Think Like a Buyer to Get Home Sold

by Ilyce Glink, Inman News

I spent some time in the past few weeks listening to friends who are thinking about moving across the country to buy a house.

What they’re telling me is that even though there is a seemingly endless list of houses for sale, not all home sellers are making the most of the house they’re trying to unload.

When it comes to putting your house up for sale, the big problem for most homeowners is thinking like a seller. Most homeowners think that the house that they lived in, and loved, is the house they’re trying to sell. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by Kim Ezzell on 07.31.2008. CLICK to Leave a Comment »

Filed under: AAOA Forum, Property Sales

Avoid This Tenant Debt Collection Nightmare

Tenant debt collection expert Bill Gray is seeing a disturbing trend:

“We are getting more and more collection requests from owners who inherited the existing tenants from the seller,” Bill explains. 

“Problem is, all they have is the lease. They don’t have the information we need for collection. Sometimes they don’t even have the debtor’s Social Security Number.” Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by Kim Ezzell on 07.31.2008. 1 Comment »

Filed under: AAOA Forum, Collections, Credit Screening

Economic Stimulus Act to Benefit Apartment Owners

by Matt DiChiara, MyNewPlace

An aspect of the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008, one that you most likely did not hear the talking heads and pundits discussing, is an incentive designed to increase commercial real estate construction.

A potential upshot of this ignored section could be the most cost-effective way for apartment owners to retrofit, improve or construct their apartment buildings and reap the benefits of environmentally-friendly buildings.

The bipartisan legislation, passed in response to the economic troubles caused by the subprime mortgage meltdown, includes a provision that increases the amount that may be written off in the first year for improvements to residential rental property. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by Kim Ezzell on 07.31.2008. CLICK to Leave a Comment »

Filed under: AAOA Forum, Make Extra Money

12 Eviction Mistakes That Can Sink You

Time is money when it comes to evictions, and mistakes can cost a landlord both.

These common misconceptions not only slow down your eviction, they can cost you in court:  

1.  Thinking Evictions Are All The Same

States can set their own rules –and they do.  So do municipalities, and individual courts.  If you are renting under any subsidy programs, this also affects your rights as a landlord. This disparity of rules affects everything from notice requirements to disposing of property. Not knowing the rules for each particular situation can cause delays, even out-of-pocket losses.  Individual legal advice is your best defense.  Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by Kim Ezzell on 07.28.2008. 6 Comments »

Filed under: AAOA Forum

Court Decision Strengthens Wetlands Protection

by Louisa May

I’m often reminded that there are many versions of the truth, and the widely differing points of view highlighted in this lawsuit offer no exception. Sometimes, too, it takes a judge to protect us from each other’s ”good” intentions.

On May 27, 2008, U.S District Judge B. Avant Edenfield ruled in favor of Ogeechee-Canoochee Riverkeeper, a citizen based non- profit organization, in a lawsuit filed back in November of 2006 against the U.S Army Corps of Engineers. 

This ruling is being hailed as a landmark win for environmentalists. At the very least, the ruling will help protect thousands of wetlands along the Georgia coast and prevent destructive tree harvesting in forested wetlands across the country.  Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by Kim Ezzell on 07.28.2008. CLICK to Leave a Comment »

Filed under: AAOA Forum, Going Green

Are Architects Becoming Lazy?

by Arrol Gellner, Inman News

In 19th century America, the only way an architect could view historic architecture was to go see it firsthand (usually on another continent), or else find engravings of it in books. Because architects of the era were much less likely to travel than their modern counterparts, engravings ended up being their usual reference.

Mind you, the engraver unavoidably put his or her own spin on the thing they were illustrating, and this subjectivity, along with a frequent lack of historic context, made it hard for architects to get a real grasp of historic styles — one reason for the almost cartoonish nature of so much Victorian architecture.  Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by Kim Ezzell on 07.28.2008. 2 Comments »

Filed under: AAOA Forum

Pest Repairs Are Turnoff For Buyers

by Dian Hymer, Inman News 

In a perfect world, houses wouldn’t deteriorate over time. In reality, the wear begins as soon as a house is built. Older houses tend to have more maintenance issues. But, even new homes can develop problems within a few years if they were poorly constructed.

Most homes are inspected for damage caused by wood pests — such as dry rot, termites, fungus, decay and wood-boring beetles — before they are sold. Who pays to correct the damage — buyer or seller — is often subject to negotiation.

In a hot seller’s market with a high percentage of multiple offers, buyers frequently buy “as is” regarding known defects to better their chances. This was common several years ago when home prices were rising rapidly. At that time, owning a home was more important than the condition of the property. 

One problem with buying “as is” with respect to pest work is that it’s easy to overlook the fact that the work needs to be done. Many buyers who bought “as is” in recent years have not taken care of the pest repairs. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by Kim Ezzell on 07.28.2008. CLICK to Leave a Comment »

Filed under: AAOA Forum

Is Your Tenant Covered?

by Mina V. Garrey, Commercial Capital Properties

Just recently I was reading through one of my residential leases to make sure that every paragraph is up to date and to see if there is anything I need to include due to changes and updates of local rental laws.

I came across the paragraph talking about Renter’s Insurance and it made me wonder how many of my tenant actually have this type of insurance coverage.

I know that when a Lease is signed, I make sure to point that out to the prospective tenant and go over the importance of having the insurance. At the end of the day however, people can choose whether they are going to purchase the coverage.  Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by Kim Ezzell on 07.24.2008. 1 Comment »

Filed under: AAOA Forum, Insurance

Keyless Entry Systems – 5 Ways to Save Time and Money

by Julie Murphy
      
The lease is up and it’s time for the locksmith or handyman to re-key or change those locks AGAIN!

Why not make the whole transition of new tenants easy and cost-effective by installing a keyless entry system?

These systems provide security and safety for you and your tenants through modern and efficient means of protecting properties.

The systems are available for  single homes, properties with several units, and those that are over 100 units and beyond. 

Minimize the hassles of making duplicate keys, converting doorknobs and deadbolts, and the perpetual cost of re-doing the security elements at your properties.  Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by Kim Ezzell on 07.24.2008. 1 Comment »

Filed under: AAOA Forum

Do 1980’s Ceilings Contain Asbestos?

by Bill and Kevin Burnett, Inman News

Q: Could you advise about “popcorn” ceilings and whether they have asbestos in them?

How do you get rid of them and is it expensive? We are thinking of buying a 1987 house that has these ceilings throughout.

Our doctor recommended getting the material tested before stepping into the house. Could you advise us about this matter? Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by Kim Ezzell on 07.21.2008. 1 Comment »

Filed under: AAOA Forum