Urban Duplex Myths: Tenants and Alligators

Duplex Sellers 24 hour noticeEver heard the urban myth about alligators in the sewer system?

It’s not true.

How about the one about being required to give tenants 24 hour notice before entering or showing a rental property?

It’s not true either. And yet, many duplex owners continue to believe it.

Unless your lease specifies that you must give your tenants 24 hour notice, the state of Minnesota requires only that you make a reasonable attempt to notify your tenants that you will be entering their residence for business or maintenance purposes.

State law does not define “reasonable notice”.

This becomes especially important when you are considering selling your duplex.

Duplex buyers are busy people, just like the rest of us. Often times, they get a window of opportunity to look at property at the last minute. And if your duplex requires them to give 24 hours notice, they may have to postpone their visit for several days.

Tenants do not have to leave the property. And the fact is, most of the time buyers are not in the units any more than 5 or 10 minutes.

Sometimes, one of the fastest ways to sell your duplex quickly is simply to explain this to tenants.

After all, as soon as you accept an offer the showings will come to a stop.