Paint It Black

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Abstract

of praise for a bartender.Real Estate Man’s story:After 11 months of living in the apartment on 6th St., Carlos and Raymond approached me to ask if they could make improvements in their place. They purposed to renew their lease for another 2 years, if I was willing. As per my policy, I asked them what they may be improving? They replied that they’d like to paint the apartment and replace the linoleum floor in the kitchen and bathrooms with ceramic tile. Carlos’ brother-in-law was a tile setter and he offered to do it on weekends for free. Sounded good to me! A 2 year lease with known tenants and the tile job that would be a lasting improvement long after the guys moved on. Briefly phone checked with the person identified as the brother-in-law tile setter and gave consent to the idea These guys were a real estate pleasant dream. Extended 2 year lease, vastly improved apartment, almost free labor.What’s that saying, “Ya get what ya pay for?”About 2 weeks into their project, I got a Home Depot receipt for paint $197 and tile$ 1885. I promptly refunded Carlos and Raymond that amount; they continued to work.Toward the end of the summer I received nighttime voicemail from the tenant on the 2nd floor reporting a loud and boisterous party going on that night in Carlos and Raymond’s. I sent my head maintenance man and trouble shooter over to 6th St. early the next morning. He soon came back, reporting that it appeared that Carlos and Raymond had moved out. Party then puff? A going away party for themselves. Bud, the maintenance man, mentioned that I should check the apartment; which I did that morning.What greeted me was — disapp

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ointing. In every situation there are both positives and negatives. In some, the balance is heavily weighted toward one or the other. Retrospectively, the only positive was that there was no sign of Carlos or Raymond. More apparent was the negative; the whole apartment was painted black. I mean everything: black cabinets, black stove, black refrigerator, black kitchen sink, black walls, black toilet, black bathroom sink ,the old linoleum, hard wood floors — everything! It’s like you were inside a bat cave — only darker. Needless to add — not one piece of new tile anywhere! Must have bought it and sold it.Thank God for their deposit to defray some of the cost.I immediately tried calling the numbers for both Carlos and Raymond but only got the recorded, “Number is disconnected……” message. Called work and got a, “Oh….Carlos and Raymond aren’t working here anymore.They haven’t been for a couple of weeks and no, we don’t know where they are now.” from the person who answered.Then something peculiar:The very next day, while I was just beginning to recover, checking my office email, I saw Carlos’s LinkedIn profile asking me to join him on LinkedIn. It was complete with picture and resume. Said he was currently living in Valencia, Spain!How’d he get there so fast?A week later I got a notice on Facebook that Raymond wanted to be my friend.About a month later, I was dinning with a friend at a fine food restaurant. Behind the bar were Carlos and Raymond (there’s a lot of lateral job transfer in the bar business, I guess.) The room was very dark. Like a bat cave.Valencia, Spain?</article></body>

# 27 Real Estate Man

Photo by jakab sofranko on Unsplash

One of the many idiosyncratic policies Real Estate Man follows in managing his buildings, he pays tenants to make improvements. That’s right! If a tenant wants to have a built in bookcase, new tiling on the kitchen floor, almost any kind of painting (within reason) he/she can do it. Clear it with Real Estate man and he’ll pay for the materials and a small stipend for the work. He’s had lots of lasting first class improvements in apartments that he owns because of this policy. The tenant moves on but the upgrade stays. It’s surprising how talented many of us humans are.

Real Estate Man’s story:

Carlos and Raymond were roommates with benefits. They applied to rent an already pretty spiffy 2 bedroom on 6th St. Early in the summer when they came into my office after being shown the 6th St. apartment they were singularly and collectively — impressive. Both were bartenders at a happening new restaurant in Center City, Philadelphia. They had worked there since its inception. Real Estate Man called the person who they claimed was their prior landlord and received rave reviews. Same with their supervisor at work. “Hard working, dependable guys, got along with everybody.” the person who answered the phone said. Highest of praise for a bartender.

Real Estate Man’s story:

After 11 months of living in the apartment on 6th St., Carlos and Raymond approached me to ask if they could make improvements in their place. They purposed to renew their lease for another 2 years, if I was willing. As per my policy, I asked them what they may be improving? They replied that they’d like to paint the apartment and replace the linoleum floor in the kitchen and bathrooms with ceramic tile. Carlos’ brother-in-law was a tile setter and he offered to do it on weekends for free. Sounded good to me! A 2 year lease with known tenants and the tile job that would be a lasting improvement long after the guys moved on. Briefly phone checked with the person identified as the brother-in-law tile setter and gave consent to the idea These guys were a real estate pleasant dream. Extended 2 year lease, vastly improved apartment, almost free labor.

What’s that saying, “Ya get what ya pay for?”

About 2 weeks into their project, I got a Home Depot receipt for paint $197 and tile $1885. I promptly refunded Carlos and Raymond that amount; they continued to work.

Toward the end of the summer I received nighttime voicemail from the tenant on the 2nd floor reporting a loud and boisterous party going on that night in Carlos and Raymond’s. I sent my head maintenance man and trouble shooter over to 6th St. early the next morning. He soon came back, reporting that it appeared that Carlos and Raymond had moved out. Party then puff? A going away party for themselves. Bud, the maintenance man, mentioned that I should check the apartment; which I did that morning.

What greeted me was — disappointing. In every situation there are both positives and negatives. In some, the balance is heavily weighted toward one or the other. Retrospectively, the only positive was that there was no sign of Carlos or Raymond. More apparent was the negative; the whole apartment was painted black. I mean everything: black cabinets, black stove, black refrigerator, black kitchen sink, black walls, black toilet, black bathroom sink ,the old linoleum, hard wood floors — everything! It’s like you were inside a bat cave — only darker. Needless to add — not one piece of new tile anywhere! Must have bought it and sold it.

Thank God for their deposit to defray some of the cost.

I immediately tried calling the numbers for both Carlos and Raymond but only got the recorded, “Number is disconnected……” message. Called work and got a, “Oh….Carlos and Raymond aren’t working here anymore.They haven’t been for a couple of weeks and no, we don’t know where they are now.” from the person who answered.

Then something peculiar:

The very next day, while I was just beginning to recover, checking my office email, I saw Carlos’s LinkedIn profile asking me to join him on LinkedIn. It was complete with picture and resume. Said he was currently living in Valencia, Spain!

How’d he get there so fast?

A week later I got a notice on Facebook that Raymond wanted to be my friend.

About a month later, I was dinning with a friend at a fine food restaurant. Behind the bar were Carlos and Raymond (there’s a lot of lateral job transfer in the bar business, I guess.) The room was very dark. Like a bat cave.

Valencia, Spain?