I will use it as an excuse to visit once a month but the furnaces are in a basement common area.

However, there is very little incentives for the Landlord to take care of the building and usually leave it in need of repair, pest control, etc.Certain cities like NYC and SF is a must if this is where you want to eventually live for the long term.Rents spike and continue getting higher.Every year for the last 2 decades I keep hearing all the excuses.... it's too expensive to buy in NYC.2 decades ago, when I bought my first Investment, a 2 Family in Brooklyn, was $350k.Today, I can sell that investment for $1.9 Million.BUT, instead of being happy that I have made so much money for that one single property.... what makes me more happier is the fact that I live in that Investment now (I moved back in to this Investment Property this year).All of my relatives that lived in Brooklyn but moved out, either never bought or had bought but sold a long time ago..... cannot any longer afford to buy in Brooklyn anymore.Even renting has become incredibly expensive.As another example of this phenomenon, I had a friend, Steve, who lived in Manhattan.We both invested similarly in to two different properties in 2004.I invested in a 4 Unit property with a Purchase Price of $800k in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn.

If you find a bad deal HMLs will say no or give you excuses.  

Please excuse my naïveté, but do some of these companies require you to use certain  lenders?

- Inherited tenant Oct 2016 in NJ- C class area- Always late on rent (excuses included spent money during holidays, was traveling for work, car was hit and now claims mom passed away)- For added flexibility when she signed my lease papers (previous owner had verbal agreement) I said she can pay rent on 7th of month rather than 1st- Despite that flexibility she's always late (pays by end of month)- Keeps apartment clean- Quiet tenant- Pay $100 less per month than marketSo the question is evict or not to evict OR do you suggest an alternate solution (incidentally I just emailed her with a cash for keys offer...no reply yet)Thanks

Excuse the writing but the idea is there.  

Amber, excuse my belated reply.

There is no excuse for destroying a 5 year old fridge.

The check got lost in the mail excuse gets old after awhile. 

This shows total lack of budgeting and is a sign they will only fall further behind with more excuses.5) Have a defined eviction process, but allow 3-5 days of flexibility for inevitable slow-pays.6) Find handymen that live in an area only 1 Class higher than your property.