Your client's attorney wants to be the driver, but he's putting the horse before the cart.

I can see for a single tenant in a house that is not close to your other rentals doing a negotiation like that might work.Most of the tenants I have if the judge says to be out they go.Different tenants have different levels of knowledge with the process and the last thing you want is to empower them more.You will have enough professional tenants to deal with as it is.I always tell my property manager that "less is more" when talking with a tenant.The more you explain things to them the more they learn and are more difficult to evict.Let them believe they have to be out and most will just move and not wait on the writ.One tenant I had got a judgement in court and the eviction date from the judge.They paid the judgement and moved out and didn't wait on the writ.They didn't know about garnishment,bank levy,etc. and the process and just paid me the judgement.Also even if it is a house you have to watch if your properties are close to each other or renting to friends or family they will talk as well about you the landlord.Have another tenant now where she owes thousands and the writ is in a week.She has been waiting on disability approval from SSI.She wants to pay 700 but I have a judgment for a few thousand.I told her if she comes up with 2,500 I will let her stay otherwise she is out.The reason is at 700 it is not worth it to me.I would take 700 and then have to cancel the writ and refile eviction.With the holidays it could be January before I get her out again because of the courts taking the time off.At 2,500 I get most of what is owed and I don't have to recondition the property.Then I don't have to get re-rented during the Holidays which will most likely take a special first months rate to rent out.As a landlord these are the tough decisions you have to make on a case by case basis.We do inspections once a month.Then we know if we file eviction what kind of recondition costs will be needed to get ready again.Then you weigh the thousands in costs or hundreds depending on condition re-renting versus a workout with the current tenant.As far as evictions go most will pay the judgement.If they do not I am nice to them and press them to move out by the court ordered date.The property manager goes in daily and says a few more days and it all has to be out.This presses them to move.If they change the locks which they are not allowed per the lease then we have an impact driver that will push through the toughest lock in under a minute.Some will stay and wait for the writ but not many.I wait until they leave and then I "bring down the hammer" and file garnishment against them.I don't do this until they leave to keep them calm and make them think they are getting away with something.They leave the place clean with no trash thinking they are getting off scott free.

(And a great experience for young drivers to spend a morning in traffic court.) 

until we know the back ends of those deals we are left wondering what they were thinking when all along a 5 to 7% return to them means millions.. so in reality a hedge fund could drive rents down if they wanted to as well.. just to make sure they have the best tenants and their properties are full and they are still doing quite well. raise rents and really cash in.I agree to fully round out a portfolio investors should be thinking about upside movement of the value... the quote " appreciation is icing on the cake" while a nice sentiment is really I think a poor philosophy to follow... one needs to either force appreciation buy in an area were appreciation takes you for a nice ride,, or were rents can move up dramatically in a fairly short period of time those are the only ways in rentals one is going to make any kind of real money.Although what some would think is a reasonable return on investment and risk others would not be happy with...

I think you're in the drivers seat now so it's really making sure the numbers work and if they don't, move on to the next.  

What is the economic driver there?

I have been looking at properties like mad trying to learn my area but it would help if I could understand better what to expect when it comes my turn to be approved for a loan.  

They got mad and asked why we were evicting them. 

It severed my relationship with her because she was mad when I took deductions out for cleaning and painting (even after I spent my own time with my husband in there trying to make the deductions less).

But basically you are in the drivers seat.