Handling Evictions While Rents are Going Higher
Posted on 14. Jul, 2011 by Marc Courtenay.
The national unemployment rate increased during June of 2011, and the number of new jobs created was disappointingly low. As unemployment benefits expire and public assistance programs are drained, more residents are finding it difficult to meet their major expenses, beginning with their rent. On July 9th I interviewed the owner of a property management company in Southern California. We discussed vacancies, rental rates and handling evictions.
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What Property Managers Should Not Cut Back On In a Tough Economy
Posted on 12. Jul, 2011 by Mary Girsch-Bock.
In my previous article, Ways Property Managers Can Survive a Tough Economy, I discussed some areas where property managers can cut back in a tough economy in order to save some money without compromising the quality of their business. Here are some areas that you never want to cut back or skimp.
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Ways Property Managers Can Survive a Tough Economy
Posted on 06. Jul, 2011 by Mary Girsch-Bock.
Although the economy has started to trend upwards (a little), it’s still pretty tough out there. The question property managers may be asking themselves is “Where are easy places I can save a little money?”
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How Your Residents Can Lower Their Electric and Water Bills
Posted on 28. Jun, 2011 by Marc Courtenay.
Summer time is prime time to remember both electricity and water conservation ideas. If your residents use electricity as the main energy source for their air conditioning and food preparation needs, there are effective ways to save both energy and money.
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Representing Your Company Well
Posted on 20. Jun, 2011 by Lisa Trosien.
Word to the wise; if you’re carrying anything with your company logo on it, wearing anything with your company logo on it, or are well known enough to be associated with your company, your behavior needs to be upstanding and professional at all times.
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Effective Ways To Handle an Eviction
Posted on 16. Jun, 2011 by Marc Courtenay.
There are no easy, self-evident ways to deal with a resident eviction. You can’t just change deal with this challenge using your imagination only. A property manager or owner who wants to evict a tenant must fastidiously follow the state and local laws. The process of eviction can be expedited. The challenge though involves doing everything exactly right.
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How to Get Your Residents To Pay Rent Online
Posted on 14. Jun, 2011 by Mary Girsch-Bock.
While many property management companies have been offering an online rental payment option to residents for years, there are just as many who currently do not. And the management companies that currently do offer this option have found that only a fraction of their residents actually utilize an online rental payment option.
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Encouraging Residents to Purchase Renters Insurance
Posted on 07. Jun, 2011 by Mary Girsch-Bock.
Whether you’re managing multi-family units or single family homes, as a property manager, a large part of your job is to maintain the condition of the property you are managing. That’s why it’s in your best interest to encourage your residents to purchase renters insurance.
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Service vs Experience
Posted on 02. Jun, 2011 by Lisa Trosien.
I went flower shopping at Lowe’s this weekend. And while I hated fighting the crowds (it was even hard to snag a cart), I was able to experience two completely different kinds of service in the same department of the store.
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Who Doesn’t Want Residential Income Property Right Now?
Posted on 26. May, 2011 by Marc Courtenay.
Owning and managing residential income property is not for the faint of heart. Dealing personally with residents, filling vacancies, collecting the rent and maintaining the properties are the reasons many owners hire professional property managers.
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Plug Into the Power of NARPM
Posted on 23. May, 2011 by Marc Courtenay.
With the ever-changing challenges and opportunities of property management it’s wise to be part of a national association that focuses on the issues of that profession. NARPM wants their members to have a heightened expertise and industry knowledge to assist them in doing the best job they possibly can.
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Fair Housing Webinar Recap, Featuring Trainer Donna
Posted on 18. May, 2011 by Aimee Miller.
In honor of April Fair Housing Month, we co-hosted a webinar with Grace Hill featuring Fair Housing Expert, Trainer Donna. Donna gave many best practices on what you should be doing to stay compliant with Fair Housing regulations.
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Apartment Leadership: Courageous Conversations
Posted on 16. May, 2011 by Mike Brewer.
How many times have you felt the creep of butterflies in your stomach as you prepare for a ‘moment of truth conversation’ with a member of your team? It’s about as natural as a right hand dominate eight year old dribbling and shooting a basketball with their left hand.
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Choosing the Right Property Management Accounting Software
Posted on 12. May, 2011 by Mary Girsch-Bock.
Has your current property management software program been giving you more problems than solutions? If so, you may be ready to look for new property management accounting software. If you’re not sure what you need, take these suggestions under consideration.
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Property Management Certificate Programs
Posted on 04. May, 2011 by Mary Girsch-Bock.
There are a variety of property management certifications available. Becoming certified allows property managers to build on their experience and offers both tenants and potential employers the knowledge that the person in charge has both the knowledge and experience necessary to be successful.
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“N” is for Network and “C” is for Contest
Posted on 26. Apr, 2011 by Marc Courtenay.
To be a more successful property manager and to stand out as the proactive professional that you are, you’ll want to excel at building your own network.
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Low-Cost Ways to Upgrade Your Leasing Office
Posted on 21. Apr, 2011 by Marc Courtenay.
You only get one chance to make a good impression. That’s also true for your rental-leasing office. How your office is arranged and the ambiance it presents will leave a lasting impression on owners and potential residents.
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Working With Real Estate Investment Groups and Associations
Posted on 14. Apr, 2011 by Marc Courtenay.
A property manager’s best friend may be her own imagination and creativity. Yes, nothing floats like experience, but sometimes we have to go out of our own “comfort zones” to fish in unchartered waters. Recently I spoke to a group of real estate developers who formed a Syndicate for investors to participate in their projects.
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Manage Your Property Like a Dog
Posted on 12. Apr, 2011 by Lisa Trosien.
I’m fairly new to dog ownership. We actually got Izzy on August 12, 2010. And aside from absolutely adoring my little pup, I’ve learned a lot from her as well, especially when it comes to managing (believe it or not).
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How Property Managers Can Use Video
Posted on 07. Apr, 2011 by Aimee Miller.
AppFolio recently hosted a webinar featuring Todd Breen (CEO of VirtuallyIncredible.com) which included great ideas on how to shoot marketing videos, inspection videos, move-in/move-out videos and more!
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Screening Tenants Consistently for Fair Housing
Posted on 05. Apr, 2011 by Mary Girsch-Bock.
Under Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, commonly known as the Fair Housing Act, it is illegal for landlords to refuse to rent or sell a dwelling based on an applicant’s race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability. Does your management company base their applicant approvals on documented evidence of an applicant’s ability to pay or not pay?
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Fair Housing Resources for Savvy Property Managers
Posted on 01. Apr, 2011 by Marc Courtenay.
State and federal laws require nondiscrimination and equal access to housing for all people. There can’t be any discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, age, familial status, children, marital status, veteran status or membership in the armed services, the receiving of public assistance, or physical or mental disability.
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Property Managers Receive Free “Energy Review” and Save Money
Posted on 29. Mar, 2011 by Marc Courtenay.
There might not any “free lunches”, but hundreds of utility companies around the nation are offering free consultations and reviews on how to stop wasting both energy and money. The idea is to figure out how to use less energy and yet make your rental properties more comfortable for residents at a meaningful saving in costs.
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Will the Cost of Renting Rise in 2011?
Posted on 24. Mar, 2011 by Marc Courtenay.
Even though the Federal Reserve Board and the U.S. government keep telling us that there’s virtually “no inflation” and little if any “inflationary pressures”, most Americans know otherwise. Major financial news channels like Bloomberg and CNBC are reporting that in many regions around the nation vacancy rates are going down.
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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 ...
