[radio_flyer]

Would it be better to rent bedrooms furnished or unfurnished. All of the renters have access to the whole house, because the kitchen now happens to be in the basement, where I stay. They can use the living room, sunroom, deck and grill too........ So they are not confined to just their bedroom.. They also have cable and internet in each bedroom...

ANYWay the questions is furnished or unfurnished..We have been renting the rooms unfurnished. Unfurnished the renters drag their stuff in and mar the floors. The "contractor" that moved out recently damaged our brand new hardwood floors.. grrr.....

I think we should furnish the bedrooms.. This way there will be far less dragging around bulky bedroom furniture. Hang some cool curtains, a double bed and dresser. Maybe a hang a picture on the wall. Make it look nice and inviting.....I think we can get higher rent furnished...AJ isn't sold on the idea. He, of course, is afraid we will rent the rooms to "old foggies" haha That would put a big damper on his lifestyle for sure..

ANYWay is it better to rent bedrooms furnished or unfurnished..

[Yoda]

They get kitchen privileges? Awesome. Thirty years ago I rented a room with no kitchen privileges and a hot meal was heating some tuna in my popcorn popper.

I would prefer furnished if I had to rent a room again.

[NuckingFutz]

Furnished. BTW, what are you doing in the intro section?

[radio_flyer]

Like you, 30 years or so ago I also rented a room. I had no kitchen privileges. I was not aloud to bring any food in my room. No TV..No laundry room. Just a furnished bedroom..I did have shower privileges. Boy this brings back memories. Is this what we call "the good ole days"? smile

Thanks Yoda for your input on the furnished or unfurnished. I think it would be a lot easier for everyone to furnish the bedrooms....

[radio_flyer]

Thanks NuckingFutz.. Two agree with me so far...

What do you mean what am I doing in the intro section?

[radio_flyer]

oooo gee there it is, no wonder I could not find my post.. lol... it is in the intro section.. must of pushed the wrong buttons again... will ask the mods to move my post... embarrassed.... must wear my glasses when online.. lol

[Yoda]

Originally Posted by radio_flyer

oooo gee there it is, no wonder I could not find my post.. lol... it is in the intro section.. must of pushed the wrong buttons again... will ask the mods to move my post... embarrassed.... must wear my glasses when online.. lol

[radio_flyer]

lol.... what can I say? laughing with you laughing at me... smile

[Yoda]

[NuckingFutz]

Laughing with you. Do stuff like that all the time.

Maybe that contractor needs to be taken to small claims court?

[englishteacher]

I say furnished and you should be able to charge a little more. Those old foggies may be just what AJ needs...lol.

[radio_flyer]

Byz... He also left without paying rent due and utilties.. It was a mistake from the beginning to even rent to him. We could take him to small claims court, but AJ's dad just wants to "erase" this guy from his memory and move on. He had to get a court order to evict him... Sometimes taking a loss is better than all the hassle involved trying to get what is owed or to cover damage.....It was one of the situations when one tries to help another and they kick you in the butt...shrugs shoulders

[radio_flyer]

Thanks englishteacher...Three agree with me... Now we have to find some nice bedroom furniture on craigslist...

LOL... to AJ and old foggies....

[Perna]

I think it mostly depends on what the market wants. I wouldn't want to rent a furnished apartment but maybe there are other such apartments in your area that are quick to rent and there's a market for more furnished apartments?

I would certainly write my contracts so damage has to be paid for.

I think one can ask a bit more for furnished apartments and, over time, that would pay for the furniture, but then again, the furniture will get spills/damage and have to be replaced.

I don't know the neighborhood, types of renters you're looking for, etc. I remember when our parents rented out one of my childhood homes, when we came back there were burn marks all around the hardwood floor where the husband had been smoking in bed and despite having a teenage son and husband, my brother had to mow the lawn right away, it was several feet tall!

I am just about to move out of a rooming house where I have been the resident superintendent for a year. The rooms here are furnished, and each one has a small bar type fridge and a microwave, as well as cable and wireless internet. This arrangement seems to work very well, as it means the less sociable types (of which I am one) can avoid the kitchen for the most part, and it means there is less hassle with people taking each other's stuff out of a communal fridge. But it would no doubt be quite an outlay to get all that stuff at once. In any case, definitely furnish if you can, you are right about being able to charge more. And think about damage deposits in any case so if things get damaged you can hold back the cost of fixing them. Good luck!

[radio_flyer]

Hi Perna...Neighborhood is a quant, family oriented neighborhood. Houses are 30 or 50 years old...They were orginally built as starter homes. I love this house because there is so much potential. Is really cute and has a nice deck and yard. Isn't at all what one could call beautiful...Most folks with good taste would turn their noses up at this little house...

Type of renters I keep suggestiong are employed folks. And I also insist on a lease. When we first started renting the house, way before aj and I moved in, I wrote the leases, covered every area including security deposits............NEVER ONE PROBLEM then...Because it was in writing what was expected....

