c21-haggerty-las-cruces

First Steps Landlords Can Take When a Tenant is Not Paying Rent

Fri, 09 Oct 2020 20:42:41 GMT

Late or missing rental payments are always difficult for landlords, and it’s something that every rental property owner fears. To effectively earn money and have a pleasant and stress-free rental experience, you need to know that your rent will come in on time. Proper tenant screening is always a good way to prevent late rent payments, but even good tenants can fall behind once in a while. During the ongoing COVID pandemic, rent collection has been even more uncertain.

When your tenant isn’t paying rent, do your best to keep the lines of communication open. Eviction is a worst-case-scenario and rarely works out well for anyone. Try these rent collection tips, and contact a Las Cruces property manager if you’re still having trouble getting your tenants to pay on time.

Communicate Openly and Transparently

When tenants are late with rent, they tend to avoid their landlords. Make sure you create a relationship where they’re willing to talk to you. If rent is going to be late, you’re better off hearing about it before the first of the month. All late fees should still apply, but you want your tenants to feel comfortable communicating with you if there’s a problem.

Reach out to your tenant if the rent is late and try and find out what the problem is. Be professional and kind. Usually, you can rectify the issue, especially if it’s an otherwise good tenant. If your tenants are willing to talk to you about what’s going on, you’re more likely to reach a resolution.

Good communication, solid and consistent policies, and an understanding of leasing and landlord/tenant laws will help you collect rent on time every month. If you’d like some help, please don’t hesitate to contact us at Century 21 Haggerty.

Serve a Notice to Vacate

The next step is to provide your tenants with a Three Day Notice to Vacate. You cannot go to the court to file for eviction without serving this notice first. It essentially notifies the tenant that rent has to be paid in three business days, or they need to move out. With the service of this notice, the tenants are informed that you will begin the formal eviction proces s if they refuse to pay or move out.

The best way to serve this notice is in-person. If you can, knock on the door and serve the notice to the tenant or any adult who answers. If you cannot reach anyone, tape it to the inside of the main door or send it via certified mail. You’ll want to document that this notice was served, because you may need it in court.

File for Eviction in Court

If you’re not getting anywhere with your tenants and rent still has not been paid, you’ll have to move forward and file a court notice. Visit the local courthouse in the precinct where your rental property is located. There, you can fill out the paperwork and pay the fee to get the eviction scheduled with the county clerk. Then, the constable will serve the tenant a summons and a court hearing will be set.

Talk to Your Tenants about Credit

Landlord Rental Inspection Checklist: 6 Areas that Should Always Be Included

Fri, 02 Oct 2020 20:37:15 GMT

Routine rental inspections for your El Paso investment property serve a number of important purposes. You have the opportunity to document the condition of the home while checking for any potential maintenance issues . You can seek out deferred or unreported repairs that are needed. Inspections also allow you to plan for larger expenses down the road because when you inspect your property regularly, you’ll be able to estimate when a new roof or an updated water heater will be necessary.

Inspections are part of any preventative maintenance plan, and your checklist should include these six items every time.

Air Conditioning and HVAC

The weather in El Paso and throughout Texas can be extreme, especially in the summer with high humidity and intense heat. This means your rental property’s cooling system will work hard throughout the year. Tenants will need air conditioning. Since your HVAC system is one of the most expensive functions in your home, so you want to make sure it’s running as efficiently and effectively as it can.

Checking your air conditioning unit should be part of every inspection you conduct. It’s also a good idea to have the system serviced annually. Have an HVAC technician check and clean the coils, the fans, and the vents. You want to make sure it’s working properly, thereby extending the life of the system. The tenants will appreciate this as well. There will be less of a risk that it breaks down during the hot summer, and a healthy cooling system will improve their air quality and keep their energy costs down.

Inspect the Rental Property’s Roof

High winds, intense rains, and unforgiving sun are all part of the climate in El Paso. The roof of your rental property will be exposed to all of these elements. Inspect the roof for any missing shingles or signs of deterioration. Look for problems with insulation or any potential ways for water to get inside. Clear any debris and trim back trees.

Checking Window Locks and Security

Windows need to open, close, and lock. You should check the windows every time you inspect the rental property to ensure they’re doing those things. If windows aren’t in great shape, consider replacing them. Vinyl windows are a terrific option. They’re cost-effective, low maintenance, and they insulate the home properly. Window coverings should be checked too; you don’t want breaking or snapping window blinds making the property look run-down and unkempt.

Make Sure Doors Comply with the Texas Property Code

The Texas Property Code requires that all exterior doors on your rental property:

Include a doorknob lock or keyed deadbolt
Have a keyless bolting device such as a deadbolt
Include a peephole or door viewer.
Include a door pin lock and either a security bar or a handle latch when there’s an exterior sliding door.

