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Helping the Handicapped – How to Create a Handicap Accessible Parking Spot

Daniel Keane — Sat, 22 May 2010 21:17:53 +0000

When business owners are designing their location’s parking lot, they should be sure to keep in mind their handicapped customers. The Americans with Disabilities Acts establishes a strict set of guidelines that must be followed by every business with a parking lot. Failure to comply with ADA regulations can result in fines. Luckily for business owners, the ADA specifications are rather straightforward.

ADA regulations require that a business owner have a certain number of handicapped parking spots. According to Adaptive Access, this number depends on how many parking spots a location offers. For small businesses with only 25 parking stalls, only one accessible parking space is necessary. As the number of parking stalls increases, though, so does the number of required accessible parking spots. At the maximum, for locations with more than 1,000 regular parking spaces, handicapped parking spaces must account for 20 spots, plus one for every extra hundred spots.

When deciding on the location of a handicap-accessible parking spot, there are a few rules that a business owner needs to observe. The accessible parking spots must be the closest parking spot to the store. At some businesses, the closest parking spot may not be suitable for an accessible parking spot. For example, the closest spot may be located on an extreme slope, or the ground may have large cracks in it. If this is the case, than the accessible spot needs to be as close as safely possible to the business’ entrance.

The pathway from the handicapped parking space to the store must also be accessible to customers with disabilities. A handicap-accessible parking spot cannot be located on the top floor of a garage unless there is a ramp or elevator that leads to the store entrance. An accessible spot may also not be positioned in a spot where there is an extreme slope. If the path to the store crosses in front of any vehicular traffic, than the area must feature a clearly marked pedestrian-crossing zone.

Each handicap-accessible parking spot must be at least eight feet wide. Handicap-accessible parking spots must have two five-foot wide pedestrian loading zones, into which a wheel chair or electric scooter can easily fit. Two adjacent handicapped parking spaces can share one loading zone. According to the Florida Section of the Institute of Transportation Engineers, the parking spot must be outlined in blue, and needs to be repainted as necessary so that it is always clearly defined. Loading zones must be painted with diagonal stripes to denote that they are not parking spots.

The international handicap symbol should be painted on the pavement furthest from the curb so it is easily visible as a car approaches the stall. You can use the 39 inch (1 meter) international handicap parking stencil which is made to Federal ADA specifications. However, you should verify size requirements with your local zoning office as state specifications can vary and change without notification. For example, California requires the 36 inch handicap parking stencil and Florida requires the 60 inch handicap pavement stencil.

Handicap parking stencils are available in a range of sizes. A 21 inch is typically used in stadium row seating and the 72 inch is typically used at airports and large facilities.

ADA regulations say a handicapped parking spot must always have a handicapped parking sign placed in the front of the spot as well. A handicapped parking sign needs to be posted at a height so that it will always be viewable and mounted high enough for other cars to see – generally speaking, the parking sign needs to be posted five feet off the ground. The parking sign must also show the international symbol of accessibility. Once inside, you should include handicap bathroom signs.

For every eight handicapped parking spots, at least one spot needs to be accessible to vans. The van-accessible handicapped spot must still be eight feet wide, but the loading zones must be eight feet wide instead of five feet. The parking sign also needs to clearly designate that the spot is for vans, though regular vehicles with a permit may park there.

Designing a parking lot with handicapped accessibility in mind is key. Not only will it prevent a business owner from being fined, but it will also go a long way to pleasing any handicapped customers a business may have.

