When I wanted to start buying broken homes, fixing them, and renting them, I already knew he wasn’t going to be a good business partner for me.
My life partner and I are very different.
Our ways of thinking. Our ways of doing things. Our ways of dealing with life. Our decision making. Everything is opposite on a certain level.
Renting rooms in our homes
We’ve been seeing each other for 8 years, we still don’t live together, and we like it that way!
Due to our very different ways of living, we have always agreed not to rush living together.
Why should we?
When I first met him, he already had tenants in his house. My boyfriend lives on the main floor, and rent 2 bedrooms in his basement. He only paid the first few years of his mortgage. His tenants paid all of the house expenses.
I was inspired by this, so I finished my basement and move there for me and my daughter to live. I now rent 3 rooms on the second floor. Where we all share the main floor for laundry.
Both our homes are paid for!
Funny thing is, we always talked about owning a cottage by the shore end renting it during summer seasons.
Even if we have a similar dream, we are not meant to be business partners.
Managing our rental rooms differently.
I first knew he wouldn’t be a good business partner when I saw the way we manage our rentals differently.
Before accepting a new tenant, I meet with them, analyze them, interview them, read their body language, facial expression. I let the existing tenant to show the room, this way they have a feel and an opinion on who they want as a roommate.
If they are interested in the room, I get them to fill in a none legal application, where it requires references. (it’ a none legal application, because our province doesn’t’ have rule when main entrance or rooms are shared)
I provide certain services, such as cleaning the main floor, kitchen, living area and bathrooms once a week, and shoveling the driveway during the winter.
My boyfriend doesn’t. He provides no services. He pick the first tenants that is interested without making a back ground check. He has friends as tenants. Because they are he’s friends, he doesn’t have the heart to kick them out. Some doesn’t pay or doesn’t respect others in the house.
Never mix business with friend
When we first talked about our dreams of renting a third property, he asked that I would be the one in charge of finding renters/tenants. I would also be in charge of all the paperwork and services on our rental properties. To this, I happily accepted.
We rarely argue on decision making.
Whenever a minor decision needs to be made; picking a restaurant, a daily activity or picking a place to go for vacation, I end up making those decisions.
Every time I ask him he’s opinion, his reply is always, “whatever you want”. It get boring to always be the one making decisions in a relationship by the way. It even get frustrating.
When it comes to picking a finish material, either it’s flooring, cabinets or paint, I made all the decisions. He simply doesn’t care.
We do have disagreements. They happen very rarely. We do discuss our opinions calmly.
One of us end up persuading the other with pros and cons, and the other ends up agreeing. He can be very good at giving out his point of view when he feels the need to. It makes it fun and we discover new things during our discussion.
Money
Money, the number one cause of divorce or breakups in a relationship.
https://goldhartlaw.com/top-5-reasons-for-divorce-in-canada/
I’m a risk taker. I like to invest on myself, invest in stokes, have a TFSA account, buy broken homes and fix them as investments.
My boyfriend a chill and relax. He like to relax after a day’s work and watching TV, invest in an RRSP thru his work, doesn’t like to do extra work outside of his 9 to 5 job.
It doesn’t bother me if I lose money in stocks, I understand the market enough to know when it comes down, it often goes back up in time. When he looks at he’s RRSP account and if it went down, he’s not happy and complain about the bank managing his account.
With that said, we don’t have a share account cause their no need to. It would not be good for our relationship so we keep it separate for good reasons.
He will not “upgrades” much of his belongings.
I agree with a car. If it takes you to point B, why change it.
I agree with electronics. If your phone isn’t’ broken, why buy the new Iphone every year?
I agree with furniture. If it isn’t worn down there is no need to get a new one.
When it comes to having to replace these items, we have different ways of shopping.
I say, invest in the quality of the product and buy what you really need or want, therefor I often pay a higher price for it.
My life partner says, select the cheapest. Regardless of the look or style, if it does the job , it’s good enough.
I don’t comply with he’s choice. He doesn’t wanna pay. We can’t make agreement. I end up paying for all of it.
When looking for a business partner, make sure you agree on the budget and finances.
Seeing different things
We occasionally go for Sunday drives in the rural side. When we do, we often share our opinions on properties or the area we drive by.
What we like, what we don’t like. What we’d want, what we don’t care for.
During those drive, I realize how far away he is from being a good business partner with me.
When we drive by an old abandon house, I can see potential in some of them, all he sees is work and a waste of money.
Those are the times that are hard for me to acknowledge that he is not the right business partner for me.
Just cant’ be my business partner
My life partner likes to relax and enjoy every minute of he’s life. He loves movies and binge watching reruns. He likes to take me out. He adores food and trying the latest restaurants in town. He enjoys life and avoids all kind of stress if possible.
I wouldn’t change any of that!
I love him the way he is, I couldn’t risk our relationship just so I have a partner.
And that is why he is not my business partner.
Check out these links for more tips on your business
05 – 6 ways to keep a good attitude in your business
07 – 5 things to avoid to be successful in your small business