All Forum Posts by: Maggie Tasseron

Understood... This is probably the reason people always tell me that I'm too nice... 

So glad to read this is about cremated remains.  I thought someone found a body!  Teresa

Perhaps... But maybe at the next family reunion, the kids say, "Hey dad, what ever happened to mom's remains?"

Something like this could be tremendously important to someone outside the previous owner and they haven't yet realized it was left. 

I wouldn't be arguing if it were a class ring or a photo album, but I see this as being different given the additional people who might have a vested interest outside the previous owner. 

I can certainly understand how others might disagree though... Just my take... 

Sooooooo.....I just recently purchased a house that I am in the process of flipping and today one of the guys in my contractors crew found the cremated remains of the previous owners wife in the garage.  I have tried numerous times to get ahold of the seller so we can arrange shipment of the remains but at this point I have not had any luck getting ahold of him.  Obviously I'm not going to just throw the remains away but I not really sure what to do if I can't get in touch with the seller.  If anyone has run across this issue before and can give me some advice I would appreicate it.   

 Maggie,

When I first heard the concept "Cash for Keys" I had this same thought. "Why would I reward such behavior?"

The reason you offer the cash for keys is to give them an incentive to not destroy the property. Typical cash for keys also states they return the property to you in good condition. Better to pay $500 cash for keys than $2,000 in replaced appliances and lots of drywall repair, plus lost rent, etc. 

I hate the thought of paying a bad tenant, but I also hate the thought of spending money on repairing the unit they destroyed. If you can get it back in decent shape, better than months of lost rent during a rehab...

In Houston we try to offer cash for keys a lot but some people are just stubborn and want to punish you by making you go to every effort to get them out. Worse yet are the people who know hot to manipulate the system and can get more and more time in your house for free by dragging you all the way to trial. It's really important to have good legal representation though because I've seen the tenants win sometimes when they really don't deserve it. We have a woman now who moved into her exhusband's house, then claimed she was now his common law wife, that she was entitled to the house and half his 401K and we have been working since november of 2014 to get her out. The court is now hearing a case to determine if they need to get a second legal divorce or not. All of this after we made it through he eviction proceedings and won - still no victory until the occupant is gone. Best of luck with it! All you can do sometimes is screen tenants to the best of your ability and hope they turn out to be good people. 

 The money has already been spent. I just can't believe that someone would let it go that far. What a ridiculous waste. They had more than enough chance to leave on their own, now they get to be literally dragged away. What idiocy. 

@Steve Babiak & @Anthony Gayden

I really appreciate the opportunity to explain this situation. I think I have plugged the gap in my process to prevent it from happening again but I am certainly open to any other ideas on where my system broke down. Thank you,

First, thanks for the mention @Steve Babiak!

The Court gave the tenant 7 days to move out from eviction day and the Writ is not available until then, the Writ was in fact ordered the day that it was available. At that point the Sheriff/Constable has up to 7 days to schedule the move out, I am currently awaiting that phone call from the Sheriff/Constable so that I can meet them there, they will have the tenant moved out and I will change the locks. That's where it stands today.

Where my system did admittedly break down was due to a new software platform which enabled me to accept ACH payments from my tenants effective July 1st. I was not aware that an ACH payment can bounce NSF just like a check! So the tenant made the July payment by ACH, it bounced... about a week later she made another ACH payment including the late fees and NSF fee so I believed in good faith that it was going to work out. Keep in mind that this has been a good tenant for one year with no issues. Then I recieved another NSF notice and I sent the the Pay or Quit. Before the 5 days expired she made another ACH payment, now for the complete 2 months due plus fees. I sent the Pay or Quit notice again and shut off her access to ACH payments. The eviction court date was on the 1st of September which means we just lost another month.

My mistake was in accepting more ACH payments! Once that first one bounces, shut it off and required certified funds, that's my new standard. I understand Mr. Gayden's frustration but I believe he understands that I am addressing the issue as best I can and I think he's frustrated with the entire situation and not necessarily his PM... me... I hope.  

I am stressed beyond belief right now. While this mess is happening, I am in the middle of starting a new job and moving across the country. I have so much going on right now, and the last thing I need is more drama. 

PM sent me an email saying he was filing a writ for the sheriff to put her out. 

So now on top of lost rent and legal fees, I wouldn't doubt spending quite a bit on repairs to my unit. I have huge savings, but I hate seeing thousands upon thousands that I could be investing going toward BS.

The only bright side to this is that since I am moving across country, I can rent out the unit where I was living in my other 4 plex, It will finally cash flow a decent amount once fully occupied.