AJ's friend's girlfriend is renting a small room. AJ did not want me involved. There was no lease.. or understanding that utilities are not included in the rent. He dropped the rent almost $100. She pretty much thinks she is doing us a favor by renting.. Not fully realizing the deal she has.. But I can say she always pays her rent and now that the utilities are clear, she pays without problems...

AJ's dad likes renting to students because their parents pay the rent and utilities. But we lost our main kitchen upstairs due to neighbors complaining about the noise and parties and zoning got involved and made us remove one of the kitchens...I told AJ's dad there will be problems.. But talking to him is like talking to a tree sometimes.

As for renting furnished, we would buy used but nice furniture from craigslist. So there would not be a drastic loss should the furniture be damaged.

Seems I am the ony one here that pushes for leases and security deposits. shrugs shoulders.... I try to explain to AJ and his dad that a lease is very important. It covers everything the renter will be responsible for, including damage....

So far the only renter that damaged anything was the "contractor" I am pretty sure it was deliberate, because of his attitude. He was one nasty, arrogant man.

Bottom line is renting rooms has its up and downs..Unfortunately, at this point, we have no alternative. The only renters that worked out great, were the students "all females" that rented the upstairs and basements. They even mowed the yard and planted flowers..... The male students never mowed the lawn...

Boy, I sure babbled a lot.. lol

Babbling more. I take that back on damages.. Two or three guys rented the basement. They also had a pitt. Damage and filth was so bad we had to remove all the carpet and installed laminant floors.. OO the junk they left behind filled l0 garbage bags..... oooooooo and the stink.. Lordy, it made me gag... Was a mess to clean up ....

[ECHOES]

I found it creepy to rent furnished rooms, to sleep on "someone else's" bed.
But it was necessary at the time.

[perpetuallysad]

Echoes I was about to say the same thing. No way am I sleeping in a bed that is someone else's. Its hard enough for me to suck it up for a night or two at a hotel, but I would never be able to rent a place with someone else's stuff in it. Even the couch would creep me out. That's just me though.

I live in a college town and most apartments here aren't furnished.

Keep in mind if you do furnish, you will limit yourself to people who don't have anything...so anyone with "stuff" already will skip past your ad because they wouldn't be able to bring their things.

[radio_flyer]

Ripley, good point about people taking other's food in the refrig.. I forgot all about that one. And we have had problems with that very issue. Since I've been here, I tell the renters it is ok for them to use my "condiments" or if they ran out of milk, butter, eggs, spices, they could use mine. Or if they need something and I have it go ahead and take it...I really don't mind because most of the folks that rent here are young and well, it was no big deal to me....Thing is nobody would replace the empty ketchup or mayo. They'd use mine and when mine was used up, they'd then use theirs.. lol.......I don't think the next round I will openly invite anyone to my food and condiments...... If they ask, I will always say yes...... But giving full range of freedom to take what they want doesn't really work out.. lol I honestly don't mind sharing food, etc....And I don't mind replacing it.... Just it would be considerate if just one person would replace the ketchup and mayo other than me... lol Petty things, I know... Nothing to get all snarley about... just common sense I guess...

A compact refrig and microwave is a good idea...Cable and internet are already in each bedroom.......

Thanks for suggestions

[radio_flyer]

Echoes, Sleeping on someone else's bed could be a problem. But then some of the mattresses that have been brought in by renters, well they were nasty.. lol...Thinking the mattress would have to be always clean and I think they can be disinfected and vaccumed.. Lots of things to think about......

Thanks for your input.... Good points, I might add...

[radio_flyer]

Perpetuallysad...... Good points.... Guess I could advertise furnished and/or furnished. Have both options, maybe.

I also think if the "bedroom furniture" is nice and well kept, especially a clean, nice mattress, it would be easy to rent... I am not talking about nor would I ever consider, dirty, old, stained mattress...I am thinking in the terms of a nice, comfy, one.. With nice furniture... Not ugly toss away type furniture... Lots of great deals on craigslist.. Lots of crappy deals too on craigslist... Just have to find the good deals...

Maybe I might leave that option open.. atleast for now... because we haven't yet found any furniture for the bedrooms...But am still thinking furnished would work better for us...Watching folks moving in and out their furniture and bumping, denting the walls and scratching the floors... Be easier if the furniture just stayed in the bedrooms..

Lots of good ideas and things to think about.......

[ECHOES]

You know I've been thinking since my post.. that a new mattress cover would make it feel nice and fresh. And, although I found it creepy at first, I did get used to it and it became 'mine' for the time I was there.

[radio_flyer]

Never thought of a new mattress cover.. Great idea... I'd like to add that I would not expect someone to sleep on something that I would not sleep on.......... So a nice, comfy, clean mattress with a new matress cover will be what I will do....... Thanks for the idea... very good one I might add

How about you provide the furnishings if they bring their own apartment?