of our houses into furnished rentals. Thanks to short term rental income, our income has dramatically increase. While … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Lifestyle

How to Prepare Your House (or Rental) For Hurricane Evacuation!

October 5, 2016 by Elizabeth Bennett Colegrove 2 Comments

This is the second post in a two part series about how to prepare your house for a Hurricane. The first post, How to Prepare for a Hurricane as a Landlord, can be found here. As a landlord, homeowner or tenant, preparing your house (or Rental) for hurricane evacuation is scary business. You are leaving your home and hoping that the best occurs when you return after the storm. Here are some tips to help you prepare your house (or Rental) for … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Lifestyle Tagged With: hurricane

Is HGTV Killing your Real Estate Transaction?

February 15, 2016 by Elizabeth Bennett Colegrove 2 Comments

Is an HTGV Home Renovation Going to Kill Your Real Estate Transaction?

A serious issue plaguing real estate in this day and age is the existence of cable television networks, such as HGTV and the DIY network. While they are certainly entertaining and can provide great information, we often lose sight of their place in real estate — which is actually non-existent. They truthfully don’t belong in real estate at all. They are solely meant for entertainment. Like any reality television program, they are directed, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Buying or Selling Real Estate, Lifestyle Tagged With: guest post, hgtv, home renovation

The Complete Guide to Installing and Managing Tenants

February 10, 2016 by Elizabeth Bennett Colegrove 2 Comments

100 Articles on How to Manage Tenants from The Reluctant Landlord

As an empire-building landlord, installing and managing tenant has led to many ulcer-inducing moments, especially when we were first starting out. I began The Reluctant Landlord to share my experiences and help others learn from them. Before we get started I wanted to share my favorite resources. Background and Credit Check I previously used Buildium and than I switch to Cozy as it saved me over $500 a year and is absolutely free for … [Read more...]

Filed Under: I am a Reluctant Landlord, I am a Small Time Landlord, I am an Empire Builder, Lifestyle, Military & Real Estate, Self Management

How to Make Money on TDY Under the New Flat Rate Per Diem Rules

February 8, 2016 by Elizabeth Bennett Colegrove 1 Comment

How to Make Money on TDY // The Reluctant Landlord

I am excited that CORT is sponsoring this article, because I absolutely love the opportunities they provide to our military members to save money. Did I mention yet I am frugal and have an expensive empire-building habit? As of November 1, 2015, the military has implemented a new flat rate per diem for long-term TDY— for those on TDY longer than 30 days and not in government housing (lodge, inn, etc.). Instead of getting the standard full per … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Lifestyle

11 Tips To Make Buying a House Less Stressful

February 2, 2016 by Elizabeth Bennett Colegrove 72 Comments

Buying a house is a huge financial decision, and no matter how many times we have added to our empire, it is still always a stressful and nerve-racking experience. After buying 8 houses and slowly building up our real estate empire, I am here to tell you that it does get easier. The key for us has been having reasonable expectations. We have had many ulcer-inducing lessons over the years, but in the end, things have always worked … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Lifestyle

How to Prepare Your House for Rental Photos

January 16, 2016 by Elizabeth Bennett Colegrove Leave a Comment

Your ad is very important to getting the traffic and the price that you want for your rental house. I will be honest and say that over the years I have become more lazy about this. For the first time, one of my houses sat empty -- that shows how lazy I was. After putting up a great ad and following the steps I know work, it was rented in less than a week. Usually our houses are some of the cheapest houses in the best neighborhoods. Since our … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Lifestyle

Is it Smart to Buy a House Sight Unseen?

January 14, 2016 by Elizabeth Bennett Colegrove 1 Comment

Every military family and many civilians run into this debate every time they move. Do I rent or buy sight unseen so I have a house waiting or do I stay in a hotel or couch surf until I find a place? While some companies cover house hunting leave, many more do not. Even those who offer compensation or financial assistance often can't help with pregnancy, childcare, work responsibilities, or other issues, leaving many families, including us, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Lifestyle

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • …
  • 12
  • Next Page »
I love my family, my country and real estate. My goal is to retire early through frugal living and real estate investment. I am making great strides and want to share the information I've learned through the process. Read More...

CHECK OUT MY BOOK!

Sign up for the Newsletter
JOIN HUNDREDS OF OTHERS IN RECEIVING OUR FREE WEEKLY UPDATES STRAIGHT TO YOUR EMAIL INBOX!

Most Popular Posts:

  • How to Create Freezer Meals for One Person
  • 3 Ways a Landlord Can Split the Utilities
  • How to Set Up Your Rental Accounts
  • The Solution to a Broken Lease: The Buy-Out Clause
  • What are a Military Widow’s Death Benefits?
  • How to Write a One Page Lease Renewal!
  • How to Write an Incredible Lease
  • How to Get Rid of Cat Urine in Cushions, Carpet and Clothes
  • Is it Worth Buying a House if You Move Every Two Years?
  • Landlords: Should You Include a Washer and Dryer in Your Rental?

GET THE BUTTON


More Posts from this Category

Search

Categories

Archives

Copyright 2023, The Reluctant Landlord. All Rights Reserved. Custom design by Pixel Me Designs
Sign up for the Newsletter
JOIN HUNDREDS OF OTHERS IN RECEIVING OUR FREE WEEKLY UPDATES STRAIGHT TO YOUR EMAIL INBOX!
[close]
Brought to you by
Displet