So, you’re looking for a house or apartment to rent in historic downtown Gainesville?

We’ve made this site to make it clear who we are looking for in a tenant/neighbor, to let you know who we are and to give you a realistic virtual tour of the houses.

PLEASE read through the steps before applying or contacting me.

I have lived and worked in the Pleasant Street Neighborhood since 1996. The pleasant street neighborhood was first developed by former enslaved people over 150 years ago. The 5th Ave. neighborhood and the Pleasant Street neighborhood was divided by railroad tracks that are now the 6th st. bike trail. 5th Ave was a bustling corridor for blacks especially during years of segregation. Unfortunately things changed with time; in 1994 the city had counted 54 boarded up or vacant homes in the neighborhood. The crack epidemic, poverty and racism hit this neighborhood hard and it was at it’s rock bottom. I grew up as a poor hoodlum so I felt comfortable enough to buy into the dream of home ownership in the neighborhood. An old man owner-financed me my first house. With a hammer, a drill and the energy of a 20 year old I began my journey, which has landed me here today, potentially renting to you.

Over the years we have put a lot of work into these homes. Each house represents a lot of time, work, money and emotional attachment for us. These homes are not just an investment that I am milking money from, they represent a bit of who I am and I don’t plan on selling them until I’m dead.

I live and work in the neighborhood; I am renting homes to my neighbors so it’s important that I rent to people I want to live next to. If you are interested please read on.

Who we are looking for:
We like to rent to socially conscious people, politically liberal voters, the environmentally concerned, bicyclists, folks who acknowledge and respect their neighbors, people who want to live in decent housing and take care of their homes and themselves.

Cigarette smokers do not apply. Cigarette smoke ruins paint, turns everything that’s white yellow and damages the A/C. Seeing cigarette butts on the ground irritates me.

Dogs are o.k, sometimes; it depends on the house, the dog, the breed, the age, how long you’ve had the dog, etc. There is a $200 fee.

Cats are accepted on a very limited indoor only basis and there is a $300 fee per cat. The cat cannot be fed outside (opossum buffet).

Electric Vehicle Charging, several of our homes have hookups for electric car charging (nema 14-50). Please enquire.

The lease agreement is a serious contract. The first part is hard-line legal verbiage standard in all leases. The second part of the lease is a list of expectations such as taking your trash out, bringing your trash cans in promptly, all things born out of experiences that I later detailed in the lease. The lease agreement is a contract that we are both obligated to and it is to be taken seriously. In turn you can expect that I will respect you personally and treat the contract lease agreement with professionalism. If there is something in the lease you would like added, clarified or even deleted I am willing to have that conversation.

I show the homes by appointment only. To be scheduled for an appointment you will first have to read the Lease and Operating Policy. Second, send or drop off the Rental Application with a copy of your I.D.

The rental application will need to be reviewed and approved prior to any showings. I do not show any homes to people I am not considering. My current residents rest assured that the strangers touring their home have at least been vetted and are under consideration. It’s a privacy thing, a respect thing and a way to save us all time.

On the back of the rental application I request that you write something about yourself. What are you doing with your life? What do you do in your free time, what are you about, who are you?

 

Rental Listing page, please notice what is marked Available Vs. Not Available