為什麼房東絕對不要一次簽兩年租約 🏠⚠️
這一篇，是寫給未來的自己，也是寫給所有跟我一樣，以為「兩年租約 = 穩定」的房東朋友。
當年在紐約，我把房子租給姓王的房客，第一次簽約就直接簽了兩年。那時候我的心態很單純：覺得租約簽久一點，我就不用一直找新房客、不用登廣告、也不用擔心空屋期，聽起來很「省事」又很「安穩」。
結果，這個決定後來變成我自己的枷鎖。
一、房客一開始不錯，不代表兩年都一樣
剛開始的一年，房租還算有付、聯絡也算正常，所以我一直告訴自己：「還可以，還可以，再撐一下就好。」真正的問題是——租約簽兩年，我等於自己把「退出的門」鎖起來了。
當她開始遲付房租、用各種理由扣錢、在屋子裡亂改裝、甚至做違法出租的時候，我心裡很清楚：就算我不喜歡這個房客，合約還在，我也很難馬上讓她搬走。
二、違建與罰單：租客不搬，房東動不了
後來 City 來查，發現地下室有違法加建的浴室，開了 violation 給我。要把 violation 移除，房子必須先清空，承包商才能進去施工、驗收、補件。
問題是——房客還在裡面住，而我手上拿著一紙兩年的租約。結果就是：違建拖著、罰單繼續、心裡的壓力越來越大，卻什麼都不能做。
三、市場、人生、法律都會變，兩年太長了
那幾年，房租行情在變、稅與維修成本在漲，我的人生計畫也在變（工作、搬家、退休規劃），可是租約沒變。
長租約聽起來很安穩，但現實是：當事情變糟，你反而沒有彈性。房東需要的不只是「穩定收入」，更需要的是「隨時可以調整的選項」。
四、給未來的自己與房東朋友的一句話
回頭看，我很感謝當年那位律師提醒我：租約第一次簽，不要簽兩年。
現在的我的做法會是：
- 第一次簽約：最多一年，或甚至一年以下。
- 看過房客的生活習慣、付款紀錄、溝通方式之後，再決定要不要續約。
- 就算續約，也傾向一年一年來，或改成 month-to-month，讓雙方都保留出口。
如果有哪一天，你又被「兩年看起來好穩、好方便」這個想法誘惑了，就回來看看這篇故事，記得當年那個被違建、罰單、壓力壓住的自己。
穩定，不是把門鎖死；而是隨時都有退路。
Why Landlords Shouldn’t Sign a 2-Year Lease Up Front 🏠⚠️
This little note is for my future self, and for any landlord who thinks, “A 2-year lease sounds so stable, let’s just do it.”
Years ago in New York, I rented my house to a tenant (Ms. Wang) and signed a 2-year lease right away. My thinking was simple: longer lease = stable income, less vacancy, no need to keep looking for new tenants. It felt efficient and “peaceful.”
In reality, that long lease became a trap I built for myself. ⛓️
1. A good first year doesn’t guarantee a good second year
During the first year, rent still came in (sometimes late, sometimes with “deductions” for repairs), and I kept telling myself, “It’s okay, it’s still manageable.”
But once you have a 2-year lease, even when you start to feel something is wrong — late payments, strange “repairs,” illegal use of the property — it’s very hard to exit. The paper looks simple, but it locks you in for 24 months. 📄⏳
2. Violations don’t wait for your lease to end
Later, the City issued a violation because of an illegal bathroom in the basement. To remove the violation, the house had to be empty so contractors could go in, do the work, and pass inspection.
The problem? My tenant was still living there under a 2-year lease. I couldn’t easily ask her to leave, and the violation just sat there, with fines and stress piling up. 🚨
3. Life changes, markets change, laws change
While all this was happening, the rental market was changing, my expenses were changing, and my life plans were changing too — work, moving, retirement ideas.
The only thing that didn’t change was that long lease I signed at the beginning. A “stable” lease started to feel like a locked door with no emergency exit. 🕳️
4. My rule now: start short, earn the right to renew
Looking back, I’m very grateful a lawyer later told me clearly: “Don’t sign a 2-year lease for the first term.”
If I ever become a landlord again, my rules will be:
- First lease term: no more than one year.
- Watch how the tenant pays, lives, and communicates before renewing.
- Even when renewing, prefer one year at a time, or month-to-month, so both sides have an exit.
If one day you feel tempted again — “Two years sounds so convenient!” — come back and read this story. Remember the stress of violations, fines, and a tenant you couldn’t easily move out.
Real stability doesn’t mean locking all the doors. It means always keeping at least one safe way out. 🔑