Done being a landlord? Here's your exit checklist.

5 steps, locked

• ✓1.Know what it's worth as-is — before you fix a thing.Don't sink money into repairs first; as-is buyers don't pay you back for them. Get a real number based on today's condition and actual comps — not a "70% minus repairs" lowball formula. You built this equity. Know what it is before anyone makes you an offer.
• ✓2.You don't have to evict anyone.In Virginia the lease transfers with the sale — you can sell with the tenant in place. No eviction, no waiting for them to move, no make-ready. A month-to-month or soon-expiring lease gives you even more flexibility. Whoever buys it inherits the tenant, not you.
• ✓3.Sell as-is — skip the repairs, turnovers, and cleanout.The 1 AM calls, the deferred maintenance, the last tenant's mess — none of it is yours to fix. A cash buyer takes the house in whatever shape it's in. No showings, no contractors, no coordinating a turnover.
• ✓4.Understand the tax hit before you sell.Two taxes catch landlords off guard: capital gains and depreciation recapture. They're real — but a 1031 exchange or an installment sale can defer them, and timing matters. Ask your CPA before you sign anything, so the number you actually walk away with is the real one. (General info, not tax advice.)
• ✓5.Get a fair cash offer — and the math behind it.You should see the number, exactly how it was calculated, and your timeline — with no pressure and no lowball games. And if keeping it, a payment plan, or a refinance is actually the smarter move, a straight local buyer will tell you that too.