Hold It with PM Jen

In this episode of Hold It With PM Jen, we are back for Part 2 of What Would PM Jen Do, picking up right where we left off and diving into more real landlord questions with real answers, the way I always do, straight, practical, and based on what actually happens in the field. Kristin is still with me and we're working through the messy real world decisions property owners face every day, from selling tenant occupied homes to handling tricky lease situations. We talk about why some sales go smoothly while others fall apart depending on how tenants are handled, plus the real impact of pets, rent adjustments, and weak lease language. I also break down security deposits, damage disputes, and why documentation and consistency matter more than emotions or "good intentions." At the end of the day, this is about protecting your investment while staying fair and consistent. Feelings are going to come up, tenants are going to ask for exceptions, and situations are going to change but your job is still to run it like a business, not a charity. --- ABOUT THE SHOW Hold It with PM Jen is the podcast for buy and hold real estate investors who want to grow a portfolio and hold it for the long haul. There is so much attention paid to the buying and selling of properties, but not to where the wealth is actually built. And that is in the hold. I am Jennifer Ruelens, aka PM Jen. I have spent 22 plus years managing rental properties, and I am here to talk about the part nobody else wants to talk about. The hold. The tenants. The repairs. The taxes. The unsexy, gritty stuff that is where the money is made, or lost. Every episode gives you something you can use. Real stories, real numbers, and real talk from someone who does this every day. --- MORE FROM PM JEN

• Newsletter (this is where the good stuff lives): https://subscribe-forms.beehiiv.com/09f5c28c-9468-44b5-8f66-c102b3459226
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HoldItwithPMJen
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferruelens/
• One Focus Property Management (my company, serving North Central PA): https://www.onefocuspm.com
• Amazon Storefront: https://a.co/d/0fjGeoCY

PM JEN'S PARTNERS

• LendingOne (my DSCR lender for investment properties): https://lp.lendingone.com/one-focus-property-management
• Inspire Wealth with Prof M (tax and wealth strategy): https://realestateinvesting101.mykajabi.com/offers/eDcQEHxu/checkout

These are affiliate links. If you use them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Buying a tenant occupied rental is one of the riskiest deals in real estate investing, and most realtors will never tell you what to actually look for. On this episode, I am sharing how I do due diligence on tenant occupied properties, the questions you need to ask, the documents you need to demand, and the red flags I have seen kill deals after closing. This is the work that has let me add 20 percent of value, on average, to the properties I take over. If you are shopping a tenant occupied rental right now, this episode is for you.

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ABOUT THE SHOW Hold It with PM Jen is the podcast for buy and hold real estate investors who want to grow a portfolio and hold it for the long haul. There is so much attention paid to the buying and selling of properties, but not to where the wealth is actually built. And that is in the hold.

I am Jennifer Ruelens, aka PM Jen. I have spent 22 plus years managing rental properties, and I am here to talk about the part nobody else wants to talk about. The hold. The tenants. The repairs. The taxes. The unsexy, gritty stuff that is where the money is made, or lost.

Every episode gives you something you can use. Real stories, real numbers, and real talk from someone who does this every day.

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MORE FROM PM JEN

• Newsletter (this is where the good stuff lives): https://subscribe-forms.beehiiv.com/09f5c28c-9468-44b5-8f66-c102b3459226
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HoldItwithPMJen
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferruelens/
• One Focus Property Management (my company, serving North Central PA): https://www.onefocuspm.com

PM JEN'S PARTNERS

• LendingOne (my DSCR lender for investment properties): https://lp.lendingone.com/one-focus-property-management
• Inspire Wealth with Prof M (tax and wealth strategy): https://realestateinvesting101.mykajabi.com/offers/eDcQEHxu/checkout

These are affiliate links. If you use them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

The landlord forums are wild. People asking real questions, getting stupid advice, and then making decisions that will haunt them for years. I can't sit back silently!

This week on WWPMJD (What Would PM Jen Do), my leasing agent Kristen joins me to take on questions pulled straight from the forums. Who pays for maintenance and why the lease matters more than your feelings about it. What you can actually do with a tenant who owes you a ton of money. And the emotional support animal question, including what you can legally ask and what gets landlords in real trouble.

We have managed thousands of units and seen all of this play out. Some of it is funny. Some of it is painful. All of it is useful. Buckle up, buttercup!

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ABOUT THE SHOW

Hold It with PM Jen is the podcast for buy and hold real estate investors who want to grow a portfolio and hold it for the long haul. If you are a real estate investor working a real job or running your own business, and you are tired of everybody having advice for selling and buying, but not for HOLDING, this show is for you. There is so much attention paid to the buying and selling of properties, but not to where the wealth is actually built, THE HOLD!

I am Jennifer Ruelens, aka PM Jen. I have spent 22 plus years managing rental properties, and I am here to talk about the part nobody else wants to talk about. The hold. The tenants. The repairs. The taxes. The unsexy, gritty stuff that is where the money is made, or lost. My special talent is transparency and being willing to share my vast experience to help you.

Every episode gives you something you can use. Real stories, real numbers, and real talk from someone who does this every day.

If this episode helped you, do me a favor and hit follow or subscribe. Leave a review if you are feeling generous. It is the easiest way to help other investors find the show.

I am PM Jen.

