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Being a landlord is one thing, but being a good landlord is another. If you’re thinking about renting your property or getting into the landlord business then set your sights on being a good landlord and save yourself the headache and trauma of having bad tenants and facing future lawsuits. The following tips will help you in your effort to becoming a landlord that your tenants respect and may actually like.

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If you’re a property owner you will no doubt find yourself frustrated, exhausted and sick of dealing with your properties and tenants at one point or another. It’s just a part of the investment, the highs and lows of being a landlord. But some people actually suffer from more of these lows than others and hiring a property manager is the perfect solution. If you fall into the following categories you may want to consider hiring a property manager for your rental properties.

“Too Much Property”
If you have a lot of rental units or properties and are finding them just too taxing then it’s probably time to seek outside help. You?re not doing your tenants or yourself a favor if you?re spread too thin.

“You?re too Far Away”
If you live quite a long way from your properties then you may want to find someone who is in the area who can deal with your tenants and any problems that may arise. What is too far? Well, that?s up to you and your schedule.

“You?re Not Good at It”
Let?s face it, some people just aren’t good at dealing with other people or don?t have the organization skills necessary to be a hands on landlord. If you’ve ever rented you’ve probably come across these people before and the last thing you need to do is be one of them.

If you fall into any or all of these categories you probably want to consider hiring a property manager, either a full time service or possibly just some part time help. Whatever you decide, make sure you’re making an informed and well thought out decision.

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Getting all the appropriate tax deductions is an important part of managing a property. You want to be sure that you’re getting the deductions you deserve and that you’re spending your money wisely throughout the year.

In addition to interest, depreciation and repairs you can also claim deductions for travel, your home office and related business expenses, any employees or independent contractors you hire, casualty and theft losses as well as insurance.

Also, if you’re doing improvements you can deduct your expenses and if planned correctly you may be able to deduct them in a lump sum rather than spread out over several years. Segmented depreciation is another way to organize your property in order to take advantage of the greatest deductions. Small landlords get some extra breaks when it comes to losses so make sure you’re figuring this into the equation.

If you’re renting a vacation home look into your local laws, in some places you can do this totally tax free. But in other renting news, if you?re renting to family and friends it?s possible to lose virtually all of your tax deductions.

If you decide that these tax issues a too overwhelming, then hire an attorney or a tax professional and remember to deduct that expense as well.

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Like all businesses and business people, sometimes landlords, property managers and property owners get overwhelmed at times and resort to some shortcuts, but some of these shortcuts can be very detrimental to your business. Avoid the following shortcuts at all costs. (more…)

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The current real estate situation is causing some unexpected problems for renters. When landlords foreclose it leaves many tenants in the scary situation of not knowing whether they’ll have a place to live or if they’re going to be out on the street once the foreclosure happens.

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Do all property owners need a lawyer? The answer is probably yes, but in varying degrees. It’s usually very beneficial to have a real estate attorney to make sure your initial purchase goes as planned. But after that, most property owners don’t need to have an attorney. If you only own one or two properties you can probably handle most issues on your own and can contact your real estate attorney when and if you have a concern. (more…)

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If you’re having trouble with your landlord or property manager and want to get things done, consider forming a tenant’s association. Most landlords dread tenant’s associations because suddenly the entire group has power and the landlord can feel absolutely powerless. This is actually not your objective, you just want to get your concerns resolved, right? (more…)

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If you’re tenants have bonded together and formed a tenant’s association, all is not lost. Your first step as the landlord or the property owner is to take the position of being helpful to the association, don’t let them begin to draw battle lines, you want to try to stay on the same side of most issues. (more…)

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Whether you’re new to the landlord game or an old pro, you may be wondering if you’re charging your tenants enough rent. If this rental unit is new to you then you should request a past rental history report. Although this will not guarantee your rent should stay at the same level it’s a good starting point. (more…)

photo credit: G & A Sattler

Have you ever considered a lease to purchase agreement. These home purchase deals can sometimes be a great boon to both the seller and the buyer but before you leap its best to know what you’re getting into. Lease options, options to purchase and lease purchase agreements all sound sort of the same but they’re actually three distinct purchase agreements. Each state has its own laws and regulations on these purchases and you should check your state’s particular version as they all vary slightly. (more…)