MAP Property Management

5 Reasons to Use a Professional Property Manager in Whittier CA

2015-11-20T15:18:00.000-08:00

If you have owned rental property or have inherited a home and became a landlord, you already know that there are many hats that you need wear. In addition to selecting tenants, preparing leases, and maintaining the property, you also have to contend with Fair Housing guidelines, staying current with market rents, and formidable court room process. Perhaps you have discovered, like many do, that being a landlord isn’t for everyone. Here are five great reasons ways that a property manager can help you get back to enjoying your life.

1 – How to Screen a Tenant

This is the most important step you can take as a landlord. Verifying their credit, criminal and eviction history is a crucial part of this process. With the current eviction process laws, when a tenant is evicted, they can get their case sealed so it won’t show up on the eviction search. Verify current and previous landlord and listen for what they say. If they are vague, it could be a red flag. We just had an eviction where it was specifically stated in the judgment that I could only give neutral responses to any rental inquiries on this tenant. Some property managers who called to verify her residency understood my vague responses. The court system is not making it easy on landlords. Be aware!

2 – Showing the Property

Your time is valuable. Not only do you need to get the property ready to rent which means after work and on weekends, but then there are making appointments to show your vacancy. This means taking more time away from family and work. Wouldn’t you rather that time be spent doing something else? With a property management company they schedule appointments for you. At MAP Property Management, we show the perspective tenants the unit personally. We are able to meet and interact with perspective tenants and help them imagine where their furniture could go. Painting a picture with their furniture in the home helps in filling the vacancy.

3 – Ethics and Legal Issues - Rental Laws

Many home owners turn landlords are not up to date on current state laws with regards to evictions. Fair Housing Laws are also an area where there can be problems as to what you can and can’t say to perspective tenants. When filling out a 3 Day Notice to Pay Rent or Quit and you make a mistake it could mean starting the eviction process from the beginning.

4 – Rent Collection

Chasing down your tenants every month for their rent payment can be very frustrating. Professional Property Management Companies have software programs that assist in collecting rents. Our tenants can pay their rent online and we are able to track all transactions for each tenant. Tenants can also report any maintenance issues online.

5 – Property Maintenance

Maintaining a Rental Property has to be the most time consuming and expensive part of being a property owner. A rental property increases those expenses and time commitments even more. Every time a tenant moves out there are more expenses like, re-keying or changing locks, painting, cleaning and if there are upgrades that need to be done that will take more time and money. Then there is marketing, advertising, showing, screening and signing a new lease and that is just to name a few. Having the home or apartment in good showing condition is key to getting high market rents and attracting a qualified tenant.

Hiring a professional property manager is a great way to avoid missing some of life’s important moments like a dance recital or the big game. Leaving work to rush to show a vacancy and missing dinner with your family because you need to get it rented for pay the mortgage. Is it really worth it? Take back your life and your investment! Call MAP Property Management and ask for Laurie (562) 945-3404. Property Management is our business, our ONLY business!

Conserving Water During California’s Drought

2015-08-17T14:38:00.001-07:00

As everyone is aware by now Governor Jerry Brown issued an Executive Order on April 1, 2015 mandating additional water use restrictions. In an effort to make our city aware, Assembly Member Ian C. Calderon, the City of Whittier and the Whittier Chamber held a water conservation forum and resource fair on August 5^th. From this event, they put together a flyer that shows what a 20% reduction in water use would look like.

Install aerators on bathroom faucets saves 1.2 gallons per person/day
Turning off water when brushing teeth or shaving saves 10 gallons per person/day
Fill the bathtub halfway or less saves 12 gallons per person
Fix leaky toilets saves 30-50 gallons per day/toilet
Install a high efficiency toilet (1.28 gallon/flush) saves 19 gallons per person/day
Wash only full loads of clothes saves 15-45 gallons per load
Take FIVE minutes showers instead of 10 minute showers saves 12.5 gallons with a water efficient showerhead
Install a water-efficient shower head saves 1.2 gallons per minute OR 10 gallons per average 10 minute shower
Run the dishwasher when full instead of half full saves 5-15 gallons per load

Also remember to check your sprinkler timers to make sure that they are operating at the beginning of the day or late in the afternoon. Check your sprinklers regularly to be sure they are not watering the driveway, sidewalk and or streets. Be sure to check with your water provider to find out the days you are allowed to water.

