Evictions are part of the business, but they are happening more frequently these days.

Yes, rents are higher

Yes, rent are based on supply and demand

Yes, unemployment is closed to zero

So what is the problem?

Why are he hearing about longer than usual eviction processes?

Do you have an eviction story to share?

Rents are higher but incomes mostly have not kept up. Debt levels are also steadily increasing as are total payments on everything from A-Z, plus interest. Ergo, people can't pay their rent.

Unemployment is down, yes, but there is a shadow market of labor who opted out of the pool after the Great Recession. If they wander back in inquiring about the "Help Wanted" sign, it's easy to replace marginal workers. Then where does the marginal worker go? I can't tell for sure one way or the other, but this seems mostly bad for folks who are renters.

Our country learned a lesson about debt in 2008-2009 and by 2012 we forgot it. Total credit card debt surpassed the pre-recession record in 2018, then it went over $1 Trillion in Feb 2019. Total Consumer debt topped $4 Trillion.

Student loans balances owned are thru the roof ($1.56 Trillion). Default rates are at 22% as of 2018, expected to rise to over 40% by 2023.

People are borrowing on more things than ever before, paying out an ever increasing chunk of their income in interest. There's a local tire company running an ad right now... Get 4 NEW TIRES for just $20 down and "easy payments." TIRES! We're not just financing cars any more. TIRES are being financed on 12-18 months payments.

I wonder how many folks are waking up in the morning to find their cars on cider blocks and the tires repo'd? ;-) Okay, doubt that's happening, but still...

Evictions are just a symptom of a debt-laden culture that can't keep up with its payments. We're ready for another lesson. Unfortunately, the "easy money" FED spigot hasn't been fully shut off yet. What will the Govt do to save us from ourselves this next time, since one of their most potent tools is still heavily in use?

I also blame our Subscription Society. You don't BUY anything anymore - everything is a monthly subscription - you never get anything "paid off."

But I was watching a news story this morning, and I believe this is why more people are being actually evicted: more and more real estate in this country is owned by huge corporations and the extremely wealthy. They buy up or build luxury apartments, mobile home parks, etc. and jack the rent beyond what the current residents can afford. I heard one increase this morning was 36%. They then evict those who can't pay.

One of the issues I have with jacking rents every year is that my current residents are not qualified for that new rent. Most of them barely qualified for the original rent! So while I can easily do it at turnover with newly qualified tenants, it's harder to do it with long-term tenants.

Some of it is that there is no shame any more for being on welfare. There doesn't seem to be any honor anymore for being able to pay bills and there seems to be a growing expectation that an individual should be cared for by others and doesn't have to be responsible.

A local mega landlord has some screwy late payment type policy, where the tenant gets late, a conversation occurs with office staff. Tenant mistakenly thinks things are OK, a payment plan has been worked out, then, next thing tenant knows, they have an eviction with a zero dollar judgement on their record. Confuses me how that works with the local court system, but, I have a couple of great tenants from this operation. Not stupid people either, so, I am just guessing at what the motivation is to file evictions, but get no money judgement or vacated unit. It’s almost as if this company knows it’s harder for tenants to move if they have an eviction, so it’s a way of chaining them to the property.

Busy,

The majority of tenants' debt (unpaid rents, damages, etc) can't be collected, because one reason or another. I don't know the percentage, but it's high. Therefore, some LLs are more interested in having the eviction on tenant's record, to make it more difficult for these tenants to find a new place.

Can you spell "getting even"?

" Why are he hearing about longer than usual eviction processes? "

I don't really know if we are.

Every eviction is different. Some get settled relatively quickly, no answer to complaint, no appearance in court, no fight-to-the-end. Others have delays, continuances, attorney devices, appeals, etc., to lengthen the process and to obtain a settlement.

Here in S. Cal, we have the Shriver Housing Project, which attempts to provide a free attorney to any tenant who needs one, which will automatically cause delays in court. Also, consider than the increase in population, immigration and natural, results in more residents, more renters, more evictions while the courts are facing budget shortages.

WMH, netflix, hulu, etc., are subscription-based services and people love them

" how many people think that stealing is OK and that it is clever to get away with not following the rules. "

Los Angeles is a big city with open borders and immigrants entering the city by the tuck load by the hour. We used to have 23 eviction courts throughout the city. Now we are down to 4 courts for evictions.

I used have around 10-15 cases being heard in a court room and could have my case done by lunch. Not any more. Now 30 to 45 cases show up for a morning session and half are not being heard that day. They encourage for the landlord and tenant to make a stipulation agreement.

The tenants never move out as planed and we (landlord and attorney) have to return to court to proceed to a lock-out by the sheriff -- in 7 to 15 days...

This is just wrong. The reason tenants aren't getting collected is because we as an industry ALLOW it. We allow it by posting stupid comments like "for one reason or another" then a post says an agreement is reached-- but no judgment? An agreement that's not a consent agreement AND NOT RECORDED AT THE COURTHOUSE IS WORTHLESS-- but as LL's you all should already know this. You file for non pay-- work out a consent and have it recorded.

An eviction with zero dollar balance-- gosh someone somewhere shoot these LL's.

For one reason or another....

Garnishment not allowed in some states

Some tenants are not garnishable, even if the state allows garnishment. Some states or municipalities within a state do not allow discrimination based upon source of income, such as SSI.

