egeezer collect below market rent and let the property go to hell.
Dealt with a few of those in the 24 years I lived in Massachusetts. And guess who paid for the repairs: ME.
I can do toilets, I can do electrical, I can do plumbing, but I’m not going to risk my life and replace a roof or clean gutters.
Plenty of slumlords in this town. The word on the street here is deal with it or you might be sleeping on a park bench. And most landlords have attorneys when you go to court, most tenants go to court representing themselves.
That’s why I’ve learned the craft of home repair. Some things were improvements (like the outlet to charge my Tesla) but I try to spend as little of my money on properties I don’t own unless it makes the unit livable or cuts my costs (like energy saving thermostats). The Nest Thermostats have really cut my heating bill down substantially. Another thing I invest in is safety and security. I do have an alarm system given the neighborhood and the fact I live alone. Mom is in a better place now given she had stage IV breast cancer and was in severe pain. When I tell people (especially older people) that she died at 68 years old they say “that’s young”.
And yes I do cut the grass and clear snow in exchange for cheaper rent because the rents in this area are NOT cheap. Would I like to own a home, yes. Is it within reach, unlikely.