If everyone in the city of Whittier would do their part to conserve water, then our reserves will last longer. If you would like to see the flyer that was handed out, please visit our website www.mapmanagement.com and visit our blog for the flyer in English & Spanish.

M A P Property Management & Property Services can assist you with replacing old appliances, faucets, or toilets and repairing or upgrading your irrigation systems to be more drought-tolerant. Call Laurie for more information at (562) 945-3404.

Check out this great water reduction flyer from Save our Water: The California Lifestyle!

Why Work with MAP – Professional Property Management in Whittier, CA

2015-07-15T14:58:00.000-07:00

MAP Property Management is a family owned and operated company that has been in business for 26 years in uptown Whittier. Our company’s history is pretty unique: my dad started buying properties in the mid-70s and flipping them before it became a popular investment tool. As a family, we’d get these houses ready and that’s how I became involved in property management.

In the late 80s, I began handling the accounting for all the properties that my dad owned. We decided to open our own property management company so we could help other property owners. I’m proud to say that right now we still manage the very first property that we took over back in 1989. Today, we’re sharing a few good reasons to work with MAP Property Management.

Personalized Service

We treat each property as if it was our own and we work with the owner to improve the property’s value. We are a full service organization and we can handle everything for you. We also customize what we do for each owner. Some owners want to have hands on in some parts of their rental properties while others want us to take over everything and simply receive a rent check every month.

Marketing and Showing

If there’s a vacancy, we go to the property and take good marketing pictures. We write a detailed description and post it to our website as well as 50 additional Internet listing sites. Each time someone is interested in the property, we personally show it to those prospective tenants. We don’t like having people check out a key and seeing it on their own because a personal showing allows us to build a relationship with the tenants and get to know them better.

Maintenance and Repairs

We have an after-hours service to handle any emergencies that might come up with your tenant or your property. We are licensed general contractors with a full

maintenance staff equipped to handle any repairs that come in. Two of our employees have been with the company for over 22 years.

Property Management is our Business, our ONLY business, and we’d love the chance to tell you more about what we do. If you have any questions, please contact us at MAP Property Management.

5 Halloween Safety Tips for Your Rental Property

2014-10-30T12:24:00.000-07:00

As October 31 approaches, your youngest residents are anticipating a night filled with costumes and candy. While the holiday is all about celebrating the spooky and the scary, you don’t want that to turn into reality. Whether you manage a rental home on the side or own a small building, ensure that everyone involved has a safe and fun Halloween by taking the following safety precautions on your property.

Light outdoor and common areas

Paths and hallways aren’t the only places that will receive the brunt of trick-or-treat traffic. Make sure any stairways, side alleys, and front lawns are properly lit too, so kids can see where they’re going. A well-lit property will also deter tricksters who are looking for homes to vandalize. Replace burnt-out floodlights or add solar lights along pathways to brighten dark areas.

Install non-slip treads

Carrying heavy bags of candy up and down stairs while wearing a mask and costume can be the perfect recipe for a bad fall. Prevent trick-or-treaters from tripping on the steps by installing non-slip stair treads. Spending a few dollars on anti-slip tape at the hardware store is a no-brainer when it comes to preventing injuries on your property.

Limit access to unauthorized areas

The risk of vandalism and theft goes up on Halloween, when there’s a lot more foot traffic around your neighborhood. Remind your residents to close and lock exterior doors, gates, and windows so they won’t be easy targets for criminal activity.

Ask residents to enclose pets

Unfamiliar visitors and loud noises can make pets nervous. Prevent escaped pets or aggressive behavior by reminding your residents to keep their pets away from the front door.

