Can I Manage a Property for a Friend Without A Real Estate License? - 07/31/08 09:40 PM
There is a big difference between what a licensed and insured property management company provides for an investor and what you can provide.  Besides licensing and insurance there is your liability to consider.  If you make a mistake and someone gets injured or killed are you protected?  How?  I ask this to make sure you get into  this venture with your eyes wide open.  Are you an employee of the owner or independent?  Is there a written contract?  Did you know that if there is a fair housing claim (many are over occupied property) that you are personally liable no matter … (2 comments)

Home Warranty Woes Part 2 of 2 - 07/29/08 06:49 PM
This is a followup to my blog yesterday. http://activerain.com/blogsview/614095/Home-Warranty-Woes-Part
Since the warranty company refused to clear my drain I had to call my plumber.  He came out this morning and snaked my shower.  He then tested all the plumbing for 15 minutes to make sure everything was draining.  It was. 
The warranty company's plumber told me that the warranty would not cover clearing the drain unless I had a main clean out.  In my old house I do not have one.  But, my plumber was able to clear the drain without using a main clean out.
Do you  see my frustration with … (4 comments)

Home Warranty Woes Part 1 of 2 - 07/29/08 12:30 AM
I have blogged before about home warranty companies and how property managers don't like them.
Well, I purchased the house I live in this past March and it came with a home warranty.  On Saturday, our plumbing backed up in the downstairs shower from the laundry drain.  I almost forgot I had the warranty, but did remember before I called one of my plumbers.  I thought it would be a good test for the warranty companies that I had criticised.
So Saturday at 3 pm I called and a half hour later I had a work order and a promise I … (6 comments)

RAM Property Services Can Fix Your Toilet and More - 07/25/08 06:54 PM
 
 One of the divisions of our company is RAM Property Services.  This maintenance division does a variety of maintenance for HomePointe's property management clients as well as other property managers and individual owners.
The list includes plumbing, carpentry, drywall, doors, painting, remodeling kitchens and bathrooms, and make ready work for vacancies.  RAM Property Services also does Inspections for occupied rental property.
Residents and owners of rental property can rest easy as the RAM Property Services staff is licensed with a general contractors  license and plumbing license (773021) and is fully insured. 
This service makes the property management office a one … (2 comments)

Can Renters Protect Themselves From Owners That Go Into Foreclosure? - 07/25/08 12:26 PM
I just had a tenant send me this message:


I live in xxxxxxxxx, California. Recently, we inadvertently opened the mail of the owner of the property we're renting and discovered the property is in foreclosure. We've paid the guy six months in advance in rent (I know but we were desperate to get back to California). We have a six month lease.
 Anyway, our lease is up in 5 months. Do we have any recourse at all should we receive a 30 to 60 day notice to vacate? (I understand the law was changed this month to a 60 … (10 comments)

Meal Periods: Employers Must Only "Make Meal Periods Available," Not Ensure They Are Taken - 07/25/08 12:32 AM
Employers finally have a victory in the employee-dominated battlefield of meal and rest period litigation.  On July 22, 2008, a California Appellate Court held in Brinker Restaurant Corp. v. Superior Court that "while employers cannot impede, discourage or dissuade employees from taking meal periods, they need only provide them and not ensure they are taken." 
This is a victory for employers and employees.  There are times when an employee does not want to take a break.  In the restaurant business a waiter could lose tip money when serving a big party.  Some commissioned sales people might lose income as well if … (1 comments)

Housing Assistance Programs in Sacramento Region - 07/23/08 11:59 PM
There are Housing Authorities in most of the ten counties served by ACRC and Housing Now.  These Housing Authorities operate under the federal guidelines from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide both the public housing and the rental subsidy assistance program more commonly known asSection 8.  ACRC has a Housing Coordinator who can be contacted at:Cell: 916-549-1044Phone: 916-454-4005Fax: 916-454-1099Patti@HousingNowResource.orgwww.HousingNowResource.orgTo locate affordable housing opportunities in your area go to www.HUD.gov once at the site, follow the link on the lower right-hand column titled "People with Disabilities" there you will find lists of properties that have apartments below market … (2 comments)

