Have a couple of good tenants. Pay the rent, take care of the place, no complaints, good jobs...except every time I listed an upcoming availability over the past year, they wanted to look at it. I show it to them and they decide no, they will stay where they are. Which is really cute & very conveniently located but SMALL and no fenced yard for their dogs.

Because they were so obviously looking for a larger place with a yard, I notified them that we were not going to renew their lease BUT we were going to have a larger place coming open same time if they were interested.

They wrote back and begged to signed a new lease where they are, said they have ceased to look as one of them got a great new job, a promotion, very close to their current place and they have been downsizing possessions like crazy (which is true, I see them doing it on Facebook and the Marketplace. I thought it was so they could move. Apparently not.)

I told them they were looking even just a month ago! She said the promotion was really brand new. I said I would do it for an extra $$$ in SD - she said that was FINE and thanked me very much! Said we were "the best landlords ever..."

They want to move, but they want to take their time about it an wait for a place they like. I wouldn't want to be forced out of my current place either until I found something better. If I didn't find anything, I'd want to stay put.

That's what you're dealing with.

If they are good tenants, and you are considering buying additional properties, then why not consider involving them in the purchase of your next rental? Settle on a future rent amount for the new place, then start looking for homes that fit your requirements. Then let them look at it. I suggest letting you do the initial search because you don't want them looking at homes because they might find something they can buy or find one available for rent and leave.

When you buy the place, you have good tenants to fill it, and time enough to make repairs. Plus you can transition them into the new place without penalties. Win/Win.

If not, one day you're going to be notified that they found another place.

They want to move, but they want to take their time about it an wait for a place they like. I wouldn't want to be forced out of my current place either until I found something better. If I didn't find anything, I'd want to stay put.

That's what you're dealing with.

If they are good tenants, and you are considering buying additional properties, then why not consider involving them in the purchase of your next rental? Settle on a future rent amount for the new place, then start looking for homes that fit your requirements. Then let them look at it. I suggest letting you do the initial search because you don't want them looking at homes because they might find something they can buy or find one available for rent and leave.

When you buy the place, you have good tenants to fill it, and time enough to make repairs. Plus you can transition them into the new place without penalties. Win/Win.

If not, one day you're going to be notified that they found another place.

I would have said thanks for being good tenants. And then taken my husband out to dinner on the reasonable rent increase that went along with the new lease. Maybe I would go through their house to see if there was anything that could be done easily to create an even better fit for them , for little money. For instance, if their storm door doesn’t have a doggy door, that might be a nice addition, easy to add to existing storm door. Or, maybe a between the studs spice cabinet can go on an inside kitchen wall. ( for those of you poor souls without one in your kitchen, if you have wall space, such as along a hallway leading to the kitchen, you order the face frame and doors that match your cabinets, build a box to fit between the studs, be sure to use the drill press to put in two columns of holes for shelf support pegs BEFORE assembling the box. I have two five foot tall spice cabinets, on otherwise unusable wall space, just steps from my cooktop! The space is deep enough a single depth row of canned goods would fit. I have ALL of my spices, seasonings at a glance!)

What would I have done... I would not have told them I was not renewing their lease. (full disclosure - I only do M2M) I would have told them I had a bigger place coming up if they needed such. Let them chose what they want to do. Sometimes people just like to look at what is around, but don't want to admit that, so they act like they might be interested. Even for buying.

If they are otherwise good tenants, I'd put them onto a new lease with a very hefty early termination fee. They are going to be leaving, so you might as well be compensated for it.

Don't try to protect yourself. What are you protecting yourself from? They are good tenants, the place has minimal or no damage, and you've gotten a year out of them. Be grateful. They have abided by the lease

What you don't want to do is be a jerk to good tenants who are debating moving because that will push them to move. Instead, upgrade appliances, or add additional attic insulation, or better insulated windows to lower their utilities. Maybe offer lawn service.

Hoping the deposit gives them more incentive to keep it clean, it makes good sense to me.