Lots Of Things Can Be Done - It's The Getting It Done Right Part That Trips Up New Landlords - 05/31/11 08:46 AM
Many owners who cannot sell their property, or for some who are lucky and want to take advantage of current home prices and upgrade - are opting to rent out their homes. These new landlords go into property management thinking they can do this: just put a sign up - rent the home and collect the money. It can be done - but you have to do it right. Some errors new and often veteran landlords make:
Simply not knowing the landlord/tenant act. Owners do not have as much power as they think they do. Although some things just don't seem right - one can't … (4 comments)
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It Must Be The Heat! - 05/30/11 10:11 PM
Tucson has warmed up this week with temps right around 100 degrees. They say the heat can make people crazy! And maybe that's why I have been getting some crazy calls lately!
These are the top five things I've heard just in the past three days from potential tenants about why they are moving out of their current rental home.
The tenants said they need to move because their landlord ..
...needs to let his friends move in so he gave us until tomorrow to move out.
...has a home warranty and every time there is a service call to repair … (5 comments)
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Memorial Day 2011 In Tucson - 05/30/11 03:36 PM
Wishing everyone a peaceful Memorial Day - hoping your flags are flying high and your thoughts are with those who cannot be here with us today!
Here's a brief history about Memorial Day. In the 19th century, "Decoration Day" was started to encourage citizens to decorate the graves of soldiers who died in the Civil War. After World War I, the observance expanded to include ceremonies honoring those who died in all of America's wars. The holiday became Memorial Day in 1967.
I want to say THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY to all of you who have served … (6 comments)
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Music On The Mountain Kicks Off Today On Mt Lemmon! - 05/29/11 01:12 PM
Starting today and then every Sunday until the Fall, the Music On Mt Lemmon outdoor series begins!
With temps already at 100 degrees here in Tucson, it takes less than 40 minutes to drive up to Mt Lemmon and enjoy cooler temps, the smell of pine trees and thanks to LavaMusic - outdoor music!
The series, today with Chuck Wagon and the Wheelchairs, features local acoustic acts in a festival type setting. Admission is free. The venue is under the big white tent at 12901 N. Sabino Canyon Parkway on Mount Lemmon at 11am!
Bring your own chairs and/or set up your tent … (2 comments)
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Every New Beginning Comes From Some Other Beginning’s End - 05/29/11 09:17 AM
58 years ago - my in laws married, moved into their home and began their new life together. 8 days ago - one fall not only shattered my mother in laws bones - it shattered life as she knows it. Though we knew the time was coming - I mean she is 90 - nonetheless, she took it hard. But she just cannot see the bright side no matter what we say or do!
I understand. I also understand people get attached to their things and it's hard for them to let go. But after about 2 weeks of consoling them, and listening to … (11 comments)
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My Name Is Mud - At Least Over Memorial Day Weekend In Tucson! - 05/27/11 10:39 AM
Memorial Day weekend in Tucson - lots of things to do! Thanks to Cara Marcelle who wrote a post about this - my name is on the 2011 Tucson Mud Run list - along with the rest of my family! When I read Cara's post I thought no way. Then my daughter said, "Yes way Mom!" And this event tops the list for kicking off Memorial Day weekend in Tucson!
Other more important events going on in Tucson this weekend will be rememering all those who gave their lives to give us our freedom.
The American Legion Post 102, AMVETS Post 770, and … (7 comments)
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If You Moved It In - You Have To Move It Out! - 05/25/11 10:11 AM
How many times has a tenant moved out and left behind things that have cost you money to either haul away, throw away or even in some cases - have to find a home for?
When a tenant moves out- the only thing they are thinking about is their new home, being courteous to their new landlord and making their move as smooth and easy and possible. And if that means leaving behind an old sofa bed couch that weighs a ton - they will. They will also leave behind their trash, clothes they don't want, car parts, paint cans - … (9 comments)
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Over The River And Through The Woods -The Keybox Obstacle Course! - 05/25/11 08:51 AM
Over the river, and through the woods to .. well ... maybe no ones house we go! It's a thought I had once while out showing a home and I couldn't get to a lockbox to get the key out.