Daniel Keane has been owner of Alphabet Signs located in Wilmington DE since 1991. Daniel graduated Drexel University College of Business Administration in 1983. Membership includes International Sign Association and United States Signs Council. Alphabet Signs has over 3000 quality products in 50+ sign categories at discounted prices: http://www.alphabetsigns.com/

Author: Daniel Keane
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Three Ways That Cutting Pest Control Service to Save Money Could Cost Property Owners Big Bucks

Harry Case — Sat, 22 May 2010 21:17:51 +0000

In this time of recession, property owners and management professionals, like other business people, are looking for ways to cut costs. One place to cut costs is service contractors. One of the first services to be leaned on for price concessions or to be cancelled is pest control. But property executives should think long and hard before making any cuts in this area. The decision to attempt the realization of cost savings by reducing or eliminating this vital service could be a huge mistake, with serious consequences for your profitability. I recommend that you change your thinking in such a way that you view pest control as very reasonably priced insurance, against potentially huge losses. Why do I say this? Read on and find out.

In most states, counties, cities and towns across the U.S. pest control is the responsibility of the landlord, period, end of discussion; Even if the tenant is responsible for originally bringing the pest onto the premises or creating the conditions conducive to pest infestation. The tenant is viewed, by many, whether rightly or wrongly, as the innocent, little guy who is dominated by the big, evil, money-hungry landlord. Property managers should keep in mind that this isn’t going to change any time soon. A growing number of government agencies are putting tenant-protection regulations in place which mandate scheduled, inspections of properties, by government agents. Those agents are looking for violations of rental property statutes where the health and safety of tenants are concerned. In these times of shrinking tax receipts and revenues, they’re sure to be interested in enhancing their agencies’ cash flow by levying any and all fines that they can, within the law. In some parts of the country an uncontrolled pest infestation can cost hundreds of dollars per violation, per day! One source recently told me that in some parts of California such fines can cost a landlord in excess of $1,000.00 per day, per infested unit. In one case a management company was threatened with fines of $1500.00 per day!

But fines are not the only concern when it comes to pests. Creatures such as rodents, cockroaches, bats and feral birds carry and transmit dozens of diseases that can infect humans. If a tenant is infected by exposure to uncontrolled pests a property owner may be sued for large sums of money. In our ever-increasingly litigious society there plenty of plaintiff’s attorneys waiting to take cases and go for large settlements or awards, “on behalf of,” any clients who desire generous compensation.

The last leg of this three-legged stool and possibly the one with the biggest impact over time, is reputation, which affects the marketability of rental units. Once a property, management company or property owner gets a bad reputation because of serious vermin (and other pest) problems, rehabilitation of that image will be difficult, to put it mildly. The resulting rise in vacancy rates can be devastating to the bottom line. I personally know of more than one case where entire buildings had to be vacated and treated from top to bottom to eliminate cockroaches and other pests. Following that, the properties had to be renamed and remarketed to rehabilitate them into profitable ventures.

To summarize: Cutting costs by cutting pest control services can have a serious and expensive impact, beyond the original investment in these vital services. It seems to me that the much wiser approach is to continue retaining the services of a pest professional; A decision that will help guard against expensive, future losses.

http://www.pestcontrolcenter.com

Author: Harry Case
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Landlord Guide – The Eviction Process A to Z, Don’t File an Eviction Case Until You Read This Report

Howard F Burns — Wed, 19 May 2010 21:14:41 +0000

Every landlord has heard or experienced an eviction nightmare. The process is highly technical. Worse, those technicalities are strictly enforced by the court so if there is a mistake, even a small, technical one, the court will dismiss the landlord’s case and make the landlord start the entire process over again, including the service of a new notice. All the while, the tenant is living at the property rent-free.

The eviction process (called “unlawful detainer” in California), however, can work smoothly, quickly, and stress free if it’s done right. The eviction process can result in the tenant being lawfully removed from the premises in a month or so if the case goes by way of default or in about six to seven weeks if the case is contested through trial. That may seem like a long time when a landlord’s property is not generating any rent. However, when one considers that an ordinary, non-eviction lawsuit in California can take sixteen months or more to litigate, unlawful detainer cases, by comparison, move at light speed.

