If you own and rent real estate as I do you have likely had a conversation with a friend, a colleague, or even a total stranger and once they hear you are a landlord they for some reason feel compelled to crack a joke or imply that you are a slumlord. When I get that kind of reaction I immediately feel a bit defensive and explain that all the homes I own and rent are all in very good condition.  In fact, three of the homes I now rent I lived in myself. It blows me away how many times I have gotten that sentiment in the 7 years that I have been a landlord and it is not as if I go around broadcasting the fact that I own property.  Slumlord is defined on Dictionary.com as; A landlord who owns slum* buildings, especially one who fails to maintain or improve the buildings and charges exorbit... 06/30/2014

La Jolla Homes for Sale What Happened in the La Jolla Real Estate Market in May 2014?   The La Jolla real estate market is one of the most expensive in San Diego County. A virtual visit to La Jolla (see links below), or better yet in real life, will quickly give you a good sense of why this is so. Having current, local information about La Jolla homes for sale is essential so you can make informed decisions about buying or selling a home in La Jolla. Despite the shift in prices, La Jolla remains an expensive housing market, particularly for ocean view and ocean front homes. La Jolla, “The Jewel,” is an extraordinarily beautiful coastal community with many homes offering fabulous views of the ocean from the hills, and a trendy, up-scale village offering the finest in shopping and dining.... 06/26/2014

Rentec Direct, maker of leading Property Management Software and tenant screening solutions, is offering their premium tenant screening package for just $21, which includes; credit, nationwide criminal, eviction, and an address search. The discount code is good from June 16th to June 22nd, 2014 to celebrate the beginning of another beautiful summer. The discount code can be obtained by going to Rentec Direct's Facebook or Google+ page or their Twitter feed and getting the promotional code to use at check-out while ordering your tenant screening product. “Social media sites are a great medium to provide discounts to our clients and to show a commitment to provide the best experience at an affordable price to our customers,” says Rentec Direct founder, Nathan Miller. You can find Rentec D... 06/18/2014

Owners of large multi family units or commercial buildings may want to take extra precautions to ensure the safety of the tenants and their guests. Some security measures that can be taken include; hiring a security company, installing security cameras, and providing well lit areas for tenants as they come and go.   Security Company Hiring a security company to have a permanent station on your property can be a viable but expensive option. Another good, less expensive option in the security guard realm would be to hire a contract security company to do a property inspection periodically throughout the day.   Security Cameras Installing a security camera system can also be a good option or alternative to improve the safety of the premises. There are security cameras of all different type... 06/12/2014

There are many effective ways to advertise your rental property the traditional methods of  staking a“For Rent” sign in front of your property, the newspaper and/or posting flyers. Aside from these advertising techniques, you can also advertise your property to a much larger audience and it's quick, cheap and effective- online promotion. Posting your vacant rental propert ads on the Internet allows thousands of people who are looking for vacant properties access to view your property. Using the Internet is now very important for your rental business as most prospective tenants prefer looking for rental properties online. Along with the Internet, you can easily post the information about your vacant rental unit through your property management software. With the help of the Internet and... 06/04/2014

A fixer-upper is a house that is run-down and needs repairs.  The reasons vary, but often it’s because home owners want to: Earn “sweat equity” by purchasing a fixer-upper home doing the improvements themselves.  They are trying to save money by purchasing a house with upside potential. Put their own personal decorating touch on the home, and re-design it to their custom standards.  They want to do their own improvements. Enjoy doing projects.  Some folks simply like DIY projects around the house. While buying a “handyman special” sounds like a good concept, there are some challenges that make “fixers” NOT ideal for first home buyers.  If you think that buying a fixer-upper may be a good strategy, weigh the pros and cons thoroughly. One problem is that some “fixer” homes with major stru... 05/28/2014

This easy to follow guide will show you how to spot a tenant who is likely to give you trouble. By doing your homework you should be able to form an informed decision on which prospective tenants to approve and which to decline.Two of the most important traits a landlord looks for in a prospective tenant are 1. the ability to pay rent on time and 2. the ability to care for the property.  Absent either of these traits and a tenant can cost a landlord thousands of dollars in damages and lost rent.  Follow these steps for the best chances of finding a tenant who complies with both of these important traits.CREDIT: Credit reports are available to both professional property managers as well as private landlords and costs roughly $10.  The credit report gives insight into how well the tenant ... 05/26/2014