Remind residents about fire safety

Remind your residents about your policies for open flames on the property, especially as the weather gets chilly. Candles, jack-o-lanterns, and luminarias are fun seasonal decorations, but they can also be easily overturned. Complete an inspection of the smoke detectors on your property and ask your residents to use battery-powered lights as a safer alternative.

What Do Tenants Really Want?

2014-08-19T09:42:00.004-07:00

As more competition comes into the rental market, it is important for property owners to keep properties up to date and attract renters into their units, raise rents and increase cash flow. Who are today’s tenants and what are they looking for? When tenants were asked what are the top three most important qualities you look for in deciding on a rental unit they responded with:

Location – 33%
Unit Quality – 27%
Price – 22%

Here are five tips to entice Renters:

Update lighting, floors and appliances
Stay proactive with constant communication
Partner with local businesses
Allow pets

Renter Turnoffs

Bad Odors
Carpets in bathroom
Broken Appliances
Dirty carpets
Lack of storage

Upgrade Your Properties! If you make one significant upgrade to your property, not only will it be appreciated by your tenants but it will increase the value of your properties and make them more attractive. Here are some suggestions for upgrades:

Doors and Windows
Upgrade the Kitchen – Countertops, appliances, flooring
Improve the Exterior – lighting, landscaping, siding/stucco
Bathrooms – flooring, sinks, shower heads and faucets

Some of these suggestions can be costly and some are minor. Choose what you can afford because the right upgrades can make a difference when trying to market your unit in a market where other owners have already done made these changes to their units. Keeping tenants happy goes a long way to increasing the value of your investment.

At M A P Property Management we offer full service property management services along with complete remodeling for all your renovations and upgrades. Call Laurie, (562) 945-3404, if you would like more information.

What renters want this year

2013-10-30T13:14:00.000-07:00

We are encouraging our owners whose buildings are older to do some upgrades to bring in new tenants.

Your prospective tenants have many options when it comes to renting an apartment. How can your units stand out? Answering the question of what renters want is key to your apartment marketing efforts.

To that end, here is what prospective tenants want most when they are looking for a new apartment:
The BuildingLocation – This is consistently the number one consideration for renters. They will likely pay higher rents and compromise on almost every other feature if they feel the location is desirable. Though you can’t move your property, you can highlight the advantages of your location, such as proximity to stores, schools, and transportation.
Parking – For renters with cars, parking ranks high on their list of wants. Off-street parking is most attractive, but on-street parking will suffice if there is enough of it. If parking is scarce, try to arrange a deal with a nearby lot or garage to provide safe parking for your tenants.
Laundry Center – Lugging loads of laundry to a nearby laundromat is a problem for tenants. Having an on-site laundry room can be a real differentiator. A washing machine in each unit is even better.
Outdoor Space – Allowing tenants to spend time out of their unit in a yard or balcony is another sought after amenity. This is particularly important in urban areas.
Mixed Use Areas – This is especially important for the more socially connected younger renters looking to live in a community type of atmosphere. Consider designating areas that can double as a business center, or lunch area, or other type of space conducive to tenants starting a conversation and getting to know one another.
Fitness Center – People of all ages are working out more. Making it easy for tenants to stay on your property to workout rather than visiting a remote gym is a huge plus for you and a huge convenience for them.
Specific Amenities – Each market has unique needs that can attract tenants. Conduct resident surveys to uncover the amenities most compelling to your current and prospective tenants. Fulfilling that specific need could separate you from the competition.
The UnitRenovations – Tenants like anything that is new, and so make renovations a priority. Having something the previous renter didn’t have gives tenants a greater sense that the unit is theirs.
Open Floor Plan – This makes smaller units look bigger, so consider an open floor plan for your units whenever possible.
Stainless Steel Appliances – These are universally accepted and have a clean, modern look. If stainless steel appliances are not possible, at least make sure all the appliances match.
Closet Space – If space is scarce in the unit, consider providing storage somewhere else on the property.
Large Windows/Natural Light – Light makes a unit feel inviting. Dark spaces, in contrast, can be depressing. Do what you can to ensure that tenants are capturing as much natural light as possible.
Central Air – This is almost a must in warmer southern climates. Central air is more of a luxury in temperate climates, but is still a distinct advantage to highlight.
Chances are your property doesn’t have all of these amenities. The key is to highlight the ones you do have to better attract prospective tenants.