Emergency Utility & Rent Help - 07/23/08 07:10 PM
Housing Now's              Independant Living Assistance Program (ILAP)Emergency Utility & Rent Help
Housing Now was awarded a Community Service Block Grant (CSBG) from the Sacramento Employment and Training Agency (SETA) in January 2008. 
 This funding is being distributed from Jan.'08-Dec.'08, (while funds last,) to people with developmental disabilities, living in Sacramento County who can demonstrate emergency need of financial assistance to avoid eviction, avoid utility disconnection, have utilities reconnected, or are in need of an emergency motel voucher for temporary shelter. 
 Applicants must provide identification and proof of emergency need; i.e. eviction notice, utility disconnection notice, or other documents that will demonstrate/verify … (3 comments)

HomePointe Sacramento Area Rent Survey 3rd Quarter 2008 - 07/23/08 06:23 PM
Dear Real Estate Professional:
 Our 2008  Sacramento Area 3rd  Quarter Residential Rental Survey is new available.  You can also access this survey at our website along with past surveys by clicking this link:  http://www.homepointe.com/owner_services_rental_survey.asp .    
 I wish I had news that rents were rising and vacancies dropping.  Instead, the market has pretty much stayed even the past two quarters with neither landlords or tenants getting the upper hand.  Some investors are losing their homes to foreclosure while some homeowners are electing to rent their homes rather than sell.  We expect the coming months to see a small increase in rents but … (0 comments)

HomePointe clients have online access to statements and invoices - 07/22/08 05:24 PM
Since 2006 HomePointe Property Management clients have been able to see their Owner Statements and copies of paid bills online.  Our password protected website, which is secure, allows our clients to establish a log in user name and password.  Once that is done, they can easily view all of their property's income statements at their own convenience. 
The documents remain online until an account is closed.  This has really helps clients that have lost their files as they can be easily replaced without having to contact a staff person to make copies. 
HomePointe has designed the system to give those owners that … (0 comments)

A New York Vacation in 4 Days - 07/22/08 05:13 PM
Now that the economy has dictated that staying in the USA for a vacation makes economic sense, it may be worth checking out NYC for your next getaway.
I am lucky, my daughter is currently living there on Wall Street.  So my wife and two sons, that live in Sacramento, went to visit her this past week.
So I can report that NYC can be seen pretty good in 4 days if you skip the museums.
                                                             
DAY ONE:  Take a city bus tour out of Times Square uptown including Central Park. Watch out for branches and bring water in … (2 comments)

Don't Jump the Gun on REO's or Any Property in Escrow - 07/16/08 10:43 PM

This week we had one of our property management clients ask us to start advertising a property for rent.  The property is an REO property they were purchasing and escrow had not closed.
I can think of the following reasons not to do it:
1.  The bank would need to give approval, good luck with  that.
2.  Since the client did not own the property, they could not sign a management agreement which assigns liability to the owner.  The property manager would be at risk.
3.  The escrow might get delayed so we could not give a move in date with … (9 comments)

REO Bank Would Not Close - 07/16/08 06:55 PM

I had an accepted all cash deal going the past 90 days that was supposed to close a month ago.  All the money has been in escrow for over 30 days waiting for the bank to sign off the title company to record the deed.
Yesterday I called the title company and they said the bank, which had bought out the original bank that had the loan, had not returned the final signatures and they had no idea why. 
I then called the listing agent who told me he had a total of three cash deals and all were waiting … (6 comments)

Speed Kills in Property Management - 07/16/08 12:38 AM
  
We signed a contract recently to rent out a home for a new client.  Things were going well until the owner stopped over on a Sunday afternoon to see their house while it was still be marketed.  The problem is they ran into a potential tenant and showed them the house. 
The owner then proceeded to call their property manager and me, while still at the property, to see if we would get them applications and rent the property to them.  Our client could not understand why we could not be available 24/7 to show and make decisions to rent their … (5 comments)

Smokey Skies from Los Angeles to Mount Shasta - 07/14/08 01:40 AM
Over the past 7 days I have traveled from Los Angeles to Mount Shasta and personally witnessed the smokey skies of California.  This is a spread of over 600 miles and it is smokey all  the way!
During most of my driving there was a haze on the horizon, but in Redding we saw the fires burning.
One interesting thing is how dry Mount Shasta is this time of year.  It normally  has a lot more snow on it, but it is mostly melted this year.
I live and manage property in Sacramento, CA and we have had some of the worst smoke as it … (3 comments)

