It's official. I'm a "man of the landed gentry."
This was my uncle's house in Palm Springs. I bought it from him years ago so he would have cash in his pocket. Much of which he doled out to a bunch of his sketchy, opioid abusing local friends, who are now benefitting from his stupidity. And enjoying an inheritance that should have gone to his 4 nieces.
My uncle has since passed. And my long term tenants, maybe the best tenants I've ever had in my up and down career as a landlord, moved to Italy. Leaving behind much of their furniture so it would be turnkey-ready as an airbnb property. But turnkey is a tricky word.
Especially, it seems, when it comes to my life.
You can't just hand over the keys to strangers and collect checks from them. No, the city has to stick its beak all up in my business. Meaning there are countless regulations and requirements that must be met. And that process can be expensive and take a very long, long time.
For instance the pool needed to pass a safety inspection. And that meant the two night lights which illuminate the pool had to be replaced and repaired because water had been seeping passed the gasket. Apparently the city gets very persnickity about water mixing with electricity.
Damn LED bulbs and scuba diving electrician cost me close to a year of my daughter's college tuition.
I also had to adorn the walls with artwork, because the previous tenants took their fancy schmancy stuff across the pond and I was told guests don't like staring at blank white walls. I'm still facing the scorn of my daughters for my "icky" pop art choices.
"Daaaaaaadddddd, no."
This funny video which came to me via Ms. Muse, says it all: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5E5DkBXyfw
Tomorrow, my first official Airbnb guests will be checking out. They've been there for a week but claimed upon entering the place, "This place is amazing, wish we could stay longer."
Hopefully they won't choose to be squatters!
Should you or your friends require some of that desert magic please let me know. There might even be a "Rich Siegel is a Very Funny Writer" Discount if you play your cards right. You can see the MDDCH here:
Oh, the city makes me put this code (City ID #5634) up every time I mention the house. I don't want to get in any trouble with PS. That can get very expensive, quickly.
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