La Jolla Homes for Sale - What Happened in the La Jolla Real Estate Market in April 2014? The La Jolla real estate market is one of the most expensive in San Diego County. A virtual visit to La Jolla (see links below), or better yet in real life, will quickly give you a good sense of why this is so. Having current, local information about La Jolla homes for sale is essential so you can make informed decisions about buying or selling a home in La Jolla. Despite the shift in prices, La Jolla remains an expensive housing market, particularly for ocean view and ocean front homes. La Jolla, “The Jewel,” is an extraordinarily beautiful coastal community with many homes offering fabulous views of the ocean from the hills, and a trendy, up-scale village offering the finest in shopping and dini... 05/19/2014

As a landlord or Property Manager, dealing with a meth lab can be a daunting and very expensive task but did you know that even after the clean up you may still be required to disclose the fact that meth was previously cooked at your property? In fact, a little over half of the states in America require disclosure and each state has there own unique twists regarding the disclosure making it very important to be familiar with your state's laws. Homeowners and Real Estate Agents in twenty seven states are required to disclose meth contamination in a home for sale. The level of disclosure varies by state; some states require written notices, some require no disclosure if the site has had all of the chemicals and hazardous toxins professionally and adequately cleaned and treated, while othe... 05/13/2014

Tenant retention is obviously one of the key factors when analyzing profitability of a real estate rental business. As landlords and property managers we know that retaining our current tenants is far less costly than having to find new ones. A vacant property can have a myriad of costs associated with it including; sitting empty for months, marketing, cosmetic repairs, and other expenses aimed at attracting new tenants. So we have to ask ourselves "how can we keep our tenants from wanting to move out and move on"?  To stay competitive and encourage current tenants to renew there lease or to attract new tenants some landlords have been giving out cash, rent cuts, and other gifts. Some ways that I've tried to entice tenants include: First months rent free or discounted Pay utilities Free... 05/08/2014

No matter how long you have been investing in Real Estate, it’s important to always follow a procedure.  Of course the most important step is to get started, don’t get stuck in the planning phase!   1. Get With the Plan   Figure out what your short and long term real estate goals are then create a profitable plan. Determine what steps you need to take to get started. Some of the steps include; setting up your business entity, determining your market, and building a team to help put the plan into action.   2. Analysis paralysis    Find a good analysis tool or spreadsheet to determine the numbers that will make the deal work for you. Once you have that in place, analyzing property transactions is pretty simple. If you plan on selling, calculate what the property will be worth when it is d... 04/24/2014

La Jolla Homes for Sale What Happened in the La Jolla Real Estate Market in March 2014? The La Jolla real estate market is one of the most expensive in San Diego County. A virtual visit to La Jolla (see links below), or better yet in real life, will quickly give you a good sense of why this is so. Having current, local information about La Jolla homes for sale is essential so you can make informed decisions about buying or selling a home in La Jolla. Despite the shift in prices, La Jolla remains an expensive housing market, particularly for ocean view and ocean front homes. La Jolla, “The Jewel,” is an extraordinarily beautiful coastal community with many homes offering fabulous views of the ocean from the hills, and a trendy, up-scale village offering the finest in shopping and dining.... 04/20/2014

You have been successfully running your rental property business so you may ask yourself why would I want to start using property  management software? If it ain't broke then why fix it right? Wrong! Using property management software can make your tasks as a landlord much simpler.  Using property management software can save you from countless headaches in running your day to day business, it can also save you a lot of time and money. Below I've listed the top 3 reasons all landlords large or small should consider using a software program to help manage there rental property.  It can help you increase your profit margin. The software has the ability to generate accurate reports about your business financial status. These reports help you track various expenses and the income collected ... 04/18/2014

World Famous La Jolla Cove in La Jolla California   La Jolla California is a gorgeous, expensive and world-renowned destination in Southern California.   La Jolla Cove is also wildly popular, and beautiful, with abundant sea life, sea birds, people from around the world and offering spectacular views. Despite the crowds and limited parking, it is well worth a visit.   Or take in the views from the water in a kayak.   I was heading downtown a week ago to set up the SoCal CRS booth at the San Diego Convention Center for the SDAR (San Diego Association of REALTORS )convention on April 11th. I had time to kill before I could get in, so a side trip to La Jolla Cove was in order for some pics.   It was not the most beautiful SoCal day, but you have to admit La Jolla Cove, and the critters, ar... 04/16/2014

