All Forum Posts by: Jay Garrison

@Nathan G,

The tenants were inherited, as I mentioned I just bought the two flat. I got lucky though, they kept their agreement to move out on May 4th, despite having disappeared prior. They took the car out of the garage too. I agree that cash for keys is not ideal but (had they not shown up) it would be have been the far lessor of several evils. 

@Scott Mac

Thanks for the movie quote, not sure what the purpose of your post is though.

@Colleen F.

He came and cleaned out his stuff and took his car out of the garage. He was communicating by phone and email but refused to meet with me; I am guessing he knew I wanted to serve him with a notice. I am not an "all's well that ends well" person generally, but I am glad to have him out.  Changing the locks was a grasp at straws kind of thing, again I am glad it didn't come to that!

Hello,

I just bought a two flat and I am having trouble locating one of the tenants. This tenant is on a month to month lease and only wants to communicate by phone or email. They haven't paid for the garden unit for a couple of months and it is rubbished, with clothes thrown around and a fridge full of rotting food. Worse, they have a broken (but newer model) car sitting smack dab in the middle of the two car garage. I went to the Cook County office that handles evictions and they told me if I cannot locate the tenant to physically give them a 5 day quit/pay notice or a 30 day notice, I cannot do anything. 

I am thinking about offering them cash for keys, $200 if they get their junk and car out this weekend, and if not I will start the eviction proceedings. I will then mention that it looks like someone tried force open the garage door so I had to change the locks (tenant has keys to garage) and so when he is ready to get his car to let me know and I will open up the garage. Someone seems to have disabled the garage door opener as well, which I can easily fix once I have signed documents stating his intent.

I know Chicago/Illinois is renter friendly, but (of course I won't take it as strict legal advice) what do you think about my course of action above? Thanks in advance, I am happy to be a landlord!

Thanks for the replies

Thomas S said:

I agree with serve notice and get rid of them. Allowing your tenants 3 days to pay rent when they are already 2 weeks late is setting a very bad precedent. You are heading down the same kindly, easy going hobby landlord path as the last landlord.

If they on M2M terminate them with notice.

It's past time you sat down and learned your state landlord tenant regulations. Dealing with any tenant without first studying and understanding the law is going to have you in court very quickly. Do not communicate with your tennats until you know your rights and theirs.

I had asked my attorney and REA about this, and they told me that we would find out about the rent at closing. Of course hindsight is 20/20 but in the future I will look for more thorough representation throughout the process. I called my lawyer yesterday (yesterday was Saturday, we closed Friday afternoon) but she was unhelpful.

I have called both tenants, asking them what they would like to do and can we meet, both begged off. Tomorrow I will contact the city agency that controls landlord tenancy regulations and ask them how to proceed; you are right I should follow legal guidelines but move to evict them ASAP.

Hi,

I just bought my first place a two flat with a garden unit in Chicago. The first floor is empty, but the second floor tenants haven't paid yet for April. I didn't find this out until the closing. The basement tenants have "moved out" but they still have some of their stuff their, and a car in the garage. The basement tenants have paid for several months, that is why they are moving out.

Suggestions? The previous owner was kindly and easy going, hadn't had a policy about late payments, and the tenants obviously took advantage. I would like to give the basement tenants a contract that says they have till the end of the month to get their stuff, or else it goes out. I would like to put the upstairs tenants on a lease with late fee terms and give them 3 days to get their April rent together. I will change the locks in the basement and garage so the basement tenants cannot just come and go as they please. How does that sound?

sorry, updated to say "discussed" not "initiated". Misleading choice of wording i now see. Banged out that post in a Starbucks on my phone, just very curious if what my agent did is typical and kosher. 

Hi,

I have done the appraisal, was waiting on seller to make repairs when my agent - without telling me she was doing this - contacted my lender and discussed moving my mortgage to another lender. 

The new lender offers $7k down pymt assistance (previous lender offered none) but the interest rate is 5.375, as oposed to 4.375 with my current lender. Obviously over a 30 year mortgage the difference completely dwarfs the downpymt assistance. 

In addition, my lender mentioned to my agent that i am gdtting a personal gift to help with the down payment, which doesnt seem kosher to me.

This seems odd to me. My RE agent is saying she is helping me out by "switching" me to this new lender, but iam not so sure. First timer here, am i missing sth or is my math off?

Thanks

Hi,

I have made an offer on a building and the seller accepted, then my lawyer become unresponsive. She may be having some personal problems or whatever, I don't know, but I need to keep it moving. I am in Chicago, does anyone have any recommendations? My realtor recommended a lawyer but I want to shop around.

Thanks,

James G

Thanks everyone for your replies. I was worried about those things as well, and my realtor told me that she didn't think the seller would want to damage their reputation by doing bad work, and that since it is a flat roof, doing the work would not be as difficult as a sloped roof. The seller completed the rehab (done 4 years ago) but as was mentioned by other posters, that doesn't mean he is either licensed or experienced at roofing, and during the inspection the inspector mentioned that the previous roof work was done in a somewhat basic manner.

Hello,

After having a two flat here in Chicago inspected, I discovered that it would need a new roof. I asked the seller (a contractor) to come cover the closing costs, which would be about the cost of a new roof. His counter offer was to do the roof himself, and then I could reinspect it. That sounds okay to me, but I want him to pay for the reinspection, since I have already paid for the initial inspection. Does that sound like a good move for me to make? EDIT: I looked at the email the seller sent my lawyer, he says he will not provide receipts for labor or material. Is that a bit odd?

Hi,

I need a home inspector for a two flat in Englewood. My realtor recommended a guy to me, but he injured his shoulder and can't get through a hatch to see the roof. She doesn't know of anyone else, so I would like to solicit recommendations. Thanks!