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Selling a residential home with a uncooperative tenant – An easy solution

Have you ever had a residential home that you have been using as a rental and now you want to sell? Then when you go to put the for sale sign up, you find out you have a tenant that doesn't want you to sell, and does everything in their power to keep it from selling?

In my state you have to give the tenant 24 hours with a posted notice that you are going to be entering the property, then, if the tenant wants, they can still make it difficult for a buyer. They just leave the house a mess and we all know a messy home doesn't show well.

If you are making a positive cash flow from the property, then it may be worth it to keep the tenant, but offer them a $500 bonus upon close for helping further along the sale. Or if it is a situation that you are losing money each month, it may be better to just pay them the $500 to move out and stop having to pay extra months of mortgage while trying to sell it. Especially if you can sell it in 30 days verses 120 days with the tenant!

If you have an investment property with an unwilling tenant, and would like to know more about selling it for top dollar, please feel free to contact me anytime.

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739

Posted by Todd Clark (Realtor), GRI (Washington Co, Beaverton Oregon) on 03/05/2008 07:28 PM

Comments (7)

tenants, rental, rentals, investment, investing, investment property, real estate, realtor, homes, houses, beaverton, oregon, tigard, aloha

This post has been included in Oregon Information Washington County, OR Information

7 Comments on Selling a residential home with a uncooperative tenant – An easy solution

Wish I had thought of that before! I have rentals that have always been a pain to show because of housekeeping issues or the owner have to be present all the time for every showing!

THIS IS A GREAT TIP!!

03/05/2008 07:31 PM

by Stacey McVey (Realty One Real Living)

Todd, that's great advice. We own several rentals and usually would list after the tenant left. I did list one last year and the tenant was cooperative, most aren't. Great solution.

03/05/2008 08:11 PM

by Debbie Malone, Realtor (R), Lynchburg, Smith Mountain Lake, VA (RE/MAX 1st Olympic)

Todd - Very interesting proposal. I will keep that in mind in the future. I have ran into this same situation before.

03/05/2008 11:40 PM

by Candy Henthorne- Spring Texas Real Estate (Results Realty)

I have felt your same pain many times. We handled a lot of rentals in my old office. The market headed south and everyone wanted to sell. Experienced the dirty, the smelly and the irrascible....but did you ever experience the "I don't want it shown, so I changed the locks?" I did, THREE different times in about a year!

03/06/2008 12:47 AM

by Vickie Nagy, Realtor, Specializing in San Ramon, Danville & the Tri-Valley! (Empire Realty Associates)

Todd,

Or make the tenant an offer they can't refuse!!! Raise the rent and give them a lease purchase!!! Thanks, Fran

03/06/2008 01:34 PM

by Fran 'The Title Man' Gaspari Title Insurance-PA & NJ (Patriot Land Transfer, Inc.)

Good idea and very simple. Seems like most renters would appreciate that if they were not getting the boot!

Your Friend in Charlottesville Virginia!

03/06/2008 01:39 PM

by Charles McDonald / Your Trusted Broker for Charlottesville Real Estate (RE/MAX Assured Properties)

Stacey - It really works well and I've even had a couple sellers give back all of the cleaning deposit as a thank you for your help!

Debbie - You are right most aren't and this is why this works so well, $500 is a lot better than losing money for 3 months while it sits vacant trying to sell!

Candy - We all have unfortunately!

Vickie - I'm dealing with one of those right now! I'm trying to pre-view it so my client can sell it, but they are scheduled to move out on the 21^st, so that helps a little! She freaked out when she heard that they wouldn't let me see it!

Fran - You know me to well don't you Fran - lol

Charles - It really can be a win-win if another investor buys the property.

03/09/2008 04:17 PM

by Todd Clark (Realtor), GRI (Washington Co, Beaverton Oregon) (Kastings & Associates, Beaverton Oregon Real Estate)

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