How long do you give a tenant before you start the eviction proce

[Philip Mullinax]

Hey guys,

I have a bit of a quandary.  My current tenant is 18 days late paying the rent on our property.  I spoke with her last week and she said the payment would be in the account by last Friday with the late fee. Fast-forward to this week and now she is not responding to any of my calls, emails, or text.  She didn't have the best credit history, but I took a chance on her.  The property is in NC and I now live in Hi.  In your experience how long do you wait to start the eviction process?  With the distance I can't make a trip back home, so it will probably be through a lawyer.   I am concerned I will be stuck paying multiple months rent trying to get her out if she doesn't pay.  Any advice is appreciated.