Make sure you check the security of your doors when you’re inspecting your rental property. Test the locks and the deadbolts, and if you’re conducting the inspection between tenants, be sure to change the locks and rekey the property.

Inspect for Leaks and Check Water Shut-off Valves

Water can damage your property faster than anything else. Every inspection should include checking for leaks under sinks and around toilets and tubs. Look for any evidence of plumbing problems and inspect the water shut-offs. Make sure your tenants know where to find those shut-offs in case there’s an emergency. Look at the irrigation systems in your landscaping and make sure your property is protected against water intrusion and damage.

Safety Checks for Chimneys

How To Confirm Tenants Are Changing A/C Filters

rob@elpasocentury21.com (Rob Carrillo) — Fri, 12 Jun 2020 15:32:33 GMT

As we enter the hottest months of the year we have to prepare for tenants running their air conditioning systems much more frequently on the homes they are renting . This of course also means that tenants need to be on top of changing a/c filters regularly to not only ensure that they are getting adequate airflow, but also to avoid any costly a/c repairs. While it is highly recommended that property managers regularly perform inspections on the home, typically these are performed every 6 months. It is unrealistic that a property manager can perform a home inspection every other month to make sure something like regular a/c filter replacement is being performed. However, if the tenant is not swapping out these filters in a timely manner, then the rental property owner could be facing unexpected repairs or replacement that is not only expensive but could possibly end up disrupting their cash flow. So how can this challenge be solved?

As a homeowner, even I have a hard time remembering when its time to change my a/c filter. Sure I have a reminder service on my thermostat that even emails me when it's time to change, but now I have to make time to run out to the store to buy one. If even I find this simple task an exhausting one on my own home, just imagine what is running through a tenant's mind when they are faced with the same situation on a home they are renting. Procrastination ensues.

We took this challenge and decided to do some research on how we could address this. With some internet research and discussions with property management groups we were introduced to the Second Nature Filter program . With this program we were able to enroll our tenants into a subscription program that delivers high quality filters to their doorstep every other month. Essentially they have a reminder to change their filter on their doorstep and it removes them needing to make time to go to the store to purchase one. Going one step further, these filters are stamped with dates to help us make sure that they are being changed regularly. Second Nature even provides us a web portal which makes it easy to to start, stop and pause subscriptions as well as other features such as tracking shipments and the ability to order replacements for any damaged ones. The tenants pay a very small monthly fee that is included with their per month rent and is similar to what they would be paying if purchased at the store. In the long run it even saves them money since the up-to-date clean filters help avoid reduced a/c efficiency which tends to lead to higher utility costs.

A win-win situation in that the tenant's rental property is staying cool and comfortable while the rental property owner is reassured that they are getting the best value out of their investment property while avoiding any unexpected surprises and costs.

Century 21 Haggerty Property Management

www.c21rentals.com

11400 Sean Haggerty Suite 202B

El Paso, TX 79934

915.757.3445

5 Things Self-Managing Rental Property Owners Are Not Aware Of

rob@elpasocentury21.com (Rob Carrillo) — Wed, 20 May 2020 17:25:05 GMT

Many owners of rental properties don't realize that owning a rental property is very much different from managing a rental property. Often times the assumption is that the hard part was purchasing the investment property . Now the easy part starts with collecting rent and making sure the occasional maintenance issue is taken care of. Unfortunately, this will lead to a rude awakening as you start to realize that there is much more to property management . You soon become aware that there are a few things you were not prepared for or even aware of. This is right around the time you discover that ownership is much easier than property management. Below are 5 things that a majority of rental property owners are usually not aware of as potential issues that can lead to big problems.

Fair Housing Laws

Landlords are generally not very familiar with the many fair housing laws attached to renting out a property. Example of this would be the numerous times I have been asked not to rent a house to a family with more than 2 children or not to rent to a military family since they can leave if they get orders during their lease. Either of these are a big no-no and can get you into some big trouble as well as leave you open to a lawsuit. There are quite a few other examples that can be considered discriminatory and must be avoided. Navigating through these fair housing laws is paramount when planning to rent out your home .

Background Check

Of course you want to do a background check on the prospective tenant, but there are some procedures that must be negotiated during this process. First, you must have it in writing and signed that this person is allowing you to perform a background check on them that includes pulling a credit report. Further, before you collect an application fee and run the background check, it should be clearly stated what the application requirements are. Should the applicant be rejected, you then must provide an Adverse Action letter immediately which informs the tenant of the reason on why they are being denied. The reason for this is because it is required by law and secondly because it will clearly show that you are denying them based on lawful and credible reasons and closes the door on them making any accusations of discrimination. Lastly, you must inform the applicant that they can request a copy of the same report that you received as long as they contact the reporting agency within 60 days.

