Deposit Receipts: proper language will protect you - 07/26/10 07:35 PM
When taking security deposits from approved applicants you must include language limiting the landlord's liability.  If the propertycannot be delivered as promised or the owner changes direction with the property--the owner must only be responsible for the amount deposited and the rental application fee.  Prospective tenants should have their funds refunded as soon as possible so they may use them to secure another property.  At Homepointe we do our best to retain the approved (and unhappy) applicant by directing them to our website listings of other available property.  
James Safonov
Homepointe Property Management
#916-781-7075 x650
jsafonov@homepointe.com
www.homepointe.com
 
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Eliminate the Question: Is it rented yet? - 07/23/10 04:56 PM
There is a sequence of events leading up to a placed tenant for each property.  The events in the sequence can be controlled and made much more easy by the manager being proactive, confident and consistent.  Starting with the initial meeting, the manager must have a proven strategy to rent the property--and the backbone to stay the course.  The client is hiring us to rent their home.  If they dictate how to rent it out they probably ought to do it themselves.  If they have specific amenities or desirable traits they want emphasized that is fantastic....but crazier ideas like holding balloons and shaking signs may … (7 comments)

Rental questions: accenting vs. dominating the rental property - 07/19/10 06:32 PM
Often tenants will want to make a home reflect their own tastes and preferences.  This is a good thing for landlords as the more they invest in the property the longer they are typically going to stay.  Hanging pictures, planting flowers are all relatively common.  The question is where is the line from accenting a property to dominating it.  It really is a grey area.  Homepointe hands out move out and move in instructions so tenants have some type of understanding what is or is not ok.  I always tell the tenants to put in writing what changes they wish to … (3 comments)

The Mini Blind Dilemma: Clean or Replace? - 07/14/10 03:49 PM
Sadly this is a recurring issue with rental property--should fully functional but very dirty mini blinds be cleaned after a tenant vacates or just replaced?  I have several cleaning vendors who nearly all say the same thing:  "we will clean the blinds for you but it will cost you more to clean them than it will to replace them."  I understand that disposing of perfectly good items to save a buck is one of the reasons people in far lands despise our great Country....but try telling that to a property owner trying to maximize their annual yield while holding onto a rental property they are … (7 comments)