Four Reasons Your Prospects Need a Property Manager

2013-05-30T15:23:00.002-07:00

1. Local laws are complicated

Becoming a property owner and leasing a unit opens the door for many legal concerns. A property manager eats, breathes, and lives local ordinance. If they don’t, they
aren’t a real PM. For example, rental ordinances in San Francisco Bay Area change the moment you cross the Bay Bridge, this holds true for many major metropolitan areas. Being a property manager is more than collecting rent and bills, and handling repairs – it includes knowing local, state and federal fair housing laws – as the rental housing industry is one of the most regulated. Oftentimes, owners come to us after they have a problem, that they tried to resolve themselves, and discovered that they have done it wrong. This happens a lot with rent control issues.

2. There are many hassles to the job

It is not a pleasant experience to be woken up at 2am when there is a leak or emergency. Those are just some of the reasons why having a property manager are helpful to making your life easier.

Those are the easy issues, but there can be much bigger problems. For example, the city was repaving some of the main sewer lines in front of one of the buildings I manage. When they were replacing the lines they cut off the access to the building’s sewer line. Eventually there was 4ft. of raw sewage in the boiler room – so we dealt with the city, insurance, Hazmat, and repairs on behalf of our owner. It was more than just handling the angry residents and repairs, we also had a responsibility to clean it to code and ensure that Hazmat was brought in. It is an extreme example, but a pretty clear case where if the owner did not have a PM, they would have had to navigate all of these issues on their own. Our owner was not involved after the initial day; we handled the rest.

3. We know the territory

As local PMs we know trades people and companies that we have trusted for years. This gives our owners comfort knowing we will get items resolved with reputable, reliable and honest services with good prices. One specific example is with the water bill, we know what the bill should be for buildings based on their size. So if it is too high, we go in and assess for water leaks, etc. and save money before it turns into 1,000s of dollars. When we take over properties, we like to maintain any relationships that the owner has fostered with their vendors – which builds our database as well. Even in those cases we can price things accordingly and ensure that they are paying a fair rate.

4. We protect the investment of the owner

Because of our knowledge, we are able to budget for plumbing, locksmiths, etc. We also know how to run market comps and price the apartments correctly to maximize the income for the owner. Sometimes the owners completely overprice an apartment and we are able to price accordingly to the market and ensure maximum occupancy as quickly as possible.

Again, we are a highly regulated industry. As such, we need to be trained in all aspects and certified when needed. It is our job to stay updated on classes and laws. For example, today I attended a tax change in regards to parking tax. Professional PMs stay on top of these details enabling us to protect and inform our clients.

Top 10 Tips for Renters!

2013-05-13T13:44:00.001-07:00

Even if you rent an apartment, townhouse, or a home, you can make a big difference, too! These tips will show you how to be more energy efficient and save energy, money, and reduce the risks of global warming. If there are things you can't change on your own, share these tips and encourage your landlord to help you make a change for the better.

1. Lighting is one of the easiest places to start saving energy. Replacing your five most frequently used light fixtures or the bulbs in them with ENERGY STAR qualified lights can save
more than $65 a year in energy costs. ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) provide high-quality light output, use 75% less energy, and last 6–10 times longer than standard incandescent light bulbs, saving money on energy bills and replacement costs.

Remember to always turn off your lights when leaving a room. Turning off just one 60-watt incandescent bulb that would otherwise burn eight hours a day can save about $15 per year!

2. Considering purchasing a room air conditioner? Consider an ENERGY STAR qualified model. They use at least 10 percent less energy than standard models.

