All Forum Posts by: Jennifer Pletcher

Hi everyone.  Looking to see if anyone has ever built a mixed use building in a city/town.  We are buying a lot from the city to build a first floor commercial (general use) and 3 floors of residential above it on an 8000 square foot lot.  We own several rental properties, but this will be the first time we are building from scratch.  The building that was there was knocked down by the city due to condemnation.  They are selling us the lot for $7500, and their only requirement was the first floor needed to be commercial.  We have an engineering firm working on the plans for us right now and getting us a quote for building something of this size.  For those of you have ever done this - was it successful?  Did the number you were quoted to build stick basically to the finished number?  

LOL.  No worries at all!  Someday we will get a rental in MA, but right now PA - where we grew up and where my parents still live - is cheaper. :)

Thanks @Account Closed!  Yeah - I live in MA, but this property is in PA.  I have contacted our Real Estate Attorney and we are working on it.  I will let you know how it turns out.

Not a bad idea!!!  I am not trying to make people's life hard, but I felt like I was upfront with them and have been communicating with them this whole month, explaining what is going on.  I don't understand the push back from some tenants.  

I don't have a deposit for them anyway.  Not sure they ever paid one - the last owner was the worst one I have ever bought from.  This tenant only pays $350 a month.

So - I HAVE to give them more time?  I gave them 30 days......how much longer do I have to give them?  There has to be another option.  

Buy Seven Properties

Question.  We have an inherited tenant from a property we closed on in early December.  The day we took over ownership, we served the tenants a notice that we are rehabbing the property and were giving them a 30 day notice.  They don't have a contract (I got nothing from the old owner - they never had a contract with these folks).  They have literally destroyed the property before I took over.  Holes in the walls and ceilings.  Bathroom is disgusting, carpets disgusting.  Trash everywhere.  Basement loaded with stuff to the point you can't even get in it.....on and on.  We discovered a rat problem and have been trying to solve it unsuccessfully becuase of the condition of this place.  Our exterminator is on the Health Board and said the house is basically unihabitable and that we really need to get the tenants out to solve the problem.

I have been in contact with these tenants.  They acknowledged the receipt of the letter about leaving on the 6th.  I served another reminder letter over the Christmas break, and they acknowledged that one as well and said they would be out on the 6th.  THEN - of course - on the 6th I get a text from them that they just couldn't leave now, they needed more time.  I explained that I was sorry, but we really needed to get the property vacated so that we could deal with the rat problem and rehab the property.  They have had 30 days.  I gave them the weekend, and told them I would be by for the keys tomorrow (Monday) by end of day.

Tonight I get a text from them saying they have keys to a new place, but they cannot be out any time soon and I would have to take them to court to get them out.  Sigh.  I live in Massachusetts, but I do have a Real Estate attorney and property manager in the town where this property is.  I REALLY don't want to have to go this route.  Are there any other options?

Thanks

@Chris K. - this has been so helpful, thank you.  This is the first time I have inherited a lease I don't understand. :)  Usually their either didn't have one, or it was pretty basic.  I talked to the old owner tonight and he actually couldn't tell me what he meant by putting that in the lease!!  That is a bit bad.  But what you said helps a ton.  I would never evict a tenant without notice unless it was dire.  Especially since it is winter- I would imagine a judge wouldn't allow it anyway.  I just wanted to make sure I understood it because this tenant refused to waive her right to a notice to quit before, but it looks like she may have done just that.  Ah well.  

I tell ya - I have lost enough sleep over this one tenant that is for sure.  Thanks for helping me learn something. :)

Thanks @Chris K. - I appreciate the help!  I am definitely doing to fix the toilet - that isn't the question, really.  I am sure what she is experiencing is a pain in the butt.  It has been going on for 3 months and the other landlord told her it was her responsibility to pay for the repairs.  I told her that we would use our contractor (we have an amazing contractor on our staff - I trust him completely), to make the fix.  But from what I understand from the last owner - it is her responsibility to pay for the repair.  We aren't interested into getting into a battle with her over this.  I am just trying to get ahold of the old owner to understand his stupid lease.  I hate all of it. :)  I would much rather use my own lease but whatever.

We have only owned this property for a week.  This tenant lived there for 3 months AND paid rent for 3 months before we took ownership.  Now that she has someone else's ear, she has gone off the deep end.  I am just trying to figure out where to draw the line.  She is the one on insisting on follow her old contract - she wasn't interested in a new one, which is fine.  But if she wants to follow it, then she has to follow it.

So - if this tenant "waived" the tenant act of 1951, she has waived her right to a notice to leave?  Is that what that means?  THat would be RICH because that is exactly what she was fighting me on.  Not wanting to waive that right (I wasn't making her, but it was part of the reason she was afraid of a new contract).  So she waives the right to receive these notices.....what does that mean?  Why would a tenant do that?  Does that mean tomorrow I can just take possession without notice?  That seems crazy!  Any clarification would help.  I am still trying to get ahold of the old owner.  Fun times.

Thanks!  Okay - so for example - when I inherited this tenant, she said she wasn't going to pay her rent because her toilet doesn't flow well.  She has to plunge it every couple of days, and doesn't think it flows well.  The last owner said for her to get a plumber. So she did and they didn't find anything.  So she feels like this is something she can withhold rent for - because it just doesn't work right.  I have no idea if it was when she moved in or not.  She says it wasn't, but I don't have the owner to back that up.  SO........she wants that fixed.  I have had this property a week.  I did send my contractor in.  He thinks it MIGHT be a vent issue, but will have to take the toilet off the floor and remove a wall.....it will be quite costly and we may find nothing.  I just don't know where to draw the line.  But she thinks this keeps her from paying rent....but the toilet works.....so I don't know....