Evicting

Eviction isn't just filing some paperwork, showing up on your court date, telling the judge how you have been wronged and then case is closed in your favor. As with everything else property management, there is a process that needs to be followed and executed otherwise you will walk away very confused and frustrated. First, you need to provide the tenant a 3 Day (Pay or Quit) Notice and there is certain information this notice must include. Next, the manner in which you service this notice must be followed correctly as well depending on your State Property Code. Should you fail in this, be prepared that there is a good chance the judge will dismiss your case and you will have to refile, make another payment for court fees and wait for another court date so you can try again. All this and we haven't even covered what is expected of you when you actually get to court and appear before the judge. Not to mention what you are and aren't allowed to do after you prevail in court and are awarded the eviction judgement.

Service Animals

It's understandable that many owners do not want a pet in their rental property . The fear of the damages these pets can cause will sometimes lead to an owner willing to take a chance that their property will remain on the market as long as they can get a no pet tenant. However, if the tenant has a service animal then there may be no choice in the matter. First, the animal needs to be a certified service animal or a doctor prescribed emotional support animal. There is documentation that must be provided but beware, there are many online sites that for a fee will allow a tenant to print out a very real looking certification. If the animal is a confirmed service animal then they are to be treated as medical equipment and not a "pet". Therefore, you cannot deny them from living with the tenant, you cannot deny them from living inside the home, you cannot impose breed restrictions and you cannot charge pet rent or pet deposits on them.

Security Deposit

While collecting a security deposit is a great resource to provide financial protection to landlords, they can also be a major liability if not handled or disbursed correctly. Many states do not allow for the commingling of the security deposit funds. Meaning, a landlord can not deposit the security deposit into a personal bank account or an account in which they deposit the rent payments. On move out, once your tenant turns in the keys and provides a forwarding address the clock starts ticking. Most states require that you either return the security deposit or send the tenant an itemized list of what was charged within 30 days. If not done in a timely manner, you could be on the hook for 3 times that security deposit amount. You then need to verify that whatever you charged the tenant for can be determined to be due to tenant negligence and not the result of what your state might consider normal wear and tear.

While it may be true that self-managing can help provide you with the opportunity to save on professional management fees, it also means that you will be experimenting with what may be your single largest investment. Mistakes have the possibility of leading to financial losses or lawsuits. If this is your first rental property or you don't feel completely confident in all the challenges that property management will throw at you, perhaps you should hire a professional property management company . This may provide a safer way to maintain your investment property, allow you the opportunity to learn more about rental management and provide you more free time that will enhance the benefits of owning a rental property.

Century 21 Haggerty Property Management

www.c21rentals.com

11400 Sean Haggerty Suite 202B

El Paso, TX 79934

Tenant Video - How To Program Your Garage Door

Thu, 30 Apr 2020 17:15:58 GMT

Watch this fun and informative video as Nick Haggerty with Century 21 Haggerty Property Managemen t goes over how to set up your garage door and free yourself should it get stuck. It's a mission he doesn't take lightly as he battles his way through many obstacles, overcomes the "main boss" saves Princess Richard and even throws in some Emilio Esteves and Maximum Overdrive for good measure. In the end, we hope this video can assist our tenants when they move into their new rental property and offer some help should they find themselves with a stuck garage door.

Complete video guide on how to:

Program your garage door remote to your garage door opener
Program your garage door keypad to your garage door opener
Engage the manual release in case your garage door opener stops working or gets stuck.

For more informative property management info and videos, hop on over to www.c21rentals.com .

Century 21 Haggerty Property Management

11400 Sean Haggerty Suite 202B

El Paso, TX 79934

915-757-3445

4 Rules Landlords Must Follow to Get Through the Pandemic

Wed, 22 Apr 2020 17:52:18 GMT

It’s doubtful anyone in the world will make it to the end of the summer unaffected in some way by the COVID-19 pandemic. If not you personally, you probably will know at least one person who has been affected financially or been diagnosed with the virus or maybe even someone who was unfortunately defeated by COVID-19.

The tragic dilemma is many of us will end up being touched by all of the above.

Although there is a lot to take in overall during these crazy times, I wanted to provide real estate investors some insight into how we as property managers are handling these unprecedented circumstances.

As a property manager firm for over 1,000 residential units and 350-plus owners, we are currently doing all we can to be sure the owners we manage come out of this situation in the best-case scenario possible. Below are a few rules landlords should follow to have the greatest chance of surviving the next six months with a limited hit to your bottom line.

1. Follow Local & Federal Mandates

Since the middle of March, there have been many changes to what we can do as everyday U.S. citizens. Most of us have been confined to our homes and neighborhoods for over a month now because our local governors have put mandates in place at the advice of the medical experts worldwide.

It’s important for us to all do our part to stop the spread, but some of these local and federal mandates have put in place some new rules for landlords to follow. Some even stop them from going about “business as usual.” These mandates are local, so we encourage you to seek information from your community to ensure you are compliant.