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MORE FROM PM JEN

Newsletter (this is where the good stuff lives): https://subscribe-forms.beehiiv.com/09f5c28c-9468-44b5-8f66-c102b3459226

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HoldItwithPMJen

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferruelens/

One Focus Property Management (my company, serving North Central PA): https://www.onefocuspm.com

PM JEN'S PARTNERS

LendingOne (my DSCR lender for investment properties): https://lp.lendingone.com/one-focus-property-management

Inspire Wealth with Prof M (tax and wealth strategy and education): https://realestateinvesting101.mykajabi.com/offers/eDcQEHxu/checkout

* These are affiliate links. If you use them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

PM Jen and her sister Jessy are sharing real, unfiltered stories—and this one starts with a lawsuit. A tenant slip-and-fall turned into a long legal battle involving multiple attorneys, insurance companies, depositions, and a last-minute settlement.

From injury claims to jury selection, this episode breaks down what landlord liability actually looks like behind the scenes—and why documentation, insurance, and preparation matter more than you think.

This is for real estate investors, property managers, and entrepreneurs who want the gritty reality of rental property risks and how to protect themselves when things go sideways.

If this resonated with you, there's more at www.holditwithpmjen.com

And if you're a property owner in North Central Pennsylvania looking for best-in-class property management, visit us at www.onefocuspm.com to learn more about One Focus Property Management.

PM Jen and her sister Jessy are telling real stories now and they are starting with this one. An employee stole $30,000 from One Focus Property Management over the course of 10 months. There were red flags. There were forged signatures. There were Valentine's chocolates in a FedEx envelope in January. This episode is for entrepreneurs, investors, and property managers who want the gritty reality of what embezzlement actually looks like from the inside, and what internal controls actually protect you when trust runs out.

If this resonated with you, there's a lot more where it came from at www.holditwithpmjen.com.

And if you're a property owner in North Central Pennsylvania looking for best-in-class property management, visit us at www.onefocuspm.com to learn more about One Focus Property Management.

Finding the right property manager isn't as simple as a web search. In this episode, Jessy and I break down the vetting process from the inside — not the conventional guide you've already read, but the questions NO INVESTORS EVER ASK. We're talking licensing, trust accounts, company structure, fee transparency, and the one hack that will tell you everything you need to know about how a property manager treats the people in your properties. This is Part 1 of our series on how to find, hire, and eventually fire a property manager — and it's the part that sets everything else up.

If this resonated with you, there's a lot more where it came from at www.holditwithpmjen.com.

And if you're a property owner in North Central Pennsylvania looking for best-in-class property management, visit us at www.onefocuspm.com to learn more about One Focus Property Management.

Finding the right property manager isn't as simple as a web search. In this episode, Jessy and I break down the vetting process from the inside — not the conventional guide you've already read, but the questions NO INVESTORS EVER ASK. We're talking licensing, trust accounts, company structure, fee transparency, and the one hack that will tell you everything you need to know about how a property manager treats the people in your properties. This is Part 1 of our series on how to find, hire, and eventually fire a property manager — and it's the part that sets everything else up.

If this resonated with you, there's a lot more where it came from at www.holditwithpmjen.com.

And if you're a property owner in North Central Pennsylvania looking for best-in-class property management, visit us at www.onefocuspm.com to learn more about One Focus Property Management.

You have never heard an interview like this before. My guest is someone who has been in the trenches with me for almost six years: Lindsay Aballa, my executive assistant based in the Philippines. We talk about what it's really like to work as a global remote team member, what their concerns and challenges are, and the advice she wishes every American employer understood before hiring one. If you've ever wondered how to build a team that multiplies your capacity, this one is required listening.

Get $500 off your hiring service with BetterWho when you use promo code PMJEN. Make your first transfer without fees when you try Wise to pay your remote employees around the world. https://wise.com/invite/ihpc/jennifersuer1

I have the only real estate investor and property manager gift guides I know of. You should check them out, all my favorite items and some deals! https://hiwpmjshowcase.my.canva.site/showcase

This one is for every investor who keeps saying they're "too busy." You're not too busy. You just need help. 33% of my team is remote workers from the Philipines and my guest, Jessy Leupold is accountable for hiring training and managing that team along with our US based team. She breaks down exactly how to hire, onboard, train, and hold a global assistant accountable. And trust me, it is not as hard as you think. Once you learn this skill, the leverage it gives you is unreal.

Get $500 off your hiring service with BetterWho when you use promo code PMJEN. Make your first transfer without fees when you try Wise to pay your remote employees around the world. https://wise.com/invite/ihpc/jennifersuer1

I have the only real estate investor and property manager gift guides I know of. You should check them out, all my favorite items and some deals! https://hiwpmjshowcase.my.canva.site/showcase

Season three is here, and we're calling it the how-to season. How to grow. How to scale. How do people ever get past 30 doors?

The first hire every real estate investor should make is a remote assistant, ideally global. Yes, I said it. And yes, I stand by it.

In today's episode, I sit down with Jay Berube from BetterWho to break down exactly how to do it. Why it works, how to find the right person, and how this one move can change the entire trajectory of your investment business.

Get $500 off your hiring service with BetterWho when you use promo code PMJEN.

Make your first transfer without fees when you try Wise to pay your remote employees around the world. https://wise.com/invite/ihpc/jennifersuer1

I have the only real estate investor and property manager gift guides I know of. You should check them out, all my favorite items and some deals! https://hiwpmjshowcase.my.canva.site/showcase