Should I ask Current Tenants of a House Hack to Leave?

[Michael Fundaro]

Hi all,

My girlfriend and I have our first duplex under contract, and are trying to figure out how to manage the tenant situation.  Unit 1 is currently occupied, and rented for lower than market rent prices.  Unit 2 is vacant.  Both units are move in ready.  The current tenants of Unit 1 actually used to live in Unit 2, and recently moved downstairs when unit 1 became available.  My gf and I want to live in Unit 1 when we get the property, and we have other tenants that we know and trust lined up to live in Unit 2.  Ideally for us, we would live in Unit 1, and the tenants we have lined up would live in Unit 2. 

The current tenants are on a month-to-month agreement with the seller, and I don't know if their plans are to stay or go.  They've been there for 5 years, that's all I know.

So I have potential long term tenants in one of the units already, but its the unit I would be living in (access to basement, garage, etc.), So I'd either ask them to move into Unit 2, or ask them to vacate the property and have the tenants I have lined up move into Unit 2.  If we weren't going to be living there, this would be a no-brainer and I'd keep Unit 1 occupied.

How would you guys approach this?

Thanks, Mike