OK… I’m going to write an article this morning that you can call self indulgent — on my part. Go ahead, leave me a comment. Rants are something I indulge in infrequently.
This is in reply to an email I received this morning… there’s hopefully a lesson in it for all of us. It certainly reinforces my belief than when sending an email message less is more.
I love email, especially in business. But, my number one rule is, “Say as little as possible while still communicating what needs to be said.”
The only long, drawn out emails should be from the other guy. Those are great. I say little and make my point, the other guy says a lot and exposes himself — in writing.
When I feel compelled to write a long email (whether I’m upset, have some explaining to do or I am bothered by something), I sit down and write fast and furiously. I let it all hang out. I put it in a drafts folder to be read again at a later time. Then I delete it.
Delete the message.
Delete the message.
The email I received this morning was from a prospective tenant for a rental property I have on the market. It was long email. I showed the family the property two days ago and I will say this, it was nice of him to follow-up by email. (I won’t publish his email.)
On the other hand, please note your comments below are public. And those emails you send every day can easily be published.
Let’s analyse:
He tells me he’s currently paying $1,400 per month. But he wants to pay me $1,300. So basically, the guy has told me he cannot afford the rent he’s paying today.
He’s blaming the decision on his girls (they are “not excited about moving”) – these are the same girls who argued with their mother about how, yes, their furniture would fit nicely (TV goes here, couches and love seats go there), and the same girls who had each picked out their own bedrooms. They gave a valiant pitch for signing a lease today.
He’s put himself in the position of being the expert when it comes to renting properties (although he doesn’t own a single property) by advising me against accepting his “unthinkable” offer of $1,300.
How nice of him to consider me.
Did I mention yet that the rental amount is $1,750?
He’s risked insulting me by stating I probably wouldn’t go that low with rent even if he were related to the Obama’s… I might actually be a Republican. (He mentioned Bob Villa too… who’s Bob Villa?)
He states he won’t get his “bang for the buck”. Hmmmmm… open to interpretation.
And, he implied (twice) that he may be the only good renter candidate out there. Good luck finding a guy like him.
I’ll say this; there has been some entertainment value in all of this.
In a decade of buying, selling, flipping and renovating single family and multi-family properties, this is the first guy who has tried so diligently to negotiate and maneuver.
Did I tell you he’s a cop?
Maybe this is part of his training. Document, document, document.
The lesson here…
Why tell me any of this? A simple, “Can’t afford the rent” would have sufficed (rather than looking like a complete idiot).
See what I mean about saying way too much?
Delete the message.
Go ahead and leave your comment.
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