Alta California Hosts Resource & Vendor Fair in Sacramento, CA - 07/14/08 12:38 AM
What is Alta California Regional Center?  Alta California Regional Center creates and maintains partnerships to support all persons with developmental disabilities, children at risk, and their families in choosing services and supports through individual lifelong planning to achieve satisfying lifestyles in their own communities.
When:  July  31, 2008 from 12 pm to  4  pm.
Where:  Sacramento Association of Realtors, Mack Powel Auditorium, 2003 Howe Ave, Sacramento, CA
The Community Services and Supports Deparment is sponsoring this event with the intent of planning for the "transition to adulthood". 
Participants include:
Day Programs, Work Programs, Individual Living Services, Supported Living Services, Department of … (0 comments)

Are you registered for the Rental Owners Expo? - 07/13/08 01:01 AM
This is a new one-day event exclusively for rental owners and investors in single-family homes, duplexes and similar rental properties.  The program includes 12 educational seminars on property management and investment topics, a "Vendor Showcase" featuring over 25 exhibitors of products and services, and a luncheon with speakers discussing the current real estate market.  
HomePointe will  be teaching a seminar at the Expo.  The class will cover maintenance tips for landlords.  This class will be taught by Eileen Stearman and features 2 of our contractors and one contruction manager.  There will be plenty of time for questions and answers. 
The Rental … (1 comments)

Summer Can Be Tough On Property Managers - 07/10/08 11:21 PM
During the course of summer many people go into vacation mode.  Of course they take vacations,  but they also take extra days off so they can be with their family during the fun times of no school for the kids.

But, it can be tough because a lot of other people are trying to locate a suitable rental home over the summer before school starts. 
So, at the same time many want to take time off, the demands of property management rise to take all possible free time away. 
We property managers have to plan time off to coincide with the slow times, which seems to … (2 comments)

Do Not Steer Rental Applicants - 07/10/08 11:46 AM
If you had an applicant for your upstairs rental and a family with a small child wanted to rent it would that be a problem for you?  Say the resident let the child walk out their front door and the kid fell down the cement stairwell?  
What if a blind person wanted to rent the upstairs apartment?  Would you fear for their life and instead show them a lower level apartment?  Would you at least tell them that the upstairs apartment might pose a hazard and that you suggest they stay downstairs?
These are cases of STEERING and should be avoided … (3 comments)

Changing Air Conditioning/Heating Filters Will Save You $$ - 07/07/08 12:48 PM

 My HVAC (Heating, Ventalating, Air Conditioning) technician tells  me that it is best to change the filter in the heating and air conditioning system on a monthly basis.   
The problem with rental units is that it is hard to get it done by the tenants, especially when renting out single family dwellings.  Tenants don't remember to do it or do not want to do it. 
One way to try and help the tenant do it is to leave 4 or 5 filters near the filter location so they will have them handy.  Another way is to have your handypersons bring filters with … (8 comments)

How to Qualify a tenant that has just been Foreclosed - 07/05/08 01:48 PM

 In this market, many of the people that are losing their homes to foreclosure are applying to rent property.  This is either a great opportunity for landlords or a mine field that will eventually catch the landlord and blow them up.
Our company has decided to take a middle of the road approach.

We look at the applicant to rent a house from all angles.  If the person applying to rent has sufficient income (there is no substitute for legal and verifiable income) and good credit we will consider them for renting a home from us. 
However, if the … (19 comments)

Support Rental Housing Association's Anit-Slumlord Campaign - 07/02/08 10:16 AM
RHA of the Sacramento Valley is asking for your help to improve the image of our industry and the quality of the neighborhoods where you own rental properties. The overwhelming majority of rental owners and managers are just like you - responsible individuals who take pride in their properties and respect the rights of their renters. Unfortunately, a very small percentage of rental owners allow their properties to deteriorate and ignore the rights of renters. In addition to causing problems for our communities, these so-called "slumlords" spark new and costly regulations for our industry. RHA wants to help local governments take … (4 comments)

HomePointe rents out 60 homes in June 2008 - 07/02/08 01:19 AM
HomePointe signed up 60 new tenants in June 2008.  We rented a variety of homes, duplexes, condominiums, and apartments. 
If you are looking for a home to rent in the greater Sacramento area visit us at www.HomePointe.com, we have over 100 available properties.

 
 
 We have rentals in the following communities:Rentals in Sacramento, Rentals in Natomas, Rentals in Elk Grove, Rentals in Laguna, Rentals in Galt, Rentals in Franklin, Rentals in West Sacramento, Rentals in Davis, Rentals in Orangevale, Rentals in Citrus Heights, Rentals in Fair Oaks, Rentals in Gold River, Rentals in Carmichael, Rentals in North Highlands, Rentals … (5 comments)