We are moving to VA. DH left last week to start his new position and I'm eager to go with him! We have a 19 month old and I don't enjoy being the only parent. I'm staying here until either A) I get a job offer in VA or
we get a renter for our house here. Well, I'm still working on my applications- lots of pieces to collect before I can submit them. It will be next week before I can even apply. We have the house listed with a property manager. It showed last Monday- she lowballed us. Today it showed again, yay! They loved it and went back to the office to do the application. Property manager said that it is "two girls and a grandmother, the girls are grown and working, all three will be on the lease". He also said "Right now they are living in a hotel, and so they would like to move in as soon as next week".
My first impression is that they were evicted and so they are living in a hotel and I don't think I'm interested in renting to that. But my husband and my mom both first thought that they must have just moved to town and that's why they are living in a hotel. The two girls and a grandma doesn't sound totally stable but the hotel thing is concerning. Am I nuts?
Who you rent to these people? I have to give 30 days notice for work and if I let them have house next week I would have to stay with a friend or my SIL for quite a while. I was thinking a few days wouldn't be a bit deal but 30 days is too much to ask from someone. This is another concern of mine. But I really want to get settled in VA.
What would you do?
Re: Is this a RED FLAG?
I wouldn't make a decision about any tenant without a reference and credit check/background check.
But if I hired a management company I'd also expect them to handle all of that for me so I didn't have to deal with it.
***Nestie Bestie w/ TheDeatons***
I don't think you should make the decision until you get the rental app back.
Did they already admit to being evicted or you just assumed since they live in a hotel? I can think of a lot of reasons why someone would be living in a hotel and eviction isn't top of the list to be honest.
This. It could be perfectly legit or it might not. I would wait until you have the full story.
And to be perfectly honest, unless you are in some kind of contract with repercussions I don't see why you should feel obligated on the 30 days. 2 weeks is more than enough for most places.
You have no idea what the real situation with the potential buyers is, and its silly to even speculate. I agree with pp about credit checks and references.
I'm sure if they are living in a hotel, they are eager to get into a real place soon.
Yeah, it's not a good idea to speculate. Wait until you have the facts and go from there.
I can think of various reasons why people would be living in a hotel. Yes, eviction... but new to the area, natural disaster (fire, flood, etc), skuzzball landlord, prior lease was up and didn't want to renew, etc.
I probably wouldn't think of two grown adults living together with their grandmother. As long as the two girls are working, I don't see an issue. It's probably two sisters living together to split rent (I'd rather have my sister for a roommate than a complete stranger) and they took in their grandmother for whatever reason.
I don't see either situation as a red flag. Again, wait until you have the background checks, credit reports and references back... then decide.
ETA: And about the move-in date... you're the landlord. You can give them any move-in date you want. You'll probably need at about two weeks to move out and have the place cleaned. That'll buy you some time. Put your 30-days notice in at your job, take the two weeks to move and clean, then you'll only have to hit up the Holiday Inn or crash at your SILs for two weeks. That's do-able.
http://pandce.proboards.com/index.cgi#general
DH and I lived in a hotel for a little while. It was because we moved from out of state and our (already-paid-for) rental condo fell through. We had nowhere else to go. So we were in a hotel (with 2 cats - eek) for almost a week while we looked for a new rental.
It happens. I'd say as long as their credit check and background check/references were okay, I'd take it.
My friend was in a long-term hotel rental situation when she and her boyfriend broke up. Yet she's one of the most responsible people I know, financially speaking.
Perhaps the grandmother just sold her house as well and they wanted that transaction to go through before commiting to a rental.
40/112
Thanks for the replies.
Turns out they are from out of town. One works at Cracker Barrel, the other works somewhere else but neither makes much money. Only one had a credit report and it wasn't great. My property manager advised me against it and I agree.
I work for a school system and I have to give 30 days, even though I've already told them that I'm moving soon I haven't given them official notice. They can hold my license and/or not recommend me in good standing for future jobs if I don't complete the 30 days so...
I guess I'm going to go ahead and give my 30 days and pray someone rents my house in the next month. We can't afford this mortgage and our new rent in VA on one income. I either need to have a new job or this rent covered.
I'm just a worry wart. With my husband gone it's especially hard to deal with all of this. Thanks for helping me figure out somethings.