Rental Housing Journal - Valley - January 2013 by Professional Publishing, Inc

January 2014 - Vol. 8 Issue 1

Rental Housing Journal Valley

Page 2 MULTIFAMILY NW New Beginnings

Page 6 SHOPTALK Alive after FIve??

Page 3 How Deep are Your Pockets?

Page 7 DEAR MAINTENANCE MEN

EUGENE • SALEM • ALBANY • CORVALLIS

VALLE

WWW.RENTALHOUSINGJOURNAL.COM • PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHING, INC

EUGENE • SALEM • ALBANY • CORVALLIS

Double Your Property Management Productivity… In 30 Days! By Ernest F. Oriente, The Coach {Article #214…since 1995} Double your personal productivity in 30 days? Is it possible? Absolutely! This article will provide three important steps for making the best investment you have ever made…an investment in you! Why is this critical? Because a small investment made today will yield huge dividends for you in the future. As a business coach since 1995, increased productivity is a popular topic with my property management clients. Why? Because finding a way to leverage small shortcuts, which generate large results, continues to be an important theme in the fast-paced world we experience today and the pace we can anticipate in the future. Using a recorder: Begin by using the recording features in your Smartphone to capture your voice thoughts and ideas. This is the perfect way for taking voice-notes while you are walking/inspecting your properties and these notes can be used to develop a checklist for your next team/maintenance meeting. Voice recordings are especially useful for dictating a company letter or memo as you can rapidly speak your ideas into your Smartphone and have a support person or your assistant actually do the typing for you, thus giving you the time to handle

other more important tasks. Tip From The Coach: Your mind is a powerful tool but frequently it works in overdrive creating new ideas or solving problems, which distract you from fully concentrating on the task or person in front of you. Use your voice recordings to dump all your thoughts/ideas and then return to the task or project you are working on with a clear head. Start by capturing a steady-stream of your powerful ideas as voice recordings, and watch to see how many of these turn into great ideas! On a personal note, voice recordings are great for making grocery lists, for building a list of errands, or storing the notes from a cellular telephone call you have just completed. Learning to speed-read: On a daily basis you are bombarded with thousands of words/images/text messages and E-mails and it can be overwhelming just trying to keep up. Yet keeping up becomes more and more challenging with the pace of technology and the increased performance expectations in the property management profession. The solution…take a speed-reading course and learn how to triple your reading velocity and improve your learning comprehension, at the same time. Organizations, such as Evelyn Wood, offer one-day seminars for $149 and will teach you how to become a more powerful reader and give you a step-

by-step plan for increasing the comprehension of what you read and see. Tip From The Coach: Once you have learned to speed-read, you will no longer experience informationoverload because you will be able to grasp concepts and learn new ideas at a more joyful and fun pace. On a personal note, learning to speedread will help you become a dailylearner which will be critical to your continued success in the property management profession. Those who understand this important concept will be the future leaders in this industry. So…become a speed-reader and learn at least one new idea every day because one year from today, you will own a treasury of 365 new ideas! Developing a database: A database manager is powerful software that stores important information that can be quickly accessed, can easily store a person’s name, phone number, address, his/her type of business, and will even remind you when a variety of projects/tasks are due. The real power in having a database is being able to access a vendor, a supplier, a prospect or an industry expert in just seconds. Plus, you will be able to sort your database and print an endless variety of reports, telephone numbers, mailing labels and resident/prospect lists, which will increase your daily closContinued on page 4

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Top New Year’s Resolutions for Property Managers

ere is a list of four resolutions that property managers should have on their list for 2014. None of them are difficult or require an immense amount of work, and all of them would bring rewards throughout the coming year. Start the New Year off organized. An organized landlord is a more profitable landlord. File your documents and paperwork logically and neatly in a file folder with brackets on each side of the folder. Two-hole punch the top of each document and file them in a way that works for you. Some landlords put all “pre-move in” documents on one side, and all other documents on the other. Being organized is simply a good business practice. Whether you manage one rental unit or a thousand, being organized and consistent will make you a better landlord and put more of the profit in your pocket. Aim for more work/life balance. Build down time into your schedule. When you plan your week, make it a point to schedule time with your family and friends, and activities that help you recharge. Drop activities that zap your time or energy. Take stock of activities that don't enhance your career or personal life, and minimize the time you spend on them. You may even be able to leave work Continued on page 5

Advertise in Rental Housing Journal Valley Circulated to over 6,000 Apartment owners, On-site, and Maintenance personnel monthly.