In my case, the agent instructions said, "Key box up under eaves on conduit pipe." Staring up at the eaves, I guessed the listing agent to be about 6'4" - who unless his arms were unusually long - stood on a ladder to place the lockbox way up there.
And this isn't the first time I've been in that situation - I've had to play "hide and … (8 comments)
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Call Me Whatever You Want - Just Call Me! - 05/22/11 09:18 AM
I met a new client yesterday. His last name has 14 letters in it. His first name - more - but he graciously shortened it using his nickname - Aries.
That's better! I can spell and remember names/words with five letters -- but start adding the letters "Z" or "S" and then an "I" all together - I'm going to need a little time!
Growing up, I thought my name was tough. Here it is: Gabrielle Ululani Kamahele. But back then, I was up against names like Mary, Kim and Jane. My parents wouldn't change my name - and so I learned to just … (11 comments)
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New Rental On Tucson's Central/East Side - A Charming "Wow There Is A Lot Of Space" Home! - 05/21/11 05:12 PM
… (1 comments)
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Focus On Giving - 300k Points & The Returns Will Come - Just Like Magic! - 05/20/11 06:33 PM
Not too long ago,Bob Timm sent me a personal email that said, "Congrats on your 300,000 points." I thought "hmmm" - so I logged onto Active Rain and sure enough, I had a little over 300k points! Then I remembered way back when, someone on Active Rain said, "300k points is the magic number for blogging."
I enjoy blogging and don't pay much attention to points. But when Bob mentioned it, I started thinking...and you know what? Things seemed a little different after 300k points!
Here's what's changed -
I've been busy! Just this week - two calls both started with, "I liked what you … (10 comments)
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Tucson Bike Fest Gears Up For Terrific Bike To Work Week Events! - 05/19/11 02:07 PM
Do you remember those days when your bike (mine was an orange one with a banana seat, a basket and streamers) was everything? You went everywhere on it - to school, to the soda shop, to the playground, to your friends house! I miss those days and do miss that my daughter won't be able to have those same experiences I had growing up!
But, she does have many opportunities to get on her bike with me - we ride to school when we can, she's been a part of the El Tour De Tucson since she was 3 and one … (2 comments)
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Beater Car Or Bad Credit? Then Follow These Tips To Make A Good First Impression With A Landlord! - 05/18/11 12:16 PM
Bankruptcy, bad credit and "I lost my house" are the top reasons why the housing market is flooded with individuals looking for a rental home to live in until they get their finances back in order.
Many property management companies will not rent to individuals who have had a bankruptcy in the past 5 years, or have poor credit - and that makes it even more challenging. So what are you to do if you already have a few hurdles to overcome to prove to a potential landlord that you will be a good choice?
You absolutely MUST start by making a good … (7 comments)
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Top Tucson Rental Home Available On Tucson's East side! - 05/17/11 04:10 PM
This home is located on Tucson's eastside near Broadway and Harrison - to find out all the details visit www.KGCPropertiesLLC.com or the property information details on Tucson's MLS!
In the meantime - here are a few photos!
… (3 comments)
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Charming, Spacious Tucson Eastside Home For Lease! - 05/17/11 03:48 PM
… (1 comments)
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It's Best To Act Like Chris Hansen Might Show Up & Say, "I Have Something To Tell You..." - 05/17/11 09:31 AM
I rarely watch TV - but the other night I happened to see Dateline NBC with Chris Hansen. He's the guy that usually catches predators - but was in Scottsdale, Arizona this time doing a story on repair people - from pool repair to air conditioning to garage doors.
Bottom line, it's never good if Chris Hansen shows up and it's ALWAYS EMBARRASSING for those folks that do wrong. Several "caught in the act vendors" got up and left soon as Mr. Hansen said, "I have something to tell you.." - others stuck around and tried to "save face".
