ROACH INFESTATION ADVICE

[Sadiq Muhammed]

I have come across a duplex in a class B area in good shape. Each side has 3 bed rooms, 2 baths. The asking price is $60,000, and each side rents for $650. One side of the unit is rented by a very clean family of 4. The other side is rented by a family of 6. It is very junky, has a bad odor, and I saw numerous roaches. The junky family has rented this property for 8 years. Is this deal as simple as getting an exterminator in every few months, or is there a deeper problem here that threatens the beauty of this deal?

[Terre B.]

Consider that if one side of a duplex has roaches, both sides have roaches.  There just is no way that they don't infiltrate the other side. You may not have seen them, but if you walk into the kitchen at night and hit the light switch you will see at least one.

Personally, I wouldn't live in a duplex where the neighbors are that dirty since I don't want roaches in my side.  The dirty tenants could easily cost you two or three good tenants.  What do you want to pay to re rent the good side multiple times, or boot the dirt once.