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View Full Version : Advice: Want snowbirds or rental company



Newcastle
08-17-2007, 05:42 PM
I need some advice. Looking to rent out the Havasu place for the winter. It's a 1600 sqft, built in '03, north end 3 bd/2 ba house. I'd like to use a rental company and any suggestions or references would be appreciated. I don't mind paying the 5-10% depending on how much service they offer.
Which companies have you had success/failure with? How much should I expect to get per month and which months are usually attractive to snowbirds?
Thanks in advance :D

BEER&WATER
08-17-2007, 05:56 PM
http://www.vacationrentals.com/vacation-rentals/Lake-Havasu-Arizona.html
http://www.rentsunshine.com/
http://vacationhomeinhavasu.com/lake/default.aspx
http://www.lakerentals.com/all_lakes/129
http://www.havasuvacationrentals.com/

Havasu1986
08-17-2007, 06:02 PM
I have rented my house to snowbirds for over 20 years. I've been lucky to have the same renter for 5 years. Coldwell Banker charges 12%. There ok. I get 1k a month, but probably could get more. But I get 6 months where most people get 3-4. Also you have to pay taxes on your added income if you go thru a rental company. Check with you tax person.

SummerBreeze
08-17-2007, 06:29 PM
Lake havasu vacations Rentals 800 279-4712 Cheryl or Jeannette
I have my place with them for almost 2 years now

Newcastle
08-18-2007, 12:51 AM
Cool, thanks for the info. I'll check into some of those.
I figured on the additional tax since it's technically income, though it won't cover the mortgage so I should be able to claim it as a rental loss.

Ms.Havasu
08-18-2007, 08:12 AM
Hi Nate;
I usually send my clients to Jeanette (The last link posted above). She has a good built in clientel. I think she charges 12% as well.
I found my own snowbirds last year and they were great, Their budget is only 1,000 and they stayed 3 1/2 months. Our daughter is moving in the home this month so it won't be available for them this winter. If you are interested in renting to them let me know and I'll give you their contact number. No fees, no taxes, but only 3 1/2 months at 1,000. It worked for us because they left right as spring break started and I found enough weekend rentals from members of ***boat to really help with the payments.
Good luck;
Michele

lalhc
08-18-2007, 08:43 AM
Lake havasu vacations Rentals 800 279-4712 Cheryl or Jeannette
I have my place with them for almost 2 years now
I have used Jeannette the past two years as well and they charge 15%, but they get me a lot more per month on my house than I can on my own. Everything is taken care of. I don't receive calls about the remote is broken or anything else. I have to claim the rent as income on my taxes. Don't you guys claim anything on your taxes? Doesn't that throw up a red flag if you're claimining your 2nd home as a rental?

River Runin
08-18-2007, 08:53 AM
I need some advice. Looking to rent out the Havasu place for the winter. It's a 1600 sqft, built in '03, north end 3 bd/2 ba house. I'd like to use a rental company and any suggestions or references would be appreciated. I don't mind paying the 5-10% depending on how much service they offer.
Which companies have you had success/failure with? How much should I expect to get per month and which months are usually attractive to snowbirds?
Thanks in advance :D
Oct thru March/april
$1000 or less per
Parking for 68 foot of coach & towed garage, PLUS a truck and Boat

Havasu1986
08-18-2007, 09:04 AM
I have used Jeannette the past two years as well and they charge 15%, but they get me a lot more per month on my house than I can on my own. Everything is taken care of. I don't receive calls about the remote is broken or anything else. I have to claim the rent as income on my taxes. Don't you guys claim anything on your taxes? Doesn't that throw up a red flag if you're claimining your 2nd home as a rental?
I'm not sure if you have to claim a 2nd home as a rental. But if you do legally you can only use it for 2 weeks out of the year.;) Yea Right. :) Now when I sold my 1st Havi home I had to do a 1031 exchange to avoid paying about 20k in taxes.:(

lalhc
08-18-2007, 09:26 AM
I completely understand the 2 week thing. Luckily, we still have a trailer at the Islander that we claim we stay in all the time.

Scapegoat1
08-18-2007, 09:34 AM
what is a 1031, I am renting mine but I believe it is finaince as a second home.

