MarylandNed

Just wondering if the Trump administration has had any impact on anyone's immigration status or plans. For example, has anyone been encouraged to apply for US citizenship because of worries over Trump's treatment of non-US citizens?

Noorah101

Two of my Iranian friends recently had their N-400 interviews. The officer said they passed and are clearly approvable, but a directive has been issued not to approve any immigration benefit for anyone from the 5 "ban" countries. Their cases will remain on hold until further notice.

Rene

mrken30

That's unfortunate.

It appears to me that laws can change overnight in the US. They have even changed tax laws retrospectively in Oregon. Recently they passed a law that made landlords pay minimum of $3000 in moving expenses. This came into effect overnight.

Pulaski

.... if the landlord evicts someone without cause.

Talk about a misleading post!

mrken30

Without cause also includes end of a termed lease. If your landlord does not offer you a new lease , the landlord has to pay moving expenses. Also if the rent goes up by more than 10%.

Tenants do not get their moving costs paid if they get evicted for trashing the place or not paying rent. Which I think is fair.

But if someone had been given notice 80 days, or been given a 10% rent raise, prior to the legislation, the landlord was suddenly expect to pat the moving costs. I assume landlord were able to quickly reduce the rents without notice.

My point wasn't about the change in the legislation, but how it got implemented overnight.

Pulaski

If you're an investor in real estate, why would you kick out a tenant without cause?

Your "investment" is someone else's "home", and if you want to sell out to realise a capital gain then the $3k seems like a fair price. In short, I don't see anything especially unfair in a law that will tend to encourage long term investors and discourage dabbling in the rental business by people who for whatever reason don't/can't sell their home so decide to rent it out for a few years.

mrken30

An example would be where you have two tenants that are fighting and causing issues for other neighbors.
It was much easier to do a no cause eviction for unreasonable behavior than doing a for cause. For example if someone consistently had loud parties at 2 am disturbing other tenants. Now you need to collect all the evidence, have the Police called minimum of 3 times within 30 days.
If someone consistently puts sanitary towels down the toilet. You probably can't do a for cause, but you still need to pay the plumber.
There are many other examples.
The big one is if you have a fire. You have to pay for the tenants housing/hotel while it's being fixed, and now if you do a no cause you have an extra $3000+ to pay. Someone paying $600 a month does not pay for many hotel days and mortgage.

There are many other examples. Also if a tenant has a for cause eviction it is unlikely they will get another landlord renting to them. However a no cause eviction may not count against them.

Pulaski

If it's that much hard work, I don't know why you bother. .... Have many of your houses caught fire?

mrken30

it's no harder than most other jobs, but it is a job and it pays the bills. It's creates a sense of financial security.

None of mine , touch wood. There is probably about 1 apartment fire a month that displaces tenants around here. We do supply extinguishers and fire blankets and have been trying to find someone to install sprinklers.
There is a UK product called automist that creates a fine mist therefore causing less water damage. It is only available on the East coast at the moment.

lansbury

You would think a landlord with an ounce of common sense would have fire insurance to cover such risks.

scrubbedexpat099

And having a rider on such a policy would or should cost a few dollars a year to cover that sort of cost.

mrken30

Our insurance will pay for fire, I think it pays for loss of rent and or hotel costs for 6 months, but it didn't pay when the tenant flooded his unit and didn't tell us for several weeks.

Fortunately I don't have to pay relocation costs yet. My insurance will not cover those costs.

scrubbedexpat099

Sounds like you need to shop around.

mrken30

Also it costs more than a few dollars.

The other thing I probably do need to check is if I am covered for smoke damage/ water damage from a fire.

Unfortunately a lot of the time, you don't know whether you are really covered until you try to claim. I had a similar think happen in the UK and I was covered.

Pulaski

That's probably covered under your health insurance, but you might want to check if your home and investment properties are covered.

/helpful