“Help! My Last Tenant Trashed My Port St. Lucie House” – What to Do Next

Owning a rental in Port St. Lucie? You’ve got the sun, beaches, and steady demand from snowbirds and families near Tradition. But when a tenant leaves your property wrecked – holes in walls, stained carpets, even missing fixtures – it’s enough to make any landlord yell, “Help! My last tenant trashed my Port St. Lucie house!”

It happens more than you’d think. St. Lucie County’s rental market is hot, with vacancy rates under 5%, but bad tenants slip through. If you’re staring at the damage wondering how to sell my house fast after the mess, you’re not alone. As local cash home buyers who we buy houses in Port St. Lucie daily, we’ve helped dozens of landlords escape the nightmare. Here’s your step-by-step guide to assess, fix (or skip), and move on – fast.

Step 1: Assess the Damage – Is It Worth Chasing the Tenant?

First, document everything. Walk through with your phone camera: Note punched drywall in the living room, pet urine on hardwood floors from a SW Bayshore Boulevard rental, or a clogged AC unit in Lakewood Park. Get repair quotes from local pros – expect $2,000–$5,000 for minor fixes, up to $20,000+ for major gut jobs.

Now, chase the tenant? Weigh costs. Florida security deposit law (Chapter 83) lets you deduct damages beyond normal wear, but small claims court in St. Lucie County means paperwork, hearings, and often low recovery (tenants skip town or fight back). If damage tops $10K, it might pay off; otherwise, cut losses. Pro tip: Always use a solid lease with damage clauses and get renter’s insurance.

Step 2: Repair or not? Weigh Your Options in Port St. Lucie

Minor damage? Patch walls ($500), repaint ($1,200), and relist. Port St. Lucie’s rents average $2,200/month for 3-beds – quick turnover pays back fast.

Severe trash? Rethink:

• Handyman Tenant Hack: Rent discounted (or free first month) to a reliable fixer-upper. They repair while living there – we’ve seen it work on US-1 properties. Spell out timelines in writing: “Fix kitchen in 30 days.” Saves thousands, but screen carefully.
• Investor Flip: List as-is to investors via Facebook Marketplace or LoopNet. But agents push fixes for MLS appeal.

Struggling? Sell your house fast to cash buyers house like us. Tired of landlord life post-trashing? We buy houses fast in any condition – no cleanup, no showings. One Midway Road landlord sold after tenants wrecked the bathrooms; we closed in 10 days, cash in hand.

Why Selling As-Is Beats Fixing in Today’s Market

Port St. Lucie’s boom (prices up 8% in 2025) favors sellers, but trashed homes linger. Traditional sales mean:

Issue	Traditional Sale	Sell to Us (We Buy Houses)
Time	45+ days + repairs	7-14 days, as-is
Cost	$10K+ fixes + 6% commissions	Zero fees, full cash
Stress	Showings, staging	One offer, done

Cash home buyers handle the trash – we renovate for flips or rentals ourselves. Perfect if you’re relocating to Vero Beach or done with evictions.

Real story: A PGA Village landlord faced $15K damage from partying tenants. Fixing? Months out. She searched sell my house fast Port St. Lucie got our offer and pocketed $285K cash – more net than listing after repairs.

Ready to Sell My House Fast? Get Your Cash Offer Today

Skip the headache. Whether minor dings or total trash, we buy houses in Port St. Lucie fast and fair. No obligations – just tell us about the property (address, condition).

Fill out our quick form below or call (772) 408-4441 today. As your go-to we buy houses team, we’ll respond same day. Turn “Help! My tenant trashed my house” into “Cash in bank” – let’s get you out quick!