--- title: 'Tenants Got Divorced and Destroyed His Rental' source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=XIkxpTRagho' video_id: 'XIkxpTRagho' date: 2026-08-06 duration_sec: 69 --- # Tenants Got Divorced and Destroyed His Rental > Source: [Tenants Got Divorced and Destroyed His Rental](https://youtube.com/watch?v=XIkxpTRagho) ## Summary A real estate investor recounts a harrowing first-property experience where tenants divorced, one became an alcoholic and lost his job, and the property was destroyed, costing $15,000 in damages. The story highlights the importance of resilience and staying in the game, as the investor eventually recovered through a 1031 exchange. ### Key Points - **First Property Disaster** [00:03] — The investor's first property, Norris Drive, was found after a year of searching. Tenant selection was done correctly, but the tenants divorced in the first month, leading to a cascade of problems. - **Tenant Destruction** [00:27] — The husband became an alcoholic and lost his job, destroying the property to the tune of $15,000. The investor never received a rent payment beyond the initial deposit. - **Eviction and Remodel** [00:40] — The investor had to evict the tenants and perform a $15,000 remodel on a property that had just been remodeled, nearly causing financial ruin. - **Happy Ending via 1031 Exchange** [00:55] — Despite the setback, the investor eventually did a 1031 exchange and still owns the property, providing a happy ending to the story. - **Key Lesson: Stay in the Game** [01:07] — The core principle is that you only lose money in real estate if you are forced to sell. Staying alive and holding on is the key to eventual success. ### Conclusion The investor's story underscores that real estate investing requires resilience and a long-term perspective. Even when a deal goes horribly wrong, staying in the game can lead to a positive outcome. ## Transcript drunk and lost his job. And he destroyed my property to the tune of 15 grand. I never received a rent payment. Like you guys don't know my story, but my first property Norris Drive, I was so happy after spending a year to find it. I did everything right with tenant selection. But they got divorced the first month they moved in. The wife took off. The husband became a drunk and lost his job. And he destroyed my property to the tune payment. >> Ever? Oh my god. deposit when they moved in, but I never saw another dime. And I had to evict them. And I had to do a 15K remodel on something I just remodeled. Right? That >> Right. Yeah. >> The story goes on. We end up 1031 out of we still own. So there is a happy ending, but I almost busted out on my first property. >> This is the whole game, right? You have to stay in it. The way you lose money in real estate is being forced to sell, right? Like that's it. If you stay alive, you're going to be If you stay alive, you're going to be all right.