FAQs

Here are prospective tenants' most frequently asked questions:

Are utilities included in the rent?
Utilities are paid separately by the tenants. The average cost for utilities varies from house to house, but I can tell you what utility costs have been in previous years for each house, which will give you an idea of what to expect.

Where are your houses located?
Most are within a half-mile of campus. All are within a mile of campus, and all are on the XU shuttle route.

How long are the leases?
The houses are rented for 12 months at a time, beginning June 1 and ending May 31. I do permit tenants to sublet their rooms over the summer.

When should we begin looking for a house?
I usually begin receiving calls the first week of classes in August from people interested in renting for the following school year. Most houses are rented by November. It's never too early to call.

Some of the houses have "reserved" or "leased" on their pages. What do these mean?
A house is marked reserved once a group of tenants has expressed an intention to rent it. After reserving it, the group has two weeks to sign a lease. If they don't, the property again becomes available. On properties marked leased, a group has put down a deposit and signed a lease, so they are no longer available.

How long have you been renting to XU students?
I am a 1989 Xavier graduate and I bought my first rental property near the XU campus in 1988, when I was still a student. I've been in the business ever since. I live within walking distance of campus and can be at any of my properties in minutes if there is an urgent problem.

What does a tenant do if something needs to be fixed at a property?
I have a maintenance man who works at least one full day a week in the neighborhood. I ask tenants to email me with non-emergency repairs during the week so I can assign them to the maintenance man. Emergencies are addressed immediately with the appropriate contractors.

Who cuts the grass and removes snow?
I employ a professional lawn-care crew to cut the grass and do landscape maintenance, at my expense. Tenants are responsible for snow removal.

Do parents co-sign leases?
No. Tenants are all of legal age (18) and therefore accept the responsibilities of the lease.