All Forum Posts by: Calvin Kwan

@Katrina Razavi - It's actually 2 years now.  The city council changed the terms a few months back.  Owners have to live in the unit for at least 2 years now before raising rent.  PLUS they have to petition the Rent Board for increases over 10%.  Much more difficult...

Hey Guys,

So I just closed on an Oakland duplex last week and am looking to get all my paperwork in order.  From what I've read, I need to apply for an Oakland Business Tax for my units.  I have several questions about this:

- Does this need to happen immediately?

- Do I need a separate application for each unit I am renting out?

- There is also a 'Rent Adjustment Program Service Fee' application.  Does this need to be completed as well?

I'm just trying to get a sense of all the forms I need to complete in order to be a property in Oakland.  Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Calvin

Closing on a house in this situation right now.  If you really want to get the tenant out, rent out the vacant unit, then OMI the other unit w/ low rent.  Only draw back is if you OMI evict, you will have to stay there for 3 years i believe.  If you move into the vacant unit, it takes the build out of rent control and you can evict w/ 60 days and not have to provide a reason.

@Tony Rishell - Do you have more info on this?  This would be extremely important.

Thanks,
Calvin

@Mark Gagner - Hey Mark, did you ever find your contractor?  Any recommendations?  I'm looking to some work to be done as well.  Thanks!

So I'm escrow for a place in Oakland and the seller is having trouble getting estoppels from the existing tenants.  Both seller and tenants have lost their leases, and the tenants have been dragging their feet on signing the estoppels.  

My main concern about the tenants is not knowing if any of them are protected.  The sellers are both in hospice care, so we're dealing mostly with the listing agent.  

Do you guys have any advice on how to find out status of existing tenants before purchase?  There's one main tenant paying the rent, but there are 6 people living in the unit.  My goal is to move into the vacant unit of the duplex, decontrol the property, then raise the rent to market after a year.

Thanks.

Hey Guys,

I came across a duplex in Oakland that may be a great opportunity for my first investment property.  It's a duplex that currently has an occupied and  vacant unit.  The occupied unit doesn't have a lease agreement in place with its existing tenants.  The owners are absent, so they haven't been actively managing the property, and they actually don't know what's going on or who's living in the unit.  

Ideally, I'd like to get the property vacant so I can reno both units and rent it out at market.  With the occupied unit, what's the best strategy here?  How would I go about establishing who has legal tenancy if there's no record of a lease?  Do I just have to get the tenant/s to start a new lease with me once I take over the duplex?

Thanks for any guidance!

Bedrooms aren't horribly small - both units are split level units, so it looks bigger :)