Author Topic: Sloggin' through the Michigan winter  (Read 4868 times)

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Lahti35

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on: February 25, 2011, 02:40:19 am
I always feel that if I can make it to the end of February the worst is over. Its Jan 1-Feb 28 that's the killer. Anyway so I've played video games, read books, gone shooting once or twice, and shoveled snow. The real entertainment though has been the circus going on behind me, across the street, at the gangstas crib.

They've decided to move and I've been watching :D

First we need to establish that there are 7 of them and their females living in this rental, all of them out of shape from smoking grass and eating salty munchies. They decided to rent a Uhaul truck and go somewhere else this week, works for me!

I was out in the garage a few days ago working on my jeepski when the Uhaul rolls up. My garage opens up right to the street so I had a front row seat. They didn't want to carry the furniture far for physical reasons so they decided to back the truck up to the back porch, 50yrds off the street. They have no driveway so I watched with an idea of what was going to ensue as they floored it and backed through a foot of snow, on a downhill grade. Now this is the good size Uhaul, not the cube van/truck thing. He made a hell of a mess getting back there, slop kicked up by the madly rotating tires coating everything within 15ft, but he made it and they loaded up.

Hours later its time to go but the trucks stuck... surprise. They all file out of the house and watch as he spins the tires for 15 minutes without moving it at all. Even later more people show up and stand around while they watch another guy try to haul it out with a Vietnam era army jeep. He gets no traction though and just slides around at the end of the strap. While he's tugging on the Uhaul the rest of them are just standing around watching, I can see the orange glow of their cigarettes pulsating in the dark. I also happen to notice there is no one in the Uhal and it's wheels are turned in the opposite direction of the pull. This guy tries for a while, but the jeep starts popping and coughing and he has to give it up.

This morning the Uhaul is still planted in the yard. I come home at lunch and a wrecker is there. Not the regular wrecker, oh no we're talking the semi wrecker here, get some. Something happens though and the wrecker has to split after hauling the Uhaul sideways about 20ft. Later another large scale wrecker shows and they finally pull it out and haul it away. Shows over >:(

That's how bad things are here in the heart of winter in MI, we have to peek out our windows hoping for something to pass the time. It was pretty funny though. Several of the individuals gestures and actions reminded me of a dozen Benny Hills doing  Chinese fire drills.

If I'd had a 5 tonne wrecker I'd of just hauled 'em out.... but I don't so I got a show instead :D
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The Garbone

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Reply #1 on: February 25, 2011, 02:56:16 am
Rut pictures please...  Their lawn will be awesome come spring...     ;D
Gary
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1Blackwolf1

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Reply #2 on: February 25, 2011, 04:03:04 am
  Sounds like how it goes over the pond here in Wisconsin.  When I owned rentals years ago that's approximately when (Dec-Mar) the welfare crowd would pack up and haul a$$ for greener fields.  Luckily I got out of the rental property industry years ago.  Actually I only really had 3 bad renters in 13 years of ownership/business.

  But it is amazing what we come up with for entertainment during frozen tundra days.  Guess you don't icefish/snowmobile either.
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Lahti35

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Reply #3 on: February 25, 2011, 01:10:57 pm
  Sounds like how it goes over the pond here in Wisconsin.  When I owned rentals years ago that's approximately when (Dec-Mar) the welfare crowd would pack up and haul a$$ for greener fields.  Luckily I got out of the rental property industry years ago.  Actually I only really had 3 bad renters in 13 years of ownership/business.

  But it is amazing what we come up with for entertainment during frozen tundra days.  Guess you don't icefish/snowmobile either.

We did snowmobile until my sisters friend crashed it straight into a tree at 35mph and survived without a broken bone.... lucky chick! Snowmobile was not so lucky.