Havasu1986
08-18-2007, 10:40 AM
what is a 1031, I am renting mine but I believe it is finaince as a second home.
I'm no tax expert, but what we had to do when we sold rental property A and bought rental property B was take the profits from A and "park" the money in a special bank account which costed us about $350. Then when we bought property B, they take the money out of that account and put it towards that house. The special bank account is set up so the $$ never gets in your hands. You only have a certain amount of time to make the 2nd transaction.

djunkie
08-18-2007, 10:42 AM
We use Coldwell Banker. Easy as can be. They take care of everything. We're getting $1,250/month plus they pay our electric bill. We had them add it in after the 2nd year cause the renters ran up the bill over $100 1 month. I guess they like the house really warm. :confused:

Havasu1986
08-18-2007, 10:47 AM
We use Coldwell Banker. Easy as can be. They take care of everything. We're getting $1,250/month plus they pay our electric bill. We had them add it in after the 2nd year cause the renters ran up the bill over $100 1 month. I guess they like the house really warm. :confused:
Same here..but $35 to change the battery in the smoke detector seemed kinda high to me. :mad: My renter can't get up on a 8' ladder.

djunkie
08-18-2007, 10:54 AM
Same here..but $35 to change the battery in the smoke detector seemed kinda high to me. :mad: My renter can't get up on a 8' ladder.
When something needs to be done to the house (which really hasn't been much since the house is only 4 years old) they do call us first and ask us if they want them or us to take care of it. We usually just call the guy who built our home, and he runs over and takes care of it for us. And I always change the batteries myself every summer.

Havasu1986
08-18-2007, 10:59 AM
When something needs to be done to the house (which really hasn't been much since the house is only 4 years old) they do call us first and ask us if they want them or us to take care of it. We usually just call the guy who built our home, and he runs over and takes care of it for us. And I always change the batteries myself every summer.
I will be doing that as well. djunkie..did you fill out the new contract yet. I think I'm going to go year to year from now on with CB.

djunkie
08-18-2007, 11:01 AM
I will be doing that as well. djunkie..did you fill out the new contract yet. I think I'm going to go year to year from now on with CB.
Yes we did. We are year to year with them also. We have to sign a new contract every year but I'd rather have it that way. That way we can renegotiate if need be or drop them. As of right now this may be our last year renting for a little while.

Havasu1986
08-18-2007, 11:04 AM
Yes we did. We are year to year with them also. We have to sign a new contract every year but I'd rather have it that way. That way we can renegotiate if need be or drop them. As of right now this may be our last year renting for a little while.
My renter who I have had for about 5 years wants to go direct with me like he does in the summer in Colorado. But I think the hassle, tax forms etc. may not be worth the extra $$$.

djunkie
08-18-2007, 11:09 AM
My renter who I have had for about 5 years wants to go direct with me like he does in the summer in Colorado. But I think the hassle, tax forms etc. may not be worth the extra $$$.
See if he'll pay you cash. :D I agree. The hassle with the paperwork alone makes it worth having the agent IMO.

Havasu1986
08-18-2007, 11:14 AM
See if he'll pay you cash. :D I agree. The hassle with the paperwork alone makes it worth having the agent IMO.
If my house wasn't listed as a rental, I would probably do that. But I don't want to screw myself down the road with Uncle Sam.:(

Newcastle
08-19-2007, 08:56 PM
Thanks again for all the input. Michele, I'll call ya this week. Thanks

Seasday
08-30-2007, 04:39 PM
I have used Jeannette the past two years as well and they charge 15%, but they get me a lot more per month on my house than I can on my own. Everything is taken care of. I don't receive calls about the remote is broken or anything else. I have to claim the rent as income on my taxes. Don't you guys claim anything on your taxes? Doesn't that throw up a red flag if you're claimining your 2nd home as a rental?
I have emailed Jeannette three times. Is she still around?

Seasday
08-30-2007, 04:41 PM
We use Coldwell Banker. Easy as can be. They take care of everything. We're getting $1,250/month plus they pay our electric bill. We had them add it in after the 2nd year cause the renters ran up the bill over $100 1 month. I guess they like the house really warm. :confused:
at Coldwell Banker? Thank you.

lalhc
08-30-2007, 05:02 PM
I have emailed Jeannette three times. Is she still around?
You need to call her. I would ask for Cheryl, she's usually available.

SJP
08-30-2007, 06:32 PM
I have emailed Jeannette three times. Is she still around?
Called them on 3 occasions and never returned call. Spoke to her sister - yeah yeah she has been out of town/busy/long list of call backs etc etc. We are going to use Coldwell I guess.
SJP

Havasu1986
08-30-2007, 06:37 PM
Called them on 3 occasions and never returned call. Spoke to her sister - yeah yeah she has been out of town/busy/long list of call backs etc etc. We are going to use Coldwell I guess.
SJP
When I talked to her about a year ago. She told me she wasn't taking on any new houses. I told her I was bringing my own renter also. :confused: So now I'm year to year with Coldwell. :(

Seasday
08-31-2007, 02:29 PM
When I talked to her about a year ago. She told me she wasn't taking on any new houses. I told her I was bringing my own renter also. :confused: So now I'm year to year with Coldwell. :(
Your Coldwell contact info? Thank you.