All Forum Posts by: Cynthia Miller

English village good area.  Are things selling? Any sold comps recently?  Cashing out seems like a good idea since your not getting that much cash flow and it's in a desirable area of Detroit

Keyonte the problem with the nicer areas is the purchase price is considerably higher. For me $200-$300 cash flow isnt worth the amount of investment needed and the hassle of a rental.. With little cash flow I'd rather invest out of MI where I can get a better return on my money with appreciation.

This house isn't in the worst area.. Its very near Rosedale park but it's not one of the better ones either 

Your right though about the tenants in the better areas though. 

How much are you renting for?  

Christian this house is adjacent to rosedale park. Its very near both 96 and Southfield frwy. This house was updated far beyond Detroit standards for low income rentals with the hopes of finding a decent tenant.

No one that has a decent job or even a little money wants to live in Detroit. All there seems to be is scammers, thrives, alcoholics and addicts. Even with section 8 they can't even come up with the deposit! 

They just want cheap and most won't take care of house. I've seen lots of other rentals in Detroit and the bare minimum is done. 

I've invested in other low income neighborhoods but I've never seen anything as bad as Detroit......its the people that make the city bad.

Just an update the tenants were evicted and before they left they vandalized the house on purpose. They didn't even take the trash out there was 5 trash cans full of garbage and a bunch of junk in back yard. Then  came back to put a stripped stolen car in the yard.

I've started to show the house again and people don't show up, or they say they want it and then never hear from them again. 

This just seems like a big waste of time and money. I keep thinking things will turn around for Detroit but until some fresh blood moves in,  normal people, I just dont see it ever happening. 

@ Nicole Frawley  You said car payments high and I know you need reliable transportation for work but what about trading your cars in for ones with lower payments and lower price but still relatively new. That would reduce your debt some or even buy a good used car for cash temporarily just to get the car loans off until you get a loan. You can always get another car loan after. Car loans are much easier than home loans.

Also, maybe pay down the mortage on the home you currently own? You said your close to the 50% so If you can just get something down even temporarily until you can qualify. Also, if you do get an approval don't buy anything or open any new credit cards until it closes escrow. I've heard of people who have been approved loosing their financing right before close because they bought something on credit or opened a new credit card.

If all else fails, you can look into owner financing but if your looking to flip owner financing usually doesn't offer enough equity for that but if you want it to live in yourself or rent it out for long term it could be a way to get another property without traditional financing. 

You can  talk to owners yourself, and just ask if they would consider it, worse they can do it say no. 

@ Frank  Chin, sound like you have a good attorney. I did hire an attorney. This is obviously not the 1st time these tenants have done this. The are professional at it.  They're goal was to get in and not pay.  They moved in and 2nd month did not pay and haven't paid since.  Your right Stall, Stall, Stall. That's exactly whats what they do to get as much free rent as possible then move on and do it again at the next place.

I think it was a certificate of compliance, I get the 2 mixed up. Its the rental inspection not the after permit one. I just found out from the attorney when the tenant showed up in court with the citation.  I was always told that there were no inspections in Detroit unless  you bought the house from the land bank. I'm sure the tenants called in the complaint themselves.  I think they are trying to get out of the judgement. 

Next time i'm just going to do cash for keys but I wonder if some of these professional tenants will take it when they know they can just stay several months for free? 

@ Matt Souza, I'm not bashing Detroit and I did have a lawyer. People have posted asking questions and I'm giving them my experience in the city. Why put blinders on?   Its not only a few of it's residents. I got in long before Detroit was making it's "come back" and it's just been one problem after the next. Not only with the tenants but dealing with the cities bureaucracy and trying to find decent workers to fix up the houses. I can write a long journal on things I have experienced and had do deal with.  When the economy went bad most people with any ambition or skills left. 

I noticed your in Ann Arbor. That's a whole different world than Detroit. Do you own property in Detroit? You said you had 1st hand experience, I'm curious which neighborhoods your investing in.  Mine are on the Westside.  There are a few small pockets in the city that are up and coming,  such as midtown,  but the prices in those neighborhoods reflect that.

There are reasons why a lof of investors are sitting on the sidelines and not jumping in when they can buy houses for pennies on the dollar. 

I haven't had any luck with rentals in Detroit. The tenants just don't pay. Some of the suburbs have better luck but then again the prices are a lot higher so you might as well invest in another state with more opportunity.

I have a few but not only are they not cash flowing but I'm loosing money.  The tenants willing to live in Detroit just don't pay rent and they tear up the houses. I'm getting out.  

Having a hell of a time with the Detroit rentals.  I've been trying to evict a tenant for 5 months! I've never seen a city offer free legal aid attorneys at the court house and allow tenants to delay proceedings if they do not have a FREE lawyer!

Now the tenants have delayed the hearing again for 10 days because their legal aid lawyer is out of town! I've never seen anything like this! Other places you have to pay an attorney to try to stall a hearing, that discourages people and you don't get delays if you don't have one by the court date.  Are there any other states or cities that do this? Just have legal aid free and waiting at the court house like a public defender and not allow the case to go forward if tenant request one?

The tenants have recently called the city to complain that the house doesn't have a certificate of occupancy. I wasn't aware rentals in Detroit needed an inspection unless purchased from land bank? I've asked several people who said you don't but the city who issued a citation thanks to the tenants, say you need an inspection before renting?

I've done a little digging and it looks like the tenants who  know their time is coming are trying to get out of a judgement by stating that the house doesn't have a certificate of occupancy.

Anyone know how to get around this or to defend against it? So far the tenants owe $4,000 and i paid extra for the judgement filing. They've changed the locks and the boyfriend has been aggressive and I can't even get into the house to do the inspection at this point.

These tenants are really professionals they know all the tricks to get free rent, delays and avoid a judgement at the end. 

I've about head it with Detroit. They reward the deadbeats.

I called the city and was told I couldn't open up a sober living house in a residential neighborhood? That's were everyone else does. I  looked up the legislature and it looks like a sober living can be operated in a residential neighborhood?

Anyone know for sure? Link to statute?

I'm either going to open an sober living or sell its not worth it in Detroit for rental. Just headaches and  loss of money.