All Forum Posts by: Damani Tilton

@Michael Martin Agreed, I am not writing them off because they receive section 8 vouchers. I just want to make sure they'll be able to pay their portion.  

@James Wise "Incredibly low quality people" feels a bit extreme haha; but I do appreciate you sharing your perspective. The unit is in a B+ neighborhood, and I do have a couple of other interested tenants, but they’d be moving in about a month later, so I’d be forgoing $1,400 in rent by waiting.

The Section 8 applicants are actually an older married couple who’ve lived in the neighborhood for the past 10 years in their current apartment, so I’d expect them to be long-term tenants. That said, their tenant portion would nearly double if they move into my unit, which is definitely something I’m factoring in as I weigh stability vs. payment risk

Thanks for the input David, I really appreciate your perspective. My hesitation definitely stems from the fact that the housing authority is only covering the rent, not the utilities. Once you factor those in, the tenant’s total monthly housing cost could be close to 50% of their income, which is what’s giving me pause.

I’ve used Apartments.com’s auto-generated leases in the past, which seem fairly thorough, but I’ll make sure this one explicitly outlines what happens in the event of nonpayment on the tenant’s part. Definitely want everything as clear and documented as possible going into it.

Hey everyone; I’m a newer landlord and considering renting to a Section 8 tenant for the first time. I’d love to get some insight from more experienced investors.

Here’s the situation:

• I’m asking $1,400/month for rent

• The housing authority will pay $850

• The tenant’s portion would be $550

• The tenant’s reported income is only $1,500/month

I have some concerns about their ability to consistently cover their portion. If they fall behind, will it be particularly difficult to evict them given the Section 8 protections/process?

Also, are there any other considerations or red flags I should be aware of when working with Section 8 tenants? Any general advice on screening, dealing with housing authorities, or protecting myself contractually would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!