Navigating a Tenant Eviction and Property Sale: In November 2023, I was contacted by a client whose elderly mother needed to sell her long-term rental property to help cover the increasing costs of her care. The home was tenant-occupied, and unfortunately, the occupant had no intention of leaving voluntarily.
Recognizing the challenges of California’s tenant-friendly environment, I advised the client early on to hire an eviction specialist, such as Dennis Block & Associates. While known for their no-nonsense, results-driven approach (and minimal handholding), their efficiency can be invaluable in difficult situations.
At first, the client chose to handle the process himself, including serving the 60-day notice to vacate. Unfortunately, he executed the notice incorrectly. I don’t recall the exact mistake, but it was serious enough to invalidate the notice. He then hired an attorney who provided more hands-on support. Together, they reissued the notice — but this time, they included the wrong ZIP code. That error forced them to start over again. Legal missteps continued to pile up, and months passed. Over six months later, the property remained occupied. Only then was a properly executed notice finally served.
Throughout this time, the tenant stopped paying rent. Meanwhile, legal bills accumulated, property taxes came due, and the client continued to fund his mother’s care out of pocket. The tenant, meanwhile, had access to free legal aid and fought every step of the process — even requesting a jury trial, which was her legal right. Eventually, the matter was resolved in court, allowing the tenant three additional months to vacate, avoiding a trial at the last minute.
We initially hoped to negotiate a Cash for Keys agreement. This is a common solution where the tenant receives payment to leave voluntarily. However, the tenant refused a reasonable settlement, forcing us to pursue litigation as the only option.
The buyer canceled escrow. We had no choice but to relist — this time at $499,000. The home with a substandard notice, being a two-bedroom, one-bath fixer on a flag lot with no garage, didn’t qualify for conventional financing. Now, it was a cash-only deal, limited to investors or buyers using hard money.
Eventually, we closed escrow in September 2025 for $475,000. This sale marked the end of nearly two years of delays, legal battles, and stress. Most importantly, it gave the client’s mother access to the funds she urgently needed.
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It’s stories like these that keep me out of the tenant rental business.although that notice from the city could happen to any property I suppose