landlord associations: Simple Checklist Improves Heating, Cooling Efficiency, Cuts Repair Costs - 07/31/09 05:52 AM
Performing regular maintenance on your cooling and heating systems saves energy and extends the useful life of these expensive appliances.
  Energy efficiency expert David Lowe offers these tips to keep your systems in top condition: 
Outdoor condensing units (the part of the cooling systems where hot air can be felt blowing) can become clogged. Dust and dirt will accumulate in between the small metal fins, blocking air flow. This will make the compressor work harder, increasing energy costs and shortening the lifetime of the compressor.  Inspect heating and cooling ducts and seal any leaks. Direct leaks in duct systems can … (0 comments)

landlord associations: Evicted Tenant Enjoys Celebrity Status - 07/31/09 05:23 AM
Easter Bunny Tenant to Appear on Colbert?  
You may remember our eviction story, Landlord Gives Easter Bunny the Boot.  When a tenant set up a display of Easter Bunny Peeps on her interior door, no one bothered her. 
But, when she left it there for a couple weeks past Easter, the landlord became concerned that the sugary decorations would attract pests and posed a hazard to other tenants.  
When they asked her to take it down, the tenant refused, claiming she had the support of her neighbors.  When the landlord took it down for her, she responded by refusing to … (1 comments)

landlord associations: California Passes Stringent New Building Restrictions - 09/12/08 08:19 AM
California lawmakers have passed Senate Bill 375, the first bill to link housing, land use, and transportation funding in an effort to curb greenhouse gas emissions and stop urban sprawl.
The California League of Conservation Voters(CLCV) and the Natural Resources Defense Council co-sponsored the bill. Tom Adams, President of CLCV says, "We will never achieve our greenhouse gas reduction goals or energy independence unless we stop encouraging sprawl and start locating housing closer to jobs. Read more.
Check out our Green Pages for information on money saving tips that help the environment.  Once there, click on the Green Forum to see more articles by our … (0 comments)

landlord associations: Could You Get Stuck With Tenant's Gas Bill? - 08/26/08 09:47 AM
If you believe that your tenant is always liable for utilities, you might want to think again.
Philadelphia Gas Works, in the 165 years that it's powered our sixth largest city, has grown weary of the financial drain caused by deadbeat tenants who skip out on the bills.
Now, it will look to landlords to do something about it. 
The rationale:  Why pass the cost on to all of Philly's customers, when it's the landlords who benefit from the access to gas service on their properties.  Read more.
What do you think?  Please share you insights below.
Interested in submetering?  Find out how it can force your tenants to conserve gas, … (4 comments)

landlord associations: Lower Your Electric Bill Now - 08/12/08 04:17 AM
Every time you start up an appliance that runs on a motor, electricity is drawn into your home. Your meter spins, tracking usage, and your bill is calculated on that amount.  But not all of the electricity that is metered is actually used.
A lot of it is wasted. You've paid for it, but it never gets used in your home or business. 
However, there is a cost-effective technology that changes all that.  Available from FreeEasyGreen.com, the "Power-Save" is a little gray box that mounts neatly beside your electrical panel, and increases that power factor in most cases to .97 or .98, thus increasing the effective use of … (9 comments)

landlord associations: How to Grow a Community, and a Garden - 07/16/08 08:49 AM
Community gardens are making a comeback.
During World Wars I and II, vegetable, fruit, and herb gardens were called 'victory gardens', and they were considered morale boosters. People felt rewarded for providing their own food and making a contribution. In 1943, 20 million gardeners succeeded in providing 8 million tons of food.    
Today, victory gardens are reappearing in backyards and big cities. Garden for the Environment (gardenfortheenvironment.org) has developed a subsidized home gardening program for individuals and neighborhoods and partnered with the City of San Francisco to transform empty urban spaces into gardens. Read more.
Check out our Green Pages for information on money saving tips that help the … (1 comments)

landlord associations: Go Green... and Get Your Oven Clean! - 07/10/08 10:10 AM
As apartment owners, keeping properties clean and protecting high cost assets like appliances are a top priority. That's why, when it comes to cleaning kitchens, in particular-ovens-, it pays to think of cost-effective , environmentally friendly options.
Instead of using harsh aerosol cleaners or the "self-cleaning" cycle, both of which emit dangerous fumes, why not consider an oven liner?
An FLX oven liner is a  non-stick, easy to clean, re-usable liner that catches spills and debris from cooking.  Simply place it in the bottom of the oven and when dirty, just remove it and rinse with warm water. This should not … (4 comments)

