Property Management Blog

In the world of managing rental properties, there are few things that are as valuable as a loyal and reliable handyman. These heroes of our industry come in various types, trades, and experience, and if you’re lucky enough to find one who consistently responds to your maint...

You’ve just completed an extensive turnover in your two-bedroom, second-floor apartment. The place sparkles with fresh paint, shampooed carpets and new appliances. You have invested significantly to ensure the unit is rent-ready for the next occupant. You han...

Jake Whitmore considered himself a seasoned landlord. With a steady portfolio of single- family rentals and a couple of duplexes under his belt, he’d weathered tenant turnovers, tricky maintenance calls, and the ups and downs of the rental market. He knew the numbers, manag...

Long before we understood the risks, lead was everywhere — in our paint, gasoline, pipes, and even cosmetics. Today, while its dangers are well-known, many older homes still carry this silent threat. And for landlords, the responsibility to manage it properly isn’t ju...

Oftentimes, when an investor finds a good investment property for sale, the tendency is to scrape together all the cash he has available to make the down payment. While lenders will talk about liquid reserves with an emphasis on non-paying tenants (which is always a legitimate co...

“How long does it take to evict a tenant?” It’s a question I receive frequently, especially from new landlords who are considering investing in real estate. I’m a firm believer that if you provide good quality housing and perform good screening to applican...

Prior to the Great Depression, mortgages were difficult to obtain for the common person. Terms such as a 50% down payment and a payback period of five years made the initial down payment insurmountable to most, while the high monthly payments made it difficult for the rest. Only ...

Investing is the concept of long-term. In general, the IRS views long-term investing as anything more than a year. Day-trading and house-flipping can be lucrative business models, but they are not investments – they’re speculative. In addition to the higher risk, spec...

While 2020 and 2021 have been a red-hot seller’s market on the residential side, supply has been extremely short on the multi-family and commercial side, too. Never in my career have I ever seen multiple offers on an apartment complex days after it has come onto the market....

One of the greatest factors in determining whether a real estate investor will succeed or fail is the screening process used when rental applications are received. The key areas an investor will want to evaluate are: credit report and score, employment history, rental history, cr...