Selling a rental is more complicated when someone is living in it. You have a lease to honor, a tenant’s schedule and privacy to respect, and sometimes a tenant who isn’t making things easy. The good news is that you have several options, and one of them doesn’t require the tenant to move out at all.
Here’s how to sell a house with tenants in Spokane, Coeur d’Alene or the Tri-Cities, and how to handle the tenant problems that often make landlords want to sell in the first place.
Step 1: Read your lease
Start with the lease. Look for:
- When it ends, and whether it’s a fixed term or month-to-month
- Any clause about what happens if the property is sold
- Rules about access, showings and notice
- Rules about smoking, pets, noise and who handles which repairs
- The security deposit amount and terms
In general, a sale doesn’t cancel an existing lease. The new owner usually takes over the lease and the tenant along with the house.
Step 2: Know the notice basics
Washington and Idaho handle landlord-tenant rules differently, and the rules change from time to time.
- Washington generally requires landlords to give tenants advance notice before entering, including to show the home to buyers. Washington also limits the reasons a landlord can end a tenancy, and selling the home has its own notice requirements.
- Idaho leaves more of this to the lease itself, so what your lease says about access and ending the tenancy matters a lot.
Before you schedule showings or give any notice to move out, check the current rules or talk with a landlord-tenant attorney. A mistake here can delay your sale or create legal trouble.
Step 3: Talk to your tenant
Be honest and early. Tell your tenant you’re planning to sell and what that might mean for them. A few things to consider:
- Would they like to buy it? A long-term tenant who loves the house and the school district may be your easiest buyer.
- Do they want to stay? Some buyers, including us, are happy to keep a good tenant in place.
- Would they move early for help with moving costs? Some landlords offer a cash payment or reduced rent in exchange for a move-out date. Put any agreement in writing.
Step 4: Choose how to sell
Wait for the lease to end
Letting the lease run out, then selling the house vacant, is the simplest route for a traditional listing. The trade-off is that you may carry the mortgage and bills with no rent coming in while you fix it up and wait for a buyer.
List it with the tenant in place
This can work well if your tenant is cooperative and keeps the place clean. A furnished home can even show better than an empty one. But if the relationship is rocky, showings can be hard to schedule, the house may not look its best, and an unhappy tenant can make buyers nervous.
Sell directly to a buyer who takes the tenant
This is usually the fastest and least disruptive option. Backyard Home Buyers buys houses with tenants in place, so there’s no need to end the lease, schedule a string of showings or wait for a vacancy. We’ll work with you on a single walkthrough that respects your tenant’s notice rights.
Dealing with problem tenants
A lot of landlords decide to sell because of a difficult tenant. Here’s how to handle the common ones.
The tenant who won’t respond
Try calling, texting and emailing, and give them a reasonable amount of time. If you still don’t hear back, send a letter and keep a copy. Document every attempt. If it becomes a legal matter, that record matters.
Smoking in the house
Smoke damages walls, carpet, cabinets and appliances, and the smell is stubborn. Check whether your lease prohibits smoking, then talk to the tenant directly. If it continues and the lease forbids it, talk to an attorney about your options. Cleaning up afterward usually means sealing and repainting, new flooring and sometimes more.
Noise and neighbor complaints
Find out what’s actually happening before assuming the worst. Talk with the tenant, give clear warnings in writing, and check what your lease says about disturbances. If things don’t improve, a local attorney can explain your options.
Damage and who pays
As a general rule, landlords pay for normal wear and tear and for systems that fail on their own, like a water heater or furnace. Tenants are typically responsible for damage they cause, such as pet damage, holes in walls or broken windows. Your lease and state law set the details. Photos at move-in and move-out make deposit disputes much easier.
Endless maintenance requests
- Set up one simple way for tenants to submit requests.
- Respond quickly. Small problems ignored turn into big ones.
- Keep a repair budget for the unexpected.
- Spell out in the lease which repairs are the tenant’s responsibility.
- Keep a clear record of every request, cost and completed repair.
Evictions
If it comes to an eviction, follow your state’s process exactly and consider hiring an attorney. Evictions take time and money, and procedural mistakes can send you back to the start.
Why landlords sell to Backyard Home Buyers
- We buy with tenants in place, whether they’re great or difficult.
- We buy as-is: no repairs, no turnover, no cleaning.
- No fees or commissions, and we pay the closing costs.
- You’ll usually have a fair cash offer within 24 hours.
- We can close in as little as 7 days, or on your date.
- In the Tri-Cities, we can often work from photos to keep disruption to a minimum.
We’re local and family-owned, and both owners were born and raised in the Inland Northwest. Since 2019 we’ve done over 500 deals, including many rentals with tenants in them. If you’re on the fence about selling at all, our guide on when it’s time to sell a rental may help.
We buy rentals in Spokane, Coeur d’Alene and the Tri-Cities. See how it works or call (509) 461-9079.