The CARES Act

On March 27, 2020, the U.S. government passed the CARES Act, which lays out many rules for landlords to follow, as well. The act put in effect a moratorium through July 24, 2020, which prohibits a landlord from not only filing evictions for nonpayment of rent or other amounts due under the lease, but also from charging late fees, penalties, or other charges related to nonpayment of rent.

Under this act, however, not every landlord is included. The CARES Act only applies to a property occupied by a tenant pursuant to a residential lease if the property participated in a covered housing program or other housing voucher program like Section 8. The other exception is anyone that has a federally-backed mortgage loan like Fannie Mae. Review the act in detail to see what else may apply to you.

State Tenant Protections

Even if your property doesn’t fall under the CARES Act, your local city or state may have a moratorium on eviction filings, late fees, and sheriff evictions. This is why it is important to understand what is going on locally and for how long.

For example, here in Illinois, we are not allowed to have open house showings, and you are not allowed to show a tenant-occupied rental unit to prospective new tenants. Real estate is, however, still considered essential. These types of decisions were made by the Governor’s Executive Order that most states have in place. But again, details will vary state by state.

2. Have Empathy

If you’ve been poking around on the internet, you’ve probably read about landlords that are attempting to manage a property with a “business as usual” mentality. They want to enforce the lease and rent deadlines and are not open to making exceptions or concessions. From what I’ve observed, this method doesn’t seem to be working for those landlords, and they may actually trigger the opposite outcomes with their tenants.

As mentioned in the beginning, everyone is being touched by this pandemic in some form. Trying to aggressively or forcefully get what you want may not be the best approach in these times.

As a property management company, we hoped our tenants would be the exception—they wouldn’t be suffering financially or physically from coronavirus. But at the same time, of course, we went into April prepared for some tenants to be facing financial hardship.

We wanted to collect every dollar we could for our clients, but we realized right away it wasn’t going to be the usual 97 percent collected by the 5th of the month in the upcoming months. We first prepared our clients, the landlords, for this reality, and then went to work on how we can be flexible with our tenants while still maintaining the goal of collecting 100 percent of the rent eventually.

Going into April was difficult because we had yet to write a clear process for how to handle every scenario. But the framework for the process we did create started with the desire to work with people and approach each tenant’s scenario with empathy and consideration for their level of setback caused by the pandemic. We understand we are not the tenant’s only monthly bill, and paying rent is not always the first priority.

Over the last few weeks, we have seen all the ways in which our tenants have been affected by the pandemic and stay-at-home order. We have seen some tenants laid off with the inability to file for unemployment yet. Some are small business owners whose income has disappeared in recent weeks. Others fear losing their job. This is why it is crucial to keep in mind that many are likely dealing with bigger issues.

No matter what the current circumstances are for our tenants, we want them to hang up the phone or finish reading our emails with a little comfort in knowing we understand what they are going through. In addition to understanding, we want them to know we are here to help them get through the next few months.

There was an article published on CNBC recently outlining how to respond with empathy to a tenant. The article even provides a great template that you can use to create your own letter.

3. Know Your Options

Like our tenants, landlords are facing similar challenges and uncertainties in how to maneuver these next few months. It is important that all landlords are being proactive as opposed to reactive.

Talk to Your Lenders

In these last few weeks, lenders and loan servicers have been scrambling to do what they can to prevent a collapse in their operations. The last thing the government and lenders want right now is for the stay-at-home order to set off any sort of downward spiral of troubled loans. Prevention measures being taken by lenders are a good thing for borrowers and can be a source of relief for landlords experiencing timely rent collection issues.

If you have a loan on any of your properties, you should call your loan servicer to see what programs they are offering. Many lenders are offering payment deferment or forbearance programs and/or short-term loan payment conversion to interest-only. We have even seen reduced interest rates for the next three months to lower the borrower’s payment short-term.

Most lenders have a plan for how they can help their borrowers, but most of them will not call or email about what they can do for you. It is up to you, as the borrower, to reach out to the lender to find out your options.

Landlords that have loans backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may have some of the best options available. You can visit the Fannie Mae website, KnowYourOptions.com, to understand all that is there to help both you and your tenant.

Unemployment

The unemployment rate is at its highest level since the Great Depression, and it is getting worse with each weekly report on the number of people filing. The CARES Act states that independent contractors can now be eligible for receiving weekly unemployment benefits. These changes to the current unemployment eligibility requirements may be an option for landlords.

Many landlords are also real estate agents, and for the first time ever, real estate agents that are not W-2 employees can now receive these benefits. Check with your state unemployment website to see if you qualify. Realtors looking for more information can visit the NAR website.

The process to file for unemployment can be stressful in and of itself, but fortunately, the date your benefits begin will be retroactive—even if it takes you a week to get into the system.

