Tenant Moves Out After 32 Years, Landlord Can’t Believe State Place Is In

A landlord in Maine has shared a rare find after one of his tenants, who had lived in the same apartment since 1992, recently moved out—left behind a perfectly cared-for home that stunned him.

Syed Zafar purchased the building in May 2024. Born in 1993, he was amazed when he entered the apartment that had been the home of the same woman since before he was born.

“I was really taken aback because it does not look like this place was lived in for 32 years,” Zafar told Newsweek. “It was in such great condition for its use and age.”

Despite appliances older than Zafar himself, the space had flawless carpets and floors.

“It’s not often you find a place where someone lived for 32 years and kept it in such good condition,” Zafar said. “Definitely will never see that again.”

The time the previous tenant spent in the home was particularly unusual, in fact, according to research by ResidentRated, the average length-of-stay for a U.S. renter in a multi-family building is just 27.5 months, or just over two years.

Renters in the Northeast have the longest average stay at 32.9 months, while renters in the South are moving most often with an average stay of 24.3 months.

When it comes to finding somewhere new to live, renters seem to be moving quickly. In 2023, the U.S. Census Bureau revealed that over half (58.5 percent) of renters found a new place to live in less than a month. During this time, 46.9 percent of renters viewed units in only one neighborhood, and 64.2 percent visited just one unit in their chosen neighborhood before deciding to move in.

The apartment, now set for a full renovation, will soon be updated with modern touches before being rented out again. “Maybe for another 32 years,” Zafar said.

After exploring the apartment, Zafar decided he had to share and posted a video about the pristine home on TikTok on January 8 where it has been viewed over 950,000 times and has been liked over 25,000 times.

The video resonated with users on the social media platform who shared their reactions in the comments section.

“I could not imagine renting for 32 years,” Jo Dee Bobzin wrote.

TikTok user Haley Rose urged Zafar to reconsider major updates and posted: “Hear me out. Save your money and do not update this too much. There are a TON of people who would prefer this. Paint the cabinets though.”

user eclectic music wrote: “I love that you can appreciate it.”

Hasan Hulk posted: “Wowww, it’s practically spotless. She kept the place in great condition.”