Yesterday, I met with a … (7 comments)
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90 Day Tenant Foreclosure Law - Arizona Courts Won't Let You Around It! - 05/17/11 07:43 AM
In May of 2009, President Obama signed a law called the "Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act of 2009". One part of this federal law caused an important change with foreclosures and the rights of a tenant after a foreclosure. It states that the purchaser at a foreclosure sale is required to provide a bona fide tenant at least 90 days' notice before the tenant has to vacate. The new law is national in scope so tenants, no matter what state they live in, now have time to adjust their lives in cases where property owners go into foreclosure.
This law was recently challenged … (1 comments)
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There Is A Law For That - I Believe It's called Common Sense. - 05/16/11 06:56 PM
Every once in a while I read stories that I don't understand why it's so hard for people to just use some common sense to avoid tragedy.
Right now, it's kite flying season in Tucson - aka - it's windy. It's also a great time to be outside - nice weather - lots of spring time activities - picnics - parties - and jumping castles.
Three incidents lately - gusts of wind and jumping castles being swept up and turned over - injuring kids. Several articles covering issues: parents were horrified; how could this happen; how can these things be made more safe for our children; … (7 comments)
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The National Ride Of Silence In Tucson - 05/16/11 07:54 AM
May is National Bicycle Month and there are many events across the country to recognize and promote aware of cycling.
Over the past couple years, Tucson had eleven cyclist fatalities and in one year, 347 crashes involved cyclists. We've had 39 deaths since 2001. Sstatistics show the most common culprit for motorists in these accidents is failure to yield the right of way, followed by inattention. For cyclists, it's failure to yield and riding in the opposing traffic lane.
The National Ride Of Silence on Wednesday, on May 18th, is a 9 mile ride where cyclists remain quiet in honor of those who were killed or … (9 comments)
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Speechless Sunday: Anyone Else Shocked Enough To Ride Their Bike More??!! - 05/15/11 08:39 AM
Whew - it was rough at the gas station yesterday - I got to this point and just stopped the pump - this amount didn't fill 'er up!
I've been riding my bike more and streamlining my errands - but I might need to do more!
… (13 comments)
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The Short Sale That My Client Says Is Making Him Bipolar. - 05/14/11 01:03 PM
The ups and downs of waiting on the short sale process. I text a client yesterday to let him know I still had not heard anything back from the bank - and asked him how he was holding up - since it's been a couple months now. He text back, "I'm turning bipolar - one minute I'm happy - then next I'm crazy and depressed." He says the waiting and the ups and downs are making him nuts!
I text back and told him the next time I ask how he is doing to just text back this - a bipolar smiley … (6 comments)
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Sometimes There Just Aren't Any Answers! - 05/12/11 08:44 AM
From time to time - things just happen that, well happen. For instance, the time I:
Backed out of the garage- just last week - while the garage door was down and took the door out. When my husband asked, "Why did you keep backing up?" Well, No Answer. Lapse in judgment? Response Time Delay????
Or the time ...
I got my hand stuck in a Pringles can while I was driving, couldn't turn the steering wheel, missed the turn and was late for my appointment as a result (traffic and one ways streets!). "Why don't you just eat bagged chips?" … (12 comments)
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Wordless Wednesday: There Are No Words For The Fun I Had Watching Them Play! - 05/11/11 06:21 PM
These two have been friends since they were 4 months old - I've had the pleasure of watching them grow and enjoy themselves with the simple things - a pool and some pool toys - but most of all - enjoying each other year after year!
It's been a really good Wednesday!
… (6 comments)
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Top Tucson Real Estate Headlines This Week! - 05/10/11 05:54 PM
A few stories are out this week that are top headlines for Tucson real estate:
The Tucson Arizona Department of Real Estate office will close its doors on Tuesday May 31st. The office was located in downtown Tucson, and because of cutbacks had been operating on a limited schedule - only open a few days a week. Although it's disappointing to see southern Arizona lose this office - which handled agents' license applications and renewals and consumer complaints against real estate professionals - there is a main office in Phoenix that is open Monday through Friday. Most of what was done at the Tucson … (1 comments)
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I'm A Protected Class - You Cannot "Not" Rent To Me. - 05/09/11 08:52 AM
Over the weekend, a potential rental applicant said to me: "I'm in a protected class - you cannot "not" rent to me."
