Quick update on SJ rent control at city hall last night.From SJ Mercury:http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news/ci_297865...You can watch the city council public comment and deliberations process here:http://sanjose.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?

When we got him out, we could see that he deliberately did damage to the unit (holes in walls, doors ripped of frames, food left out to attract critters, etc. etc).

They caused about $600 in damage, though nothing deliberate, and were filth monsters. 

Newbies trust their life savings with strangers who are all-too-happy to provide "turn-key" investments that end up failing, due to their (I think deliberate) bad management and unnecessary maintenance costs, etc., and then they are happy to sell it for you - and do it again to the next sucker.  

Ignore all of her arguments and attempts to discuss any of it.At the very beginning, for the camera, in front of the tenant,  I would say that because the tenant has threatened to not hand over the keys unless you immediately turn over her security deposit in cash, that you are deliberately not engaging in any arguments with the tenant, that you brought a witness, and you are putting everything in writing and also saying out loud what you have written down.  

I would bet you that they even dug out the lease, saw the clause, and decided deliberately to go with the "easier to get forgiveness than permission" angle.You are not a bad guy for saying they have to go along with the terms they agreed to.And if your lease says they had to maintain the yard, unless that included killing it completely with astro-turf, that is also a major violation.These guys "used to be" great tenants.  

He deliberately didn't put her and the kids on the application for a reason,this was no accident.Don't give her tenants rights by letting her move in,you'll go through financial hell to get rid of her!!!

Looking back, I think a few things I did right (at first by lucky accident, and later by deliberate planning) made this possible:1)I timed my appreciation plays very well ... not that I nailed the absolute bottom of the market upon purchase (though I have), but like horse-shoes, hand grenades, and nuclear warfare, close is sometimes good enough.

The property next door just hit the market at $330k... so I think what you're saying, @Eric G. is very likely -- that it was deliberately priced low to start a bidding war.

At this point, I think you are being deliberately obtuse and argumentative.