Archive by Author
When Screening Applicants Remember The Fair Credit Reporting Act
Posted on 10. May, 2013 by Marc Courtenay.
Property Managers know how important it is to prevent problems with residents through careful screening procedures. The old saying, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is as important in today’s society as ever. That’s why experienced property managers don’t cut corners when screening applicants.
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How To Cultivate New Clients In “The Garden Of Property Management”
Posted on 09. May, 2013 by Marc Courtenay.
Seldom has there been a better time to cultivate and “plant the seeds” for new clients for your property management business. The need for rental, single-family housing has never been greater, and the financial climate is most advantageous, so let’s get started!
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Rising Rents Are Hot But Facts Show They’re Cooling Down
Posted on 19. Apr, 2013 by Marc Courtenay.
Single family housing rents rose once again in the first quarter of 2013. Yet signs are beginning to reveal themselves that the seemingly endless months of rising rents may be coming to an end. The reasons are numerous but the biggest is a marked increase in the supply of rental units.
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Housing Rebound Continues Unabated With New Home Sales Soaring
Posted on 05. Apr, 2013 by Marc Courtenay.
Believe it or not the housing industry is making a stellar comeback. After a collapse in residential construction during The Great Recession which began in 2008, new home construction is leading the housing recovery. The Commerce Department reported on March 19, 2013 that housing starts rose in February to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 917,000.
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Always Get It In Writing And In The Lease
Posted on 26. Mar, 2013 by Marc Courtenay.
Sometimes the owners of rental properties are too trusting for their own good. You, as the property manager, undoubtedly know what I’m referring to. But that’s why the owner hires you to begin with. They don’t want to have to deal directly with the resident-tenant, right? For this article I wanted to share a true story that demonstrates why it’s imperative to protect your clients from situations where the resident says something like, “We don’t need it in writing. I have great references and my word is as good as any document.”
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Developers Help Buyers Qualify and Home Sales Soar
Posted on 13. Mar, 2013 by Marc Courtenay.
The home-buying market is on fire, especially for newly built houses. New home sales surged almost 29% in January compared to January 2012. This is the highest annual sales rate in four years according to figures released by the Commerce Department on Tuesday, Feb. 26th. Existing home sales also rose in January 2013 by 9.1%. Ironically, even though new houses (new construction) cost buyers approximately 37% more for the same square footage as previously owned houses, it’s the new homes that are selling at the hottest pace.
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Adequate Insurance for Landlords and Property Managers
Posted on 27. Feb, 2013 by Marc Courtenay.
With all the media hype about the so-called looming fiscal cliff, it’s a good time of the year to remember how to avoid financial disasters and to do what we can to prevent losses. Property Managers with experience know how costly the process of eviction can be, as well as the expense of repairing damaged rental units that have been “trashed” by destructive former residents.
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As Goes Housing So Goes Property Management
Posted on 30. Jan, 2013 by Marc Courtenay.
It seems like every month we’re reading or hearing about the resurgence in home sales and prices. I’m confident that in most regions of the country the bottom has been established for the housing market, yet it’s good to see more clues (data) that confirm that the housing bust is over for now.
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A Property Managers Dream: An Expanding Number of Rental Houses
Posted on 22. Jan, 2013 by Marc Courtenay.
It’s official! Home prices are on track to have their first yearly gain since 2006. This would make it the strongest year of price growth since home prices began to plunge, reaching their nadir in 2009.
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Meetings Between the Resident and the Owner: More Cons than Pros
Posted on 11. Jan, 2013 by Marc Courtenay.
This thoughtful topic came to my attention as I was reading the PropertyManager.com discussion page at LinkedIn. My first reaction was, “Wouldn’t it be nice if we lived in a world where these kinds of people-to-people discussions could be mutually beneficial and rewarding.”
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Three Forces Driving Real Estate Sales and Prices
Posted on 08. Jan, 2013 by Marc Courtenay.
An investor friend of mine called recently to ask if I could recommend some competent property managers in our area. Fortunately I knew of several so I gave him the names plus the pros and cons of each one (my way of being helpful and objective). In the course of our conversation he told me that mid-range houses were being snapped up by income-oriented investors the same day they were put on the market for sale.
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Are You Up to Speed on Your Customer Relations Management?
Posted on 20. Dec, 2012 by Marc Courtenay.
Everybody’s talking about it and there are some big, publicly-traded companies that specialize in Customer Relations Management (CRM). I had no idea how big of a topic this was until my associates at Casey Research brought me up to date.
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‘Tis the Season to Show Your Clients and Your Employees Some Good Cheer
Posted on 12. Dec, 2012 by Marc Courtenay.
