Articles

Sky Scraper To Rival Empire State Building

Sky Scraper To Rival Empire State Building

Posted on 02. Sep, 2010 by Nora Betz.

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This Wednesday, the City Council approves the construction project to build a tower 1,200 feet high in New York City. With the support of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, development company Vornado Realty Trust is moving forward with the plans to construct a high-rise building at 15 Penn Plaza.

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New York’s Bedbug Disclosure Act

New York’s Bedbug Disclosure Act

Posted on 01. Sep, 2010 by Aimee Miller.

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In New York Gov. Paterson just signed into law the Bedbug Disclosure Act which requires landlords to tell prospective residents if there is a one-year history of bedbugs – now renters have the right to know about past bedbug infestations.

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Using Excel Instead of Property Management Software Is Risky Business

Using Excel Instead of Property Management Software Is Risky Business

Posted on 30. Aug, 2010 by Mary Girsch-Bock.

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It’s no secret that there are a lot of Excel users in the property management community. An outstanding spreadsheet program, Excel frequently plugs in the gaps commonly found in accounting programs. But there’s a group of property managers that may find themselves relying on Excel a little too much.

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Are Foreclosures a Great Property Management Opportunity?

Are Foreclosures a Great Property Management Opportunity?

Posted on 27. Aug, 2010 by Marc Courtenay.

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On top of recent news that housing activity is at it’s lowest since WWII comes the latest news about foreclosures all around the USA. This is what those of us watching the mortgage reset schedule have been anticipating, and it could spell unequaled opportunity for the property management business.
The number of U.S. homes lost to [...]

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Battle Over Smoking In Condos

Battle Over Smoking In Condos

Posted on 26. Aug, 2010 by Aimee Miller.

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A hot topic is coming to head in Florida (keep reading….it’s a very clever pun!). Condominium owners are debating the right to smoke vs. the neighbor’s right to breathe fresh air.

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Property Managers: Know Your Audience When Marketing Online

Property Managers: Know Your Audience When Marketing Online

Posted on 19. Aug, 2010 by Heather Blume.

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I tell people repeatedly that I’d rather that they had no Facebook page than seeing a poorly thought out and executed one. Yet, I keep logging on, “liking” pages, and seeing sales pitches. If you go for the direct sale, you’re going to lose. Consider these stats from the video “Socialnomics”.

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Property Management with Pizzaz: Properties That Attract Residents

Property Management with Pizzaz: Properties That Attract Residents

Posted on 17. Aug, 2010 by Marc Courtenay.

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We all want to attract good residents to the properties we manage. We can begin attracting quality residents by thinking like a resident thinks. A quality resident wants to live in a property that makes a positive, first impression.

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4 Facebook Lead Generation Tips for Property Managers

4 Facebook Lead Generation Tips for Property Managers

Posted on 16. Aug, 2010 by Charity Hisle.

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Can apartment communities increase their fan base AND acquire leads? Absolutely! We can take a page from a few top brands using Facebook today and apply similar techniques to our own marketing strategies. Here are 4 tips for getting leads on Facebook.

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Residents That Hoard

Residents That Hoard

Posted on 10. Aug, 2010 by Lynn Dover.

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Resident hoarding can cause significant health and safety problems, both in the hoarder’s unit and in neighboring units. Hoarding can create pest infestations, mold problems, increased fire risk, interfere with entrance or exit of the unit, or exceed maximum load bearing floor capacity.

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The Downturn’s Upside: Low Income Housing

The Downturn’s Upside: Low Income Housing

Posted on 06. Aug, 2010 by Nora Betz.

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In Seattle’s U District, there were plans to build a boutique hotel but with the economic downturn those plans were scrapped. Instead, the Low Income Housing Institute swooped in to purchase the project and create affordable housing.

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Bedbugs, Coming To A City Near You

Bedbugs, Coming To A City Near You

Posted on 05. Aug, 2010 by Jonathan Brownfield.

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The largest bedbug survey ever conducted suggests that bedbugs have become more prevalent throughout the country, not just New York City.

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Documentation and Organization Essentials for Property Managers

Documentation and Organization Essentials for Property Managers

Posted on 05. Aug, 2010 by Mary Girsch-Bock.

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In the last article, I talked about the importance of properly maintaining a trust account for security deposits and rent payments. The following post contains procedures you may want to implement along with things to avoid at all costs.

