---
title: "Sell a House with Problem Tenants or Squatters | MD & VA | James Mancera"
description: "Eviction in progress, squatters, or occupancy disputes at your Maryland or Virginia rental property? I buy occupied properties for cash. No eviction required. Real offer today. James Mancera."
url: "https://jamesmancera.com/problem-tenants"
last_updated: 2026-05-06
---

# Problem Tenants or Squatters? I Buy the Property Occupied.

**Eviction in progress, squatters who won't leave, tenants not paying rent, I buy rental properties in Maryland and Virginia with occupancy issues. No eviction required before closing.**

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Maryland and Virginia are both landlord, unfriendly states in terms of eviction timelines. In Maryland, the process from filing to execution can take 2-4 months in normal conditions, longer if the tenant appeals, claims hardship, or uses any of the multiple procedural delays available to them. In Virginia, the process is somewhat faster but still runs 30-90 days depending on the county and the court's docket. The whole time, you're not collecting rent, you may be paying a mortgage, and the tenant may be doing damage to the property.

I buy occupied rental properties in Maryland and Virginia. That means the tenant, or the squatter, or the holdover occupant who refuses to leave, stays in place through the closing. The occupancy situation transfers to me as the new owner. You're done. I deal with the eviction, the court appearances, the sheriff enforcement, whatever the situation requires from there.

This is different from the tired landlord situation, being worn out by the rental business generally. Problem tenant situations are acute: someone is in the property who shouldn't be, or who is supposed to be there but has stopped paying and started causing damage. The property is in active conflict. You need an exit that doesn't require you to win a months, long eviction proceeding first.

Tenant damage is common in these situations and it factors into my offer. I've walked properties where tenants punched holes in walls, ripped out fixtures, left stoves packed with grease and drawers full of debris, and generally treated the property like it owed them something. My background is construction. I know what those repairs cost. I price it honestly into the offer and don't come back later renegotiating.

No commissions, no closing costs, no eviction required before you sell. Fill out the form below and I'll call you today.

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## FAQ

**Q: Can you buy a property with an eviction already in progress?**

A: Yes. I buy properties with active eviction proceedings regularly. In Maryland and Virginia, a buyer inherits the landlord's position in an existing tenancy, including ongoing eviction cases. I understand how to evaluate and take over that process as the new owner. The active eviction doesn't stop the sale.

**Q: What about squatters, people who moved in without a lease?**

A: Squatter situations are more complex than a standard tenant eviction because there may be no lease to reference and the legal process to remove unauthorized occupants varies by jurisdiction. In Maryland and Virginia, unauthorized occupants still have to be removed through the court system. I buy properties with squatters factoring in the time and cost to resolve the occupancy situation.

**Q: Do I have to wait until the property is vacant to sell?**

A: No. I buy occupied rental properties regularly. The tenants or occupants remain in place through closing and become my responsibility as the new owner. You sell the property in its current occupied state and I take over dealing with the occupancy situation from there.

**Q: The tenants have damaged the property significantly. Does that affect the sale?**

A: Tenant damage affects the offer price, not whether I'll buy. I factor the repair scope into my number from the start. I've bought rental properties where tenants caused $30,000-$80,000 in damage and still made fair cash offers. The condition of the property and the occupancy situation together tell me the full picture, I price both into one honest offer.