[Yup]

Hey plm, is this the property that you decided to rent out temporarily for a few years prior to selling? (I just re-read your post last Sept.)

If so, why wouldn’t you rent only month-to-month, and only to stellar renters (i.e., absolutely no bankruptcies, no evictions, great credit)?

You don’t want to get Professional Renters in there. One *perceived* slight and they can run to the Tenants Legal Rights Center. Then, perhaps anything you do or say going forward could now be construed as “retaliation”. Say they suddenly start paying on time, but are building a room addition/deck/chicken coop, or moving 10 people into the unit, or locking you out and refusing to give you a key, etc. IMO, what rights you thought you had regarding your property do not exist anymore. As long as tenants pay, your lease is basically worthless. They have possession.

Have you ever tried to show a property while using a police preserve-the-peace escort? Or tried to evict someone who was never on the lease but had a restraining order against the person you didn’t know lived there and who is now refusing to pay the rent?

Don’t think this can’t happen to you. And don’t think that a property manager is going to jump into your mess. Instead, you’ll have to pay an attorney to tell you that you are powerless for the life of the lease if the renters pay on time. This is a renter’s rights town.

Unless, of course, your rental is in Texas, in which case, let a thousand flowers bloom!

(Disclaimer: nothing stated above is to be construed as legal advice, and is solely personal and/or the experience of friends and family.)

[Yup]

In this hot rental market, WHY would you even consider these sub-standard renters?

They are already working you over by making you hustle to fix a problem they created. Don’t expect this to change. Once they get the keys, they have possession and all the rights our lovely state confers to renters.

If these are friends-of-family or someone you just must rent to as a personal favor to Uncle Bob, then do yourself a favor and consider doing month-to-month which will at least give you some eviction leverage if they don’t pay the rent.

I’d highly recommend that you consider joining the San Diego County Apartment Association, as they provide training on tenant screening.

[Yup]

I went to an estate sale at this place 10 years ago. It was like a fun house inside–crooked stairways, ceilings so low in places you had to bend over to go up the stairs, literally a fun house….I have “vision” and I couldn’t imagine anything but a teardown with this poor house….

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