In an effort to de-mystify the unlawful detainer process, the following is a brief procedural overview of the California eviction case:

- Serving Notice: Every unlawful detainer case begins with a notice. The most common notice is the 3-day notice to pay rent or quit which the landlord serves when the tenant fails to pay rent by the time specified in the lease. A 3-day notice to pay rent must be done correctly. If the notice is defective in content, the court could dismiss the landlord’s case and make the landlord start over.

Other common notices are the 30-day or 60-day notice to quit which are served when the landlord elects to terminate a month-to-month lease. A 30-day notice is used when the tenant has resided at the property for less than one year. A 60-day notice is used when the tenant has lived in the property for one year or more. One caveat, if you have a tenant who has lived at your property for years, consult with an attorney before terminating the tenant’s month-to-month lease. If you live in a jurisdiction with rent control or eviction control ordinances, special rules may apply.

A 3-day, 60-day, or 90-day notice may be required to initiate an eviction case against a tenant who remains after foreclosure. A 3-day notice is also required when the landlord seeks to evict a tenant who is not complying with other terms of the lease besides the payment of rent such as having unauthorized pets or having more people residing at the premises than the lease allows.

- Filing the Lawsuit: When the period of time set forth in the notice expires-whether it’s 3, 30, 60, or 90-day notice-and the tenant remains, the landlord may file the eviction case. Once you file the lawsuit, it has to be served on the tenants in a manner authorized by law. After the tenant is served, he has 5 days to file an answer to the unlawful detainer complaint. If the tenant timely files an Answer, the landlord should immediately request that the case be set for trial. If the tenant fails to file an Answer, then the landlord should immediately request entry of the tenant’s default.

- Trial: If the tenant timely files an answer and remains on the premises, then a trial will be necessary. By law, the trial must occur within 20 days of the landlord’s request. Should the landlord prevail, the court will give him judgment for possession of the premises plus all past due rent through the date of trial, costs, and attorney’s fees if authorized by the lease agreement. Once the court gives judgment to the landlord, the process is not over. The landlord must present judgment and enforcement papers to the court and Sheriff so that an lock-out can occur.

- Issuance and Service of Writ of Possession; Lock-Out: Whether by default judgment or judgment after trial, enforcement of the judgment begins with the landlord obtaining a writ of possession from the court clerk. The writ is then given to the Sheriff who enforces it. If the tenant does not move out, the Sheriff will remove the tenant and give possession to the landlord who may then enter, change the locks, and re-rent the property. After lock-out, the tenant has no rights relating to the premises and is a trespasser.

- Money Judgment: The landlord’s remedy in an unlawful detainer action includes a money judgment against the tenant for all rent, costs, and attorney’s fees if authorized by a written lease. This money judgment can be collected just like any other judgment. Often times, the judgment is uncollectible in the near term but may be collectible later on. In other cases, collection efforts may prove beneficial right away if the tenant has assets or is working.

If the landlord knows where the tenant banks, a bank account levy may be worth a try. If the landlord knows where the tenant works, a wage garnishment should be served. Liens can also be filed and recorded which can give the landlord rights ahead of other creditors and coerce payment by hindering a tenant’s ability to get credit or loans. An experienced attorney can select the best collection methods.

Howard F. Burns, Esq. is a lawyer in San Diego, California specializing in real estate litigation and landlord representation in evictions. Mr. Burns has been a lawyer in San Diego for over 20 years during which time he has successfullly represented landlords in hundreds of eviction cases. If you have further questions, you may contact Mr. Burns at (619) 243-1757 or visit his website at http://www.lawofficeofhowardfburns.com

Author: Howard F Burns
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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A Good House Sitting Service Can Save You Money!

Tim Fay — Fri, 07 May 2010 20:46:37 +0000

It seems to me that a lot of people I come in contact with in my day to day activities don’t realize how important a house sitting service can be. They think because they are having their neighbor periodically check in on their home that they are protected from potential disasters. What these people seem to forget is that when it was their turn to watch their neighbors house all they did was peak out the window every so often and that was their check. Most people do not realize how many things can go wrong while their away.

