The better this is defined in your lease, the better your chances of actually collecting something! So, here’s a scenario for you: a new tenant signs a lease and gives every indication that they’re about to move in…and then something comes up and they have to turn around and leave. They ask you to return […]
Don’t aim for Park Place if your budget is more Atlantic Avenue. Renting a property may be a shorter-term commitment than taking out a mortgage and purchasing a home, but you should still make sure how much rent you can afford before shopping for a place to live. Most landlords are going to analyze your […]
Section 8 is not for everyone or every property, but too many landlords have misconceptions about the program. Section 8 is a government program that pays a portion of the rent for qualifying low-income families. It’s a great program from the low-income tenant’s perspective, but landlords are often unsure of whether they should accept […]
We admitted to a few moderately spectacular bungles last week — let’s do it again! Last week, we talked about some of the mistakes that landlords make — and we’re going to keep it up this week, too. Let’s get right into it! Dealing with Tenants Don’t get caught in a repair frenzy: Be careful […]
We’ve been a lot less than perfect over the years — maybe you can learn a bit from some of our ‘favorite’ mistakes. No one is perfect — and while landlords aren’t any worse than anyone else, our mistakes can certainly cost a lot more than most people’s. We’d like to share with you some […]
It’s always good to stay organized, but when you’re doing something as complex as moving into a new home, it’s not just good — it should be mandatory. When you’re moving into a new home, especially a rental, there are a lot of things you need to think about. There’s all of the generalities of […]
Make the neighbors your friends, and you’ll have taken the single best step you can toward protecting a vacant property. It’s never a good thing to drop by a vacant rental property and discover a wide open door. Unfortunately, vacant rental properties pose a target of opportunity for would-be thieves, as even simple copper wiring […]
One of the biggest mistakes in judgement is pulling your ads too early. So many times, we see properties with vacant units, and zero advertisements in the local market, and we ask ourselves what the owner is thinking. Barring unique circumstances, there is exactly one way to maximize the return on your property, and that’s […]
It’s always the right time to advertise — but only August is the best time! There are a lot of theories bandied back and forth about when the best time to try to advertise your rental is. Our thoughts are the August is the month for rental properties, because it’s the month for motivated people […]
The low-down on getting the down-low. Sometimes, you’re just not sure about a tenant. Maybe everything seems OK on paper, but you have an intuition that says there’s something untoward beneath the surface. Maybe you’ve got an ex-felon with no credit who claims to make $65,000/year mowing lawns, but he has honest eyes and a […]