City of Providence Recorder of Deeds
This is the official Providence office link for property-record questions.
Providence, RI · Providence County · Tenant-occupied house
You're done — no turnover, no repairs, no more bad tenants.
Yes. You can sell your Providence house with tenants still living there. We buy houses as-is in Providence and Providence County, Rhode Island. A sale does not cancel a lease; the buyer takes over as landlord subject to it. The tenants do not have to move just because the house is sold.
Tell us what is happening with the lease, access, or repairs. Call 888-274-5006 or use the form below.
Talk through your Providence tenant-occupied house
Start with the Providence address and what you know about the lease, occupancy, access, repairs, and deposits. You do not have to resolve the tenancy before calling.
We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours.
We give written cash offers in 24 hours.
Share the address and tell us what is happening with the tenants and the house.
What we do
USA Home Buyers buys houses as-is in Providence and Providence County. We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us.
You don't always need to evict to sell to us. We buy houses with tenants in place — we've done it many times, including cash-for-keys when that works better for everyone.
Tell us whether keeping the tenants in place or talking about a move-out arrangement is part of the situation. We can discuss the house and tenancy as they are.
Bring us the problem
Is the lease unclear, is access difficult, or does the house need repairs? Tell us what is going on with the property and the people living there. You can start with what you know.
Call 888-274-5006 and tell us what is happening.
What happens next
1. We discuss the house and lease
We talk about the Providence address, who lives there, the lease or rental arrangement, access, repairs, occupancy, and the deposit records you have.
2. We put the offer and terms in writing
We give written cash offers in 24 hours. Written offer and written terms before you commit; title-company closing.
3. The title company handles closing
If you choose to proceed, the title-company closing covers the ownership and transaction paperwork. Bring the lease, occupancy information, and deposit records into the closing discussion so the handoff can be documented.
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including Rhode Island's real estate conveyance tax.
Your mortgage, liens, back taxes, and share of current property taxes remain separate.
Local property-record help
For property-record questions about a Providence address, use the City of Providence Recorder of Deeds. The office link does not answer what a lease requires.
Rhode Island tenant rights, notice, and security deposits
The lease continues after a sale
A sale does not cancel the lease. The buyer takes over as landlord subject to it. After the sale, the seller remains responsible for what happens until each tenant receives written notice of the sale. That notice must include the buyer's name, address, and phone number, and certify that the state rule for selling a building with open housing-code violations was followed. See R.I. Gen. Laws §34-18-23 and §45-24.3-17.
Security deposits
A security deposit cannot be more than one month's rent. A separate furniture deposit is allowed for some furnished units. Whoever owns the house when the tenancy ends must return the deposit, less itemized lawful deductions, within 20 days. The 20 days start from the latest of the tenancy ending, the tenant moving out, or the tenant giving a forwarding address. Wrongly keeping a deposit can cost twice the amount kept plus attorney fees. Give the buyer the deposit and lease records at closing. See R.I. Gen. Laws §34-18-19.
Ending a periodic tenancy
To end a month-to-month tenancy, the landlord or tenant must give written notice at least 30 days before the end date in the notice. A week-to-week tenancy takes at least 10 days' written notice. These notice periods do not mean a sale itself ends a lease. See R.I. Gen. Laws §34-18-37.
If a rented house goes through foreclosure
Before the foreclosure sale is advertised, the lender must mail tenants a notice telling them to keep paying rent until the sale. A fixed-term lease and tenant protections after foreclosure may limit when a tenant can be required to leave. See R.I. Gen. Laws §34-27-7, §34-18-38.1, and §34-18-38.2.
More Providence seller help
Providence home-sale net proceeds calculator →Compare your own sale assumptions and costs.Providence and Providence County seller resources →Browse local offices and other selling situations.Providence housing market report →See local market measures with their source and period.Selling an inherited Providence property →Read this if the house is also part of an estate.Providence foreclosure information →Review the separate foreclosure situation page.
What sellers say about USA Home Buyers
Here's what sellers have said about working with us.
“The three-decker on Charlton Street had a chimney collapse in February — took out the back wall of the second floor. Structural damage, water intrusion from the open wall. My insurance company offered $37,000. Contractor said $61,000. I'm not fighting that battle. USA Home Buyers made a fair offer the next day. Closed in nine days.”
“Massachusetts foreclosure is non-judicial — the lender can foreclose by advertisement without going to court, and it can happen in as little as three months. I was behind and didn't realize how fast it would move. USA Home Buyers explained the timeline and had a written offer the same day I called. Closed in eleven days. Foreclosure cancelled.”
“I had a rental on Grafton Street that I'd been managing for eight years. Problem tenant, lead paint issues, city notices piling up. I couldn't afford to fix it and didn't want to go through eviction. USA Home Buyers bought it as-is with the tenant still there. Done in 11 days.”
Providence tenant-occupied seller questions
Can I sell my Providence house while tenants are still living there?
Yes. You can sell with tenants in place. The sale does not cancel the lease; the buyer takes over as landlord subject to it.
Does selling the house mean the tenants have to move?
No. The sale itself does not end the lease or require a tenant to move. Month-to-month and week-to-week tenancies have written-notice timing rules if either side is ending the tenancy.
What happens to the security deposit when I sell?
A security deposit is generally limited to one month of rent, with a separate furniture deposit allowed in some furnished units. Whoever owns the house when the tenancy ends must return the deposit, less itemized lawful deductions, within 20 days of the latest of the tenancy ending, the tenant moving out, or the tenant giving a forwarding address. Give the buyer the deposit and lease records at closing.
What written notice do tenants get after the sale?
Each tenant must receive written notice of the sale with the buyer's name, address, and phone number. The notice also certifies that the state rule for selling a building with open housing-code violations was followed.
Where can I look for Providence property-record information?
The City of Providence Recorder of Deeds is the official local link for property-record questions. See the Local help section below.
Talk through the tenant situation
Call 888-274-5006 or use the form. Tell us what is happening with the lease, occupancy, access, or repairs.
We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours.
We give written cash offers in 24 hours.
Share the address and tell us what is happening with the tenants and the house.