OK. I've been away from ActiveRain for a bit, so I'm hoping folks remember my goofy self. Actually, I'm not worried about that- for I've always been told that whether folks think good or ill of me, I'm a somewhat memorable person for some reason.
So why have I been away? In short, I've joined The Dark Side Facebook.
For reasons too involved to get into here, I've had an aversion to all things Facebook (5 comments)
I'd have to say a few (if not all of these) are pretty valid illustrations. Much like the "Realtors work a few hours and get big ol' commission checks!" belief many seem to have, a number of misconceptions about Property Management-land remain as well.
So what might you add? Whether Property Management or "sales side" Realtors, what are some of the misconceptions you encounter?
...And perhaps more importantly, what are some of them you've held?
In today's new video, I discuss Total Realty Corp's screening process with regard to tenant prospects.
Hope folks find a bit of value here.
Remember….. Feel free to suggest a video topic! Have a Property Management question? Let me know, and I’ll answer it and make a video from it. Chances are pretty good that I’ll have an answer for you- and you’ll likely be able to help others who might also find value in the question and its answer!
My video updating continues… with this one in which I discuss Homeowners Associations (HOA's).
Hope folks find a bit of value here.
Remember….. Feel free to suggest a video topic! Have a Property Management question? Let me know, and I’ll answer it and make a video from it. Chances are pretty good that I’ll have an answer for you- and you’ll likely be able to help others who might also find value in the question and its answer!
"Finders-keepers, losers-weepers"?- What would you do?
Here in my hand rests a flash drive- there are many like it, but this one is mine. It's a new one- and though 16GB isn't the ginormous amount of data it once was, this thing will hold a good bit of stuff. I use Dropbox and fill that bad boy up, too- so I try my best to either use the flash drives as back-ups or to hold things for a short while until I've had a chance to upload the stuff elsewhere.
How safe is your pool area? Find out when it rains?!?!
From what I've heard, folks in Southern California might be a bit confused by this video- as it contains a good bit of something called "rain". I hear tell it doesn't really happen all that often in parts of the Golden State- but oddly enough, it rains a dang good bit here in the Sunshine State.
I've always been big on pool safety- and will remain so. Typically, the pool safety issues I'm most vigilant about (4 comments)
From time to time, I'm sure we've all had properties or listings of some sort that we tried like heck to get- yet failed in the end and watched while another agent had some success with them. Yep, the ol' "ones that got away".
On the other hand, I'd figure a good number of folks have also had properties or listings that they "won"- only to feel like anything but a winner down the road as that dog of a property sat (2 comments)
A stick can't prop up a fence...A stick can't.... OK. After a few years in the Property Management world, you begin to think you've "seen it all". After a number of weeks, months and years pass by, one learns to never use that silly "seen it all" phrase again. Here's a great example of why that's a good stance to take. In making my first trip out to show one of our occupied properties the other day, I stumbled across this mess. Apparently, the fence fell over at some point between (4 comments)
property management: Wish I enjoyed what made my living...
- 12/23/12 07:55 AM
Wish I enjoyed what made my living... Wish I enjoyed what makes my living... Seems I've always been a bit partial to country music. Thinking back to the first songs I can ever remembering hearing, my mother's favorites such as The Doobie Brothers' "Takin' it to the Streets" and "Black Water" and Elton John's "Crocodile Rock" surely come to mind, but country songs have always seemed to capture the right feeling at the right time for me. Or perhaps I just happen to seek out the right country song that goes with a current feeling- who knows. Merle Haggard recorded a (6 comments)
property management: When was the last time you used a phone book?
- 12/15/12 10:38 AM
When was the last time you used a phone book?When was the last time you used a phone book? My new phone books came today- I think. Or maybe they were here when I got in last night and I just didn't notice 'em. As I sort through my thoughts from today and get ready for tomorrow, I'm pondering a number of questions- "I guess I should bring those dang phone books in from the front porch, huh?" among them. There's another phone book-related question in the ol' thought pile, though- and one others might've asked themselves: "When was the last (22 comments)
FOR RENT: 1731 Fox Glen Court, Winter Springs, FL, 32708, 3BR/2BA...1,471 s/f...$1,395/mo
Available: 12/8
Hi, I'm Orlando Property Manager Dennis Burgess. I'm in the area and available often- so give me a call for more information on this great Winter Springs home.
This Fox Glen at Chelsea Park home is a spacious one that offers nearly 1,500 s/f. It's fully-equipped kitchen has all major appliances, and a laundry room nearby has a washer and dryer for your convenience.