I've been noticing the renters seem to move out about this time. Can you explain that to me a little better?
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The Garbone

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Reply #4 on: February 25, 2011, 01:50:44 pm
My guess is they can use their "earned income tax credit" checks to put a security deposit on a crib they have not trashed up yet...
Gary
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ROVERMAN

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Reply #5 on: February 25, 2011, 03:09:14 pm
Lathi35,isn't winter in Michigan grand? More new snow today,grrrrr.
Robert & REnfield in sunny Highland, AKA "the Highland zone".


Lahti35

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Reply #6 on: February 25, 2011, 04:21:36 pm
My guess is they can use their "earned income tax credit" checks to put a security deposit on a crib they have not trashed up yet...

My thought was tax money also...

Man I would not want to have rental properties around this area. Everytime they move out the landlord throws out a huge pile of trashed doors, drywall, etc... I don't know how they make any money at it.

Roverman: After 31 years of Michigan winters you'd think i'd be smart enough to move south! Trouble is I love northern MI in the warmer months. It sure bits in the winter though. I've gone through all my red blooded American war movies as of the frist of the month and have started all over... they're gonna carry me through!
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ROVERMAN

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Reply #7 on: February 25, 2011, 04:58:36 pm
 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D


single

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Reply #8 on: February 25, 2011, 05:11:28 pm
Yeah,I remember winters in Michigan.Not in a nostalgic way.We have had real winter here in Mo.,I have shoveled a lot of snow.Folks here are a little over fond of letting me know the winters have been worse ever since I got here,look at me kind of suspicious like when they say it.Highland is a nice area,actually.Used to ride my Trident around that way,you know the 2 lane that runs up to Fenton?Nice road,kinda scenic.Ain't it Fenton Rd at your end?Adelaide in Fenton.
 The thing about rental properties is a puzzle.My landlord has over 90 properties.Has a 2-4 man crew working full time cleaning up the mess.Same all over,looks like.When I leave here,as I am doing a deal now on a place of my own,I will leave a better house than the one I moved into.The way some folks do as tenants is just disgusting.I have to fix a basketball sized hole in a bedroom wall where my wife attacked it with 'er head,'bout all.Clean the carpets.I did not cause the wall crash thing.She did go in between the studding,luckily.


GreenMachine

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Reply #9 on: February 25, 2011, 05:44:25 pm
just went through some haeavy rain on way back from costco....i like to think that spring is right around the corner here in northern Va.....Figure we still have 3 weeks of crap vefore the grass starts to green up a bit....use to do the rental thing but glad I'm outta of that...Sounds like the renters don't give a rats ass and take it out on the house....not like u gonna get anything out of a bunch of transients...Best not rent to a group of heathens...Best to rent to man/woman, married, etc...Oh by the way make sure u have in clause (no subrenting)
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boggy

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Reply #10 on: February 25, 2011, 06:35:37 pm
That was a good read, Lahti.  Too funny.

Same deal hear in New England.  We've been pounded by snow this year.  January and February are the months we battle through too.  March, as they say, comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.  Winter is still here, make no mistake... but it's shown it's weakness.  Today we have rain... few degrees cooler and we'd be under another foot of snow.  It'll snow again still.  But March begins the countdown to Spring, and the rains that will wash the sand and salt off the roads.

Saturday, April 2nd I will pull the cover off the Enfield and get ready for a double middle-finger ride aimed at winter's fleeting shadow.
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Reply #11 on: February 25, 2011, 06:44:58 pm
67 here this morning,  wore my textile jacket for the first time this year.  85 for the ride home.    ;D
Gary
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boggy

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Reply #12 on: February 25, 2011, 07:23:46 pm
Oh sure... kick us while we're down.  Reallllll nice.   ;)
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ROVERMAN

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Reply #13 on: February 25, 2011, 07:32:06 pm
Seems one of my post's went AWOL. Anyhow, i have seen 20 deg on Tuesday and 80 by Friday in the same week in Michigan.Single, you are right on the money,Fenton or Holly are two of my favourite after work rides.I love to take a break and a walk up by the Fenton dam,real good Carp fishing there too.
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Lahti35