4. Don’t Try to Evict Your Tenants

Evicting your tenants is not even an option in most places right now. Even if you can start the process, you may hit a roadblock in the weeks to come when a state or federal mandate brings the eviction to a halt.

For more on eviction and rent payment protections covered by the CARES Act, check out CRS Reports.

One scenario where we feel for the landlords right now is those who have properties with tenants-gone-bad before the pandemic hit. These tenants didn’t lose their job, get sick, or have a reduction in hours. They were just tenants struggling to meet their lease obligations.

Many landlords that were trying to work things out or be lenient with tenants in March are now stuck with that tenant in a legal system that is pretty much shut down. The new mandates have left those landlords with little power to remove the tenant at the current time.

Consider Cash for Keys

So, what do you do with a tenant that already owes you a few months’ rent and knows they cannot legally be removed through the eviction process?

Here in Chicago, we are still able to negotiate with tenants using the “cash for keys” option. This is a legal agreement between the tenant and landlord drafted by an attorney, which offers the tenant a specified amount of money to vacate the premises on a certain date.

In these cases, we lay out the total expenses a landlord may incur between now and when we could utilize the court system to remove this tenant, then negotiate a number that is less than that.

How you remove a tenant that was already behind going into March or a tenant that is violating the lease in other ways is of course determined on a case-by-case basis. It is important to consult with an attorney on what options you have locally, in addition to potential risks you may open yourself up to. Make sure you have a plan you can see through to the end before you start executing it, because these are uncertain times. The legal system may not have too much empathy for landlords trying to remove tenants, even if it is a justifiable circumstance.

Seek Legal Advice Locally

Everything stated above, like most other info you can find on the internet, is not legal advice. This blog is merely a framework for options you should explore but still have confirmed by the legal community.

If you don’t have an affordable attorney you can consult for legal advice, it’s very important you start building professional relationships in the industry like these. Ultimately, it will benefit your career. If you have a property manager, ask them about someone you can talk to in their network.

Most leases are not built to be accountable for a global pandemic, so the decisions you have to make may go outside the boundaries of your current lease guidelines. Therefore, the decisions you make over the next couple of months just might lead to legal issues down the road.

As a landlord you should make sure that you or your property manager are seeking legal advice on decisions, forms, and negotiations that are happening throughout this situation. While attorneys might not even have exact right or wrong answers to questions pertaining to the coronavirus crisis, they can assist you in reducing long-term risk by guiding you through short-term decision-making.

It’s very important to remember that during this difficult time of fear and confusion, we are all in this together. Typically when a tragedy or natural disaster occurs, the effects are limited to a city, state, or country. When something happens, we hear about it in the news or read about it online and think about how horrible it is that it happened.

We may even relate it to something that has happened close to us. But almost immediately we return to our own day-to-day with the overall event having little short- or long-term effect on us. In this instance though, there aren’t many corners of the world that will not be affected by this pandemic, which means everyone is truly in it together.

As investors and property managers, we hope all of this passes as quickly as possible, and we genuinely believe we all have the ability to work together for the best possible outcomes. Please remember to be kind to one another, be responsible, and most importantly stay healthy and safe.

Century 21 Haggerty Property Management

www.c21rentals.com

11400 Sean Haggerty Suite 202B

El Paso, TX 79934

Rental Property Maintenance During Covid-19

Fri, 17 Apr 2020 18:18:12 GMT

Property managers and landlords might be wondering what their responsibilities are when it comes to maintenance during COVID-19. You should communicate with your tenants how you are preventing the spread of COVID-19 at your properties and share best practices for maintaining a safe and healthy environment. Your tenants will be looking to you for information on how to submit maintenance requests, how common areas are being managed and cleaned, how to pay rent, and other important property information. Be proactive with your outreach and COVID-19 outbreak prevention and management.

Consider these actions for your property and tenants:

Post your updated cleaning policies in common areas.
Provide up-to-date contact information and inform tenants where they can find the most up-to-date information. (Social media is a great tool for this.)
Follow CDC cleaning recommendations and social distancing guidelines.
Make sure your property is taking steps to follow your local Stay at Home or Shelter in Place orders.
Routinely clean surfaces, especially high-touch areas.
Consider increasing your janitorial or cleaning schedule.
Offer hand sanitizer and additional cleaning supplies, if available, especially at multifamily properties.

RESOURCES FOR LANDLORDS AND PROPERTY MANAGERS

Top Real Estate COVID-19 Resources: Updated for Landlords and Property Managers

The Ultimate State Guide to Coronavirus Information

PROPERTY MAINTENANCE DURING COVID-19

Property managers and landlords are tasked with addressing maintenance issues at their properties, to protect the property, prevent damage, and keep tenants safe. You must follow your state and local laws in regards to habitability at your properties.