In the winter, be sure to insulate room air conditioners from the outside with a tight-fitting a/c unit cover, available at your local home improvement center or hardware store. This keeps heated air from escaping outside. Alternately, you can remove the window unit in the winter months to prevent energy losses.
Be sure the window unit fits tightly in the window so outdoor air is not getting in.

3. If possible, install a programmable thermostat to automatically adjust your home's temperature settings when you're away or sleeping.

When used properly, a programmable thermostat with its four temperature settings can save up to $150 a year in energy costs. Proper use means setting the thermostat at energy-saving temperatures without overriding that setting. You should also set the "hold" button at a constant energy-saving temperature when you're away or on vacation.

4. Consumer electronics play an increasingly larger role in your home's energy consumption, accounting for 15 percent of household electricity use. Many consumer electronics products use energy even when switched off. Electronics equipment that has earned the ENERGY STAR helps save energy when off, while maintaining features like clock displays, channel settings, and remote-control functions.

Unplug any battery chargers or power adapters when not in use (like your cell phone charger!).
Use a power strip as a central “turn off” point when you are done using equipment.
Even when turned off, electronic and IT equipment often use a small amount of electricity. For home office equipment, this stand-by or “phantom” power load can range from a few watts to as much as 20 or even 40 watts for each piece of equipment. Using a power strip for your computer and all peripheral equipment allows you to completely disconnect the power supply from the power source, eliminating standby power consumption.

5. A ten minute shower can use less water than a full bath.

With a new 2.5 gallon-per-minute (low-flow) shower head, a 10-minute shower will use about 25 gallons of water, saving you five gallons of water over a typical bath. A new showerhead also will save energy — up to $145 each year on electricity — beating out both the bath and an old-fashioned showerhead.
To avoid moisture problems, control humidity in your bathroom by running your ventilating fan during and 15 minutes after showers and baths.

6. Make sure all air registers are clear of furniture so that air can circulate freely. If your home has radiators, place heat-resistant reflectors between radiators and walls. In the winter, this will help heat the room instead of the wall.

7. During cold weather, take advantage of the sun's warmth by keeping drapes open during daylight hours. To keep out the heat of the summer sun, close window shades and drapes in warm weather.

8. Save water by scraping dishes instead of rinsing them before loading in the dishwasher. Run your dishwasher with a full load and use the air-dry option if available.

Rinsing dirty dishes before loading your dishwasher uses a lot of water and energy. Most dishwashers today can thoroughly clean dishes that have had food scraped, rather than rinsed, off — the wash cycle and detergent take care of the rest. To make the most efficient use of your dishwasher's energy and water consumption, run the dishwasher only when enough dirty dishes have accumulated for a full load.

9. Wash your laundry with cold water whenever possible. To save water, try to wash full loads or, if you must wash a partial load, reduce the level of water appropriately.

Hot water heating accounts for about 90 percent of the energy your machine uses to wash clothes — only 10 percent goes to electricity used by the washer motor. Depending on the clothes and local water quality (hardness), many homeowners can effectively do laundry exclusively with cold water, using cold water laundry detergents. Switching to cold water can save the average household more than $40 annually (with an electric water heater) and more than $30 annually (with a gas water heater).
Washing full loads can save you more than 3,400 gallons of water each year.

10. Don't over dry your clothes. If your dryer has a moisture sensor that will automatically turn the machine off when clothes are done, use it to avoid over drying. Remember to clean the lint trap before every load. Dry full loads, or reduce drying time for partial loads. Learn more.

It's easy to over dry your clothes, if one setting is used for various fabric types. Try to dry loads made up of similar fabrics, so the entire load dries just as the cycle ends. Many dryers come with energy-saving moisture or humidity sensors that shut off the heat when the clothes are dry. If you don't have this feature, try to match the cycle length to the size and weight of the load. A dryer operating an extra 15 minutes per load can cost you up to $34, every year.
The lint trap is an important energy saver. Dryers work by moving heated air through wet clothes, evaporating and then venting water vapor outside. If the dryer cannot provide enough heat, or move air sufficiently through the clothes, they will take longer to dry, and may not dry at all. One of the easiest things you can do to increase drying efficiency is to clean the lint trap before each and every load. This step also can save you up to $34 each year.