Possibly? one religion has views against garnishment. (or so I’ve heard.)

There isn’t a law making evictions, judgements, garnishments mandatory, as far as I know. Some persons prefer not to for various personal reasons. If their pockets are deep enough, I say they can do what they want. So long as it’s within confines of the law, of course!

I do not know why a major landlord in my city, with well over several thousand units would have multiple tenants with that same story. I am just glad to take advantage of ‘his training.’ I’ve gotten good tenants from that company. And, like any ‘story’ told by one side, I am sure there is more to the story than just my tenants ‘ similar tales.

Busy WI We know some states don't allow garnishment also that some income isn't garnishable. First and foremost-- if they ain't garnishable they ain't our tenant. Gotta have a job with payroll. That pay check has to be enough to cover rent-- not the SSI money from child care. Second part is judgments. Recent posts here suggest that evictions are being done without a case judgment? Call me crazy (crazy myob) but you go to court-- you walk out with "possession, AND judgment.

I am with Myob on this.. Last week I had the pleasure of standing in front of the judge with an ex-tenant and win my first small claim. $50/month, will take her 3+ years to pay off, but it is a baby step for me..

It took the constable 2 months to serve the writ of execution to haul her back to the court.. It will be almost a year from the day she was behind to collect if she adheres to it, tedious process, but it will be on her record..

My other eviction story, I have a sec8 tenant whom I filed eviction on her second time for nonpayment. First time she managed to catch up with a court stipulation of weekly payment.

It was a nightmare to keep track of weekly payment.. So, as soon as she caught up, we informed her that we are back to monthly. She couldn't keep up, we filed. She insisted to my attorney that she was allowed to pay weekly since last eviction filing.. back and forth, my attorney found her hard to communicate with (She is one of those hassle free tenants, works for homedepot stocking, could be mental) and agreed to another weekly payment stipulation (both sides know that she could pay that amount, still entered).

Low and behold, she missed the stip and we motioned for execution. In my city, all section 8 gets free legal service and her attorney argued the same nonsense of lease has been changed to weekly pay and motion to vacate the eviction filing..

myob,

I'm with you, and this is HOW IT USED TO BE, before judges in certain states made a sharp left turn.

The main reasons:

- The increasing number of homeless.

- Judges have turned from enforcing the law to writing new laws.

- For judges, LLs are the ones with deep pockets, so it's ok to raid their pockets.

- It's also OK and justified to engage in some distribution of income, that's why some judges will not give a judgement.

- Judges' thinking: rents are high because LLs are greedy. They don't accept supply and demand theory.

‘ First and foremost if they aren’t garnishable, they aren’t your tenant.’ Not legal in all states or municipalities.

The judges are elected. Who is contributing to their campaign funds? Who is voting for them? The former is certainly not deadbeat tenants who can't pay their rent.

David MI judges in these lower courts -- magistrate court are appointed not elected. No voting. I agree they do put on a good show for the troops though.

If WE end up in court we're 80% there for a win-- if the tenant is there -- we sing winner winner chicken dinner!!!!! Avoid court------ WHATCHA saying?

Busy -- I know what your saying but as I say before laws are for others to obey. Spank me if you catch me. I realize it's not legal in most states-- and in mine I'm not sure one way or the other. Not legal and hundreds of people-- maybe thousands of people are doing jail time for it I'm sure. (another LL myth)

Oh, so you’re into that, huh?!? Lol! No, I sure get the point. But, someone will rent to these people, and to my way of thinking, if the vast majority with non-garnishable income do pay rent on time, keep the place up, no fights, and pay market rents...... certainly would be worth it for me to take the small chance that we’d need to end up in front of a judge.

I’m with David on this one. For me, if it had to end up in front of a judge, then I’ve already lost and would just be mitigating damages. Doesn’t mean any of us is wrong, we have to work with our own strengths. I’d take it as an affront to my skills as a master-manipulator, um, i mean teacher’s aide, therapists’ aide, if I cannot I get compliance out of my ‘students’. *grins*

MYOB, you live in GA. If you lived in NC, and wouldn't rent to non-garnishable tenants, you wouldn't rent to ANYONE as NO ONE - NO ONE - is garnishable in NC (except by the IRS and Child Support.)

Also, if the tenant was not served face to face by the SHERIFF (not me) then no monetary judgment can be awarded anyway, only possession (which as I've said before, is pretty easy - and the most important - to get.) NC wants you to file for eviction ASAP, get them out of there, and move on.

Monetary judgments WORTHLESS even if you get them, unless they are persons of means that own real estate or other such BS. It's ridiculous.

Judges hear you let them stay and stay? And they owe $$$$$? They get very impatient. So we as LLs are encouraged to evict quickly. It's called Wallet Training LOL!

WMH huh! When you do a credit report here on this sites product you see the dispossessarys-- you don't have to go from county to county- they do it for you?

Second-- sheriff gets impatient and court--- that tells me LL's are not filing ASAP to EVICT the second they can. LL's in NC you need to evict for non pay--- stop THE WAITING.

So maybe you can't make money with garnishment-- in NC and some other states but maybe you can get out of the mode of waiting and waiting and waiting for rent- file first day evict ASAP so debt doesn't get to high. So you can't garnish-- get the judgments-- if LL's would get the judgments we would all be forewarned and these idiot's will be denied residence in place after place. When we can't collect we keep the judgment out there--ALWAYS.