While you are away most neighbors are not going to check all your plumbing to make sure nothing is leaking. Your neighbor is probably not going to check for pest invasion, leaking roofs, security light outages, double check all the doors and windows to make sure everything is locked and not tampered with, if you are gone for a few months I doubt that they will check your refrigerator for expired food. If you have ever come home to a stinky refrigerator I am sure you will appreciate this.

Not just anybody can go through a house and check these items. It takes training and a special eye and ear to catch potential problems. Did you know with plumbing leaks in ceilings and walls can, for the most part, be detected with a Doctors stethoscope. Most people do not take the time or even think about listening to their house for leaks. The bigger leaks you can hear at night when you are laying in your bed and your home is quite. If you stay still and listen you will hear which of your toilets have a bad flapper and also if you have any water running. Water leaks don’t get better by themselves. The sooner you can find them and fix them, the cheaper the bill.

A good house sitting service can save the home owner a lot of money on problems that the home owner was not even aware that he had.

My friend Pete and his wife Kris bought a ten year old house in Calimesa California. They thought that their new home was great. After living in their home for about two years, they notice a water stain on the drywall next to the floor. They called the plumbers to come out and fix the problem. The plumbers traced the leak in their wall to about twenty feet from where the original leak was detected. The plumbers told Pete and his wife that the whole wall was saturated with water and needed to be replaced. The plumbing bill came to about twelve thousand dollars.

Pete and Kris turned the bill over to their house insurance company. The house insurance company refused to pay the plumbing bill claiming, the leak was a “pre-existing condition”.

The point I am making is that the common person who isn’t trained to catch these problems, probably won’t catch them until the problems become major problems. A good house sitting service can save you money!

Timothy Fay, Owner

I started Crestline Home Watchers with you the customer in mind. We can customize a check list of duties that will meet your specific needs. Whether it is having your home well maintained, or having champagne on ice waiting for you. We are behind the scenes to make your life more comfortable.

If you have a vacation home in the Lake Arrowhead-Crestline area and need more info log on to http://crestlinehomewatchers.com

Author: Tim Fay
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Why Do I Need to Hire a House Sitting Service?

Tim Fay — Fri, 07 May 2010 20:46:34 +0000

Hello, my name is Tim and I operate a house sitting service located in the mountains of Southern California. The question has been asked several times “I have a monitored house alarm system and my neighbors keep an eye on our home from time to time. Why do I need a house sitting service?”

There are several good reasons why every owner of a vacation home needs a good house sitting service.
One of the biggest villains to vacation homes is water. Nothing destroys a house faster and causes more damage than water.

Several years ago the house I own in Crestline had a water pipe burst in between the first and second story. By the time I realized that it was leaking it had already made a whole in my ceiling above my bed about the size of a basketball. Fortunately I was able to fix the ceiling myself however the plumber charged me about three hundred dollars to fix the leak located in between the floor and the ceiling.

A month later I had the dishwasher hose burst. The water leak also put a whole in my ceiling in my bedroom. Just about the time I got that fixed we had another pipe burst at another joint just down from the first leak. That left me with three holes in my bedroom ceiling. I was getting tired of fixing busted pipes with no end in sight. When I bought the house a few years earlier I was told that the original owner replaced all the original plumbing with copper pipes so why all the leaks?

I was asking my plumber the same question when he decided to check the water pressure. He told me that the water pressure for a home should be between 65 and 80 pounds per square inch (PSI). He put the meter up to my water outlet and my water pressure measured 120 PSI. My plumber installed a water pressure regulator and set the PSI to 75. I haven’t had any trouble with busted pipes and it’s been about eight years since I have had any leaks.