Safe Renting! Contact us at: http://mapmanagement.com/contact.html.

How to Deal with Consistant Problem Tenants

2013-04-24T11:14:00.003-07:00

Tenant Trouble Areas

Late Rent: You must ensure that your tenant knows you mean business when it comes to late rent. On the first day that the rent is late you must
take all of the actions afforded to you by your lease and the municipality you live in, and make sure you tenant knows you took those actions. In addition, now is a good time to schedule a safe and clean inspection to get into the property and to let the tenants know you aren’t going to disappear.

Maintenance Issues: Correcting maintenance issues is your responsibility even if the tenants are responsible for the damage. Where this becomes tricky is when a tenant starts playing games regarding your access to not only inspect the property, but to perform the maintenance. Once a tenant moves to this position you have to recognize that they are moving off of your agenda and onto theirs. Don’t let them do it. Your lease is your guide here. It should clearly state how and when you can enter your property and what notifications are required.

Here are a few tidbits:

Never enter when just children are present.
Be prepared to video tape everything.
Never let interactions with the tenant become heated.
Don’t be afraid to call the police if you feel threatened.
Deal only with the individuals who are on the lease; boyfriends, mothers, fathers, sisters, etc., do not get a vote, nor should you have any discussions with them.
Schedule your entry date and time, show up, complete the inspection/perform the maintenance, document everything and move on.

Government Assisted Tenants: It could actually work to your advantage when a tenant is getting rent assistance. If a tenant is giving you a hard time, document everything, request a hearing, show up, present your case, and more than likely the tenant will get the message.

The key to keeping tenants on your agenda is to have rules, ensure your tenant knows what they are, and then enforce them.

Taken from biggerpockets.com

Millions of credit reports have ERRORS

2013-02-12T10:33:00.002-08:00

Summary: Millions of Americans have mistakes on their credit reports, some of which are serious enough to lower credit scores and result in worse credit offers, according to a new government study.

http://money.cnn.com/2013/02/11/pf/credit-report-errors/index.html?source=linkedin

9 Futuristic Real Estate Apps That Already Exist

2013-02-12T10:32:00.000-08:00

Remember the Jetsons? When you think back on it, it’s uncanny how many of the so-called space age technologies that George, Jane, Judy, Elroy (and the inimitable Rosie) had in their 2062-era home exist right now - 40 years ahead of schedule! Video phone calls, mobile devices with video and phone capabilities, flatscreen “televiewers” with scrolling news updates (à la the internet), digital diaries, even robotic cleaners like Roomba: all Jetson gadgetry, and all of it exists as we speak.

The light-speed at which web and mobile applications, or apps, are being developed and launched today means that it’s easy to find yourself pining away for an app that could work a particular sort of futuristic wizardry in your house hunt or home sale - when, in fact, that app already exists! Don’t get stuck in a real estate time warp - instead, tap into this list of 9 futuristic real estate apps that already exist.

1. Trulia. I’m obviously partial, but I’m not the only one that loves the Trulia mobile app suite. Here’s why: wherever you find yourself - at your pal’s baby shower or lost in a strange town - you can pull out your phone or tablet, open the Trulia app and it will instantly detect your location and serve you up everything you’d ever need to know about the homes for sale in that area. How’s that for futuristic?

But there’s more! As the New York Times raved, “Trulia includes a well-designed search feature, where users can find homes for sale or rent according to a specified price and the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, or homes that have recently posted price reductions, for instance. Trulia users can also contact a home’s real estate agent from each listing, and scan a list of nearby amenities and institutions, like gas stations or schools." The app also allows you to send listings to your agent and save favorites to the same My Trulia dashboard you can access from your laptop, desktop, or other device from home or work. Plus, you can use the Trulia Mortgage Calculator app for iPhone and iPad to help see how much you can afford and compare personalized loan quotes.

