All Forum Posts by: Marelyn Valdes

I am in Ocala and buy fixer uppers - just be sure the bones are good and they are in a decent neighborhood.  You might also look at buying a house that you can Airbnb a room or suite while looking for more rentals.  I bought one in the Lake Panasoffkee area that's 2 blocks from the lake and a boat rental/bait shop (working on other properties, so haven't had a chance to get started on rehab).  Something near the Villages would also work for you since so many people are coming here to look for properties in the Villages and Top of the World communities.

https://www.floridabar.org/public/consumer/consumer004/    Free landlord tenant forms on the Florida Bar site

Welcome to Ocala!  I have several rentals in Ocala and am in the process of rehabbing another place to fix and flip.  It's a great rental market with an abundance of people who can't find housing.  It's a little hard to find bargains as there are lots of investors and investor groups here, but it can be done.  The only down side on rentals here is the court system is slow to evict and can take up to 6 - 8 weeks to gain possession. 

Check the properties to see if there are lots of previous tax certificates on them.  I bought several where the owner redeemed them in a year or less.  People bid 0% interest because you are guaranteed a 5% return in the first year.  Also, check the property you are considering bidding on with the tax appraiser's  and tax collector's sites.  Some properties have had no bids for years except for the county holding the certificate which means ithey aren't worth owning.

https://www-media.floridabar.org/uploads/2018/08/single-family-lease.pdf    Lease form on the Florida Bar site (they also have other Landlord Tenant forms)

If you don't allow it, then what happens if they don't move out at the end of their lease?  Will you have to start an eviction, which costs money?  I would allow it if they agreed in writing to showings during the last month.

@Cameron Riley  I have no choice but to evict him and plan on selling the property once I get him out.  We have a huge World Equestrian Center that will be marketed heavily in September or October and I have spoken to one of their realtors, who said my place will be ideal for a developer or for someone with major money to set up their trainer and horses while they live in Golden Ocala so they won't have to pay the extremely high prices for tiny farms within the Equestrian Center.  

Even worse than evicting for non-payment of rent - my tenant of about 5 years, who deposits his rent in my account early every month, told my insurance inspector he couldn't come on the property (30 acre farm with 2 houses) because his pit bulls might bite him.  Needless to say, I was told to get rid of him or lose my insurance policy.  I called him ASAP and he begged to stay, offered to pay more rent, etc., but I said he has to move and gave him 30 days as he was on a month to month.  Sent a copy of the termination of tenancy letter to Travelers Ins. and a copy of the USPS receipt for the certified letter to him sent the same day.  He was begging for more time since he has a lot of farm animals, but I know he can sell them at the small animal sales and just move with his dogs (which I didn't know he had, since I only saw chihuahuas when I was there).  I know he won't move and I am going to have to evict him - he won't be able to find another property for that price.  I feel bad for him, but I have to do what's right for me (and Travelers would not accept renter's insurance to cover the dogs).  Now I am just worried how much damage he will do to the property before I can get him out.  BTW, I am selling the place as soon as he's gone.

Sometimes when landlords want a tenant out badly enough (without going through an eviction) they will paint a rosy picture of the tenants just to get them out.  They may also be wary of a lawsuit for disclosing information about their current or past tenants.  I never answer anything other than the dates they lived on the property, the amount of rent, and whether or not I would rent to them again.

Check you local laws, you may have to give them a 7 day notice.  Also, make sure you are named on the policy or they may pay for 1 month and then it gets cancelled for non-payment and you won't be notified.