Archive by Author
What Do You Bring To The Table?
Posted on 15. May, 2013 by Mary Girsch-Bock.
If you’re just starting your own property management business, it’s important to identify what you bring to the table. Is it your expert customer service? Affordable fees? Years of property management experience? Whether you’re planning on managing multi-family units, rental homes, or commercial properties, the skills and experience you can identify and later offer potential customers plays a large part in building and retaining your customer base.
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Avoiding Craigslist Scams
Posted on 03. May, 2013 by Mary Girsch-Bock.
Despite the warnings that are prevalent around the country, potential renters, property owners and managers continue to be scammed by Craigslist. These scams have evolved as the criminals have become more devious. Today, both renters and property managers are the frequent victims of these scams.
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Spring Is Finally Here
Posted on 23. Apr, 2013 by Mary Girsch-Bock.
Spring is finally here. If you’re in a cold climate, it’s likely you haven’t spent much time outside. But once the snow melts and the ground is visible again, you’ll likely spot some areas that have become weathered from the elements. With the last freeze likely over, now is the time to get outside and take a good long look at your properties.
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Do You Appreciate Your Tenants?
Posted on 21. Mar, 2013 by Mary Girsch-Bock.
As property managers, we’re all aware of the multitude of issues that frequently arise with unreliable tenants. Late rental payments, disturbing the peace, illegal activity, and a general disregard for the property are all problems that typically arise in the property management industry.
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How to Survive an Audit
Posted on 19. Mar, 2013 by Mary Girsch-Bock.
They’re the words that strike fear in most of us. “You’re being audited.” First, don’t panic. Many IRS audits are simple requests for information that you can provide by mail. Providing the information requested on a timely basis typically satisfies the IRS.
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Processing Security Deposits Part II
Posted on 06. Mar, 2013 by Mary Girsch-Bock.
You’ve done your homework. The condition of every unit or home you rent is carefully documented, with pictures to support your findings. The tenant lease clearly states what your tenant is responsible for, and they have read and agreed to the responsibilities listed. Your tenant signed off on the list, and any subsequent problems found during the walk-through were addressed and noted on both copies of the move-in sheet.
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Processing Security Deposits Part I
Posted on 20. Feb, 2013 by Mary Girsch-Bock.
Security Deposit processing continually challenges property managers across the country. In theory, this should be one of the easier things that property managers are required to do. The tenant provides management with a security deposit that will be held during the life of the tenancy.
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How to Reduce Carbon Footprint Tips for Property Managers
Posted on 14. Feb, 2013 by Mary Girsch-Bock.
While there are several long term investments you can make to reduce your carbon footprint such as installing low flow toilets in each apartment, or xeriscaping the lawn to reduce water consumption, there are several easy, inexpensive things you can do to conserve energy and leave the environment just a little bit cleaner and your carbon footprint a little bit lighter.
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Leasing Best Practices for Property Managers
Posted on 15. Jan, 2013 by Mary Girsch-Bock.
Leasing up your apartment community can be challenging in the best of time. But for smaller property management companies or those managing smaller properties, it can become even more difficult to compete with larger companies with a more robust marketing budget.
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Year End and Occupancy
Posted on 28. Dec, 2012 by Mary Girsch-Bock.
With the exception of the retail sector, business is typically slow during the holidays, and the property management business is no exception. Leasing rates between mid-November and December 31st can be extremely slow for even the most visible properties, with the units that are vacant at the end of October statistically more likely to still be vacant at the end of the year.
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New Year’s Resolutions for Property Managers
Posted on 17. Dec, 2012 by Mary Girsch-Bock.
The end of the year is always a time of reflection; what we’ve accomplished, what we would like to change, what we need to improve.
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The Advantages of Offering Month to Month Leases
Posted on 03. Dec, 2012 by Mary Girsch-Bock.
While all properties are not well-suited to offering month to month leases, there are a variety of reasons why it would prove profitable for property managers to investigate the possibility of doing so.