The reason I told you that story is because water leaks are a very common problem from pipes bursting, especially in mountain communities, to water heaters leaking. If you don’t have a reliable service performing regular check ups you are asking for trouble. This is just one area where a house sitting service pays for itself many times over.

The problems I encountered at my Crestline home was costly and inconvenient but as I look back and realize just how bad it could have been if we hadn’t been home for a few weeks. The costs would have been a hundred times worse. Whether you are just leaving your home for a week or for a year, you really need to consider all the benefits that a house sitting service has to offer.

If you have a home in the Lake Arrowhead-Crestline area and would like to talk to us about setting up a “customized house sitting service” please follow this link. http://www.crestlinehomewatchers.com

Timothy Fay, Owner

As a resident of Crestline for over 11 years I have definitely seen the need for a home watch company that caters to the specific needs of its customers.

I bought and fixed up my first home in 1985 and have bought and fixed up 3 more since then. I also have been a landlord for over eleven years. I worked as a finish carpenter for over 3 years and worked as a framer for over 10 years. I also worked in customer service as a trucking dispatcher for over 17 years.

I started Crestline Home Watchers with you the customer in mind. We can customize a check list of duties that will meet your specific needs. Whether it is having your home well maintained, or having champagne on ice waiting for you. Crestline Home Watchers is behind the scenes to make your life more comfortable.

Author: Tim Fay
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Marketing Strategies For Investment Properties in This Economy

Michael K Carroll — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 18:30:46 +0000

One of the side effects of the current economy and number of foreclosures is an increase in the percentage of people relying on leased housing. As families lose their homes they have to live somewhere and rentals are often the only choice available to someone with a foreclosure on their credit history. Add on to the fact that some estimates show that in California alone twenty percent of foreclosed properties were rental properties all adds up to the fact that there are a flood of people looking to rent rather than own. This would seem to be great news for owners of income property, but with the new renters there are also the fact that many homes being sold by financiers are being purchased by investors who have every intent of turning that property into an incoming producing property. The market just got more crowded and owners are now faced with increased competition for tenants. Move in Specials, first month free, decreasing rents and no security deposit are all common techniques to try and make sure your property stands out amongst all the others, yet they are not always the best solutions. Instead of jumping to a decrease in income and security, other tactics should be looked at. Reducing your income, which is exactly what most these tactics do, make sure you have exhausted all other avenues first.

Housing is an emotional purchase and any marketer will tell you people make decisions based on emotion. First and foremost you need to make your property as inviting as possible. It goes without saying that you need to make the outside look as good as possible, but take a look inside. Any real estate expert will tell you that a staged home is easier to sell than an empty one, the reason is it is easier for the prospective buyer, or in the case of income property tenants, to see themselves in the home if it has some kind of furniture in it. Staging companies are great resources and might even offer their services for a percentage of the lease. Property Managers or owners of a number of units may find it more profitable to buy a room or two worth of furniture and then store it for when you need it. The cost of furniture and rental space is probably less than the income you would lose if your vacancy extends into more than a couple months.

You can have the home decorated the nicest and have the best sign out front but if people are not driving by they are useless. Open up a classified add and you will see an overwhelming number of ads all saying the same thing ”Charming space with so many beds and so many baths in such and such neighborhood”, what does that tell you. If you own properties and do not have a website what are you waiting for. URL registration can easily be found for under twelve dollars a year, some sites even offer basic hosting with the URL or at the vary least hosting plans are very affordable. If you are not savvy in the ways of HTML there are companies that can build a website for you. Instead of just putting the standard verbiage you can now direct potential tenants to your website where they can view pictures, get community information and download application materials. This also gets the potential prospect imagining themselves in the home before they even view it. How cool is it if you show the place, getting an application right then and there.

