Monday, January 23, 2023

Alright, the new tenant and the 2 week stay are paid up.  I kind of got a little uptight about the guy showing up this morning and not even contacting me to inform me he was there -after I asked him to please text me when he arrives and he agreed.  But,, this dude has an 80k 5th wheel with multiple slide outs and all kinds of features.  It was doubtful he wasn't going to pay.  He ended up paying cashapp, I don't care how they pay but if it's cash or cashapp or paypal, I don't have to pay a user fee.  Credit cards incur 2.3% processing fee.  

So, with that thought, I probably should change my rates a little.  If you can pay cash, cashapp or paypal, X rate, if using credit card, X rate plus 2.3% fee.  All of this I have done so far excepting 1, 1 night stay, has bypassed the campground software system since they called me and didn't want to use that system.  It's another $2 fee per reservation, I'll gladly take that.  

Now, just before the first month of being open ends, I need to get info of how much percentage tax to pay to the state and where to send it and how often I'm supposed to send it.  I'm going to search the internet first, if no info there, contact the state, if they can't or won't help (sometimes you'll be told they can't give you advice, tho I'm not looking for advice, I'm looking for factual information) then I'll just have to bite the bullet and pay for a conference with a certified accountant.  

And frankly, I don't want to do the yearly taxes.  I want an accountant to do that and I need to know what they require.  Now, not a year from now.  I don't have to pay any taxes for last year, I received no payments from anyone for any spaces.  It wasn't until the 2cd of this year before I got my first guest.  

The walking trails seem to have no appeal to anyone so far. Well, one couple said they went partially back on it but it was getting dark.  I actually don't care, I'd love to keep it private and just have it to take the dog back there, sometimes the boys want to go back as well.  But whatever, it's listed as an amenity, it's open and available, it's marked with signage to find the trail.  

I'm going to take a fire ring from one of the lots and put it back for the tent camping spot.  I want to open that one up.  And I still want to do boondocking option which is nothing more than making a space for an RV to park for cheap.  No amenities whatsoever - tho I would probably let them get water.  Well away from the park, a generator running all night long wouldn't bother any long term tenants.  It's not a lot of money, but it IS money.  I bet at a decent rate I could fill up the boondocking sites.  

Whatever the case, the bills are paid for the month.  What with the overnighters, the 2 week man and the 2 long term, I have everything covered.  I take that back, the bills I have assigned to the business checking account are paid.  There's still power and water to assign to it.  The month isn't over yet.  Still 8 days to go.  I can dream that more overnighters will show up or even another long term.  I still have one long term allegedly coming at the beginning of February and others that have expressed interest and even intent, but until they actually show up? It's nothing to me.  

And finally, I can count myself lucky that it is cool weather.  AC units aren't being used.  Heaters are - and in RV's that means propane gas.  Of course, people can be using space heaters and I wouldn't have any way of knowing that.  I can also be thankful that the 2cd long term unit is an itty bitty thing. Even in summer, it's not going to use the same amounts of energy as these giant units.  This is how they average out monthly use to $125 - $135 per month on a yearly average.  Not everyone has giant RV's with dual AC units.  Anyone trying to come in with 3 of them will incur a higher charge.  

I am also thankful that so far, I have had no problems with the new electrical system and the septic system seems to be working.  I guess? I haven't seen any water coming out of the aerators. I guess I should open the fitting to the nearest outlet and see if there is anything visible.......

It just dawned on my that the property I own a partial portion of has a house that was made out of railroad ties that is collapsed, caved in and useless. The other owners are not going to do anything with that junk, I need some of those ties for blocks! Free! Yayy!

 Well, the solar lights were only $5.95 a piece, I bought enough to line the RV park driveway and some by the entrance.  I'll go over at night time and see how it looks. Might need a few more.  So far, the people coming and going haven't really been dumping that much trash in the 55 gallon can, so I am glad I didn't go for the dumpster yet.  That's another $165 per month that I don't need to spend until I have enough people in there to warrant one.

The man coming from out of town never contacted me. Instead, he showed up, chose a lot and set up his rig lol.  He wasn't home and so far he hasn't responded to my text. However, if he's already working, he probably can't text until a break. I'm not worried about it, tho I do want my money. That's $300 right there to add to the business coffers. 

My knee is feeling better today, not near as much pain, which I found odd because it was giving me trouble overnight.  I'll take it.  However, I forgot my boots and tho I go some other stuff done, I didn't get started on the driveway trench project. I'm not doing that in tennis shoes.  I'm undecided whether to go back or not.  I'm going to have to go back later to meet up with the other guy who already came in a few days ago - and hasn't paid yet.  

I hope to never have to use it, but Texas law gives me the right to immediately evict them out of the park.  Even to the point of calling a wrecker and the sheriff to have them physically removed.  Obviously, that is the final, last resort, but I have read about park owners that have been forced to go that route.  Some of those people are very strict about their rules and enforcement. I get why they are doing it, I sort of need time to get the right mind frame about all of this.

It's not like I've ever managed an RV park before...I wouldn't say I'm completely clueless having had rented out rooms in the house and having had to deal with people directly and throwing a few of them out after they got hostile. And court actions going both ways. I guess I probably need to learn Texas law about how to evict an rv long term - that's tenancy and falls under tenancy laws.  