In light of social distancing requirements, however, you might need to change how you prioritize maintenance requests and how your vendors handle entering tenants’ homes. Look to your state and local laws about required property maintenance and how to maintain the implied warranty of habitability at your properties.

Consider the following when updating your maintenance policies during COVID-19:

Online maintenance requests
Prioritize maintenance requests
Essential vs non-essential repairs
Social distancing during repairs

ONLINE MAINTENANCE REQUESTS

The easiest way to safely collect and review maintenance requests is by offering your tenants a way to submit maintenance requests online . Online maintenance requests give your renters an easy way to communicate maintenance issues by submitting a request and uploading a photo of the problem area.

With an online maintenance request system in place, you can evaluate maintenance issues and determine how they will be handled, without needing to first see the issue in person. You can review requests, assign requests to vendors, and track the request while keeping your tenant informed of its progress.

PRIORITIZE MAINTENANCE REQUESTS

Try to prioritize your maintenance requests and address emergency maintenance right away. Follow your state and local laws about what essential services need to be fixed right away. This often includes safe access to water, heat, and plumbing.

ESSENTIAL REPAIRS

Work with your tenants to determine what maintenance needs to be addressed right away and how it can be safely handled to keep your residents and maintenance personnel safe. You will also want to keep the safety of the property mind; for example, a leak that could create unsafe and expensive damage.

SOCIAL DISTANCING DURING REPAIRS

Create a maintenance plan for your team to safely enter your tenants’ homes to perform necessary repairs. You should communicate this plan to your residents and your maintenance team.

Consider the following precautionary measures:

Ask tenants to keep the required distance, per CDC guidelines, from any personnel while entering the home.
Have your maintenance team keep the same required distance from any tenants
If possible, ask if tenants would be willing to stay in another room while repair work is being completed.
Provide protective gear for your maintenance team, including:

Gloves
Face covering or protective mask
Booties to cover shoes

Consider asking anyone who enters your tenants’ homes to take off shoes before entering the property, if the work or job allows them to do so safely.

ADDITIONAL SAFETY MEASURES FOR PROPERTY MANAGERS AND LANDLORDS

Review CDC guidelines and OSHA requirements to ensure a safe and healthy work environment for you and your team.
Check-in with your insurance company to see if there are extra precautions or actions they are recommending at this time.
Speak with your attorney for further guidance on what is considered essential maintenance and how best to provide services to your renters in light of any Stay at Home or Shelter in Place orders. You need to understand your requirements as a housing provider to provide a safe and habitable home for your renters while also preventing the spread of COVID-19 and keeping your residents safe.

FINAL THOUGHTS

During these challenging times, it is crucial to ensure that you have a plan in place before a major repair needs to be addressed. Proper planning and a full understanding of CDC recommendations, combined with excellent communication, will allow you to care for your property and your tenants while maintaining a safe and healthy environment for everyone involved.

Century 21 Haggerty Property Management

www.c21rentals.com

11400 Sean Haggerty Suite 202B

El Paso, TX 79934

915.757.3445

8 Benefits of Using a Property Management Company

Wed, 15 Apr 2020 20:46:09 GMT

Owning a rental property can be a great source of additional income. However, it also comes with the added responsibilities of property management, including upkeep, repairs and marketing. If you’re asking yourself “do I need a property manager?” — consider these eight benefits of using a property management company. A property manager will:

1. Screen out problem tenants

One of the biggest benefits of property management is that the property manager will handle tenant screening. Experienced property managers see hundreds (or thousands) of applications, so their trained eyes are more likely to notice potential red flags when reviewing an applicant’s paperwork. They’re quickly able to spot good tenant qualities, such as paying rent on time, taking care of the property and more. Letting them manage the tenant screening process can improve your chances of landing a reliable renter.

2. Act as the point of contact for tenant concerns

If something breaks at your property, it’s not always convenient or possible to drive over to the unit to inspect it yourself (especially if it’s in another town or state). A property manager can address problems at all hours of the day and arrange for a service provider to repair or replace the item. Or, if you have a tenant who always seems to have a complaint — be it the noisy neighbors or the dog who relieves itself on the front lawn — you can breathe easy knowing that the property manager is the point of contact for those types of calls.

3. Market your rental

Property managers are skilled at rental marketing, including writing rental ads, taking high-quality photos and hosting open houses. They also have local real estate knowledge and will be able to help you set a competitive rent price. Hiring a property manager with marketing experience can help fill your property sooner and reduce the time it sits vacant. If you plan to market your property yourself, Zillow Rental Manager offers a hassle-free way to list your rental on multiple high-traffic websites. In fact, according to the Zillow Group Consumer Housing Trends Report 2019, 84% of renters use online resources when shopping or searching for a home — so it’s a good idea to list your rental on the right sites to attract those potential tenants.

