Selling rental in Ohio

[Sharon Hsu]

Hello everyone,

I’m out of state and I own a duplex in a D neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. My PM is in the process of evicting the tenant. I want to sell my property ASAP however I fear selling the property vacant because people have stolen piping out of the home before my purchase.

The unit that’s being occupied most likely needs to be cleaned out etc. would you recommend I sell after the eviction?

If so, should I install an alarm to prevent theft? What are some suggestions? Thanks!

[Robert Matelski]

I would make sure the other unit stays occupied. Fortunately copper theft isn't as bad as it was a few years ago (economy is better now so fewer people needing to do that kind of stuff), but you do still run the risk of it getting stolen if the whole house is left vacant. If the whole place is vacant, then an alarm won't do a ton of good. Cleveland Cops don't exactly rush to the scene if there's an alarm going off on a vacant house at W. 49th and Storer. You'd just want to do a really really really good job of securing it.

This sounds like a good house for you to list with @James Wise , actually, so he can make a video of it and probably sell it to some other non-local investor for considerably more than you paid for it.