Good Rental Karma

A lot of you will think I’m nuts but I’m going to share my latest project with you anyway. The bathroom tiles in my soon to be former apartment are original to the 1952 building and look it courtesy of years of paint splatters and God knows what else. I knew that an easy fix would be to give the floor a once-over with my favorite paint stripper, Greensolv, a biodegradable product (if you can believe it) available in Canada through Lee Valley.

I laid on a nice thick coat using a spreader then came back 30 minutes later and gave it a scrub with a medium abrasive pad (also from Lee Valley), focusing particularly on the black tiles. Neoprene gloves and a face mask are essential.

I’d be lying if I said the floors look like new but the result is pretty amazing. The 60-year-old tiles are lighter and brighter, ready for the new tenants to enjoy.

Why would I go to the trouble of sprucing up a place I’ll be moving out of in less than two months? Good rental karma, baby! As a former home owner who is once again renting, I treat every place I live in as if it’s my own. And it is, for as long as I’m living there. In our last place, we refinished the hardwood floors, thoroughly repainted a nasty basement and laid new broadloom (the only upgrade our landlord helped pay for).

Who knows whether all those positive changes contributed to me finding the apartment of my dreams but that’s where I moved to next. Now that I’m on my own, this place is too big and too expensive for me so it’s on to somewhere new and, I hope, just as wonderful. Which is where today’s project comes in: I’m paying it forward, hoping that the good I do now will come back to me on my hunt.

I’d be a fool if I didn’t take advantage of styleNorth to ask you wonderful readers to keep your eyes and ears open for me. I’m looking for a comfortable one or two bedroom place in downtown Toronto in the $1,200 – $1,350 range (June 1, please). My two exceedingly well-behaved Scottie dogs are part of the package and we promise to leave the place even better than we find it. Can you help us?

Friday, April 2, 2010 by Chris
This post was written by Chris - who has written 729 posts on styleNorth.

15 Comments For This Post

karen Says:
April 2nd, 2010 at 11:25 am

Are you looking for a house or a building? I live at Village Green, a property with three high-rise buildings in the Church-Wellesley neighbourhood, and really like it. The management is really prompt when there are issues, and really pet-friendly. There’s a fountain courtyard with an off-leash area, even. (The management website is here: http://www.greenrockpm.ca/communities.cfm ) My 1 bedroom is 635 sq’, with an 18′ wide balcony, and I pay just under $1200 a month.
Good hunting!

David in KC Says:
April 2nd, 2010 at 1:52 pm

I’m a firm believer in karma Chris, here’s hoping it brings you and the Scots the perfect spot.

Raina Says:
April 2nd, 2010 at 2:13 pm

WOW! I wish you had been the previous tenant of one of many homes I’ve rented.

The floor looks incredible.

Deb Says:
April 2nd, 2010 at 2:30 pm

Chris, what a fabulous job you did on the floor and thanks for the great LV stripper resource. Will definitely check that out. What kind of mask did you need, just a dust mask or an industrial type? and did you get that as well at Lee Valley? Thanks.

I’m in north GTA and so unfortunately can’t offer any apt hunt help (though sounds like Karen, above, may have something) but I just know that good rental karma will be with you! All the best for your search. :)

Chris Says:
April 2nd, 2010 at 7:17 pm

Karen, thanks for the tip about Village Green; I’ll check it out.
Deb, I’m very sensitive to VOCs so I use the full-on vented mask but this stripper isn’t deadly so you could probably get away with a dust mask as long as it’s NIOSH certified.
Hi to you David, and Raina — I adore your blog! — thanks for dropping me a note.

Judy Says:
April 3rd, 2010 at 12:23 pm

You’re a gem. Good luck with your hunt.

infernalmachine Says:
April 3rd, 2010 at 6:08 pm

i never thought of using paint stripper on a floor – then again i haven’t had paint all over my floor (luckily in our rental they just got paint all over the doorknobs and light fixtures, etc).

if it weren’t for the paint, you could also have used hydrogen peroxide. the kind you get from the hair salon / beauty supply store that is 30 to 40% (the “oxy bleach” from the supermarket is only 5% to 10%)… it’s also environmentally neutral believe it or not.

i wish i had a rental recommendation for you, but viewit.ca and the renter’s guide (that big book they publish in stands across the city) usually does fairly well. i found my rental on myhood.ca and by driving past it. then again i’m in etobicoke so not much help there!

Lois Says:
April 6th, 2010 at 7:26 am

Good morning. Funny, Nana used to say, what goes around comes around…Lois of amazing
Good Luck Chris, you won’t need it, you’ll find the perfect place b/c you are a nice guy

Lin Says:
April 6th, 2010 at 11:44 am

Hi Chris,

I know you’re looking for a place downtown but if by chance you’d like to consider a nice little bungalow with an enormous fenced yard for the pups let me know. The house is in Etobicoke about a 30 second walk to the Lakeshore. For the right tenant (think reliable and low-maintenance) I’m willing to rent it out well below market value.

My business email address is still up and running so drop me a line if this is of any interest

Lin
P.S. Good to see you posting more often. Always a pleasure to read.

Mike Says:
April 6th, 2010 at 4:07 pm

Nice job on the tiles — you certainly give inspiration, especially for those of us who own their own home (no more excuses for anything looking shabby!)

Best of luck finding your new spot — and making it into a fabulous home.

~ Mike

Lucy Says:
April 8th, 2010 at 6:46 pm

Oh, thank you for restoring my faith in humanity! I once saw a flat to rent which was being shown with cigarette butts stubbed into the carpet, when I mentioned it to the agent he just said, ‘why would the landlord clean it, he can let it without.’ But it is about basic respect isn’t it – my mum used to let a flat and she would always let it clean, necessary or not. When I move out of where I am now I’ll clean it so the next people get a nicer welcome than we did! I hope you find somewhere perfect to be your next home, if karma plays a role you will!

chrisse Says:
April 9th, 2010 at 12:31 am

Chris
The upstairs apt in my duplex is available. Its in Riverdale, Logan & Gerrard area. I believe the landlord wants $1300 all incl.
Right now it needs painting, but that shouldn’t be a problem. The apt is either a 2 or 3 bedroom. Personally I would use it as a 2 bedroom. As the apt is on the 2nd & 3rd floor of a 104 yr house, I would use the bedroom on the 2nd floor as a dining room as that is more important to me.
Anywhooo…contact me if you would like to see it before speaking to the “‘lords’.
Chrisse

Maria Says:
April 9th, 2010 at 1:03 am

I’m going to agree with Karen… Village Green is a really nice complex. Until last January, I was staying in a 2-br, 950 sq feet for under $1500. Love the neighborhood and the proximity to conveniences…. As the real estate agents would say, location, location, location, location! The fountain and the park where the building sits are big bonuses. I highly recommend checking it out. I’m missing the place so much. ONly reason I moved was because we needed a bigger space.
Good luck!