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As a landlord, you might have some questions about which duties you can pass along to a property manager and which ones you should take care of yourself. Here are some of the common duties that can typically be safely handled by the property manager: Continue Reading Duties of a Property Manager »
photo credit: Apollo-Jack
People who are interested in snapping up homes that have hit the market after foreclosures will want to start looking in the Southwestern part of the United States. New foreclosure data reveals that Nevada, California and Arizona are the three highest-ranking states for 2008 foreclosures. Continue Reading Southwest States Face Highest Foreclosure Rates »
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Should you collect last month’s rent when your tenant moves in? Most landlords do not collect a last month’s rent, instead they collect as much as they possibly can for a security deposit and use that to defray any costs or rent that is left over after the tenants move out. Continue Reading Last Month’s Rent »
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Screening your prospective tenants needs to be taken seriously and treated like a job. You need to follow the same screening procedure for each applicant and document your work. These steps are not only important for you to make sure you’re getting the right sort of tenant but they’re important protection against discrimination suits. Continue Reading Screening Tenants Similarly »
Upside down, in a shoe or up a tree. There’s no end to what an inventive mind can do when it comes to building.
House of the future
The Futuro house was designed in 1968 by Finnish architect Matti Suuronen, who designed it as a vacation house for a friend. After the first house was built, Polykem approached the architect about designing a prefabricated model and it became an overnight sensation.
The house came in 16 pieces of fiberglass and plastic. A hatch door in its lower half opened down to reveal steps, like an airplane, and led into a room outfitted with six plastic bed-chair combinations, a fireplace, a kitchenette and a bathroom. The house sold for between $12,000 and $14,000 in the US before the energy crisis of the 1970s and changing tastes led the manufacturer to stop production.
Continue Reading Out of the Box and Out of this World: Odd houses »
photo credit: Sweet One
If you’re moving in to a new property and realize on moving day that it’s not all that was promised you do have some remedies, depending on the situation. Continue Reading Apartment Disappointment Solutions »
photo credit: Simon Davison
The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) is an international organization whose members include the owners and managers of a variety of different types of professional buildings. They lobby for legislation related to the issues of concern to these members. The San Francisco chapter of this organization is working to promote awareness of its efforts that they have made towards implementing eco-friendly practices into building management. Continue Reading Building Owners and Managers Promote Green Efforts »
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A lot of people have the misconception that it’s a landlord’s responsibility to repair a rental unit and it’s the tenants responsibility to maintain it. This might actually be a good rule of thumb to live by, but it’s not a legal tenet and doesn’t apply in all situations. Continue Reading Who Maintains and Repairs a Property »
photo credit: Foraggio
A lease or rental agreement is something that should never be forgotten or skipped by anyone, whether you’re the landlord or the tenant. Both lease and rental agreements are designed to iron out all the details of the arrangement so problems don’t crop up in the future. If you want to avoid future conflicts, include the following information in your paperwork. Continue Reading Getting it in Writing »
photo credit: giuliana_miranda?
As a property owner, do you feel that the amount that you pay for property taxes is fair? If you’re like the average homeowner out there, your answer is probably no. Most people feel that their property taxes are higher than they should be, especially with home values themselves seeing decline. If you happen to live in Seneca County, Ohio, there’s actually something that you can do about it. Continue Reading Ohio County Considers Lower Property Tax »