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NYC Short-Term Apartment Rental Ban Approved

NYC Short-Term Apartment Rental Ban Approved

Posted on 04. Aug, 2010 by Aimee Miller.

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The New York legislature passed a bill in early July that eliminates New York City apartment rentals that are less than 30 days. Many thought Gov. Paterson would veto this bill given his comments leading up to his decision.

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Indoor Garage in SoHo Turned Into Luxury Apartments

Indoor Garage in SoHo Turned Into Luxury Apartments

Posted on 29. Jul, 2010 by Aimee Miller.

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$6500 for a 1-bedroom apartment in what used to be an indoor parking garage! The apartments do sound amazing – much larger than the traditional NYC apartment and many have terraces, large glass windows and 10-foot ceilings.

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Proper Use of Property Management Trust Accounts

Proper Use of Property Management Trust Accounts

Posted on 29. Jul, 2010 by Mary Girsch-Bock.

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Misuse of trust accounts is the number one reason why property management companies are audited. That’s why it’s vital that the proper trust fund accounts are established as needed, and used properly. d

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Real Estate Brokers Turn to Managing Properties

Real Estate Brokers Turn to Managing Properties

Posted on 27. Jul, 2010 by Jonathan Brownfield.

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The real estate market, as everyone knows, has been on the decline for years. The real estate industry is looking into other niches to make up for lost revenue; one of these niches is residential property management.

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Property Management Law with Daniel Bornstein (July 22 Webinar Recap)

Property Management Law with Daniel Bornstein (July 22 Webinar Recap)

Posted on 26. Jul, 2010 by Aimee Miller.

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Daniel Bornstein, experienced real estate attorney, shares the top 10 property management pitfalls that cost business money and can potentially get them into legal trouble. Complete video after the break.

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4 Key Things Property Managers Need to Know (But Might Not!)

4 Key Things Property Managers Need to Know (But Might Not!)

Posted on 22. Jul, 2010 by Mary Girsch-Bock.

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Here are four important things every property manager should know about security deposits, rental/lease agreements, lead-based paint and notice requirements for your state.

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Property Manager Fined $85K for Breaking Lead Paint Law

Property Manager Fined $85K for Breaking Lead Paint Law

Posted on 22. Jul, 2010 by Nora Betz.

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Boston landlord, John C. Jones, is being fined almost $85,000 for failure to properly disclose the presence of lead paint to his tenants.

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Housing Activity Lowest Since World War II

Housing Activity Lowest Since World War II

Posted on 21. Jul, 2010 by Aimee Miller.

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Today we read some depressing news about housing activity on the WSJ.com blog – the “lowest level of housing activity since World War II.”

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Oregon Carbon Monixide Legislation

Oregon Carbon Monixide Legislation

Posted on 20. Jul, 2010 by Jonathan Brownfield.

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Oregon’s Lofgren and Zander Memorial Act (House Bill 3450) went into effect Thursday, July 1. The new law requires Oregon properties to install carbon monoxide detectors if the property is sold or rented after July 1, 2010.

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Keeping Residents and Property Owners Happy

Keeping Residents and Property Owners Happy

Posted on 20. Jul, 2010 by Marc Courtenay.

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If there is one thing that all property managers want it’s an over abundance of qualified potential residents. Many property managers are trying to make it easier for prospective residents to sign that rental agreement. That can be one of those trade-offs that sometimes disappoint your owner-clients and existing residents.

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Tips for Residential Property Managers Who Specialize in Single-Family Homes

Tips for Residential Property Managers Who Specialize in Single-Family Homes

Posted on 15. Jul, 2010 by Mary Girsch-Bock.

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The typical multi-unit property manager usually has a solid system in place for managing their rentals. But what about the management companies who specialize in single family home rentals? How do their needs vary from the multi-unit property manager?

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Top 10 Highlights of the 2010 NAA Trade Show

Top 10 Highlights of the 2010 NAA Trade Show

Posted on 07. Jul, 2010 by Heather Blume.

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New Orleans is a fun city. New Orleans with over 4,000 of your closest multifamily friends – it’s a wonder there wasn’t some sort of ecstatic implosion! This year’s National Apartment Association conference was all around an excellent experience.

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Resident Application Approval Process: Red Flags

Resident Application Approval Process: Red Flags

Posted on 29. Jun, 2010 by Mary Girsch-Bock.

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In my last article, Resident Application Approval Process: Key Indicators, I discussed areas to look at when reviewing an applicant’s credit history. What follows is a list of potential red flags.

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