Now, the dude staying for 2 weeks? He had his own railroad ties that he cut up and apparently had with him. I certainly didn't have any but it's a great idea.  I'm going to buy a couple and cut them into blocks. He has the wheels off the ground on one side, I"m going to ask him if he wants board to put under the tires as well - adds stability.  He has a giant 5th wheel, this thing is huge and has several slide outs.  I don't know what those things cost, but they look like a house on wheels, basically.  

I'm still feeling tired and sluggish. It's from not having slept all week and then finally, sleeping last night.  I may just take a nap instead of going back over there and then tomorrow morning, get with it.  Well, I mean, I do have to go back over there for money, that doesn't mean I have to work. And looking at the area around the sign on the street, it might not take too much to at least pull the weeds up out of that area and make it look nicer.  

I'm going to want a water line running over there, I eventually want to put in a garden type thing at the entrance.  Make everything look pretty and inviting.  It's all money and time.  Especially time, in having to dig down to the water line at the front of the park, cut it, install a T, put a piece of pipe in the T and then put a valve on it. Yup, means turning off the water as well.  If I have it all ready, the water only has to be off for maybe 30 minutes.  

I'd like to go ahead and get some flowers in by the sign if there is such a thing as winter flowering plants, otherwise, winter plants that look good sans the flowers. 

Yes, I'm good at loading myself down with projects. It will be endless.  It will probably take years to get the place to where I want it.  I'm not stressing it, one thing at a time.  

People asking me for business cards, so I'm having 100 of those made up.  I don't know why they want business cards, but I've been asked enough times for it that I'm going to get some. I just get online and find the person's business if I need their services.  

Yes, sitting down, fatigue hit me quite nicely.


 A local friend just texted me and said "I might have done something".  Oh?
I guessed before she said anything it was related to the rv park.

She said she had posted it in local groups she had been in before for rv parks. I have to say I never even thought to look for facebook local rv park groups, I'm not sure if that's what she meant.  I did find some rv park groups but nothing local.  Still, I joined them anyway - I will put up ads wherever, I don't care if the recipients are half way across the country, you never know who might be looking to move to another state/region.  

Well, this guy that said he was coming for 2 weeks should be contacting me any time -unless he found other accommodations.  I hope he does come is all I can say about it. Much needed finances to pay park bills.  

And after considerable amount of - aggravation is what it turned into after spending a lot of time on the phone and then going to the bank - I finally have access to my business banking account online, no thanks to Chase or their customer service centers.  It was getting exasperating, actually, having to go to the bank to get account info.  They didn't even give me a debit card so I had to go to the teller to see the info.  

Both issues resolved, debit card coming.  I don't know anyone who opens up a checking account whether personal or business and doesn't want a debit card.  I was really thinking about switching banks, but it's such a hassle to move all of your auto pays over and I have quite a few of them. You have to open the accounts somewhere else, first and then switch the auto pays over and then you can go close your account at previous bank.

Banks will not close an account if there are any autopays due or even if one comes in after you close it.  It's weird, to me, because how and when I pay my bills is none of their business. The companies can contact me if I have made their auto pay useless. 

I finally got some sleep last night after 7 nights of basically nothing.  I've been so exhausted, but every time I turn in my sleep, I wake up from the pain in my knee. I'm still sleepy right now and it's 10:30 am, I really took advantage of the sleep and went on as long as I could.  I've been a little cranky, anyone would be after losing that much sleep.  I don't know if I feel better or not, lol, I just got out of bed, got some coffee and sat down at the computer to check things out - and then my phone started blowing up with text messages.  Funny how that worked, these people seemingly knew I was sleeping and then started texting?

Lol, obviously not.  

Actually, I think I will text this man and see if he's coming. If he's not, he'll probably  just ignore the text such as a few others have done. I'm not requiring any deposit to hold a lot atm.  Maybe I should just to get them to rethink going somewhere else after they have already committed to coming to my place.  It's just that they won't find anything cheaper around this area, especially considering I have the 50/30 amp services and electric is included.  He's traveling from some other state, he was on the road when he called.  

Well whatever. Cold day here.  54 for a high, it was 30 degrees when i woke up.  I'm going to take an ibuprofen and go over there and see if I can get anything done, regardless of pain.  I've been sitting here for days doing much of nothing trying to get this knee to heal - but at the end of the day? I've got work to do and my time is running out to get it done.  I wasn't going to drag it out to February to start trucking again, but I have enough money to tide me over and I want to get the park filled up to enough to at least pay the bills.  

And it's going to be hard to find anyone to go over there to meet anyone that wants to move in after I get back on the road.  I have a few options, yes, maybe Maria would do it in exchange for some pay. It's just go over, hand them some paperwork, take the money if they're paying cash, wish them a nice day and go back home.  I bet she'd do it if I gave her enough money.  She doesn't work and it's easy money.  Taylor is busy with her work, kids, etc. I won't be asking her.  The friend that just contacted me about spreading the word would probably help, but she has a full time job.  

I think Maria would be the best choice to approach first.  I don't really know what to offer. Maybe $30 or $40 per client?  If it's long term, the money lost will be the money gained.  I don't really want to have to have anyone meeting up with short term - those types aren't really coming in in droves and I am making the thing basically automated. Pay online, show up, park, level, hook up, done.  This is why I need a few cameras over there.  Oh, I need to go get those solar lights today.  I want to get that done, the people asked for it and it was something I was going to do anyway. 

Enough.

G'day

 Saturday - late afternoon I did not get up early since I had second load and was really deep in sleep again.  Like, this all seems to have ...