Hoarder House in Los Angeles Advice

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Hoarder House in Los Angeles Advice

Kellen CanfieldPro Member
Rental Property Investor · Kapaa HI · Member since 2015 · 61 posts · 23 votes

Aloha BP community, I have a duplex in West LA that I'm trying to get some advice on. 

I am working with my friend who owns it and we are kicking the current tenants out of both units to get it fixed up and performing at its highest and best. 

The tenants in the upstairs unit (his parents) have been hoarding for a long time and consequently there are a lot of things in the way of finding out the true condition of the house. We are trying to get ahead of the game as far as knowing what needs to be done to get the most rent that we can out of each unit and getting bids for that work, but are not sure where to start. 

Does anyone (specifically in the LA area) have suggestions on any companies that deal with hoarder houses? 

Does anyone (specifically in the LA area) have suggestions on quality, trustworthy, GCs that we could get to do the work?

We've thought about having a home inspection done to identify all of the areas that would need work done. Should we try and get that done after the hoarding situation is taken care of and the space is easier to inspect?

Thanks,

Kellen

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  • Nathan GesnerBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
    7y

    Get the tenant out first, then inspect. You can send someone in now but there's no way to look behind all their stuff and get a real scope of damages, odors, etc. Additional damage may take place during the moving process. Just focus on getting them out and then handle it.

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  • Hubert Kim
    Property Manager · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2017 · 216 posts · 110 votes
    7y

    A little clarification, please. Your friend owns the duplex? Both units are currently rented? The upstairs unit is rented by your friend's (the owner's) parents? Who rents the downstairs unit? And possibly one of the most important questions is what city is the property located in?

    The last question may dictate if and how to kick out the tenants. The city of "West Los Angeles" has rent control because it is within the City of Los Angeles. But if the tenants voluntarily leave, of course, this would obviously not be an issue.

    The physical location of the property will be able to provide you with an idea of range in rents as well. A real estate agent, property manager, even various websites like Hotpads or Craigslist will indicate what comparable rentals are renting out for (or at least asking for).

    As Nathan states, if/when the tenants are removed, a general contractor will be able to give you a scope of work that is appropriate. Any inspections with tenants may provide some insight, but may really only be visual and premature.

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