I want to prep my rental property for sale and have my tenants move. Even though I have many concrete reasons to evict,I would like to avoid that avenue. What is the best way to tell this to the tenants? I am planning to send a registered letter requiring a receipt saying?

We are selling the house and need you to be gone by April 7th. I plan to have them receive the letter by January 7th and give them 90 days to vacate. They have a huge hoard. And we would like to keep the house occupied for the winter. They have been my tenants for 16 years.

Flaws and advice desperately needed as I have never done this before.

Your Train (of thought) is on the Right Track.

Have (Legal) Fun with the Sale of your property.

( There is No way to predict how any Tenant(s) will

react )

Best I got is : Don't Add to the Drama.

I would not give them a reason. Perhaps if they are month to month id give them a 60 or 90 day notice to move or purchase the house as is, providing you are not leaving to much money on the table by doing so. If your market for selling is strong and i could rehab and get bigger bucks then i would not offer them the option to buy. If i did the amount would be on the notice and a date the offer expires... Like 45 days to purchase at $X price or vacate on such as such date... Which would be 90 days from date in notice.

Cathy of PA Once they receive your letter they may move sooner than 90 days. That's great because you want them out of the house to prep the house and for showings too. As far as winter goes you will need to make some winterization on the house if they move sooner, drain water lines. wrap water lines exposed in a basement around the meter area. If these tenants are on a month to month you could give them 30 days. IF on a year lease than longer. I am not sure that you really need to give them a reason why you need them to leave. The lease will not be renewed and please be out by April 7th. IF they are on a mont-to-month then give them a sooner move out than April 7th because you want time to repair prep and clean up for the spring summer real estate market.

Clean the basement walls and floor, paint the basement walls and floor. IF you have a ceiling in the basement paint it two. IF its exposed ceiling joists then clean out the cob webs. Prime walls, ceiling, trim and doors. IF there is any paneling prime and paint it. IF there is old oak kitchen cabinets prime and paint as well. replace knobs if not worn or clean them. Use a good bonding primer tinted to your wall color. Replace old light fixtures, switches, receptacles and cover plates. Sprayer vents, registers or radiators for hot air or hot water heating. remove old carpet if hardwood under carpet clean th hardwood floors. if older lino or no hardwood install a click vinyl or hardwood floor. IF the bathroom vanities are older replace or paint them. If these tenants smoked wash the walls with TSP then prime with a good stain blocker primer tinted to wall color and paint your choice of finish coat: stain, eggshell. Ceiling flat white. Walls stain or eggshell grey tone. Trim and doors white semi gloss. Kitchen cabinets in a white semi gloss. Go to your local Benjamin Moore paint store ask them what the popular wall color is for your area.

After 16 years of tenants your house will look tired and dated, however you will change it. Put in some black mulch around the flower beds along the house. Pressure wash the house walls, porches, side walks and drive way. Replace or spray paint the exterior light fixtures. Paint the front door a red, blue or green. Cleaning and painting will be a major improvement on your house. I can guarantee you that 90 percent of the other houses on the market in your area are not cleaned up, spruced up like your house after you are done with it.

Call a home inspector in to look at the house once you have the walls painted. The home inspector will take pictures so the pictures will look better with fresh paint. Be there when the inspection is taking place to hear feed back from the home inspector. You may be surprised with his inspection. HOWEVER you are better to be surprised now then when a buyer has a home inspector tell them about a problem. You can fix the problem before you list the property.

I'd probably give no more than 60 days advance notice. That's plenty of time. Hoarders will not start moving earlier simply because you gave them 90-120 days notice. Most likely, regardless of when you give the notice, they'll wait until the last week or so then go into panic mode.

A simple letter: "This is your legal written notice that we will not be renewing your rental agreement. All personal property must be removed from the premises on or before noon on March 30th. Sincerely, The Management"

Wow! As Tom indicates,much work is needed on the property. The plan is to move my daughter and her husband in at a reduced rate to provide the sweat equity. In 2 yrs when my husband retires we will make the major improvements...new kitchen etc, kids will be painting sanding and pruning during that time. Fingers crossed on that arrangement.

Good perspective on hoarder panic. And sitting down with them first. Not sure about not giving them a reason. We have had an offer to buy from the neighbor "as is" but am hoping my daughter will want to buy...Keep her close.

The tenants are on a month to month lease.At this point they are very possessive of the home and even told the neighbor they were in closing with us to buy!!! They cut down a wonderful blue spruce and all the bushes without permission and moved their daughter,husband and child into a small 2/bedroom residential home. Now there are 5 adults living there. So many violations for eviction. Today I am taking over the sewer payment and raising the debt as we got a letter from an attorney about a $432 bill.

