Blog Articles

Tips for Saving Money on Your Utility Bills

With the impending doom of colder weather quite literally right around the corner, this is the perfect time to refresh on how you can save money this year on your heating bills. Nothing is worse than having your money budgeted for the holidays and then you get the electric bill, and it is double or even triple your normal bill! There are many ways to prevent your money from seeping out of your pockets that we will discuss today. Find the Best Rate The step you should take is to shop around for t...

What All Goes Into Flipping a Unit Between Tenants

The process of making a property ready between tenants can be quite chaotic when you are working behind the scenes in a leasing office. This is especially true around the very end of the month when most people tend to move out/move in. The leasing office typically has a very narrow window of time to do inspections, schedule professional cleaning, make necessary repairs, and schedule carpet cleaning and painting for the unit. After a tenant officially moves out, in most cases, they will walk thro...

Pests – When to Self-Treat and When to Call a Professional

At some point in your lifetime of renting or owning a home, you will have to deal with some sort of pests. Some are easy to treat, and others are better handled by a professional. It’s incredibly important to understand how to safely treat AND prevent these pests. If you are dealing with pests such as ants and flies, this can easily be handled by store-bought solutions such as ant traps, fly strips, etc. The best option, however, is prevention! Ensure that you are not leaving food out of the f...

The Difference Between a Service Animal and an Emotional Support Animal

Knowing and understanding the various labels that come along with trained animal companions can be a lot if you don’t do your research beforehand. The slightest mistake could cost you thousands in a lawsuit if you aren’t diligent in understanding the laws and obeying them. When you are a property manager, a store owner, or really an owner of any business that caters to the public coming into your establishment, you need to educate yourself and your staff on these topics. Your establishment, ...

Why Did My Rent Increase During the Renewal Period?

As a renter, you may eventually come to a period when your lease is due to be renewed. Now, not every landlord will offer renewals, some will allow the lease to go month to month after the initial year is fulfilled. Different property management companies and landlords will offer different options that fit their specific preferences. Many companies choose to implement a renewal period after the initial year lease has been fulfilled. After a year has passed, the company then can review the financ...

How to Attract and Retain Quality Tenants for Your Rental Properties

For your company to maintain consistent revenue and quality, finding and keeping upstanding tenants for your rental properties is very important. A bad tenant can leave your entire complex up in arms and ready to leave. Have you ever heard the saying, “You are the company that you keep”? It’s likely impossible to have 100% policy abiding tenants all the time, it is important to screen prospective tenants, to avoid dealing with trouble down the line. First impressions are everything! Ensur...

Apartment Living when You Have a Pet

For most of us, we couldn’t imagine our lives without our furry family members. They add such a special touch to our lives that can never be replicated in any other relationship. Even though having a pet is such a widespread and common occurrence, it can be difficult to find an accommodating rental unit. Many places will not allow pets due to the damages that they can create in the property. In today’s age more and more landlords are choosing to be pet-friendly, with certain stipulat...

How to Survive Living with a Roommate

Getting along with another person you are living with can prove to be quite the task when you aren’t used to it. You have to micromanage your day and your routines around another person. Especially if you don’t know the other person well, this can be awkward at first. This article will highlight some ways to make co-living a peaceful thing. The first thing you should do is become acquainted with your new roommate. If you don’t already know each other, you should get to know how...

How to Determine What You Can Afford When Living on Your Own

The first move out on your own is a glorious one. You live your day to day life as you see fit without your parents there telling you otherwise. You may be in a hurry to find a place so that you have your own place to settle down. There are many things that you should consider when you make that decision, though. The biggest and most important is knowing how much you can afford to spend on housing. The best way to determine this is to look at your current finances. What do you make per month at ...

The Many Types of Apartments and Their Perks

In the rental business, you may come across a wide range of different types of units that you can market. Many property terms are thrown around when referring to these properties which may leave you wondering what the difference between them all is and why they have different names. Here we will go over these terms and what they imply about the property so that you can better narrow down your search when you are rental hunting or marketing your units. Apartment: The first and most common unit t...