Home in Virginia has pending offer despite non-paying occupant 'living in lower level'

[Demovictory9]

A fixer-upper in Fairfax, Virginia, is already under contract after only a few days on the market - despite the buyer being forced to inherit a non-paying occupant in the basement.

The listing, originally posted on April 10, didn't pull any punches when it came to the home's current condition. A few of the windows are rotting, the dishwasher doesn't work, a leaky toilet needs fixing, and the outdoor deck's supports are "not to today's code."

Prospective buyers were also told they would have no access to preview the basement, seeing as the home was selling “as-is” with "a person(s) living in lower level with no lease in place."

The asking price? $800,000. Cash only.

Listing agent Zinta K. Rodgers-Rickert has since cleared up a few details about the bizarre clause, speaking with the Washingtonian about the home's basement-dwellers. Rodgers-Rickert, of the Red Truck Realty Group Re/Max Gateway, told the outlet that the person - or persons - living in the basement "weaseled in" years ago, and the seller no longer has the wherewithal or energy to go through with the eviction process. The elderly seller was also in the hospital, Rodgers-Rickert later told Axios.

The new owners, therefore, will either need to start the eviction process themselves or learn to adapt to their new living situation.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/home-in-virginia-has-pending-offer-despite-non-paying-occupant-living-in-lower-level/ar-AAWiwm5

pics of home here:

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3709-Prado-Pl-Fairfax-VA-22031/51836844_zpid/

[LuckyLib]

1. Bring in a bulldozer. It's clearly "what the market will bear" but this is insanity.

And the "eviction" shouldn't cost anyone lawyers and court costs -- a couple of sheriff deputies or Fairfax PD to escort the individual out. But I suspect there's more to the story -- a family member or caregiver who simply feels entitled.

[Demovictory9]

2. years of living rent free.

[DET]

3. Desperate times...

Yes, it’s insane. I would never buy a property with a squatter in residence. And most people would probably say that they wouldn’t buy a fixer upper at that price point - unless they lived around here. The property is in Mantua, which is an older but well regarded community just outside the Beltway. And it is served by good schools. For better or worse, that price is not unusual for the location.

[jmowreader]

4. No.

“But why don’t you want this lovely home, Mr. Mowreader?”

“Let me count the ways.
It’s $800,000.
It needs $500,000 worth of work to make it livable.
I gotta gut the kitchen.
Gut the powder room.
Tear the deck off and have it rebuilt.
Reside it with fiber cement.
Re-roof it.
Replace the HVAC system.
Donate the builder-grade range to the Marines for target practice and order a 36” induction range.
Stick the builder-grade fridge on the curb with a sign on it $20 if you haul this off. Works fine.
Replace the dishwasher with one that works.
Throw that goddamned over-the-range microwave off a bridge.
Have the whole house tiled.
Replace all the doors and windows, and put a French door in place of that fucking slider.
And on top of all that, I gotta get rid of a fucking squatter?
Why do you THINK I don’t want this house?”

[Native]

8. +1

[Emile]

5. Damn, $800.000 for that!

My friend just sold his 3 year old two story log home and 35 acres of land for $650,000. Amazing the price differences around the country.

[Fla_Democrat]

9. Location, location, location.

[Demovictory9]

11. It would be 1.5 million in parts of Calif

[HipChick]

19. MiniMansion Area...

[HipChick]

20. Lots of MacMansions around there...

[no_hypocrisy]

6. Same or similar situation where I'm living.

Three adults living in unit below me. Haven't paid rent since February 2020. LL couldn't evict during pandemic. They're in the basement where the hot water heaters are. Big spill of water and wasted the floors and they didn't report it.

House (4 units) being sold as I'm typing. And I don't know what will happen after the sale.

[Demovictory9]

13. Lots of renters gaming.the.system.during.covid

[Native]

7. Zillow has the estimated repair costs at 6 grand. ROFL

[Demovictory9]

12. 60,000 more like it

[Native]

14. That might cover the attorney's fees for the eviction!

[jmowreader]

17. And that leaves you stuck with a lot of crap you don't want

The Zillow listing says the heating system is “other” which suggests baseboard heating. One of the photos shows mold on the siding which says to me, maybe it’s Masonite. Masonite siding was one of our stupider ideas; so much of it rotted it bankrupted seven lumber companies - including Masonite itself. (The Premdor Company bought the name in the bankruptcy auction.) As I said in my comment the joint is full of the cheapest appliances you can get at Lowe’s. And I wouldn’t be surprised to find a Federal Pacific breaker panel in the house.

Even without the squatter this is a bad investment.

[LisaL]

18. If somebody has that much in cash, it's likely going to be a complete gut.

NT

[Buns_of_Fire]

10. That's just plain bizarre.

Like Kroger selling me a cartful of groceries that come with a family to help me eat them. There's got to be more to that story.

[LisaL]

15. Looks to be a highly desirable area.

I looked up estimates and they are considerably more than $800,000.
So I presume the future owners think they can fix it up and get rid of basement dwellers.

[HipChick]

21. Very highly sought after area...lots of land to

build a MacMansion too...

Area is dotted with them...

[ripcord]

22. Of course there is

https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2022/04/12/viral-fairfax-home-with-squatters-asks-800k-cash

"Zinta Rodgers-Rickert, from RE/MAX Gateway’s Red Truck Realty Group, describes the house's lower-level residents as "squatters" who asked to move in after being hired to clean the home and never left.

The elderly homeowner, who bought the house in 1997, is currently in the hospital and isn't doing well, the agent says."

You have to remember that squatters have more rights than landlords do. Even if the family evicts and get a judgement in court what are they going to collect? Then there is the fact that not only can't the landlord turn of any utilities but the property will have many more repairs because of the squatters.

[SYFROYH]

16. Lots of places are sold with tenants. They can be evicted

This is a hugely desirable area and $800,000 for a fixer-upper is not unreasonable

5 bd,4 ba, 3,548 sqft

After $100,000 of renovations and maintenance, this place will be over $1,000,000 instantly.