4. Decrease tenant turnover

Good property management companies know how to keep their renters happy. They are responsive and available, and they take care of problems when they arise. Happy renters are also less likely to look for another place to live and more willing to accept reasonable rent increases. Of tenants who choose to stay in their current lease, 50% think their home is a good value for the price and 40% say they love the place they rent.

5. Ensure rent is paid on time

Because property management companies deduct their fees from the monthly rent, they are motivated to keep those payments flowing in. Consistent rent collection is key to receiving rent payments on time, and using a property management company will help enforce lease policies if payments aren’t received. If tenants are consistently failing to pay their rent on time (or at all), the property manager will know how to deal with the situation, including issuing an eviction notice if necessary. Payment collection can be a common issue — the typical renter spends 29% of their income on rent, and a significant share of rental households are one large expense away from being unable to pay.

6. Avoid potential legal issues

Property managers understand landlord-tenant laws and fair housing laws, which can help you avoid potential lawsuits and save time, money and energy in the long run. They will also typically take care of any lawyer fees associated with evictions or property damage issues. If you’re not comfortable handling things like evictions, signing and terminating leases and handling rent and security deposits, you may need property management company expertise.

7. Save you money on maintenance and repair costs

Using a property management company may also come with discounts for maintenance services if the property managers work with a regular service provider or employ an in-house maintenance staff. They can perform regular inspections and find issues before they turn into bigger problems, which will reduce the number of emergency repair bills.

8. Reduce your rental headaches

If someone else is handling the daily management of your rental property and tenants, you’ll have fewer complications and commitments to worry about. If more time and less stress are key to your quality of life, using a property management company can be a great asset.

These are the benefits of property management. Investing in a rental property can contribute to your monthly cash flow and build long-term wealth — but day-to-day property management isn’t for everyone. If you just want additional income from rent and don’t want to be responsible for the details of your rental investment, consider all the property management benefits that you’ll receive for a percentage of your rental income.

Century 21 Haggerty Property Management

www.c21rentals.com

11400 Sean Haggerty Suite 202B

El Paso, TX 79934

915.757.3445

Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Hire a Property Manager

Mon, 13 Apr 2020 21:32:42 GMT

It’s the new American Dream. Earning wealth through passive income from one or more rental properties. Of course, if you manage this real estate on your own, then you already know there’s nothing passive about it.

From water leaks to post-rental clean-ups, communicating with renters to advertising the property, rentals can quickly eat up your precious time. Of course, if you don’t keep on top of these responsibilities, you stand to lose money.

That’s some catch-22, right? Fortunately, hiring a property manager can revolutionize your life.

But what does a property manager do? Read on for five reasons you should hire a property manager and how they work.

1. Get Help with Maintenance

DIY projects may sound fun at first, but when you’ve got emergency plumbing or electrical issues going on, it’s a whole different situation.

Add to this 3 am calls to your house line to complain about these problems, and you’ve got the makings of a nightmare. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

When you hire a property management company, they’ll take care of all property repairs. And they’ll do it in a timely fashion so that you avoid rental downtime.

In fact, a good property management company will have a dedicated service crew as well as numerous contacts for extra big jobs. Providing solid, consistent maintenance for your tenants is a win-win for you and them.

2. Representation When You Live Out of Town

Dealing with renters proves a particular challenge when you live far away from your property. Scheduling basics such as rent collection, property inspections, and basic maintenance can take on unnecessarily complicated proportions.

But when you have a property management company close by, they’ll handle all of these details for you. Not only does this arrangement make life easier for you, but your renters will appreciate having someone close at hand, too.

3. Keep Renters Happy

Creating long-term relationships with tenants is one of the best ways to ensure a steady income from a rental property. When you work with a professional property management company, you gain the key to customer satisfaction.

Property management companies specialize in dealing with renters. They excel at customer service and bring the highest levels of professionalism to the table. They show your renters that you mean business in a good way.

4. Stay Legal

Landlords face costly legal battles every single day. Why? Because they show a lack of professionalism and legal knowledge when it matters most.

When it comes to proper notices, eviction procedures, and lead and mold disclosures, do you know the law backward and forward? What about for fair housing regulations or housing and building codes?

There’s no shame in answering no to these questions. But do yourself a favor and hire a property management company to handle the legal side of real estate for you. That way, you can avoid lost money and time in court.

Remember, ignorance is not an alibi. Instead, get the right team on your side. Then, start enjoying your newfound peace of mind.

5. More Business

Whether you own a beach condo, urban flat, or boutique apartments, your worst enemy as a landlord is a vacancy.

Fortunately, you can kiss vacancy goodbye with a property management company. Why? They have a wide range of resources to ensure your next renter shows up tomorrow rather than next month or next year.

From highly visible listings on Zillow and Trulia to internet advertising and property showings, they’ll help you keep your property occupied and your pocketbook full.

