T’was the eve before Christmas and all through the night,

I tossed and I turned and then turned on the light.

That building I purchased, a trade-up indeed,

That big box with windows and tenants in need.

I picked up my list and I checked it out twice,

Ms. Smith called again, she keeps seeing mice,

The tenant in 7 still hasn’t paid rent,

“It’s Christmas”, he claims and “I don’t have a cent”.

My worker informed me, “Your roof needs repair”,

It looks as if Santa’s sleigh landed up there!

There’re leaks in the bathrooms, and stains on the walls,

The plumber’s in Cabo and won’t take my calls.

Attorneys, insurance and which forms to serve,

Evictions, convictions and not much reserve,

Leases and mold and tenant complaints,

Rent control laws and all their constraints.

When all of a sudden, through all of that clatter,

It suddenly hit me, and nothing else mattered,

“First thing on Monday, I’ll join AOA,

I’ll give them my problems and get squared away”.

Consultants, referrals and vendors galore,

I won’t have to manage alone anymore,

Credit checks, forms, solutions that gel,

They even have Brokers to list and to sell!

Visions of peace came to dance in my head,

I turned off the light and I crawled into bed.

And as I dozed off, I heard someone say,

“Merry Christmas to All, from AOA”

By. P.A. Harris