Tenant laws are why I'm leaving Portland

[Aaron Hollingshead]

This has been discussed, but I thought I'd share my experience in Portland, Oregon with my rental property and why I'm trying to get out as quickly as possible to get my money working for me. Just need to vent!

I live out of state, so when my tenants began not paying due to Covid, I asked my property manager if he could help. I was essentially told there was nothing they could do (and he told me I was "lucky" to have received rent in May).  Can't ask them why they aren't paying, can't verify employment, can't do much.

Several weeks later I asked him to follow up and was told "there's not much point.  If they wanted to pay, they would be paying". I asked if they'd adopted a process for contacting tenants who weren't paying and was told no.  Then he went on to inform me that new legislation prevents them for contacting tenants to ask about payments or to suggest payment plans.  

So, I have to wait them out until the 6 month moratorium ends, at which point I need to wait another 6 months before I can demand rent. 

Well fortunately for me (or so I thought), they are on a month-to-month lease.  Not so fast...in Portland, month to month means that they can give me 30 days notice but I have to give them 90 days as well as pay them 4,500 for relocation.  And forget about keeping the deposit as a form of rent collection...This is brutal.

[Steve Morris]

Unfortunately, I think eviction moratorium are getting to be politicians it-cost-me-nothing-to-show-I-care-about-you law since they can count how many tenant vs landlord votes there are.  Portland City Council steps more to the left and further down the education scale with each election.

I can't honestly tell someone to buy in Portland proper unless it is a SCREAMING deal.  On the plus side, the residential market is still pretty strong - Assuming you can get your tenant out.

However, I think the market outside Portland in OR is still pretty good for prospect of income growth.