Eviction is tough,right? No drama,right?

Neighbor wants to buy "As-Is. "I hope that my daughter will follow thru on all her plans"

1) Make the neighbor an offer to purchase with a closing in the near term. Make it a one shot deal, no delays no BS.

2) Either have the daughter buy the house As-IS at a reduced rate and keep it arms length.

That 2 year plan sounds waaay too long term and sadly [as others here will tell you in better details than I] these arrangements rarely end well.

Frank,the value of the property is at an all time high. The neighbor paid 150,000 for a similar house we paid 31,000 for 30/yrs ago. My husband is a master carpenter. The profit is too irresistible to sell "as is". We think we need to invest 30,000 in upgrades. Daughter might not decide she likes location but she grew up there. They will be held in a lease agreement. We had expected to go without tenants so the kids will help. They both have OCD! Plus,I need my husband to have a place to go after retirement. Flaws?

I really have to formalize this arrangement w my daughter. If she decides not to buy she will be given a percentage of the sale profit. They will be assigned monthly tasks to complete for the reduced rent and sweat equity. We will pay for all supplies. They are free to paint and landscape as needed. They will root out the major issues. I don't know what I am thinking? This could go very badly. I am aware.

I should unload the crap hole right now "as is"! Hubby won't budge. The kids are so excited. The new neighbor really wants the garage and the land,probably would overpay to get it. He doesn't want the house. HE called ME! Arggggg. help

I agree with the posts and completely understand your situation.

If you do convey that you are going to sell the place, then you really should be careful if you do not. Someone I know was able to take a landlord to court and not only won the right to stay in the apartment unit but won some sort of money too.

My goodness, if your husband is a carpenter, I'll bet that your place is spectacular, and it's no wonder that your neighbor wants to buy the property. If you and your daughter like the location of your place, I would think that she would like to live there to help raise her own family?

Evict them for not paying. or do not renew lease. Keep the sale issue out of it NOT tenants business. Get them out sooner rather than later dragging your feet will not solve the problem.

Bottom line get these tenants out of your unit. Part of the problem with tenants that long is as a landlord you did not make updates, the rent was below market and now the tenant thinks they are entitled.

Unless you want issues between you and your daughter: #1 sale the unit and give them x amount as a gift. OR gift the entire unit to them. OR sale the unit. Pay the capital gains taxes and use the money for other investment or ???

It sounds like you need to get out of the rental business

Hopefully as an in-law you keep out of your daughters business to a degree otherwise sometimes in-laws can create problems for married children. It's great to have daily next door HOWEVER your daughter may not want to live next door to you.

Another option cash for keys if they move out by a certain date, give at least 30 days notice to vacate if they are out sooner and place is cleaned out no debris or personal items in the unit or laying around the out side. Tenant will receive $500 or whatever amount you think is fair to get them out of the unit. NOW you and or your husband have been in the landlord business for many years and don't believe you owe the tenant any extra money that they should just leave. However cash for keys is a way to get them out sooner rather than later.

So funny...I was NEVER meant to be a landlord. But we have been good landlords. Our tenants have paid in cash,early,every month for 17 years now. We have become friends. Terrible. We were never in this for the money. My husband is retiring in 2 yrs and my daughter has wanted this for years. Then the offer came from the neighbor as is.

We are not idiots. We are just ignorant. We aren't moguls,we are innocents. The house is in the next town so I won't get to be my daughter's neighbor...boo. And it is in my motherly rights to meddle,lol,but I would never.

It occurs to me that you might have more luck getting them ALL to leave if you do it in 2 steps. Since the tenant illegally moved in daughter and family, I'd say the first step is to get them out first. Everyone NOT on the lease must go by X date. (Such a huge unpaid sewer bill is indirectly caused by too many people.) It will be easier to get the orig tenant out if she cannot point to the children and use them as an excuse. It will also be easier for the smaller fam unit to find another place than the larger group together. THAT will be the big fight--to split the 2 apart--but once done it is way easier to get out the orig tenants.

They all know what a large accumulation of stuff they have. They will resist because of the enormity of dealing with it all. But when the daughter's family goes, taking all their stuff out, it is easier for the orig tenants to see their way thru the remainder of the contents.

Lynda...great minds.

I went over 2 weeks ago and emphatically reprimanded the daughter about the leniency we have shown toward her hard times but that it was time for her and her new husband to find their own place. What bru haha...tears and too poor.

Whatever. The mother then said she didn't want to lose her house because of her daughter...etc. So I planted that seed. And they are not on the lease because they had their own place at one point.I didn't know they were there until we did our yearly inspection! Are they squatters? I would never put 5 adults in that adorable little house. They are overtaking every system. So I am getting a handle on this but no drama. I'm at the point that eviction isn't scaring me as much but wish to avoid it. Key for cash was appealing?