One more time in Florida...Go, Mitt, go! Don't have to guess where I am this morning! We've got one last chance to see Mitt Romney before Election Day- and one last chance to rally the troops and get out the vote for him. Our incumbent president hasn't shown that he's capable of doing much well- but even his staunchest critics will acknowledge he's one heck of a campaigner and will fight until the final poll closes. We have to fight harder. If our current president had dedicated 1/2 the effort he spent on (8 comments)
I done told ya once... (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
I done told ya twice... (Reuters/Jeff Haynes)
Bama's the best that's ever been! (AP/John Bazemore)
...and once again, that name is the Alabama Crimson Tide. After dispatching Les Miles' squad, the 14-time (and defending) National Champion Alabama Crimson Tide heads back home to welcome the Texas A&M Aggies to (4 comments)
property management: Time to fall back...already?
- 11/03/12 12:14 AM
Time to fall back...already?Time to fall back...already? No offense intended, of course- but can anyone tell me where our summer went? Or where at least where 2012 went? It seems like the same ol' thing every year: with each passing month, we ask each other "Can you believe it's March....April.....October already?"- like the passage of time is this new concept the clock and calendar folks have sprung on us and all. Guess it's a good conversation starter when there's nothing else to discuss, though- goes hand-in-hand with "Nice weather we're having, huh?" and the obligatory "How are you doing?" that we (2 comments)
800 LinkedIn connections...Now, where's the business?
"Your LinkedIn Network 800 Connections link you to 5,157,473+ professionals 15,074 New people in your Network since August 1"
That's it! 800 LinkedIn connections!...wait a second- where's all of that business that's supposed to flow from that like a fountain? I must be doing something wrong, 'cause that's not the way life's going these days. Trickle? Check. Drip? Ditto. Small streaming line? Perhaps- but no dang fountain in sight!
Thanks to Jennifer Murphy from University of Phoenix, who became that magical #800 today. It's not her fault my business is slow (2 comments)
"Not in there- my mom has strep...." I've never had strep throat. I speak about it from time to time, though. I guess it comes from my odd sense of humor that finds it pretty dang funny that I can have epilepsy, narcolepsy, sleep apnea and a peripheral mononeuropathy- but I've never had the flu, bronchiitis, chicken pox or other any other "childhood diseases"...or strep throat. I do know the ol' streptococcal bacteria is contagious, though- and that made a showing today just a tad bit awkward. It's (0 comments)
property management: It's Kegerator Thursday!
- 07/19/12 06:43 AM
It's Kegerator Thursday! As everyone that's spent a decent amount of time on the road showing properties will tell you, you never know what awaits behind that door. Could be a pitbull, could be a property your tenants have trashed (or are in the process of trashing)...could be pizza boxes under a bed or a brown pool in the back. Or...it could be The Kegerator...
...or keeping things all literary-style, this could also be "The Toll Also Rises". As in other parts of the country, those of us here in the metro Orlando area are feeling the pinch from local governments and regulatory agencies. They struggle for funding as their tax bases dwindle, and those lost monies must be found elsewhere.
We have a number of toll roads here- and unless you have some burning desire to sit on I-4 all day, it'll cost you a good bit in tolls to avoid said parking lot.
It seems like apologizing is the “in” thing these days. Rush Limbaugh apologized to some lady that didn’t feel she was a prostitute. George Zimmerman gave some kind of apology for killing Trayvon Martin. And our president has been on a 3 and 1/2-year “apology tour” that’s led him to apologize to anyone and everyone that might have ever thought America did them wrong. Ridiculous.
Won’t see me apologizing for an incident yesterday, though. Pigs will fly, Satan will be wearing a parka (10 comments)
property management: Baseboard repair- yet another use for duct tape
- 06/08/12 01:06 PM
Baseboard repair- yet another use for duct tape Baseboard repair- yet another use for duct tape Leave it to those clever folks at this Sanford, Florida 7-11 to get all MacGyver-ish and solve their pesky baseboard issues. Now...if they could only find a way to solve their "How do we get folks to quit throwing paper towels on the floor?" issue... Baseboard repair- yet another use for duct tape (9 comments)
Orlando Property Manager Dennis Burgess writes about property management, general real estate and news/events affecting the metro Orlando, FL area.
With more than 13 years of property management experience and being a licensed Florida Realtor, Dennis surely has some sort of information you'll find interesting!
Feel free to comment, send questions he may be able to help you with, or any referrals he may provide with top-notch service.
Thank you kindly for stopping and reading, and thank you for the opportunity to be of service in the future.