How to know when to walk away from a property.

Question

Hello investors! I'm writing this out of frustration with a current duplex property I own. I've owned the property since 2021. I lived in both units and know the property pretty well, but there are some underlying issues that I'm currently dealing with. Since 2021, I've replaced many of the windows, had the whole house insulated, did a lot of painting, installed a 3rd mini-split in the bigger unit and replaced the roof (the property is side-by-side units, so the structure is long and the roof was f'ing expensive). The furnace also died but doesn't need immediate replacement as there are heat sources (i.e. the 3 mini-split units).

Currently I'm dealing with $14000 septic fix. The high ticket costs just keep coming and coming and I fear something is going to happen that I'm not going to financially recover from (the house was built in the 1830s and has been through many DYI'ers hands, and not the best "to code" work, to note).

I purchased this house with a 2.6% interest rate and the rent from just one side covers the mortgage. It's basically a cash cow, but I'm thinking of selling it because of the fear of "what's next to go?" Maybe the foundation? Maybe something I'm not even thinking of.

Have you been in a situation like this where you're not sure if you should walk away or not?  If I do decide to sell, and sell prior to Sept 2027, I've met the requirements to not get hit with capital gains tax, which is attractive. Purchased for 360K and the property is now worth around 650 or more, so I'll walk away with a decent amount. I'm not sure if that outweighs the potential long-term benefits of this becoming a very valuable property.

Seeking thoughts, stories, advice.

Thanks for reading!

Gary

Bryan Coll · Answer

I think this question goes into your overall strategy long term. Does making that amount of money each month outweigh the large expenses?

Remember that you can create a replacement reserve so the next time a big ticket item comes up, it isn't so much out of pocket. Replacement reserves are a big piece of large multi-family deals and banks typically require a replacement reserve.

If you decide to hold on to the property (could be used as well if you decide to sell) you should consider getting an updated inspection on the property. I understand it may cost $1,000 or so but it would at least give you an idea of any major expenses that could come up in the near future.

And at the end of the day, it's better to know any potential issues prior to listing a property & having the buyer complete an inspection and then using that to push your sale price down.