North Carolina's eviction numbers have bounced back to pre-pandemic levels.
No landlord wants to evict a tenant, but when your investment property is being put at risk, you have no other choice. Poor tenants are a major source of landlord stress, but that stress can be mitigated with a good eviction protection plan.
When you know how to deal with evictions and put plans in place to prepare for them, the process can go a lot more smoothly. In today's post, we'll explain where to begin with your eviction protection plan. Keep reading and you'll be able to protect your real estate in Greenville.
Screen Your Tenants
Eviction protection starts with prevention and the best way to prevent a poor tenant from renting your property is to perform thorough tenant screening. When you do so, you look at the financial and criminal background of all applicants in addition to contacting character references.
Doing this due diligence will give you more information about each person who applies for your rental. If there are any concerns, you can eliminate them as a candidate.
Security Deposits
Even with good tenant screening practices, you must take active measures to deter them from causing problems. Start each tenancy with a move-in inspection and always make sure to collect a security deposit from new tenants.
Security deposits are like a form of insurance against any potential bad actions on the part of the tenant. If they fail to pay rent or violate the lease agreement in a way that costs you financially, you can recover that money from the security deposit.
Regular inspections will allow you to keep an eye on your tenants' behavior. Make sure not to come around too often, as it may violate your tenant's right to privacy and quiet enjoyment. Every few months is acceptable for most tenants.
Understand the Law
All Greenville landlords should familiarize themselves with North Carolina's eviction laws. If you do need to evict a tenant, you must follow due process or risk elongating the eviction process.
For instance, you can evict a tenant for nonpayment of rent, lease violations, and criminal activity. Each of these is served with a particular notice. You'll then go for a hearing to prove to the eviction court why your tenant should be evicted.
Under no circumstances should attempt to evict a tenant unlawfully. It will result in severe penalties.
Hire a Property Manager for Eviction Protection
All of these tactics will help you develop an effective eviction protection plan. That said, if you want to protect your real estate in Greenville, you should hire a property manager.
Flagship Realty Group is one of the top property managers in North Carolina, helping countless landlords care for their investment properties. Our eviction services will ensure that you don't have to deal with evictions yourself. Furthermore, we'll recover all of the costs associated with eviction on your behalf.
To learn more about how we can help you create an eviction protection plan for your investment property, contact us today.
