All Forum Posts by: Linda Roberts

Hi @Drew Sygit. Thank you for this clear outline of potential issues that should be discussed upfront. Do I need a real estate attorney, or it's a different attorney for business partnership? 

Hi, I want to buy a multifamily home with my relative. General idea: I pay cash for entire house and for renovations (already got funds). My partner is in rehub business, he will do renovations. After renovations are done I refinance the house and take mortgage on my name. Since this time we own house together 50/50. He is responsible for house maintenance, work with tenants and property management.  I pay mortgage, and we split remained cash flow. If the house is vacant, or require renovations, we split the expenses. For exit strategy, if one wants to sell, the other can buy the second half by market price, or we sell this house, pay back mortgage and split remained funds. 

Please tell me, what roadblocks should I consider?  What potential problems I should think in advance? Is there a standard agreement for this type of purchase? Please recommend any literature that I should read first.

Appreciate your help.

Thank you, @Brad Hammond @Jonathan Styer @Marc Winter
I know exactly who created a mess. I send this tenant emails once a month asking to remove things, and usually everything is better for a week. This is a TAW family, I don't have with them any agreements. They were in the house when we purchased it. What is a right way to document violation in this case? Is there any sample of formal written violation letter? Is it legal to remove everything in the basement and send them a note about it? I am afraid this case will end in the eviction court, because I have many other issues with this family, so I need to make sure I do everything right. 

Hi, I am a new landlord, and I have tenants on the second floor that constantly use stairs as an extension for their apartment.  Front hallway and the stairs are packed with recycling, bicycle, mail, amazon boxes ,closes... It's a violation of fire safety and sanitary code. I asked many times to remove, but even if they do it, everything is back in a week. What are my legal options? I have other tenants that complain about it. Can I remove it and put in a basement or other storage? What legal steps should be done to document this mess, other than just pictures?

Appreciate your advice. 

I recently purchased a multifamily and now one apartment is vacant for renovations. Lead paint status is unknown, but a year built is 1900. 
Before calling a lead inspection i wanted to get some idea of what need to be done under the new laws of 2017. If I have lead paint on doors and door jambs, do I need to replace them? What is a less expensive way to delead doors and door jambs? It looks like I can't encapsulate doors.
I wanted to start from encapsulation of all walls and trims, but then found that I can't do it before the inspection. Is it right?

@Douglas Snook Thanks for your advice. On your opinion what can be reasonable rent increase? Can I ask for $300 increase? It's still below market even for Boson Covid prices. I will be happy if they leave, but it doesn't look like they will do it without mediation or even a court hearing. In this case I don't know what's better, just a 30 day Notice to Quit, or also option for new TAW with a new rent. From everything I read, if they disagree and continue paying old rent ontime, the court most likely will be on their side. What would be a right thing to do?  

@Patricia Steiner The catch is that I am in Massachusetts. From everything I read here it looks like if I increase rent, tenant can refuse to sign a lease and continue paying old rent. I most likely lose my eviction case in Mass if my argument is price increase. In Mass i don't need by law to wait 24 hours to get to the apartment, still I can't do required maintenance if tenant refuse me in. 

Hi, I am a new landlord and have to learn a lot. I bought a multifamily with tenant that does not want to cooperate with me. My story is not at all so dramatic compare to many other stories on this forum, but I want to make things right. The tenant does not let me to do required repairs in the apartment, lives personal stuff including UPS boxes on the stairs (one for each) Removes when I ask, and starts all over. Tenant on TAW. Previous home owner didn't have any written document, no deposit, nothing. Current rent is about $500/month below market, and if this unit will be renovated it can be $900-$1000 over the rent that I get now. Tenant pays rent, feel very confident and comfortable. Obviously doesn't plan to move out, or accept rent close to the market price. She has a boy. Father of the boy lives with them, but I don't think they are married, so she can play a single mom role. Ideally I want them to cooperate and pay rent close to market, or move. How it can be done? I don't want a war with years of eviction, and completely damaged apartment. This family is on the 3rd floor, and I also don't want them to disturb other 2 families during this period.

@David de Luna Thanks, most likely I won't bother her now. Even now the work can be done for free, as it's paid by the state. This tenant is TAW, with monthly rent over $600 below the market. She refused to let us in the apartment before closing. th She is paying, so overall during eviction moratorium it's better than it's could've been.  

Thanks @Zachary Ray. I just wonder if the same rules are in Massachusetts. She already mentioned that she is in a risk group for Covid. The job is provided by state contractor, following all Covid 19 protocols, but she manipulates with facts because she just doesn't want to be bothered.  The same job was just finished in the apartment next to hers without any trouble, and without finding anything listed in her letter.  Here is her response "... We never open these doors because the attic space remains filled with rodent excrement and fiberglass--neither of which we want anywhere in the home, but particularly not the bedrooms. I trust you can appreciate the fact that our former landlord's negligence in this particular regard transforms a reasonably straightforward insulation project into an undertaking that requires significant attention and clean up on my part. It seems likely that I don't even have the correct materials to do this. I just don't have the time to properly disinfect after servicemen stir up and track fiberglass and decades of rodent excrement throughout the house for 6–8 hours. This isn't work that should happen in an occupied home and certainly not anything that should happen during a pandemic.