Real Estate agents who are looking to sell a house often will hold an open house, a time for people to walk in and view the house. Yet this tactic is not as popular in the rental house, and is a missed opportunity to save time and to get your property rented. Set aside a Saturday or Sunday, advertise it in all of your normal outlets, making sure you set clear start and end times, and then see what happens. While sitting open houses for my wife I was surprised the number of time I was asked if the owner would consider renting the home. It is easier to get people to come to you one day as opposed to driving to the location every time someone wants to see it. Some marketing strategies save you money and some save time, open houses could save both. The day of put signs up directing people to your property, make sure you have all the necessary forms that potential tenants will need to apply for a lease.

Unfortunately not all advertising is free, and sometimes you need to pay to place an ad. Advertising is an investment and as such you need to make sure the money your spending is well spent. If you are not asking everyone who calls, to inquire about your properties, how they found out about the home; if you take only one tip and use it make this the one. Keep a tally of calls that come in, calls that lead to showings and calls that lead to signed leases. If you find that 95% of your signed leases are referred from one particular ad in a certain magazine, you can start to eliminate ads in magazines that do not get you the same exposure, this means you save money. Tracking referral sources also allows you to put the optimal message out there, or allows you to target which property you market in which publication. You may even find out that your best marketing tool is a good old lawn sign. Never waste money on an ad that does not work.

The bottom line is you do not necessarily need to spend money to make money. There are opportunities to take advantage of no cost to low cost advertising. If you do need to spend money, you need to make sure you are getting the most return on your investment.

Mike Carroll is Director of Marketing for Holte and Associates property management serving Southern California, as well as consults for companies through The Carroll Marketing Group

Author: Michael K Carroll
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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The History of Seal Beach California

Morgan Hamilton — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 17:42:06 +0000

Seal Beach, California used to be dynamic and charming place. Now the situation is a bit different. Some years ago Seal Beach was a lively and dynamic place with games, entertainment and of course, the seals. Nowadays, all the liveliness and clamor of Seal Beachis replaced with people peacefully walking the pier or or enjoying the beautiful beaches.

Seal Beach, California was established in 1915 with a population of 250. The town was first established under the name Bay City before being changed to Seal Beach. It offers the longest beach south of San Francisco. The beach is unique with its seals but also with the sightseers who visit the town, the people who go there to picnic, the adults who dance in the pavilion or dine at the restaurants and so on and so forth.

With the foundation of Pacific Electric Railway, Henry Huntington had brought to Seal Beach, California many people who displayed interest to invest their money in the community. These people wanted to buy a strips of land along the beach, which was a rare commodity. As the population of Seal Beach, California was increasing, the people continued to enjoy the beauties that town had to offer.

During World War II the growth slowed down a bit, but the postwar years ushered in improved incomes and industry. Many more people decided to settle down in the area and trade was developing very quickly.

Some years later, somebody decided to make Seal Beach, California a conservation area. They closed the gambling houses and the amusement park. The purpose of all these prohibitions was to stop sea drilling, inshore erosion, and other environmental threats.

At that time, the population of Seal Beach, California had grown to 25,000. Although the size of the population had decreased, the way of life in Seal Beach was quite pleasant. The people were living in a comfortable and quiet place rather than a noisy industrial town. A place where you can relax in peace and where you can enjoy the environment. Seal Beach, California welcomes all tourists who want to go surfing and shopping, or who want to dance and listen to music. The beaches also offer lovely playgrounds and picnic sites.

Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning property. Get the information you are seeking now by visiting Seal Beach California [http://www.thepropertyprince.com/real-estate/real-estate/the-history-of-seal-beach-california.html]

Author: Morgan Hamilton
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Apartment Jobs – Thousands of Families Shift Into Rental Housing Creating Job Opportunities

David K Johnson — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:55:49 +0000

As everyone is fully aware, we are experiencing a very challenging economy. We’ve lost 7 million+ jobs since 2007 and that’s expected to be revised adding another 1 million (+-) to the “loss column” in 2010. It’s becoming more and more difficult to land a job, much less a career! U.S. Foreclosure rates have exceeded 250,000 for each of the last 10 months according to a report by Bloomberg on Feb. 12. (See linked report below)

The economy will get better but there are a lot of us taking whatever job we can to survive. The single family housing industry has been and continues to get crushed in many markets abroad. The banking industry is near annihilation and the auto industry has imploded. No career is completely safe. However, the good news is, there is at least one industry that is actually growing vibrantly thanks to the “housing bubble.” The Apartment Rental Industry

the result of foreclosure and the credit crunch is shifting thousands upon thousands of families into rental housing.

