Advanced Property Management Article Topics
HOW TO DEAL WITH LAW-BREAKING TENANTS
HOW TO DEAL WITH LAW-BREAKING TENANTS It’s important to trust your tenants. But if you have evidence that that renters are involved in illegal activities such as selling drugs, then you need to take steps to end their tenancy as soon as possible. This is especially important if you are a landlord in the state of Texas. Even if you [...]
LAND-LORDING AND BACKGROUND CHECK LAWS
LAND-LORDING AND BACKGROUND CHECK LAWS Legally, you can use the information you receive through a background check in your rental decisions. But beware: you must follow state and federal laws very carefully when you (1) obtain a background check and (2) notify a tenant of a housing request denial. Get permission to do a background check in writing When you [...]
HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY HANDLE RENT INCREASES
HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY HANDLE RENT INCREASES Rent increases on your income properties are inevitable. As prices for utilities and other services go up, so must what you charge your tenants. In Texas, if your renters have month-to-month rental agreements, all you need to do is give 30 days notice of rent increase. If they don’t like the changes, [...]
LANDLORD MISTAKES TO AVOID
LANDLORD MISTAKES TO AVOID When you’re a landlord, not only do you have to worry about the usual headaches like leaky pipes and broken appliances, you’ve also got to steer clear of legal mistakes that could get you into a lot of hot water. Be careful what you ask The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits a landlord from refusing to [...]
PRICING YOUR RENTAL FOR MAXIMUM PROFIT
The house money in human hands PRICING YOUR RENTAL FOR MAXIMUM PROFIT Getting the best price for a rental property may seem easy to do. But the minute you begin looking more closely, it becomes clear that there’s more to rental pricing than meets the eye. First impressions matter When renters evaluate a rental property, they are [...]
RAISING RENT
RAISING RENT If you haven’t raised your rent in the last few years, consider this: according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the rent index is currently rising at an annualized rate of 3.6%. So you’re probably overdue for an increase. At the same time, you may worry that by increasing your rates, you’ll lose good tenants. It [...]