I have been on the road for almost a week and am itching to return home. I left Clearwater at 4 AM Monday and spent that day doing shops in Florida, Alabama and Mississippi. I made it to my destination after a grueling 21 hour day, only to embark on a 19 hour day Tuesday that included many mystery shops but also some work on my rental properties. Wednesday, Thursday and yesterday were equally busy. While I originally was coming here to work on my rental properties, the appeal of a route pulled me away from that. One company offered me $.50 per mile from Clearwater to Birmingham and back if I would pick up 7 shops that needed completing. That was in addition to the shop fees, most of which had bonuses. Those 7 shops paid just over $1,000 with mileage. I also completed 50 gas station shops, which gave me $300 in fees, $250 in gas and $50 in snacks. I wrapped up the mystery shopping with a hotel shop last night.
My original plan was to head home early this morning, but nothing seems to work like it should. I had to release my handyman from his duties last night. Fortunately I have another worker who has been helping me this week, but with so much work left on Townhouse #2, I am playing it by ear as far as when I will return home. It could be later tonight or it could be tomorrow.
This experience just adds to my feelings that being an absentee landlord is a bad idea. It requires me to have trusted resources in Birmingham or for me to travel every time something needs to be done. I thought I had a trusted resource but I was burned. It also makes collections a harder task. I still have one tenant whom I will probably have to evict. I don't know why I did not just start the process but it had something to do with him looking me in the eye, in the presence of his four year old daughter, and promising that he will have some rent for me next week. Seems like I've rode that horse before.
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