Q: I have a tenant who hasn’t paid me rent in almost 2 years. I finally got a court date in landlord-tenant court. Is there any way to get the money he owes me? Candy, Elizabeth, NJ nd are we in one now? Charles, Berkeley Heights, NJ A: The most obvious remedy when a tenant is behind on rent is to file for eviction, Candy which is what you’ve already done. Even if you can finally evict your delinquent tenant, he still owes you almost 2 years worth of rent. A lease agreement is a binding contract and when a tenant stays in a landlord’s property and fails to pay, a landlord can sue the tenant in civil court to […]
continue readingQ: My wife and I have had our rental property for a while. Our tenant moved out so I think it’s a good time to do renovations. Do you think we should renovate the entire place? Henry, Hackensack, NJ A: Paying for renovations and repairs is appropriate to maintain your rental property and to attract the best tenants. However, your return on investment (ROI) as a landlord is a function not just of the rent you collect but also the money you spend. The more money you spend, the lower your ROI will be. Over renovating a property (spending too much money on renovations) is the biggest mistake that landlords, particularly new landlords make. Many people mistakenly believe that every […]
continue readingQ: We just finished renovating our new rental property and started accepting tenant applications. One applicant we met seemed nice but kept complaining about their last landlord. When I looked at his background report, it showed that he had been evicted. What do you think we should do? Claire, Jersey City, NJ A: As a landlord, the 2 biggest potential risks you face from a tenant is 1. Non-payment of rent and 2. Damage to your property. A previous eviction is the #1 sign that someone will be a bad tenant, because it is proof that they were a bad tenant before. I’m not surprised this applicant complained about their last landlord because they obviously weren’t paying their rent. It’s […]
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