All Forum Posts by: Joyce Kim

Thank you so much for the offer. I am not a developer per se but I was in tech field as a project manager/ business consultant. I would love to meet even if it’s for a short coffee chat. I will dm you. :) 

I was recently laid off and have accumulated about $20,000 in credit card debt, primarily from paying last year's property taxes and covering a few months of living expenses. I own a house with approximately $400,000 in equity, and I'm considering tapping into this equity while I search for a new job. Until now, I had a great credit score, but I'm concerned that my increased debt might affect my ability to obtain a HELOC or a Home Equity Loan.

A lender approached me, claiming they could help me secure a HELOC, but the encounter felt coincidental, making me feel vulnerable. I've had negative experiences with a bad general contractor and a non-paying renter (leading to an eviction), so I'm being extra cautious in selecting the right lender this time.

Could anyone recommend a trustworthy lender in the Los Angeles area who can guide me through this difficult time? Also, which option would make sense for me: a HELOC or a Home Equity Loan?

I appreciate any input from fellow BPers. Thank you. 

 Thanks for your referral! Currently Stelnick Law is working on my case and it's going really well. :) 

I've reached out to the office about 2 hours ago, but no one answered the phone. I left my number but haven't received a call back yet. I guess I have to wait till they call me back. 

So far, I've received quotes ranging from $3k to $5k plus an hourly rate for court appearances. I'm willing to pay for the service as I urgently need an attorney's help, but it seems like lawyers are not taking new cases easily. They keep charging me for consultations without taking the case. 😭

Do you have an estimate of their charges for this type of case and whether they are affordable? If exact figures aren't available, could you let me know if they charge a fixed fee per case, hourly, or per court appearance?

Thank you!

My tenant has not been paying rent for four months now and refuses to vacate.

I've posted and mailed 3-day notices, and uploaded them to the LAHD website four times already. I finally received a demand letter from a "nonprofit attorney" representing the tenant, claiming that the tenant was living in uninhabitable conditions—typical for a non-paying tenant, I guess—and now she wants to "renegotiate" the rent and keep living in the same space.

She has been filing complaints with various government departments, but all the cases were minor and have been closed. I've personally communicated with the inspectors, and they are aware of how the tenant is trying to manipulate the situation. Fortunately, all three inspectors (from different departments) were very supportive and one inspector even stated they will not return, even if another complaint is filed.

I want to offer a cash-for-keys option, but since the tenant's attorney is from a nonprofit, I feel she will fight for her tenant to stay. I need to respond to the attorney's demand letter and almost want to go to court, even if it takes six months to evict her. I think I have a good case, but it's really hard to find an attorney to take it nowadays—all the good ones are fully booked and hard to reach.

Any suggestions or recommendations on how to approach this issue would be greatly appreciated, as I am a new landlord. Additionally, if you have any referrals to good eviction lawyers who can take my case, I would be very grateful.

Thank you so much for your help.

My tenant has not been paying rent for four months now and refuses to vacate.

I've posted and mailed 3-day notices, and uploaded them to the LAHD website four times already. I finally received a demand letter from a "nonprofit attorney" representing the tenant, claiming that the tenant was living in uninhabitable conditions—typical for a non-paying tenant, I guess—and now she wants to "renegotiate" the rent and keep living in the same space.

She has been filing complaints with various government departments, but all the cases were minor and have been closed. I've personally communicated with the inspectors, and they are aware of how the tenant is trying to manipulate the situation. Fortunately, all three inspectors (from different departments) were very supportive and one inspector even stated they will not return, even if another complaint is filed.

I want to offer a cash-for-keys option, but since the tenant's attorney is from a nonprofit, I feel she will fight for her tenant to stay. I need to respond to the attorney's demand letter and almost want to go to court, even if it takes six months to evict her. I think I have a good case, but it's really hard to find an attorney to take it nowadays—all the good ones are fully booked and hard to reach.

Any suggestions or recommendations on how to approach this issue would be greatly appreciated, as I am a new landlord. Additionally, if you have any referrals to good eviction lawyers who can take my case, I would be very grateful.

Thank you so much for your help.

Just for an update... 

I was busy addressing tenant and order to comply issues, so I haven't been active in this forum for a while. Thank you so much for all of your advices. Yes, I made many mistakes, not protecting my investment and hard-earned money. Thankfully, all of the order to comply issues were minor and the cases are now closed. The inspectors were supportive, and one of them even stated they wouldn't return, even if another complaint is filed. Now, I am preparing to file an eviction case.

It's pretty hard to find a good eviction lawyer in the Los Angeles area since many are backed up with so many eviction cases. I would appreciate any referrals for a decent eviction lawyer. Wish me luck...

If they were to be the guarantor for the construction loan, how much should I offer? The developer wants me to throw the number first. I need to set up my BATNA before the negotiation... 

The lot is in North Hollywood R1 Zone. 

Thank you for sharing your expertise.