How to handle hold-over tenant while house-hacking?

[Christopher "Bear" DeSanctis]

In North Carolina.

I bought a duplex for a house-hack in 08/2020 and assumed a long-term tenant in the downstairs unit, who is a bit of a hoarder, has lived there ~10 years - he had been on a month-to-month lease since 2015. I currently live upstairs.

Recently my wife and I have decided to move back to PA for various reasons and before I leave I decided I wanted this tenant out, I wanted to do a light renovation, and then pass it to property management to get higher quality tenants and higher rent.

On 10/5 I gave my tenant notice to vacate the property by 11/10 (via delivery with signature receipt). When I went to inspect the property yesterday it was clearly not moved out, maybe 25% done. I had spoken with the tenant on the 1-2 weeks leading up to this and he told me he had a new place lined up. He has had a moving truck outside, but seems to be moving at a particularly leisurely rate. He also didn’t pay me the prorated rent for this month.

I can’t begin any of the structural work or electrical work because the basement is so hoarded that the workers don’t have the space they need to work.

So it seems like he’s moving, but he’s holding over the date he was given to vacate. I can’t get the work done until he is all moved out and that basement is clear. He has not paid this last month’s rent yet.

My goal was to have all of the work on the house done and be ready for new tenants by the end of the year.

What’s the best play here?

Do I give him more time to move his stuff with good faith that he wants all of it? How long would I give him?

Do I go down to the county office and start eviction at the small claims court?

Other?