I am going to be vaguely non committal on paper but full of praise in person. Exactly what you said. Makes me feel less crazy.

Sell "as is" to neighbor is a dream. We need the profit for retirememt. My daughter would never accept a gift of a house. We are just poor white folk. My husband will sink to a serious depression without a project. He is a very healthy 68yo who still works five 10 hour days. He's excited to revamp our old home. Thanks

I need specific language for the termination letter.

You wrote: The new neighbor really wants the garage and the land,probably would overpay to get ....

I really think my daughter would like to buy for her starter home.She has a greatjob,makes more than her Dad,and has husband income too. And we aren't in a hurry. But I totally get your point. That offer from the neighbor next to the property unsolicited threw us for a total loop. My husband isn't and never has considered it. If he dies,omg ...did I just say that? I personally would sell all my farms and live in walmart.I have Amish neighbors in the middle of 220 acres of corn fields on a dirt road.

So we are all agreed. No mention of sale in notice.

We are cutting the time to 60/days. We hope to pressure the rental daughter out. We are sending a registered letter. We are influencing thru praise and chats,off the record.

Cathy,

Some thoughts:

I sense trouble ahead. As I read thru the thread I was picking up what you finally stated - you are innocents.

Understand you are naive and need guidance on this. Let experienced LLs counsel you.

The story is changing dramatically just today!

Do NOT get caught up in the emotions of the old homestead. It's a house.

Rule #1 is Never rent to family. Thinking the daughter will fix up the house is romantic but SELDOM happens. The parent gets left with a mess and all the bills.

I'm with Plenty. Sell it as is with the resident inside and let the new owner deal with the hoarding, rehab, etc. Grab the higher cost and go to dinner rather than cleaning up 16 years of hoard. (have you been inside? Do you REALLY want to scrape their crud off the toilet?) Let daughter invest in a nice home and not entangle family finances. Do not stunt her growth.

The cost of upgrades will probably just break even. And in a hot market buyers will take a house that needs updates.

Hoarders do not budge (as evidenced by her staying 16 years!) and they do not change. They will NOT clean up at move out. My last hoarder eviction was 9 TONS and $1000 labor just to empty out the house.

BRAD

Been up all night. I want to text the buyer and ask him for 130,000 "as is" with the tenants intact. A young newleywed couple with half their approved $300,000 bank loan intact. He really wants the land and garage. Do it behind my husband's back and act innocent if he bites. My daughter will kill me but need not know. OMG! Buyer just paid 150,000 this year for the house next door. My property is hoarded not unc!ean. Just a few "paths" upstairs but the bathroom and kitchen are clean. We've kept up with the house. New furnace and duct work,counters and faucets in bathroom and kitchen.They have painted and layed linoleum in that

Renting to relatives rarely works out. Renting with promise of work in exchange rarely works out. You want to do both with a property. I think that going to be very difficult to achieve. 2 years until retirement a lot can happen, those things can change a plan dramatically.

If it were me, I would explore the selling of the property to the neighbor. Easy to do and you might be able to get a price you like. See what he will pay, show your husband the number. You take the profit now. Otherwise, sell it to your daughter if she really wants it.

Remember, your job as a parent is to guide your children to be functioning, independent and on their own. It doesn't mean you can't help them, but you can't be too involved in their lives, and you can't enable them!

2 years when your husband retires, there can be other things for him to do - help the daughter with remodel in her house, remodel your house, make furniture, volunteer to help habit for humanity or veteran's programs. Maybe he will work longer than that, part time work.

Have you considered the fact that if your daughter and her husband suddenly have a couple of kids, that they won't have time to do all that work?

Husband needs a project when he retires? And he wants to drive how far to get to it???? Seriously?

Sell it. Buy a "project" closer to where you live.

One of the worst things I did as a landlord was to rent to my daughter... and she is a great person ( no drugs/drama etc), love her dearly, now a licensed architect.

Talk this all over with your husband--DO NOT do anything behind his back.

Update!

Notice to vacate signed by all 5 adults in the rental.

Vacate date 4/7/18.

Husband and sons completed furnace duct work and furnace is placed but not hooked up yet. Tenants used woodstove and baseboard heat.

House is getting unhoarded, moving boxes being packed.

Rent increased by $100,sewer bill taken over by me. Rent being paid. So far so good.

Daughter and her husband excited to move in and begin renovations. Anxiety level decreased markedly.

AND... tenants report a crazy man must have stolen the outside filler cap for the oil tank as he is in prison now.