While some Apartment Companies are downsizing to emulate the economic conditions many are actually thriving in this challenging economy. More good news is that a college degree is usually not required for employment for most positions, but the pay will generally be as high if not higher than most entry level degreed careers 1st year. Also, there are various positions available that would have crossover skills from many different careers.

The various positions include; apartment community managers, assistant managers, apartment leasing consultants, auditors, accountants, recruiters, assistants, property maintenance, housekeeping, etc. The position of “Apartment Leasing Consultant” is probably the most abundant and you will generally get a salary along with commissions for every apartment you lease.

Hardworking, honest go-getters can earn near $50K annually leasing apartments in vibrant markets!

Whether you are looking for a change of scenery or want to stay put, locations all over the U.S. offer careers waiting for talented hungry career oriented individuals. Of course there will most likely be more opportunities in the worst hit housing markets like areas of California including; San Francisco, & Sacramento, and in many parts of Florida including; Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Daytona Beach. While these areas have historically had higher living costs, they are now very attractive for the vibrant person looking for a fun filled life of beaches & sunshine. Some other large cities hardest hit across America as well are, Cleveland, Reno, and Detroit.

There are a few Apartment rental locations that historically offer the lowest rents in the nation, and should definitely be considered in these low budget times as well. For a huge city, Houston Texas arguably has the lowest rents and overall costs of living in the nation compared to its peers. To state the obvious, the larger the cities will have more job opportunities in most cases.

It’s also important to note that Houston Texas has no zoning ordinances meaning that builders can build apartments anywhere in the city and most anytime they want creating a thousands of rentals and apartment job opportunities. Last count there were well over 400,000 apartment units in the greater Houston area. Houston has revitalized its downtown area and now features a light rail system in the epicenter of thousands of employers near many Houston Apartment communities with an abundance of fine dining establishments and top rated night life.

Other large cities with ample job opportunity and lower rents that need consideration are Oklahoma City, Birmingham Alabama, Memphis Tennessee, Cincinnati Ohio, and San Antonio Texas.

Whether it’s Houston, New York City, California, or Florida, apartment jobs are abundant during this economic downturn and the right companies can offer stable employment and high salaries for those who demonstrate the talents necessary to help the industry continue grow and prosper.

Author: David K Johnson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Why You Should Pre-Qualify Callers, Ask Questions, and Follow Up With Potential Renters

Mike Lautensack — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:00:57 +0000

Let’s go through the more quantitative things that we can talk about. Obviously you’re going to prepare your property. One of the things I really recommend, if at all possible, is to pre-qualify your callers. Use your voice mail system. That eliminates a lot of people that are obviously not going to work. The people that do leave a message and express interest, you call them and ask them a few simple questions.

Ask Questions

“When do you want to move in? What’s going on that you need to move?”You can ask that. Fair Housing doesn’t eliminate having an understanding as to why they’re moving. You’re developing a little sixth sense here. If they need to move tomorrow and say, “I need to move by this weekend,” ask questions.

“What do you mean you need to move? What’s going on?” You can ask questions. Find out why they’re in such a hurry.

We get a lot of this. We get kids calling us up right now saying, “I’m coming to Philadelphia in January for college. I’d like to look at your property tomorrow.”

Why waste my time for something that won’t be here two weeks from now? It certainly won’t be here in January. Ask that question and eliminate them. You’ll get some kids that don’t understand the process. They may call three months ahead of time and waste your time. Ask questions. Feel them out a little bit.

