06-15-2014, 01:35 PM
If you do get back in the running, check to see if the liens have been cleared. I was there for a month enjoying the seclusion when an electrical contractor left a notice of lien on the front door. I checked with them and found out that the mechanical contractor and the concrete contractor were also owed money. A few days later a real estate person called me and said that the house had been put up for sale and that they were going to start showing the house to prospective buyers in a few days. So all of a sudden instead of enjoying the seclusion, I was going to see an endless stream of strangers going through the house until it was sold. The real estate guy told me that the lease had the standard clause that required me to allow them to show the house whenever they wanted. Sure enough the clause was in the lease. But I soon turned the tables on his strong armed tactics. I told him that this was a legal contract and that they failed to disclose that the property was in financial trouble and would likely be put up for sale or foreclosed by the bank. Had I been informed, I would not have signed the lease. I refused to let them show the house. After a while they agreed to my terms that they would only show the house once a week and that I would get credit for a day's rent for each day they showed the house. There was a lot of interest in the beginning, but pretty soon it dropped to nothing and they never got an offer. There were about ten other foreclosed houses on 15th street. Also check that the copper wiring and plumbing has not been ripped out.