Hey everybody! I’m both super excited and second guessing an accepted offer I put on my very first property, a nice four family building with upside for increased rents and overall value. My contract didn’t include any language around the current tenants, security deposits, etc. I can already see issues (annoyances) my rushing will bring me which at the very least includes having to evict a currently non-paying tenant. Fortunately, I’m in Missouri and my understanding is the landlord tenant laws are favorable to landlords.
I’m sure I’ll get through everything, but I’m hoping you all can help me:
1. Identify what should be in offers where there are tenants in place
2. Identify actions (if any) I should be taking on this current property between now, the inspection and closing to minimize my risk exposure
Property Manager · Saint Louis, MO · Member since 2017 · 76 posts · 56 votes
5y
Yes, all great responses above. I usually recommend newer investors submit offers contingent on viewing rental verification (income/basic expenses), leases, ledgers or rent rolls. This is a good start to ensure the tenants are paying, expenses are not out of the ordinary, and a timeline for when tenants leases are up for renewal.
Rental Property Investor · TN · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
5y
Ask for a signed statement for each unit, who lives there, what pets are there, amount of rent, pet rent, amount of security deposit, end date of lease, amount of back rent owed. Ask the PM for photos, inspection of the unit immediately before unit was rented to current tenant (so you can assess damage on their exit), a copy of their last lease, contact information for each occupant, emergency information, their application, job information, and how they pay--on line portal, by check, cash, pick up by PM or ?
@Lynnette E. - thanks! I’ll submit those requests tomorrow. Based on what I have seen so far,most of those artifacts are not in place, but it will be a starting point and anything is better than nothing.
Lynnette did a nice job with the list. You also need the deposits, prorated rent for the month that you close and contact the tenants to let them know who you are and how to pay you the rent. While you may not have included the deposits in the offers, that money belongs to the tenants, so if the current owner won't transfer it, have the tenants contact the owner to get it and then give it to you.
Property Manager · Saint Louis, MO · Member since 2017 · 76 posts · 56 votes
5y
Yes, all great responses above. I usually recommend newer investors submit offers contingent on viewing rental verification (income/basic expenses), leases, ledgers or rent rolls. This is a good start to ensure the tenants are paying, expenses are not out of the ordinary, and a timeline for when tenants leases are up for renewal.
Rental Property Investor · DFW, TX · Member since 2013 · 953 posts · 910 votes
5y
You should get signed estoppel letters from the tenants. Do an online search and you can find all sorts of good questions to have on them but Lynette's list is pretty good. Really try to get the leases because no matter how landlord friendly Missouri is, the eviction process will take longer if there is no lease. As soon as you close, send a letter to all the tenants introducing yourself and giving instructions on how to pay rent. Set up times to meet with each one individually and lay out your expectations and sign your lease if you can't get one from the owner. Be polite but firm. Tenants can be like children who will try to get away with anything they can when there's a substitute teacher.
@Jack Luzecky - thanks. This seems like a straight forward way to account for it in the future without slowing the process down. I’m adding it to my “next time I’ll do this” list