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Reply #14 on: February 25, 2011, 09:07:55 pm
just went through some heavy rain on way back from costco....i like to think that spring is right around the corner here in northern Va.....Figure we still have 3 weeks of crap vefore the grass starts to green up a bit....use to do the rental thing but glad I'm outta of that...Sounds like the renters don't give a rats ass and take it out on the house....not like u gonna get anything out of a bunch of transients...Best not rent to a group of heathens...Best to rent to man/woman, married, etc...Oh by the way make sure u have in clause (no subrenting)

When they rented the place last year it was just the guy, his wife and the two little girls. Really nice folks and they cleaned the place up. He left the state for work 6 months ago and then the rest of her family shacked up in the joint and then it went to hell, again. The previous tenants really trashed it. If fact When i moved into my place i dumped a massive amount of nasty trash to the curb and they came over and snatched it up, dragging it inside their pit ;D They had gangsta teenagers and it was party night all the time, it got so bad my wife's car was getting keyed and they were throwing trash into my back yard. I countered party night by firing up the big air compressor in the garage and charging the tank with an open pressure release valve. You've never seen 25-30 kids relocate so fast. Really loud, really effective :)
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single

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Reply #15 on: February 25, 2011, 09:46:42 pm
Doggonnit,Roverman,maybe I CAN get nostalgic about Michigan.
That's great,Lahti.


GreenMachine

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Reply #16 on: February 25, 2011, 10:53:48 pm
u could hook up the nail gun and be a real nusiance...probably not a good idea, u might go crazy and be in the weird news story..
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1Blackwolf1

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Reply #17 on: February 26, 2011, 03:31:19 am
My thought was tax money also...

Man I would not want to have rental properties around this area. Everytime they move out the landlord throws out a huge pile of trashed doors, drywall, etc... I don't know how they make any money at it.

  Actually from the five rentals I owned over approximately eleven years of business I only had three no-goods.  But yes replace carpet, windows, doors, appliances.  Have friends at the local used appliance store.  Won't even count how much repainting I did after just those three.

  Unfortunately if the properties were advertised publicly you had no choice but rent them to the seemy individuals.  After I sold he last house I figured I made only a little over $25000 all together, after figuring profit and loss.  Not a good way to try and make a living (definitely don't quit your day job).  But it did improve my home repair skills ;D ;D ;D
Will Morrison
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The Garbone

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Reply #18 on: February 26, 2011, 09:00:23 pm
  Actually from the five rentals I owned over approximately eleven years of business I only had three no-goods.  But yes replace carpet, windows, doors, appliances.  Have friends at the local used appliance store.  Won't even count how much repainting I did after just those three.

  Unfortunately if the properties were advertised publicly you had no choice but rent them to the seemy individuals.  After I sold he last house I figured I made only a little over $25000 all together, after figuring profit and loss.  Not a good way to try and make a living (definitely don't quit your day job).  But it did improve my home repair skills ;D ;D ;D

Well thats some good stuff for me to see. 

I have an a empty rental house I (have yet to rent it) we were going to list for rent in Jan.  Wet decided not to list because the local public housing was shut down at the first of the year.  All those folks that were living for free are now in the market for subsidized rentals,  not sure I want to deal with that. 

Sadly we were going to flip the place but are now stuck with it thanks to the housing market...  Anyone need a place to rent in Florida?
Gary
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single

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Reply #19 on: February 26, 2011, 09:26:28 pm
What are the terms,Mr. Garbone?I actually can not meet them,so don't bother.I wish you well with it,tho'.Have a lawyer make up a contract for the prospect to sign,give ya a little more leverage.Investigate them,too.You need to rent it because of the insurance.Do you mind saying where you are located?Not necessary,I come to Tampa some and would get you a coffee if it were not too far.New Port Richie is actually where I go.I would like to bring Jolly with me next time,see what riding on level ground is like again.I have been staying at a state run campground with the snakes.$8 dollars a nite when I first started there 5 yrs ago,was$30 last time,for a 4 man cabin.Very nice but the showers are only "warm" occaisionally.I really love Florida,would live there if it were possible.Saw a guy there in New Port Richie on a red Deluxe,caught up with him out by the Gulf,talked with him for a few minutes.Nice fellow,he liked his bike.I heard him coming down the street,thought it sounded familiar.