There are many effective ways to advertise your rental property the traditional methods of  staking a“For Rent” sign in front of your property, the newspaper and/or posting flyers. Aside from these advertising techniques, you can also advertise your property to a much larger audience and it's quick, cheap and effective- online promotion. Posting your vacant rental propert ads on the Internet allows thousands of people who are looking for vacant properties access to view your property. Using the Internet is now very important for your rental business as most prospective tenants prefer looking for rental properties online. Along with the Internet, you can easily post the information about your vacant rental unit through your property management software. With the help of the Internet and... 04/14/2014

I have briefly outlined some items that could be incorporated into the tenant process, if not already in place, that could make getting through the tenant process simpler and more complete. Application      1. Having a clause that requires the tenant to disclose if any of the information on the application has changed. For example; if additional occupants move in, if there has been a criminal conviction, etc. Tenant Screening    1. This step is a must if our want to keep yourself from playing the part of the fool. Rentec Direct provides easy to use tenant screening. Rentec's tenant screening includes; credit, criminal, FICO score, SSN verification, and sex offender search to name a few Move In/Out      1. A thorough move in and move out report will take out of question the condition of ... 04/03/2014

Cliffhanger Cafe & Torrey Pines Gliderport     Cliffhanger Cafe 2800 Torrey Pines Scenic DrLa Jolla, CA 92037858-452-9858            If you're looking for a fun day in the San Diego or La Jolla area without spending a ton of money, it doesn't get much better than an afternoon at the Clffhanger Cafe & Torrey Pines Gliderport.  Amazing views, good eats, beach access, and beautiful scenery are all a part of a day here.        The Torrey Pines Gliderport is a highly ranked paragliding school, and a spot for enthusiasts of paragliding to come and enjoy the sport with some amazing sights, or for anyone interested in learning the sport to come out & enjoy a class and/or a tandem flight.        Located a couple hundred feet above the Pacific ocean, along the cliffs of La Jolla, the gliderport i... 03/27/2014

La Jolla Homes for Sale - What Happened in the La Jolla Real Estate Market in February 2014? The La Jolla real estate market is one of the most expensive in San Diego County. A virtual visit to La Jolla (see links below), or better yet in real life, will quickly give you a good sense of why this is so. Having current, local information about La Jolla homes for sale is essential so you can make informed decisions about buying or selling a home in La Jolla. Despite the shift in prices, La Jolla remains an expensive housing market, particularly for ocean view and ocean front homes. La Jolla, “The Jewel,” is an extraordinarily beautiful coastal community with many homes offering fabulous views of the ocean from the hills, and a trendy, up-scale village offering the finest in shopping and di... 03/20/2014

The first quarter of 2014 is looking promising for both buyers and sellers.  The key metrics below will provide some insight into the La Jolla Homes for Sale, condo/townhome market and a link to the most recent inventory of duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes to come into the market:                         La Jolla Single Family Homes March, 2014: La Jolla Homes for Sale: 189 (Active, contingent, and pending) March, 2014: La Jolla Months of Inventory: 6.4 February, 2014: La Jolla Median Home Price $1,675,000; 21% no change from February, 2013 February, 2014: La Jolla Homes Sold: 16; 36% lower than February, 2013 La Jolla Condos and Townhomes March, 2014: La Jolla Condos for Sale: 167 (Active, contingent, and pending) March, 2014: La Jolla Months of Inventory (Condos): 4.8 February, 2014... 03/13/2014

When you are renting properties it might seem easiest to allow the first person who applies rent the house or apartment. However, it is important to use tenant screening software such as Rentec Direct's easy to use tenant screening, before you allow them to rent your properties. A tenant's history is going to tell you a lot about who they are and how they'll behave. If they've made messes out of properties, leave before their lease is up, or get the police called on them, you can be sure that they'll do the same thing at your rental property. When a person or family has done things in the past, they will most likely repeat them.Credit ReportIt is vitally important to make sure that your tenants are going to be able to pay there rent. Tracking down tenants to collect rent each month is n... 03/10/2014