Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and frankly, I am just thankful to get through 2011. In my 9 years of being a landlord, I encountered the highest turnover this year by far. Fortunately there were just as many people moving in as moving out. But, just when I would get two places rented I would get a 30 day notice on another. It was like playing Wack A Mole.

What was the biggest motivating factor in my tenants leaving? Jobs. Like never before I see people moving for job opportunities and make career advances. People are moving to places they would never consider before like Mojave or Minnesota just for a chance at the American Dream.

Thankfully for me there just as many people moving in to Southern California. I have spoken to hundreds of people moving here from all around the globe. The net net for me personally was lots and lots of showing property, renovations to the property to make my places rentable, endless hours on the phone qualifying potential tenants, conflicts surrounding tenants expectations and very, very few days off.

This does not sound fun I know. Most people including myself bought real estate as a passive income stream. In other words, we have invested so we don’t have to work so hard. We don’t have to work for the man. But most of us depend on the middle class and the middle class in this country is under stress like never before. This year my passive income stream became very labor intensive. I now have a J-O-B.

What does the future hold? Thankfully again, the appraised values have held well for my residential income investment properties that are 5 or more units. The feedback I get from prospective tenants are that my units are well priced and desirable. I am hoping for consumer confidence and job security for 2012.

In the meanwhile I will roll up my sleeves and join the workforce.