Step #3: As for our newly renovated fixer upper we would be owner/occupants living there for a while, so no foul done.

After a long, painful process of going back and forth with the attorney (turns out she originally tried to do all the paperwork with the courthouse without an attorney and fouled everything up) we finally got a final decree from the court putting title in the seller's name.

We can all cry foul about investors, real estate agents and lenders too.  

You could also offer to let the offended tenant out of her lease if she is not happy.I gave one set of tenants in a duplex a stern email when I smelled it but that was mostly due to the fact that I had a vacancy in the other apartment and had a lot of prospective renters coming through for showings.The other concern here would be smoke residue messing up your paint job and leaving an odor that lingers.

This has happened three other times.I have notified the tenants to make sure they don't just throw raw trash into the bins without bagging them up first, or to not throw in tall objects like a stick which prevents the lids from fully closing, then the odor draws the creepers to the bins. 

I have been using a company called Payclix.for my properties Apartment complexes and Mobile home parks For rent collection any type on fees or deposits  .I Liked the  concept so much I joined their Company .You can go to PayClix.com to see how easy it is and they have an exclusive Accept or Reject Module so you are in total control  You can choose to Reject a partial payment to avoid 3 day notices and evictions If you reject it no harm no foul .They integrate into your Existing acounting system or they can create one for your needs .It's made my life and my property managers lives so much easier.Checks ,Credit and debit cards .A tenant would much rather pay online the night before with a credit card than pay a $60 late fee .With a click of a button .  

If strong odor or surface mold is an issue, use the vinegar full strength.

Get back on the horse no matter what happens with this little speed bump.Make sure you stay on track to purchase your first investment.If this is the biggest mistake you make this year, you will be very lucky.There is no such thing as a great pro basket ball player who didn't get 4 fouls every game.

If it is ready to move in no harm no foul, (maybe buy them a 32" flat screen $200 to smooth over any hard feelings) But Cali is such a tenant friendly state I see it taking much longer than 3 weeks for an eviction.

If that happens, then it's no harm, no foul.  2)  if the owner walks away, as many do when they receive a foreclosure notice, and the bank stops paying the taxes, then the property will eventually go up for taxes.