Available for: iOS and Android Price: Free

2. Home Snap. HomeSnap is an augmented reality app that gives you access to all sorts of information about a home, by just taking a photo of the property. In fact, some folks have deemed it the ultimate form of tech-empowered voyeurism, but what’s cool about it is that taking a photo is the key that unlocks the information from public records or listing websites.

Available for iOS. Android version coming soon. Price: Free

3. House Hunter. I have a practice of asking my home buyer clients to track what’s good, bad and ugly about individual properties as we tour them, and to select/rank their top couple from every tour. The House Hunter App represents a high-tech upgrade to that useful, but old-school, exercise of tracking homes’ attributes and comparing properties against each other. Because it’s a digital experience, it’s quicker; it’s easier to share with your co-buyer, your parents or your agent; and it’s simpler to execute, as the app actually provides a list of over 80 property attributes you can choose from to describe any given home you see on tour.

Available for: iOS Price: $3.99

4. Houzz. My friends and colleagues have raved about this app - on iPhone, iPad, Android and on the web - since it first came out a couple of years back. But not until I was actually embarking upon a home remodeling project of my own, could I fully appreciate its value in terms of delivering a seemingly endless number of photos of well-designed rooms, and the ability to favorite and track them to help organize your own redesign plans and, even better, to communicate them vividly to your designer or contractor. What’s more, house hunters can (and should) tap into the app to compile images that depict their stylistic leanings and aesthetic preferences better than they can do verbally, for the purpose of helping their agent understand their vision.

Availble for: iOS and Android Price: Free

5. Photo Measures and My Measures. If I have one tape measure I have a dozen - yet I never seem to have one handy when I need them the most. Whether you’re the type of house hunter who wants to account for the precise dimensions of an heirloom dining table or a seller who is trying to do as much DIY property preparation as you can, both of these apps equip you with the high-tech capability to simply take a pictue of a wall, room, floor or door and use your fingers to get an accurate measure of any given distance on the image.

Photo Measures available for iOS Price: $4.99
My Measures available for Android Price: $4.99

6. DocuSign Ink. Sign any contract document, disclosure, offer or counteroffer - in a moment’s time - with your mobile device. This app is also integrated with the basic boilerplate contract forms used by agents in most areas. DocuSign Ink is so convenient and makes signing so easy you’ll have to exercise some serious discipline to actually read through things before you sign them.

Available for: iOS and Android Price: Free

7. Color Capture/ColorSmart/ColorClix/Wall Painter. All of these paint apps are brought to you by individual paint brands, and they’re all great - I say, use the one that maps to your favorite paint brand. They all empower you to snap a photo of anything in the world around you and find the company’s matching paint color. And for those with futuristic design desires, you can use any of these apps to virtually “paint” the walls of your house and preview the results before you even buy a single bucket of paint, using computer vision and intelligent object detection.

Color Capture available for: iOS and Android Price: Free
ColorSmart available for: iOS and Android Price: Free
ColorClix available for: iOS and Android Price: Free
Wall Painter available for: iOS Price: $.99

8. Airbnb Neighborhoods. With functionality provided by the site NabeWise, the web-based application Airbnb Neighborhoods is a program that futuristic house hunters can use to power the ultimate decision-making experience: trying a neighborhood on for size, whether for a night, a weekend or a couple of weeks. Though it’s currently limited to major world cities like New York, San Francisco and Washington D.C., Airbnb Neighborhoods allows you to click on a city, click on the area “flavor” you want in your future neighborhood (options include “Nightlife” “Loved by Washtonians” “Stunning Views” and more) and it will not only surface the neighborhoods that have been tagged with these characteristics by the folks who live there, it will also pull up available Airbnb homes you can rent on a very short-term basis in those areas, if you want to give the area a whirl before you launch your house hunt in earnest.

