All Forum Posts by: Marelyn Valdes

I would call the utility company and tell them you bought the property and want to see how much to turn on the power in the unit and when it was last turned on.  If someone is currently paying, then they will tell you and ask if they have a turn off date.  If it's on, then leave a notice of inspection and start an eviction.  

AC is not required by law in Florida, so unless you list AC in the lease you don't have to repair or replace it.  If she is withholding rent, she is still required to pay it into the registry of the court.  I would file the eviction, giving her a 3 day notice, then the 5 day notice, etc.   If she complains to the local authorities about it being uninhabitable, ask the inspector to order her immediate removal for health reasons and you wouldn't owe her anything other than pro-rated rent - which she hasn't paid.  I had an ex-boyfriend call minimum housing on me in Tampa, and they found some minor damage (plumbing, window broken caused by the tenant) and an awful roach infestation.  I repaired the toilet and window and told the inspector to declare the place uninhabitable so they could throw them out immediately and save me the trouble.  He was so shocked, and I also asked him to report the parents for child neglect .  Your tenant knows how to work the system.

It all depends on whether it's a living or dead tree.  Dead tree from neighbor's place damages your property, then neighbor is liable (if you send a certified letter notifying them of the dead tree).  If a neighbor's living tree falls on your property, it's considered an act of God and your insurance pays.  I had a huge branch fall on one of my carports and electric line and flattened the tenant's van.  I had insurance and paid the deductible and got a new carport and electrician's work.  Tenant got nothing.  By the way, from what I read, you would not owe any motel bill for the tenant - just the prorated rent per day for the time they were unable to use the premises.  My policy pays me for lost rental income.

I have C-D rentals and will not accept Section 8.  I tried it before and it didn't work for me, but that's just my personal feeling.  Most of my tenants are hard working and live paycheck to paycheck and are grateful for a decent house.  Yes, the rent may be a week or so late, but I collect late charges.  Yes, one family left apx. 200 poop stains (not the pile, but the ring where it had been) when they moved - glad it was terrazzo floors so could be stripped and not permanently damaged.  Those tenants are the exception.  I sometimes add mini blinds, but they tend to break easily.  My tenants tend to stay well past the end of their leases on a month to month basis so I have little turnover.  I also repair anything as quickly as possible and as for rent, if they are late over a week or two, the eviction process starts and they are out in a month at most.  When you do have a vacancy, you have a huge amount of people begging for the place because there are so few places available in their price range, so you can pick and choose your tenants (and I do look at their social media posts to see how they live).

https://www.floridabar.org/public/consumer/consume...    

The Florida Bar has free forms online

Yoram Kaldes, I use Foremost for my mobile homes and American Integrity Insurance or Travelers for SFH and farm rentals. In Ocala - Gordon Reiss Insurance agency or Bird Insurance agency.

An attorney can handle a closing - one closed my home, although I prefer using a title company because of the fees.  Title insurance is all the same price, but the difference is in all the little add on fees.  I would be honest with the seller that you are a wholesaler since it will come out anyway if you do a double closing or try assigning the contract.   I have never heard of an attorney going to the showing so the buyer is either nervous about you or the attorney is a friend or relative.

I am in Florida and of all the money judgements I have had against tenants, have only collected on one.  You also need to file a certified copy of the judgement with the clerk of court in any county you think they may be in and may own property.  Have you searched for them online (found one of mine in Plano just outside of Dallas and am thinking of filing a foreign judgement with the clerk of court there).

If it's not required in your state, never put any utilities in your name.  In Florida, if I put them in my name I can't turn them off even if the tenant is not paying and trashing the place.  Tenants are also more careful with usage if they are paying and they are in the tenant's name.  I have evicted tenants that left the electric company with over $800 in bills owing and it wasn't my problem.

I would make sure to take care of the non-grounded outlets and any other electrical problems ASAP.  Check that you can get insurance on the property and what they require.  I just got a cancellation notice because of the brand of breaker panel (Challenger), so have to change to Square D or Siemens, which was an expense I didn't foresee.  Call for estimates on blown in insulation as some companies do it at almost the same cost as you doing the work yourself.