Hope this article reaches you on time, because this is the #1 time of the year to let your owner-clients and your staff know how much you appreciate them. Don’t be alarmed if you’ve put this off or forgot, because here’s two easy ways to keep from being The Grinch.
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The Rent Index and What it Suggests for Property Managers
Posted on 10. Dec, 2012 by Marc Courtenay.
On almost a daily basis I hear anecdotal reports of syndicated investors as well as rogue opportunists seeking to find bargain houses that they can buy, fix up and rent out. At the same time the number of Americans who can’t qualify for a mortgage or don’t have enough money for a down payment is on the rise.
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Your Imagination is a Property Manager’s Best Technology
Posted on 20. Nov, 2012 by Marc Courtenay.
“Imagination is more important than knowledge” said Nobel-prize winning physicist Albert Einstein (1879-1955), one of the greatest thinkers of the past century. Dr. Einstein knew that the creative process begins with the use of our imagination.
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Information Sources and Credential Programs for Property Managers
Posted on 16. Nov, 2012 by Marc Courtenay.
In this fast-paced, information-overloaded age that we live in, it’s more important than ever to know where to go for answers, help and solutions for your property management career.That’s why this site has grown more popular with each passing year.
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Housing Prices Are Rising But Mortgage Loans Hit 16-Year Low
Posted on 09. Nov, 2012 by Marc Courtenay.
Is now a good time to buy a house? Yes, if you’re able to do so. For the third month in a row the price of the average house in most regions of the country moved higher, albeit not by an impressive amount. When it comes to the number of home sales, the picture didn’t look so bright last month.
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Rents are Climbing and Occupancy Rates Remain High
Posted on 24. Oct, 2012 by Marc Courtenay.
Third quarter 2012 results are encouraging for property managers and residential rental property owners nationwide. This trend has been ongoing now for over a year, and it’s not a surprise in lieu of the many challenges and expenses that potential home buyers face, including the ability to qualify for a mortgage.
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Why Use Facebook or Twitter if You’re a Property Manager?
Posted on 10. Oct, 2012 by Marc Courtenay.
This conversational experience on LinkedIn reinforces my belief that social media is working in a big way. Not only to attract business for our property managers, but to solicit new ideas and fresh perspectives. An example was the next comment from John, who weighed in with his point of view that deepened the scope of the conversation.
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The Case-Shiller Housing Index Moves Higher; Now What?
Posted on 26. Sep, 2012 by Marc Courtenay.
Just when the Federal Reserve needed some incentive to stimulate the economy or inaugurate a new and improved version of Quantitative Easing, the housing market showed yet another sign of rebounding. The S&P Case-Shiller 20-city housing report was issued on August 28, 2012 and it demonstrated yet another monthly improvement in the housing market across the U.S.
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Has Anybody Seen the Nation’s Best Property Managers?
Posted on 18. Sep, 2012 by Marc Courtenay.
There can be quite an animated discussion on the topic of what makes a property manager outstanding. From a client-owner’s viewpoint it would include the property manager’s level of integrity and reliability.
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Home Affordability Index Hits Record Level, But Mortgage Supply Tight
Posted on 21. Aug, 2012 by Marc Courtenay.
Whether property managers and their clients will continue to see vacancies drop and rent prices go higher will be partly dependent on how easy it is for people to buy instead of rent. The big U.S. banks are reporting an improving number of applications for mortgages as the housing market searches for a bottom and interest rates hit new all-time lows.
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Mortgage Lenders Under-the-Gun to Reduce Fees and Paperwork
Posted on 09. Aug, 2012 by Marc Courtenay.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is a name you might not have heard of but they wield a good amount of influence and authority in the world of mortgage lending. That’s because they are an official part of the U.S. government and their site is an official government web site.
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The State of the Nation’s Housing 2012
Posted on 01. Aug, 2012 by Marc Courtenay.
There is plenty of good news in this exhaustive report. Home sales have risen, home prices have fallen, and so far the number of vacant rental units (supply) has kept up with the demand. If you’re a rental property owner this report is sure to please in many ways.
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Technology Trends: What Residents Want (eBook)
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Always Get It In Writing And In The Lease
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Avoiding Craigslist Scams
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How To Cultivate New Clients In “The Garden Of Property Management”
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NARPM Florida State Chapter Property Manager Conference 2012
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Marc Courtenay: Thanks for your comment. Please consider sharing t...
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Ryan @ Green Bay Commercial Real Estate: At least in our market (Green Bay) it seems to be ...
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Tammy Davis: Great Advice!...
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Sandy: I have strong doubts that this was a professional ...