landlord associations: The Alphabet Soup of E-Waste - 06/17/08 09:39 AM
 Why the EPA, ERI, FBI and GRX Want YOU!
In 2005, Americans discarded two million tons of electronics, and about 80 to 85 percent of that (think 1.5 to 1.9 million tons) waste was disposed of in landfills.
 About 15 to 20 percent (345,000 to 379,00 tons) of these televisions, keyboards, scanners, and phones were recycled that year. The trouble with e-waste is that some of the same elements that are needed for high performance of electronic products become toxic as trash.  
Not wishing to incite panic in the hearts, minds, and wallets of American citizens and consumers, the agency's scribes have chosen their words carefully … (0 comments)

landlord associations: Overstock.com Is Listing Distressed Real Estate: Over 3 Million and Climbing - 06/10/08 05:28 AM
Still need a gift for Father's Day? Now you can browse real estate listings for your next investment at the same time you buy Dad that new set of golf clubs.
Online discount retailing pioneer Overstock.com offers a listing site for distressed and foreclosed homes. The site features over three million properties. The idea is catching on: they've added nearly 300,000 listing in just the past three days.  Please click here for more.
American Apartment Owners Association offers discounts on products and services related to your commercial housing investment including REAL ESTATE FORMS, tenant debt collection, tenant background checks, insurance and financing.  Find … (2 comments)

landlord associations: Six Great Reasons to Go Keyless - 06/10/08 05:22 AM
In this busy world of multi-tasking, wouldn't it be nice to have one less thing on your landlord "to do" list?
With recent technological advances, you can say goodbye to changing locks and having new keys made with every tenant change.  
Consider updating all those locks and keys with a hassle-free keyless entry system. 
Keyless entries provide many advantages:  Please click here for more.
American Apartment Owners Association offers discounts on products and services related to your commercial housing investment including REAL ESTATE FORMS, tenant debt collection, tenant background checks, insurance and financing.  Find out more at www.joinaaoa.org.
To subscribe to … (1 comments)

landlord associations: Stashing Your Coins is Hurting the Planet - 06/03/08 09:10 AM
Are You Sitting on $90?
Coinstar, a national coin counting and vending equipment supplier, is challenging individuals to become greener by reusing change.
Its Change for our EarthTM program encourages this new form of recycling, educating consumers on the environmental benefits of putting coin back into circulation.  Advice includes tips on the best locations to mine for coins in your home, how to estimate the value of your coin jar, and a fun-to-use carbon calculator.  Click here to learn more.
Check out our Green Pages for information on money saving tips that help the environment.  Once there, click on the Green Forum.
 American Apartment … (2 comments)

landlord associations: What Renters Want to See in an Internet Listing - 06/03/08 08:34 AM
When listing a property on an Internet Listing Service, there are several ways to maximize the attractiveness of the listing. Customer research (from the Compete study as well as internal MyNewSite data and user surveys), indicates that the following items are the most important to a renter:  Click here to read more.
American Apartment Owners Association offers discounts on products and services related to your commercial housing investment including REAL ESTATE FORMS, tenant debt collection, tenant background checks, insurance and financing.  Find out more at www.joinaaoa.org.
To subscribe to our blog, click here.
… (3 comments)

landlord associations: Habitat for Humanity Works to Prevent Foreclosures of Homes So Owners Don't Become Homeless Again - 05/27/08 01:17 PM
Habitat for Humanity affiliates across the nation are gearing up for a busy week of home building, from May 31 - June 7.
Habitat's focus is on building, but due to the recent foreclosure crisis, some Habitat affiliates are beginning to offer financial education and training classes for their clients in order to help them avoid the pitfalls of doing business with predatory lenders. Because Habitat buyers obtain their loans at 0% interest, homeowners may be bombarded with calls from such lenders offering refinance packages that come complete with a plethora of hidden penalties and fees. Habitat owners saying yes to these offers could lead to their eventually facing foreclosures.  … (4 comments)