Available for: iOS and Android Price: Free

9. Karl’s Mortgage Calculator. When I think of futuristic gadgetry, I envision things that are simple and uncomplicated, yet flexible and powerful when you put them to use. This is precisely how I’d describe Karl’s Mortgage Calculator. Not only does it calculate payments from a purchase price and interest rate, it also will calculate any one of those items from the other two - uber-helpful for buyers who know how much they can spend, but not how much that will buy them, and for folks who are trying to evaluate the different payment scenarios of loan programs with several different interest rate levels. Karl’s Mortgage Calculator instantly produces very easy-to-understand graphs and charts, and is really helpful for folks considering various scenarios for paying their home loan(s) off early.

Available for: Android

Hoarding: Facts and Remedies

2012-09-12T18:58:00.000-07:00

Hoarding is a disability and under the Fair Housing Act, those affected are protected. This can be a challenging situation for property managers. So, what is hoarding exactly and what drives a person to hoard? In this infographic, we explore this condition and what property managers can do if they find a hoarder is renting from them.

Source: AppFolio.com

Political Signs In Front Yards - Know The Law

2012-09-12T18:51:00.000-07:00

During election season, it is important for residential rental owners and managers to be familiar with California laws regarding political signs; a new political sign law went into effect January 1, 2012.

California Civil Code §1940.4 establishes the rights and obligations of both residential tenants and landlords regarding political signs on rented property. Below is a breakdown of the key points.

A landlord may not prohibit a tenant from posting or displaying political signs relating to any of the following:

1.   An election or legislative vote, including an election of a candidate to public office.
2.   The initiative, referendum, or recall process.
3.   Issues that are before a public commission, public board, or elected local body for a vote.

Signs may be posted or displayed in the window or on the door in a multifamily dwelling or from the yard, window, door, balcony, or outside wall of a single-family dwelling.

A landlord may prohibit signage based upon the following:

1.   Signs larger than six (6) square feet.
2.   If the posting or displaying would violate a local, state, or federal law.
3.   If the posting or displaying would violate a lawful provision in a common interest development.

Allowable time periods for sign posting and removal may be established by local ordinance. In the absence of a local ordinance, landlords may establish a “reasonable time period” for sign posting and removal, which must begin at least 90 days before and end at least 15 days after the election or vote.

Below is a text of the new law:

Civil Code §1940.4

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (c), a landlord shall not prohibit a tenant from posting or displaying political signs relating to any of the following:
(1) An election or legislative vote, including an election of a candidate to public office.
(2) The initiative, referendum, or recall process.

(3) Issues that are before a public commission, public board, or elected local body for a vote.
(b) Political signs may be posted or displayed in the window or on the door of the premises leased by the tenant in a multifamily dwelling, or from the yard, window, door, balcony, or outside wall of the premises leased by a tenant of a single-family dwelling.
(c) A landlord may prohibit a tenant from posting or displaying political signs in the following circumstances:
(1) The political sign is more than six square feet in size.
(2) The posting or displaying would violate a local, state, or federal law.
(3) The posting or displaying would violate a lawful provision in a common interest development governing a document that satisfies the criteria of Section 1353.6.
(d) A tenant shall post and remove political signs in compliance with the time limits set by the ordinance for the jurisdiction where the premises are located. A tenant shall be solely responsible for any violation of a local ordinance. If no local ordinance exists or if the local ordinance does not include a time limit for posting and removing political signs on private property, the landlord may establish a reasonable time period for the posting and removal of political signs. A reasonable time period for this purpose shall begin at least 90 days prior to the date of the election or vote to which the sign relates and end at least 15 days following the date of the election or vote.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any changes in the terms of a tenancy that are made to implement the provisions of this section and are noticed pursuant to Section 827 shall not be deemed to cause a diminution in housing services, and may be enforced in accordance with Section 1161 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

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2012-07-30T10:17:00.001-07:00

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2012-07-30T10:15:00.001-07:00

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2012-03-31T11:09:00.001-07:00

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Political Signs In Front Yards - Know The Law

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