To a do-it-yourself landlord or someone who does not have tenant qualification systems in place; or for those that do not know how to properly deny tenants - this statement may scare you enough to rent to that individual because you don't want to land in court for discrimination.
But, I was confident when I said, "You were denied because you do not meet the minimum rental qualifications."
Can I do that? Of course! That's because if I make any … (51 comments)
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"Howdy Neighbor"! A Northeast Tucson Neighborhood Community Meeting! - 05/06/11 06:46 PM
Living here on Tucson's northeast side of town - most of the homes sit on 1 to 3.3 acres or more of land - this keeps us much more than an arms length away from our neighbors!
But we do have some regulars that everyone knows- like the "lady with all the dogs" who walks the area a couple times a day; or the "lady that runs 10 miles a day" - these are the folks we call the eyes and ears of our area and they do their best to get messages around about vacant homes, suspicious activity, etc! We happen to be the home … (4 comments)
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Renters at Risk Without Insurance - 05/05/11 01:55 PM
Although the homeowners maintains insurance on the structure - landlord policies do not cover renters contents so it's always a good idea to have renters insurance to cover your contents in case of fire or theft.
Via Gabe Sanders, Stuart Florida Real Estate (Premier Realty Group):
Renters at Risk Without Insurance
A recent poll shows only 43 percent of renters had hazard insurance, while 96 percent of homeowners did.Many study respondents said their apartments were small and they didn't have many possession so insurance was not necessary. But consider this: In case of a fire, they could lose their television … (4 comments)
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There Over 13,000 Tucson Homes For Sale Today - Make Yours Scream WELCOME! - 05/05/11 09:43 AM
Based on Tucson MLS stats, this morning, there are 13,131 homes for sale in Tucson. Looking at those numbers - as a seller you must think about how you want to position your home in the market to get it noticed and sold.
Price is always always always - the number one thing that will sell a home - but there are some other things to consider to make your home stand out and have the best "welcome mat" on the market:
Make room for buyers to park in front of the home - there is nothing more "unwelcoming" than to clutter up … (3 comments)
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Moving? Some Not So Obvious Things To Remember! - 05/04/11 07:08 PM
Moving - is moving - whether you are going across town or across the country - you are likely to forget some "things to do" while in the process!
Here are some "not so obvious" things you might not want to forget! Don't forget to:
Change your pet's ID tags! Moving is hard on pets and if your pet gets lost or out of your new home - the odds are much higher of being returned to you if you have your new address and a phone number on their tags!
Pick up any items you may have dropped off at … (9 comments)
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I Went Down Like The Active Rain Server! Ha ha! - 05/04/11 08:19 AM
It's funny today because all is OK -- but it wasn't yesterday morning. Talk about getting a huge error message!
Came out of nowhere - no warning - no indication anything was wrong. But I saw it happening as it was happening -- I went from standing upright to completely blacking out and then didn't remember anything after. I heard I was out for a little while. The end result, slight concussion, busted up knees and shoulder, bruised arms, and back - yep - it was a hard fall - right into a cement pole and floor. And there was no warning!
… (20 comments)
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Rent Late? Best Practices For Landlords And Tenants - 05/02/11 06:56 PM
If you manage property at some point it will happen - tenants will be late paying rent. As long as there is communication between the tenant and landlord, most late rent issues can be worked out.
Tips for tenants:
Be the first to call. Landlords are much more willing to work something out with you if you make the effort to contact them before they have to call you. Know the late fee agreement and assure your landlord you will follow it. If you are unable to meet the terms, ask your landlord to work out a different arrangement. Be prepared … (13 comments)
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Speechless Sunday -- It Was Hot! - 05/01/11 03:14 PM
Yesterday, I was a participant in The Warrior Dash- it was probably one of the funnest things I have done in a long time! Just when I thought most of the obstacles were over - just short of the finish line - I had to jump over these ...
and then right after - had to get through armpit deep mud water to reach the finish line!
If one comes to your state - I'd say go for it!
… (6 comments)
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