landlord associations: Are You Still Allocating Utilities? - 05/13/08 03:08 AM
"Expect to pay somewhere between $100 to $200 per unit to submeter utilities," advises Bill Doyle of Midway Services, a national submetering installation and service provider.
 "On average, that will pay for itself in eight to twelve  months of costs savings over the standard allocation methods. 
 Submetering offers a number of benefits, from lowering your tenants' costs so you can increase rent, to saving the headaches of calculating allocations and dealing with tenant complaints over your methods. When utilities are submetered, energy and water conservation increases by as much as 50%.  It's also a good way to discover if there is a leaky toilet in the … (1 comments)

landlord associations: How to Write a Killer Rental Ad - 04/29/08 03:55 AM
Sometimes it's hard to stand out, and not follow the crowd. That's never more true than with writing ad copy. Somehow all rental ads morph into one another in an alphabetized symphony of sameness.
To make matters worse, it's also hard to overcome the temptation to use the same rental ad again and again.  That's not a such a problem if your ad works. 
How do you compete with all of the others when time, and every letter, is money?
 Click here to read more. 
American Apartment Owners Association offers discounts on products and services related to your commercial housing investment including REAL ESTATE FORMS, tenant … (4 comments)

landlord associations: Can Foosball Create a Revenue Stream for Landlords? - 04/22/08 12:52 PM
If you are like most landlords, you know that the soda machine in the leasing office creates the easiest money you make.  What may be surprising is how many different types of machines are available for revenue sharing. From popcorn to pinball, each machine you add increases the easy money.
Vending machines aren't just for beverages any more.  Arcade games and juke boxes are also welcome additions for tenants.
Pioneer Vending in Cincinnati, for example,  offers a full range of games, including foosball, billiards, electronic darts, and pinball. 
And to increase usage, you could organize a game league and compete with others for top scores.
Some vendors allow … (2 comments)

landlord associations: Take-a-Break-No-Strings Trivia Challenge - 04/21/08 03:51 AM
Each week we offer a trivia challenge for our members.  This week's challenge has to do with real estate and green building, and takes us to...well, you'll just have to figure that out if you want to win!  Take a minute to give it a try.  Maybe you'll win $25. 
Please read the game rules before you comment. Your comment must be entered on the trivia blog page link below (on the AAOA website) so I can keep track.
 
Take-a-Break No-Strings Trivia Challenge
Face it.  You've already done all you're going to do at work today, so take a break and play our No-Strings Trivia.
The first … (0 comments)

landlord associations: Bedbugs are Back- And Spawning Lawsuits - 04/09/08 04:19 AM
 Landlords Feel the Bite as Bedbugs Reach Epidemic Proportions in Some Cities
Bedbugs, once a scourge of by-gone eras, are back and have some landlords up in arms as they figure out how to eradicate these night-crawling blood-suckers.
Apartments, hotels and dorm rooms are nirvana for bedbugs, which can remain dormant for more than a year in floor cracks, drapery pleats, or recycled furniture, only to crawl into the next tenant's warm bed for a feast. Click here to find out more. 
 
… (2 comments)

landlord associations: The Benefits of Submetering - 04/08/08 10:13 AM
Submetering Electricity Saves Money, and The Environment
When it comes to energy usage, all tenants are not created equal. 
 There have been numerous studies by the National Multi-Housing Council and the National Apartment Association about Submetering.  These studies have clearly documented the connection between utility conservation and separate billing for utility usage.
For example, these studies demonstrate that individually metered apartments often experience an 18 to 39 percent reduction in water consumption when compared with master-metered properties that include water expenses in the rent. 
Click here to learn more.
… (3 comments)

landlord associations: Tenant Background Checks: The False Positive Criminal Report - 03/27/08 04:04 AM
A false positive criminal report in your tenant background check can cost you a valuable prospect when his only crime is having the same name as someone who has a criminal record. 
While credit information relies on social security numbers as a virtually fool-proof identifier to distinguish one person from the next, criminal reports are not indexed by social security number. The only information that can distinguish a person on a criminal report is full legal name (See What's in a Name), a full and accurate date of birth, and accurate address information (See Previous Address Tenant History).  Without this information you may obtain a false positive … (1 comments)