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Pet-Friendly Apartment Communities
Posted on 27. Nov, 2012 by Mary Girsch-Bock.
Twenty years ago it was difficult to find apartment communities that would rent to pet owners. For years, dogs and cats were not welcome at the majority of apartment communities, with managers citing a variety of reasons, some valid, others merely an excuse in disguise.
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Time to Winterize Your Property
Posted on 02. Nov, 2012 by Mary Girsch-Bock.
It’s that time again. Shorter days and cooler nights mean winter is not too far away. Unless your properties are in the Bahamas (lucky you), it’s time to prepare for the winter months.
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Fun Halloween Ideas for Property Managers
Posted on 17. Oct, 2012 by Mary Girsch-Bock.
Fall is my favorite season of the year. By October, the spring and summer storms are (mostly) over, yet it’s typically too early for snowstorms, making it the perfect time to celebrate Halloween.
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How to Prepare Residents for Hurricanes
Posted on 01. Oct, 2012 by Mary Girsch-Bock.
Hurricane Isaac found the state of Louisiana much more prepared for its arrival then previous hurricanes. This time around, public officials made sure that those without cable or satellite TV or Internet access still had access to information about the storm, delivered via local television or radio stations.
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Criminal Background Checks
Posted on 29. Aug, 2012 by Mary Girsch-Bock.
When a prospect walks into your leasing office, one of the first things that a leasing agent will do is run a credit check. A process that we’re all familiar with, the property management industry would cease to function as we know it without the ability to run a credit check.
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Safety Hazards for Kids
Posted on 17. Aug, 2012 by Mary Girsch-Bock.
With the housing market still struggling to return to pre-2008, the rental market has seen significant increases in the number of people renting homes versus trying to buy again. Perhaps they were burnt by the drop in housing prices, perhaps they lost a home during the downturn.
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Energy Efficient Window Shades and Blinds
Posted on 23. Jul, 2012 by Mary Girsch-Bock.
While it’s important for renters to practice energy conservation in their apartment homes, there are numerous things that property managers can do in order to conserve energy on a larger scale. Remember, window coverings, while decorative, also provide an important function, serving as a barrier to outside heat in the summer, while keeping heat inside during the winter.
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Smart Thermostats
Posted on 17. Jul, 2012 by Mary Girsch-Bock.
Right now, a large swath of the country is engulfed in a heat wave. You can bet that no one is overly concerned about conserving energy: they just want to stay cool. This same heat wave is causing millions of people to run their air conditioners 24-7, resulting in a large increase in energy consumption, and increasing the risk of brown-outs across the country.
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Smart Controllers to Reduce Utility Usage
Posted on 19. Jun, 2012 by Mary Girsch-Bock.
If you think these restrictions force you to choose between dry, burnt landscaping and expensive penalties, you haven’t looked at the newest irrigation systems available. We’ve all seen the systems of the past; rain pouring down while the sprinkler system continues to pump water onto saturated land, resulting in a large amount of water waste.
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Staffing Ideas for Property Managers
Posted on 18. May, 2012 by Mary Girsch-Bock.
Tight rental markets and the resultant smaller budgets have caused many property managers to become creative when it comes to office staffing issues. And while the rental market has grown stronger in recent months, those same managers are finding more creative ways to assign work duties to existing staff members.
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New Ways to Handle Security Deposits
Posted on 02. May, 2012 by Mary Girsch-Bock.
One of the most contentious aspects for both property managers and tenants is the handling of a security deposit. Designed as a way to protect property managers and owners against possible damages, security deposits are not designed to be used as last month’s rent, and the majority of rental leases state that up front.
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How Property Managers Can Manage Their Online Reputation
Posted on 24. Apr, 2012 by Mary Girsch-Bock.
If you’re like most properties, you’ll have a mixed bag of results, ranging from gushing compliments from satisfied residents, to wild ranting from the tenant you evicted last month. Both current and former tenants can easily post unflattering remarks on various websites, and even Facebook pages.
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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 ...
