Work for rent

[a45cap]

This might not make sense if you're not familiar with my situation. I have previous posts that might help get an understanding.
I've been living out of my car now for a little over 2 months. I have returned back to town a couple times, stayed with friends, and also rented a roach motel room a couple times for a week. All and all its been good.
But, I want and need an r/v. So I can expand my travels, and maybe live a little cheaper. What I have found is an opportunity to do handyman/caretaker for rent payment, it's an 32'ft camper set up on a mans property. Located in Mobile, AL. I would stay there and hopefully be able to save, and purchase a good r/v. I am going to post my latest e-mail from him. Maybe someone that's been out here doing this awhile may be able to tell me if this sounds ok. By the way I have checked this guy out, and he seems pretty much on the level. Any way here it is. Any comments, suggestions, or advise would be appreciated.
my e-mail to him and his answers.

I would like to discuss more of what you would want from me?

In terms of rent - $200 per week – work performed will be deducted from that. It is high to encourage the person to actually perform their duties as opposed to simply paying the rent and doing nothing. I don't want your money. I want you to take care of my place and help hopefully help me complete some projects around here.
or labor, - Anything that I would be doing myself if I had the time



how many hours per day/week you would expect?
It’s not really about hours, it’s about productivity and reliability

What kind of things you would want me to do, and that sort of stuff.

- There are routine things like mow the grass when needed (I have a riding lawn mower). Make sure the garbage is managed. Make sure the house is reasonably clean & tidy eg; no food or food remnants lying around to attract bugs. Clean things when they get noticeably (in the sense that I would notice) dirty. Work on home improvement projects when reasonably (meaning not like in the heat of the day etc.) able.

And maybe an address so I could google map, and get an idea of where you are located? - It is in Mobile. Just south of the 10 Fwy exit 22. Quiet, safe neighborhood. Three minute walk to Library, Bank, Cleaners, Bus Stop, Restaurants & Fast Food. Five minute
walk for minor Groceries and two miles to large Grocery Stores. One mile to Post Office.
Let me know if you this sounds okay to you and ask any more questions you may have.

Well, is this a good deal? anyone ever done anything like this?

 

[Hereandthere]

The one thing I'd talk over a bit more with him is the idea that he wants certain things done as opposed to a certain amount of hours worked. I'd want to be sure you were both on the same page about roughly the amount of hours or work he expects, so there isn't misunderstanding later.

 

[Suanne]

As a guide, we hire a local guy to do work for us by the project, but works out to be about $13/hour.

 

[akrvbob]

I don't get any sense of what he will pay you per hour or how many hours a week.

I would need to know that before I started.

If you work 40 hours a week, I'd want at least another $120 cash above rent ($8.00 per hour).

Is it under the table? Will he report the income. That makes a big difference.
Bob

 

[decodancer]

Just make sure that not all you get is your rent covered. I know a workamping couple that had a situation like that. Although they were promised more work, they not only never made a penny, they ended up owing each month. It doesn't seem that he actually answered the question about hours, kind of skirted around it like some politicians do. Also $200 a week for an RV in Alabama sounds ridiculously high to me.

 

[GypsySilver]

What everyone else said...

For 200 a week you could rent a room at an extended stay hotel that would have kitchen, tv/cable, internet, etc..
Then find a job and save.

 

[akrvbob]

I didn't even notice it was 200 a week. NO WAY!! Don't pay more than $200 a month. You can get a job as a campground host in the National Forest for minimum wage and FREE campsite. It's probably too late this year but next May there is a job waiting for you.
Bob

 

[a45cap]

I want to thank everybody for their responses to this. That's why I posted it on here, so I could hear from people who know whats goin' on in these matters.
This was kind of a big decision for me. I wanted to think about it. Sent an e-mail stating I wanted to sleep overnight on this.
Don't think it's for me. I just got a taste of this freedom to do as I please, go where I choose, and if I get up one morning and say "Coco lets move on" we can! Plus there's too many red flags on this deal. I would have to put in at the least 20 hours a week to make rent at just $10.00 per hour. And with no clear cut answer to what I would be expected to do. But the biggest thing is I'm just not ready to give up this freedom. It's like I been livin' in a cave the last 25 years and now I'm out. I'll just have to come up with another way to get an r/v or van. Got this e-mail this morning, kinda glad I decided to not do this now.
"I forgot to mention that I expect a deposit so that the helper will have a vested interest in not simply abandoning this place when I am out of town. It will have to be substantial enough to encourage the helper to make sure this place is looked after until I am back. I think four weeks of full rent would be enough to make most people want to make sure they fulfill their responsibilities in order to get that deposit returned to them. "
That would be an $800.00 deposit. Might as well go back to bricks and sticks if I'm gonna do that.
Thanks again to all that took the time to give their output on this. see ya on the road.
Bob n Coco

 

[highdesertranger]

good for you on thinking about this one. something is fishy here. especially the 200 bucks a week rent and the 800 deposit. I would pass on this one. highdesertranger

 

[Donedirtcheap]

That guy is a scam artist. Run 45! Run!

 

[a45cap]

Sometimes age and patience pays off. I probably would have jumped on this in my earlier days. But the expectations are too high. no real clear cut answers to my questions, way too much money being asked for up front. I'm on down time for the next couple weeks. Guess I'll regroup, restock, and get back out there. One door closes, another opens.

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

Good move..800 a month and 800 down is insane...however its paid.

 

[Prisoner Of Knowledge]

The way people feed off each other is scary. Good call 45...