Why You Should Hire a Property Manager

When you hire a property manager, you take the guesswork out of making your rental property profitable. You also provide your tenants with better customer service and a higher level of professionalism.

Century 21 Haggerty Property Management

www.c21rentals.com

11400 Sean Haggerty Suite 202B

El Paso, TX 79934

915-757-3445

10 Benefits Century 21 Haggerty Property Management Offers Las Cruces Homeowners

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 18:36:54 GMT

Property Management companies work directly with prospects and tenants to save you time and worry over marketing your rentals, collecting the rent, coordinating maintenance and repair issues, answering tenant complaints and even handling evictions. A good Property Manager brings their know-how and experience to your property, giving you the peace of mind that comes with knowing your investment is in good hands. Below we will go over some of the major benefits that Century 21 Haggerty Property Management can offer Las Cruces homeowners.

Avoiding legal issues and following applicable federal laws

Century 21 Haggerty understands landlord/resident laws governing resident rights, eviction procedures and safety. There are many Fair Housing federal laws and state property codes that must be navigated with tenants during the application process, while they are in the home and at their move out. It is very important all federal guidelines and property codes are properly followed to avoid any potential risk towards violating any laws and/or exposure to possible lawsuits. Some examples of potential legal issues include:

Discrimination
Leasing disclosures
Rent collection and late fees
Notification and access for inspection
Deposit disbursements
Licenses and permits

Century 21 Haggerty also offers eviction protection which means our owners don't pay for court costs, we provide court representation and facilitate the judgment and turnaround.

Increase revenue with screening for quality residents

Screening residents preserves the revenue stream and the property. Experienced property managers know how to spot red flags on applications and identify those applicants most likely to pay on time and take good care of the property. We utilize advanced screening tools that allow leasing managers to evaluate applicants thoroughly and quickly for a fast turnaround to get that tenant moved into your property quickly. No longer are tenants having to wait days for an answer, now the screening process can be completed within a matter of minutes.

Rent Collection

Efficient rent collection ensures financial success for property owners and managers. Century 21 Haggerty assumes responsibility for establishing and enforcing strict payment guidelines. That means homeowners don’t have to spend time and money chasing down the rent every month. Also ease of use for the tenant provides for a higher rate of timely rent collection. Examples would be our use of online payments, ability to download an app on their phones to make payments, they can pay rent at CVS Pharmacy locations and of course make in-person payments at our office.

Boosting occupancy

A veteran property manager understands the importance of short vacancy periods. We can offer owners access to proven marketing strategies and rate comparison tools to help price their home at max value while creating a fast turnover rate between vacant to rented. Century 21 Haggerty regularly averages between 8-12 day turnover rates which exceeds industry standards.

Higher retention rates

One of the best ways to improve occupancy rates is keeping your tenants happy. Century 21 Haggerty is constantly looking for ways to enhance and simplify the customer experience. That means renters have access to resident portals that make paying rent efficient and convenient. Offering tenants the ability to submit maintenance work orders online, through their phone app or by phone 24/7. And inspections that are designed to not only ensure the property is being taken care of, but to also open a line of direct communication with the tenants on their satisfaction with the home and our service. Maintaining a positive relationship with tenants is a great way to curtail frequent turnover.

Easy accounting and tax oversight

While Century 21 Haggerty doesn't help owners prepare tax returns, that’s better left for CPAs and tax professionals, we do provide tools like owner portals that include owners’ statements and reports to keep owners informed about the income, expenses and maintenance requests. Downloadable reports that will also assist with tax deductions.

Increase Property Value

Century 21 Haggerty performs preventative maintenance inspections and will provide feedback on suggested repairs or upgrades to help stay competitive, protect assets and increase value. We stay in constant communication with owners about steps they can take to protect and preserve their investment which is extremely helpful for owners that do not live in the same city where their property is located.

Contractor relationships

Century 21 Haggerty vets contractors and negotiates for the best pricing from technicians who are licensed, bonded, and insured for our owners' benefit. Outside services, combined with an in-house maintenance management staff to monitor routine inspections and spot issues before they turn into major problems. This means happier tenants and fewer costly emergency repair bills.

Enjoying the benefits of being an investor

Some people invest in real estate as a means of funding for retirement. With a reputable property management team minding the fort, owners have more free time to spend with family or explore hobbies and interests without worrying about their property. Century 21 Haggerty can also share information on investment opportunities with owners that are looking to add to their portfolio.

Reduce Stress

All these benefits serve to reduce the stress of property ownership. It’s not easy to put a price tag on living a life free from the hassles of being a landlord, but most would agree that less stress is definitely a valuable benefit. Contact Century 21 Haggerty to learn how we can reduce the stress of being a landlord and discuss the tools and experience we can offer to help you get the most return on your investment home.