Make Sure They Know the Area

Make sure they know where they property is. We get a lot of out of state people who will call based on price alone. It’s a really rough area and I can tell they’re coming in from a high priced university. They’re coming from California from some really nice area.

We kind of express some concerns that they might not know that area that well and maybe they should go and drive the area first and make sure they’re comfortable with it. Ask questions and make sure they know the area.

If you can and don’t have staff to do it, show the property yourself. Then you’ll develop that sixth sense, that sense of whether you want them to do it.

This is a time saver and you’ll notice in the write-up it’s in all caps. You do this always. It’s not 92% or 98%, but 100% of the time. Call the person an hour ahead of time and confirm the meeting. It’ll save you an enormous amount of time. It is unbelievable how many people won’t show up for apartment showings.

If you don’t do this one little step you’ll probably have a third of the people that will never show up. Maybe even half won’t show up in some areas. They may drive by and not like it, who knows. You want to make sure.

Author: Mike Lautensack
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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“Hard-Nosed” Landlording – What Does it Really Mean?

Angella Raisian — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:00:55 +0000

“Hard-nosed” lanlording can have negative connotations, but what does it really mean? It is what YOU make of it. Landlord tenant relationships can be difficult or easy – it is totally up to you, the landlord. One way to make it easy on yourself is to set expectations up front, and to ensure that your tenants understand and follow them. Some call it “hard-nosed” landlording, but to me it is common sense property management, and money in my pocket.

I personally manage my own single family homes and condos within a 400 mile radius. Yes, you heard it right – within a 400-mile radius! I live in Orange County (Southern California), and manage my own properties as far east as Phoenix, Arizona.

Because of my “hard-nosed” landlording techniques I rarely have trouble with my tenants, and many times I don’t hear from them for years at a time. I also don’t necessarily trust other property managers to screen my tenants as thoroughly as I do, since nobody has more at stake than I do when it comes to selecting the right tenants.

So what does “hard-nosed” landlording entail?

First, I thoroughly screen the prospective renters’ applications and call them on any discrepancies I encounter, so they know right up front there’s no messing around. I explain how to screen tenant applications in a separate article, called “Tenant Screening – Don’t Let Them Lie To You“. If I find even one little discrepancy, I will grill the prospective tenants until I am satisfied that the item in question has been explained to my satisfaction.

Second, I give the renters a small monthly discount on their rents, as stated in the lease, in exchange for mailing or depositing the rents before the 1st of each month, and for taking care of minor maintenance issues. The tenants first obtain my permission, then purchase what’s needed and perform the repairs. The receipt is mailed to me, and the amount renters spent is taken out of the next month’s rent. I don’t allow the tenants do any major work on the property – we don’t want to cross into the employer/employee territory, especially if the tenants get hurt on the property while doing repairs. However, I do tell them up front that if they do NOT report major maintenance problems as soon as problems are discovered – I will hold the tenants responsible for any damage caused to the property.

Third, late fees start accruing on the 2nd of each month, and the eviction paperwork (3-day Notice to Pay Rent or Vacate) is served on the 3rd. After someone is served once, I usually start receiving direct deposits and/or the rent checks early.

On a side note, the monthly rent discount has to be paid back the month the tenants are either late with their rents, or when they call me for silly maintenance issues. And did I mention you can always bump the rents up a little, before offering a discount?

So what is “hard-nosed” landlording? It is all parties understanding exactly what is expected of them. It is tenants knowing that paying rents on time is their highest priority, and not having to go through the monthly “ritual” of explaining why rents will be late, while the landlord serves them with the “3-Day Notice To Quit”. And, “hard-nosed” landlording is peace and quiet for the landlord, knowing that the rents will be paid on time, and that the property will be properly taken care.

Author: Angella Raisian
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Digital Camera Times

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