Moving from your home, or residential relocation as we are going to call it in this article, can be stressful and exhausting. There are a number of tasks that need to be addressed before the moving company arrives. If you develop a system and work on these chores one at a time in a sensible manner you will achieve them with a minimum of effort.
The first thing you must do of course is find a place to move to and determine if it is the right size and layout for your needs. There are generally two main reasons for moving: more space or less space. Starting a family or taking in a sick relative would be a legitimate reason for seeking more space. Divorce or tragedy would lead to a quest for something smaller. Whatever your reasons are, find the right place for you and give yourself some lead time so you don't have to scramble. If you're purchasing a home you should have a few months between the offer and the closing. If you're renting, give two months notice if possible.
Once you find a location the next step is to determine what goes with you and what gets thrown out. Residential relocation is a golden opportunity to get rid of all the junk that you accumulated while you lived at your present location. Don't take it with you when you move. Piles of trash should be placed in a trash receptacle, not brought to a new home.
The next step is packing. This is a crucial step that, when done properly, will make your residential relocation stress free and less expensive. After you take out the trash, pack all of your belongings into sturdy but not heavy boxes of uniform size. These can be lifted easily and moved without danger of injury to the movers or risk of breakage. If they are uniform size they can be stacked neatly and cut down on the size of the truck you will need.
Mark each box with the name of the room it will be going into, not the one it is coming out of. A walk-through of your new home with a clipboard and a pen before you pack will help you make these decisions. Fifteen minutes of planning can save you hours of extra work. Just because you keep an item in the bedroom at your old house doesn't mean it will go there in the new location. Residential relocation is a systematic process, not just a throw-it-all-in-a-box and move affair. Searching for a place correctly, packing properly and planning according can make the difference between a comfortable move and a stressful disaster.
Eviction is one of the biggest nightmares of being a Landlord. The court proceedings can be time consuming, and expensive, and are best evaded if there is any reasonable solution. If a tenant has violated their lease agreement, it's imperative for the landlord to take all measures available in order to minimize any loss.
Still, conditions can warrant eviction and are not always cut-and-dry. It can often be tough to determine the proper time to start eviction action. Use the checklist below to assist you to make the best determination.
? Do circumstances deserve eviction based on the guidelines specified in the lease? Make sure the language in your lease agreement will be in compliance with the guidelines you and the tenant have agreed upon. If there is an inconsistency, an eviction may be disputed in court. When unsure, it may be best to seek advice from an attorney.
? Do circumstances deserve eviction based on local, state, and federal laws? There are very specific regulations specifying why, when, and how a tenant can be evicted which may differ depending on the location. In order to control errors and protect your assets, it is important to ensure that you are in compliance with the federal, state and local statutes before moving forward with the eviction process. In order to make certain your rights are protected, be sure to check with an attorney who specializes in Landlord/Tenant laws in your area.
? What is the severity of arrearages or is the tenant habitually late? It is important to weigh the cost of court ordered eviction to the outcome. When a tenant is two or more months behind in rent payments and has made no viable attempt to get caught up, then the situation warrants court intervention. If you can prove that the tenant has been chronically late with rent payments, your chance of a successful eviction claim will be increased significantly. On the other hand, if a tenant is only a few days late, and usually pays rent on time, court proceedings may be harsh in this circumstance. It may be wiser to initiate collection by issuing late notices, emails and phone contact.
? Has the tenant violated another term of the lease agreement? Although, non-payment of rent is the most common reason for eviction, there are other instances where it may be necessary. Examples of such circumstances that are commonly referred to in eviction cases include: keeping an unauthorized pet on the premises, subletting the property or allowing another tenant to move in without prior approval, submitting false information on the rental application or lease agreement, grossly deficient housekeeping, inflicting negligent damage on the property, participating in unsafe or illegal activities on the premises, or committing frequent nuisance violations.
? Is it unlikely that the tenant will modify their behavior? It may be difficult to prove violations of a Lease other than for non-payment of rent. Keeping a log of events and communication in addition to possessing a paper trail of documents demonstrating the wrong-doing is imperative in creating a case against your tenant. If the tenant continues to violate the Lease, eviction proceedings are probably deserved.
? Does the tenant pose an imminent and continuing danger to the property, the neighborhood, or the community? If the situation is becoming out of control, initiating an eviction may be your best bet. A quick response to a dangerous situation may be pertinent in gaining possession of your property to ensure prevention of damage, injury and possible financial hardship.
Choosing to move forward with an eviction is never an easy decision to make. While it's important to be flexible if the tenant has made a decent effort to cooperate with you to solve the problem, it is also important to remember that your property is a business investment. No landlord should commit indefinitely to a situation that may prove to be costly. When a tenant refuses to honor the obligation he agreed to when entering into the lease agreement, an eviction proceeding is most likely the quickest way to end an ill-fated situation. Cut your losses and consider it as a learning experience, and move forward.
Both Nir Dotan & Kevin Kiene are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.