Category: Renting Tips

house check lists

How do Leading Property Managers Reduce Vacancy Loss? 

The sound of silence in an empty rental unit is a landlord’s greatest fear. It’s the sound of a financial drain, a missed opportunity, and a key indicator of a struggle that many property owners face. The concept of vacancy loss—the income you forfeit when a rental unit sits empty—is

Read More »
Mixed-race couple shaking hands with a man in suit and glasses

Can You Negotiate Rent with a Property Management Company?

Renting a home is a significant monthly expense, and the thought of negotiating that figure might feel daunting, especially when dealing with a property management company. You might wonder, “Can you negotiate rent with a property management company?” The answer, while not always a resounding “yes,” is often “it’s worth

Read More »
apartment in the middle of renovations

How to Ask Your Landlord for Upgrades

If you’re a renter it can be intimidating to ask your landlord for upgrades, or permission to make cosmetic or structural changes yourself to your home. Whether it’s adding new appliances in the kitchen, landscaping outside of your apartment building, or checking on prior upgrades that have been promised, here

Read More »
couple moves into their new apartment

The Pros of Being a Renter

There’s no doubt that owning a home has its perks. But if you’re not ready for the responsibility – or the expense – renting might be the way to go. Easier to Qualify Did you know renters usually have an easier time qualifying for renting than they would for a

Read More »
woman calls property manager about roof leak

What’s Considered a Maintenance Emergency in Property Management?

As a renter, what maintenance is your responsibility, and what maintenance falls on the landlord or property management company? Furthermore, what maintenance is considered an emergency, and what can wait until regular business hours? The habitability of a property is an important part of any rental agreement. Rental properties must

Read More »
couple decorating apartment

Wall Safe Ways To Decorate Your Apartment

You can decorate your house to suit your taste when you build your home. That can mean hanging up decorations, painting, or maybe remodeling; in essence, your changes are your decision to make. However, when you rent a property, you often have restrictions on personalizing it. Some rental locations don’t

Read More »
buy or rent choice arrows

Is Now a Good Time to Rent?

Depending on who you ask, you’ll get a different answer regarding whether renting a home right now is a good idea. We all know it’s a seller’s market right now, but property managers are also seeing an increase in rental rates. This makes it a good time to be a

Read More »
New renters receiving keys

Avoiding Rental Nightmares

For anyone who has been in the property management industry for a respectable amount of time, the prospect of difficult tenants is not just a scary thought but an actual waking nightmare; damaged or broken property, unpaid rent, belligerence to you and other neighbors on the property, and much more

Read More »
Section 8 Housing

4 Reasons to Embrace Section 8 Housing

“Section 8 Housing” is the phrase often used to refer to the Housing Choice Voucher Program, a federal program enacted to help low-income families better integrate into the public housing market. We’ve found that many landlords are hesitant to dive into the world of low-income housing, wary of coming across

Read More »
Dog looking at the camera smiling

How To Make Your Property Pet Friendly

Over 50% of potential tenants that want to move into your rental property, will have a pet. This means that if you don’t allow tenants who own pets to rent from you, you’re shutting out the majority of your potential tenant opportunities. If you’ve had a hard time filling vacancies,

Read More »
energy bill

8 Ways to Save on Apartment Utilities

Many of us made New Year’s resolutions last month to put more money in the bank every month, and if you’re still not saving as much as you’d like, it’s a good idea to take a look at your utility usage. Winter, after all, can be your most expensive season

Read More »
cat apartment

How to Handle Tenants with Pets

One major decision you have to make as a property manager is whether or not you are going to allow your renters to have pets. And even when you do decide you want to allow pets, there are a variety of concerns and accommodations you’ll want to consider. Here is

Read More »
New apartment

What Kind of Property Are You Looking For?

When searching for a new home, some of us have a hard time even knowing where to get started. Most listing sites will make you start with choosing what kind of property you’re looking for, whether that’s an apartment in a high rise, a unit in a multi-family home, a

Read More »

Four Unique Tips for Savvy Apartment Hunters

With one quick visit, it can be hard to tell how a new place will work out. However, there are some creative solutions that can give you a better idea of what you’re looking for. Try out these tips while you’re hunting for a new rental property. 1. Go to

Read More »

How Much Should I Spend on Housing?

Housing is one of the largest expenses that people fork out a month.  Whether you rent or own, your mortgage or rent can leave you strapped for cash.  You should always determine how much you can afford before you decide where you are going to live.  But how much should

Read More »

Getting Your Deposit Back

Getting back a security deposit can be a stressful experience.  It is just one more thing to worry about as you move, and some landlords are very reluctant to part with the money that is rightfully yours.  Read below for 5 tips to secure your security deposit.  

Read More »

Saving Up For a Deposit

Moving can be quite expensive.  You have to get enough boxes for your things, rent a truck (if necessary), hire people to help you move or enlist friends, and of course, pay a deposit and first and last month’s rent at your new place.  Trying to pay for all of

Read More »

Ways to Improve Resident Retention

The most successful residential properties are the ones that don’t have to cycle through waves and waves of new residents every time a batch of leases is up. Indeed, one of the most important numbers to pay attention to when running a property is the rate of resident retention. Having

Read More »

Buying vs. Renting a Home

There are many, many options of where to live in this world. However, one choice that you should get out of the way right at the start is whether you want to buy or rent a home. There isn’t necessarily a right answer to this question, as it almost entirely

Read More »

Tips for Renting Out to Students

If you own rental property in a college town, chances are a large majority of your clientele is going to be college students. While this does mean that you’ll always have a steady stream of candidates for renting, it also means that you’re likely to see heavy turnover and difficulty

Read More »

Avoiding Rental Scams

Have you run across a really great deal on a rental property, one that has everything you’re looking for and is well under your budget? Well, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is, to use the common phrase. Rental scamming has become a major problem in

Read More »

Tenant Eviction: Don’t Do-It-Yourself

Having trouble with a problem tenant? Or are you wondering what you would do in the event of a tenant who wasn’t following through on a contract? Before you consider forcing a tenant to leave because of late rent payments or untidiness, get in touch with a rental property manager.

Read More »

Get Help with Tenant Screening

As a property owner, protecting and receiving a return on your investment is one of your top priorities. You want to make sure you’ll get rental payments on time, that tenants will take care of the property, and that you avoid potential conflicts. The best way to do this is

Read More »

Writing a Clear Rental Contract

Before you put out an ad for the apartment or home you want to rent, make sure that you have a rental agreement ready for people who show interest. A rental contract is a must-have for anyone wanting to lease property. It offers protection for the rental unit and for

Read More »

Going (and Saving) Green

You may think that “going green” requires an extensive, expensive overhaul of your property. There are some quick, relatively inexpensive fixes that you can do yourself to save money. As a property owner, it’s a good idea to update even if you’re not the one paying most of the utility

Read More »

Securing Your Deposit

On moving day, hauling heavy boxes and furniture may bring your mind to the rental deposit waiting at the end of the metaphorical moving tunnel. But you may also wonder if you took enough care to ensure you get that money back. Most problems with rental deposits come from misunderstandings,

Read More »