The Garbone

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Reply #20 on: February 28, 2011, 02:33:48 am
Good info,  I do need a renter to finance my "Fireball" and firearms fetish.   

I am in Sanford, Fl,  just north of Orlando, the land of the rat....


Gary
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daves02ES

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Reply #21 on: February 28, 2011, 05:06:26 am
I just don't understand how renters can trash places like they do. The last place I rented all they had to do was clean the carpets and paint the walls, that was after me living there for 11 years. Nothing ever damaged and everything worked.
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1Blackwolf1

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Reply #22 on: February 28, 2011, 04:03:42 pm
I just don't understand how renters can trash places like they do. The last place I rented all they had to do was clean the carpets and paint the walls, that was after me living there for 11 years. Nothing ever damaged and everything worked.

  I had three renters like you..two actually bought the house they were renting.  Gave them a decent price and included like 1/4 of their rent as down payment.  But they were not the normal renters.  Probably no proper upbringing.  They probably thought hey it's not mine, no big deal.

  My small 1 bedroom house actually looked like something from Iwo Jima hit it.  1 car garage held 2 loads of trash..pyramid of beer cans assembled into a false wall.  Somewhere around $600 damage to the property.  I was pi--ed.  Nice little house on a dead end street.  He did leave me a running 392 Hemi in the garage (buried amongst the crap).  Dude and his old lady (?) showed back up the next year and wanted their s--t back.  I was in awe.

  You always have to take pictures to cover yourself.  Makes it easier to verify why someone doesn't get their security deposit back.

 
Will Morrison
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GreenMachine

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Reply #23 on: February 28, 2011, 05:18:28 pm
yeah i remember when renting u had to have a bill showing the carpets were professionaly clean,,,,even after all was said and done and the place cleaned and put back to what it was when u moved in, u never got all your security deposit back...they had it and u wanted it...possession is 9/10th of the law...that being said, their are alot of goofy people out there who think they should live free and not have to pay for anything...all they are doing is dragging the rest of us down and leaving their shit pile for us to clean up..take a good look at the side of the roads and look at the garbage that people throw out of their window or pickups..i've even seen deer carcass that have been harvested thrown out in the road...how about the tv's that u see laying out on the side of a culvert or field becuase it cost 10 bucks to pay the local landfill to dispose of it properly....too many people don't give a shit..The young guy down the street andI are planing our yearly clean up our sreet soon from the gtrash the mc donald eating redneck pigs and corona/bud lite drinking knuckleheads..
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1Blackwolf1

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Reply #24 on: February 28, 2011, 07:36:19 pm
  One of my friends who also owned a couple of rentals actually had a worse experience than any of mine.  Had rented a freshly refurbished house with two car garage to a seemingly nice couple in their mid forties.

  They stayed in it over three years, never late with the rent.  Gave him a three month notice they were leaving.  All went well until he went to check the place out.  They had put a large chest freezer in the basement.  Must have lost power at some point and you guessed the rest.  Absolutely full of food that had went way south.

  We carried the fridge to the back side of a small field I owned that adjoined one of my properties.  Oh man that's a smell you will never forget....took like a month to air out the house since he opened it in the basement to see what was up with it.  The fridge actually sat open on it 's six for like six months before the decaying stuff finally rotted away.  Then I paid to dispose of it at the county recycling center.

  Bottom line animals will be animals....
Will Morrison
2007 500 Military
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2000 Victory V92SC
1976 Suzuki GT185 Rebuilder Special..AKA (Junkyard Dog)
Many, many other toys.
The garage is full.