That landlord on Elm Street changed how I handle walkthroughs
I was doing a final walkthrough for a rental property on Elm Street in Detroit last month, the end of a six month lease. The tenant was this older guy named Mr. Kowalski, really quiet the whole time. He stopped me as I was checking the baseboards and said, 'You know, nobody ever looks at the attic hatch seal until it's too late.' I almost brushed it off but he showed me a tiny gap letting cold air in, said it cost his last landlord $200 a month in heat. I spent 20 minutes sealing it with some foam tape from my truck. That little conversation made me realize I've been blowing through checklists without actually talking to people who lived in the space. Now I always ask tenants if there's anything weird they noticed, even if it's small. Has anyone else picked up a trick like that from a renter during a walkthrough?