A Fool's Guide to Landlording [Paperback]

Tony Midea (Author), Sandra Midea (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 15, 2004

You have to be a cold hearted SOB to be a successful landlord. Find out what happens to a naïve, kind hearted couple that entered this shark den with all the right intentions, only to be bloodied and battered by manipulative, devious tenants. Written in a witty, comical tone, the book provides lots of practical, useful advice for people interested in entering this business. However, plenty of warnings are given, as are outright pleas for you to "stay away". Fully a quarter of the text is devoted to "laugh out loud", true horror stories that make for a great read, regardless of your interest in rental property. All the other books in this genre are generally positive on being a landlord, and many merely suffice to sell the author's ideas or training materials. This book is not trying to sell any such thing. Instead, this text seeks to entertain, inform, and tell the truth about managing rental property. And the truth is frightening.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

To those who believe renting out houses is as easy as changing a light bulb, Tony and Sandra Midea present an enlightening perspective based on personal experience in their new book, A Fool’s Guide to Landlording (now available from AuthorHouse).

In their guide, the Mideas provide a wealth of information about the important aspects of the rental property game. The chapters delve into what any prospective landlord should know, from buying the house to fixing it up and finding the ideal tenant. The Mideas even navigate the unsavory topic of eviction. Using personal examples with tenants, they outline the necessary research and required labor that results in successful renter-owner relationships and some of the slip-ups that can put a landlord in a nightmare. Although each chapter is peppered with a healthy dose of wit, the book is loaded with essential wisdom that empowers those seeking to roll the dice in this game of trust in human nature.

In fact, an entire chapter of the book is devoted to the Mideas' experiences with irresponsible tenants. Simply titled, "Horror Stories," this section of the book takes a look at renters whom the Mideas have dubbed "The Liars," "The Losers," and "The Druggies," to name a few.

An informative read for potential buyers in the rental real estate market, A Fool’s Guide to Landlording also offers a compelling and hilarious glimpse into the lives of the caring landlord who is all too often mistaken for the town villain.

The Mideas ventured into the rental property business in 1993 with the purchase of their first single family home and eventually expanded their business to include seven homes within two years. At the height of this endeavor, they both worked as full-time corporate managers and handled the properties in their spare time. They currently live in Cleveland, Ohio, where they still own one rental home. Both Sandra and Tony have published numerous technical papers in magazines, journals and for technical conferences, but A Fool’s Guide to Landlording is their first book. "I wanted to get the horror stories off my chest," quips Tony.

About the Author

Tony and Sandy Midea ventured into the rental property business in 1993 with the purchase of their first single family home, and eventually expanded this business to include seven homes within two years. At present, they still possess one rental home. During the heyday of their rental property business, both were mid-level managers within large corporations, and managed the properties in their "spare time". Their experience with first hand management of these rental properties for the past 10 years forms the basis of knowledge for the book. The comical, light hearted writing style is derived from their playful senses of humor, and seeks to inform while entertaining.

The couple currently resides in Cleveland, OH.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 168 pages
• Publisher: AuthorHouse (July 15, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1418417289
• ISBN-13: 978-1418417284
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,699,130 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Very funny and informative guide, May 30, 2011

By 

LE "LE" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Fool's Guide to Landlording (Paperback)

This is a fairly short book, but its filled with useful tidbit and funny anecdotes. I'm glad to hear I am not the only one that has gone through some of these issues. I have experienced some of the same things but I only have one rental.

This is a well written and entertaining book. I highly reccommend it yo any newbie landlords or old timers that want a good laugh.

5.0 out of 5 stars Makes you feel less of a fool!, July 12, 2009

By 

Sarah Knaub "Sari" (Cleve-O) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Fool's Guide to Landlording (Paperback)

I bought this book after an editorial in the Plain Dealer. This book was lighthearted, yet informative. The horror stories made me feel less of a fool...other landlords had the same issues I have! I think the authors offered honest advice and good opinions on how to handle various landlord/tenant matters. This book should be in supplement to a more law-driven landlord guide, but defininitely worth reading (and rereading).

4.0 out of 5 stars funny but true, March 13, 2008

By 

Matt Proske (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Fool's Guide to Landlording (Paperback)

Humorous and light-hearted view of being a landlord but oh so true. Some good tips and information too. Perfect for someone getting started or already in the business. Definately worth the read.