EVICTING A TENANT   This is the sequence of events that culminated in asking my tenants to leave.

 The house next door was built by my second husband's grandfather.  It is a small but well built house.  Butch lived in that house.  He was a very nice neighbor.  Last Thanksgiving, I drove to Syracuse.  By the time I returned, Butch had died and had his wake.  What a shock!  There was no warning, no time to say goodbye. He had an aneurysm that broke.  He died within hours.

Butch had told me that his will states his niece will inherit the house.  Butch and his wife had no children of their own.  He adored his niece and her family.  The feeling was mutual.  Everybody liked "Uncle Butch".  

Time goes by.  I expect to see the new family move in next door.  They do not. 

Then, a neighbor tells me that the house will be sold.  It seems that Butch had some gambling debts.  The house must be sold to pay his bills.

Thinking back, I remember how Butch had worked on the house.  He had a new roof put on.  He took down awnings and restored them.   The basement looks military ship shape...no wonder....Butch was Air Force  before He worked at Sikorsky Helicopters.   Butch's expertise using machines was evident in how He restored that house.   ...the house that my husband's grandfather built.

 I thought it would make a better rental than the one I own in the town next to Milford.    I expressed an interest in buying this house. Butch's niece agreed.  

 In order to do that, I would have to sell my other rental.   

The Agent said that the house next door will probably sell quickly.  My house may or may not sell quickly.  She suggested a bridge loan...an equity loan on my primary residence...which is the beach house.   I agreed to that. 

In order to pay off the equity loan, I would sell off the house in the neighboring town.    I put in an application for an equity loan and was turned down.  It seems the equity in my beach house has fallen to about half of what I thought it was.  They would only grant the loan on my primary residence, which is the beach house.   

My attorney had written into my purchase offer,"subject to getting the equity loan".  I got my deposit back.

Now what shall I do?    I decided to continue with the sale of my rental house.  If the timing works out for me, I can by-pass the equity loan and pay cash for the house next door.  The agent agrees to look at the house.  She calls me very upset.  "I can't show that house in the condition it is now.  There are things all over.  There are two dogs barking at me.  No agent nor prospective buyer will enter a house with 2 strange dogs in it, for fear of being bitten."

I had a talk with the tenants. They said they would have it cleaned up by the weekend.  The weekend came and went.  it looks the same.  Strike one.  Repeat one week later.  Strike two.  Another weekend and they strike out.  They are making no effort to cooperate with the sale of this house...which would have been in their best interest.  

I finally pulled my trump card:  They had been smoking in a no smoking house. There are butts on the ground.  The basement smells of cigarette smoke.   They signed the lease that specifically prohibits smoking...and no pets.  I had relented to allowing their one dog because He was a family pet and getting old.   The second dog I was told, was "just visiting".    The tenants were asked to leave.  

This is an upsetting experience for them as it is for me.  The house goes on the market July 1st.