No matter how carefully you screen tenants, they might still wreck your place or cause you a lengthy or expensive eviction.

(There is a reason for this law to lengthy to go into) The hat trick is getting them to capitulate to the law.

I would have it looked over by a lawyer first of course, but I'm not even sure where to start.And lastly, let's say you have a very full, lengthy contract.

That is a lengthy process and obviously requires a default for anything to even happen.  

Jeff: Somewhere on here I have a lengthy post about using vendor financing (a vendor carry) - I'll try to search for it.A vendor carry for either the whole amount of the property (minus downpayment) or just a portion, can be advantageous to both the buyer and the vender.  

We bought the property cash for what was owed on the mortgage and some overdue utilities plus closing cost - all in about 73k. 

I did offer  to let her out of the lease in lieu of having to live through a lengthy repair.

I have read hundreds of posts and it always seems like the people with really great answers still ask for more info from the poster so I will try to write down as many details as I can think - sorry for the lengthy post...as the subject line reads, this is for analytical types.1.

I'd agree with the overall tenor of the posts that raising the rent seems not only fair, but overdue. 

Thanks for reading through my lengthy post and appreciate your time and all your responses!!!