I Received a Notice that My Apartment is For Sale

Submitted by SnooTangerines1319 t3_y7qoh5 in washingtondc

Hi all.

I received in the mail recently (and heard rumors prior) notice of my apartment complex being sold. Nowhere on this document does it give a sale date, but it loosely outlines Tenant Opportunity To Purchase (TOPA) & District (DOPA). They offer a few websites that come tomorrow I will be checking out such as Housing Counseling Servies, CARECEN, etc., but has anyone experienced their complex selling before?? What does this mean?

My lease is up very soon (Beginning of December) and my leasing office has been impossible to get in contact with to discuss a move within the complex, just a different unit. Do you all think this would affect my lease?/signing a new one. Does anyone have advice with dealing with this?

Thank you all in advance for any input you may give! (And since I’m here and looking for housing, is there any apt complexes out there leasing studios in the ballpark of 1,500? Any recs welcome)

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3hip5u t1_iswquhe wrote

Call the Office of Tenant Advocate (OTA). Their attorneys will walk you through your options and your rights for any path you choose. But if you don't know already, in DC just because your housing is being sold, it does not automatically mean you have to move out, even if your lease is up. Leases automatically go month-to-month and a buyer can't just kick you out because they want to (though they can kick you out if they want to live there... OTA can walk you through all your rights in that case). OTA OTA OTA

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SnooTangerines1319 OP t1_isxer96 wrote

Thank you, I will give them a call today. I would definitely consider month to month, but not at the hiked up rate the building was going to charge.

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giscard78 t1_isw3uxq wrote

My old building tried it. It’s expensive at each step and the tenants have to really want it and hVe a critical mass. I think the surveys of my building only ever showed about 1/3 interested (and 1/3 not interested at all and another 1/3 indifferent or undecided). Urban Village I think just got through the TOPA process and has some info written about it.

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Blackice1625 t1_isxf93o wrote

Think we may live in the same building because I was kind of confused too. My lease ended august and I accepted a new lease but there’s no new lease because the leasing people kind of just stopped replying to things after July... Just me paying my rent monthly hoping to not be thrown out cuz DC is too hard to find housing in.

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SnooTangerines1319 OP t1_isxl4qk wrote

If we are … the leasing people are the worst!! The month to month that youre now paying though, is it a much higher rate? Even though the apt is not ideal i’d love to stay for convenience, but not at an even higher rate than what we’re currently paying

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Blackice1625 t1_isxlguk wrote

The month is the same as my original lease. My new lease I actually agreed to was to go up $100 but it’s not on the rent cafe. I don’t mind it even though it’s not the safest but the location makes it somewhat convenient for me for many reasons. It’s all making sense. Seems like they may wanna toss some of us in the cheaper apartments so the new landlord can fill it up with new pricing because my 1B is way cheaper than some studios here.

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SnooTangerines1319 OP t1_isxpbjz wrote

agh i’m currently in a 2br and want to move into a studio/1br, bcz the location is also v convenient for me, but it has been like pulling teeth to get in contact with leasing. I wish there were still good rent specials!!

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Blackice1625 t1_isxuekk wrote

They've done me so dirty. My apartment wasn't Move ready at all when I came to move in. It’s just crazy they are tryna sell. Probably to rebrand the building after some incidents.

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88138813 t1_isxpmqo wrote

You need to call the Office of Tenant Advocate. They will be able to provide a much better answer than anybody on reddit can tbh.

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SnooTangerines1319 OP t1_isxt07m wrote

Most definitely! I gave them a call this morning, had to leave a vm. It’s always nice to get peoples personal experiences as well though.

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tallguyindc t1_ithor7d wrote

It probably won't be as big a deal as you fears. The new landlord just wants to earn a profit off of renting to tenants just like the old. A leased unit is more valuable to landlords than an empty one

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NPRjunkieDC t1_isw471s wrote

In what part of town is your building?

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SnooTangerines1319 OP t1_isxetp7 wrote

NE, H st area

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NPRjunkieDC t1_isxeyzb wrote

They're emptying a new building?

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SnooTangerines1319 OP t1_isxl9rj wrote

no not emptying, it was just a notice of sale (with little to no details) and I don’t really know what this means for us (mostly want to know re: rent pricing)

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NPRjunkieDC t1_isxmtjl wrote

I see . Notice is cuz you guys have to agree

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toorigged2fail t1_isxx4ab wrote

And if they're being sketchy about it, it might not be a bad idea to share what you learn from OTA with your neighbors. Type something up and slip out under their doors.

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