Call 503-221-1260 for more info. Rental Housing Journal Valley • January 2014

President • Paul Hoevet Past President • Jeff Denson Vice President • Pam McKenna Secretary • Kirsten Bailey Treasurer • Chris

Paul Hoevet

New Beginnings

Multifamily NW President

Multifamily NW steps into 2014 with a new name, a renewed affiliation with the National A p a r t m e n t Association and the addition of three Councils in Bend, Salem and Eugene. I am honored to serve as your 2014 President and I am committed to the Association’s success. It’s a New Year and with it comes the opportunity to set fresh goals for the year ahead. A quote from Benjamin Franklin

states, “Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning”. Our goal for 2014 is to continually improve the association, add value for our members, and pursue our mission to be The Association Promoting Quality Rental Housing. What does this encompass? Further reach creating value for all members through access to more opportunities, enhanced networking events, improved communication through an updated website and

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

January 14, 2014 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM CAM: Legal Responsibilities January 15, 2014 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM PDX Monthly Luncheon Legislative Update/New Forms January 20, 2014 7:30 AM - 10:00 AM New OSHA Requirements Certification Class (Salem, OR) January 21, 2014 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM NALP: Keys to Success in Leasing January 21, 2014 12:00 PM - 3:30 PM MWV January Luncheon & Class Fair Housing: Reasonable Accommodations (Salem, OR)

dedicated vocal representation in the 2014 legislative session. Educational offerings including Certified Continuing Education Real Estate License courses, CAM, NALP, CAS and CAMT Designations, Fair Housing, Leasing and Customer Service, Landlord Tenant Law for Washington and Oregon, Monthly Member Luncheon Hot Topics, Maintenance training, Management and Financial classes, Risk Management, and many more. Legislative updates are sent out on a consistent basis ensuring our

members are aware of changes to the law that may affect their compliance. Multifamily NW focuses on statewide efforts to make sure our voices are heard at the legislature across all jurisdictions. I’m look forward to working with all the members and volunteers that commit countless hours serving to make up this incredible association. Collectively, you all create the success of this organization. With your help, I look forward to a year filled with continual growth and progress.

The Oregon Rental Agreement Form #M001

Multifamily NW January 10, 2014 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM It's the Law Lunch Time Series: FEDs - What Really Happens After Your Case Is Filed

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January 22, 2014 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM FREE Seminar on Apartment Investing and Financials 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM AM & CAS: Fair Housing February 3, 2014 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM Oregon Landlord/Tenant Law Part I February 7, 2014 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM NALP: Legal Aspects

The Rental Agreement is the indispensible blueprint of a tenancy’s financial expectations and operational rules. Landlords and property managers will want to make sure to have the newest version of the Rental Agreement for all new tenancies after January 1, 2014. Several law changes will come into effect that has made the new version of this form imperative. The

Rental Agreement offers the best way to safeguard your property and gives the ability to harness the take advantage of the protections written into the Oregon Landlord/ Tenant Act. The Rental Agreement is now 4 pages long including new parameters addressing Renter Insurance and changes to assessing non-compliance fees as a few of the many legal edits to this form.

February 14, 2014 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM It's the Law Lunch Time Series: Rental Agreements & Addendums - The Latest & Greatest (Portland, OR) February 17, 2014 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM Oregon Landlord/Tenant Law Part II (Portland, OR)

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Rental Housing Journal Valley • January 2014

RENTAL HOUSING JOURNAL VALLEY

How Deep Are Your Pockets?

Liability Insurance is Important to the Financial Wellbeing of Your Business By Ken Stewart, Capital Insurance Group Director, CIG Commercial Lines Earlier this year, a federal court judge ordered RadioShack to pay almost $675,000 to a 55-year-old employee who claimed that he was fired in retaliation after complaining of age discrimination. In February 2013, a California-based real estate services company agreed to pay $50,000 to settle claims that it fired an employee rather than extending her medical leave while she recovered from a stroke. And last year, a Nevada-based supplier of onsite portable toilets paid $50,000 to settle claims of racial harassment and retaliation filed by an AfricanAmerican driver for the company. Discrimination, wrongful termination, sexual harassment, hostile working environment, failure to promote – the range of grounds upon which employees can file suits against their employers is vast, and employees are suing more often and receiving greater judgments and settlements than ever before. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) reports that almost 100,000 discrimination charges were filed in fiscal year 2012 against employers under EEOC-

Rental Housing Journal Valley • January 2014

enforced statutes, leading to more than $365 million in settlements and judgments. Jury Verdict Research reported a median compensatory award for EPL lawsuits in 2011 of $291,500 (Punitive Damages may not be covered in certain states).

Your business is at risk. Whether you are a huge conglomerate or a small neighborhood shop, if you hire and manage workers, you are at risk of being sued by an existing, former, or prospective employee. Even when you consistently treat your employees fairly and professionally, have employment procedures, policies, and handbooks in place, and have known your staff personally for years – it could happen to you. And even when employers can prove that they are not at fault, the costs to retain legal counsel, prepare a defense, and face possible litigation can add up quickly. According to recent statistics, defense costs for employment practices claims can exceed $100,000 per claim.

as prospective employees who were never actually hired. It covers a wide span of employment-related allegations – including discrimination (age, sex, race, disability, etc.), wrongful termination of employment, and sexual harassment. Increasingly, in fact, investors are requiring companies to carry EPLI coverage, since they can also be held liable in suits relating to employment practices.

It can happen to ANY firm, large or small. Small business owners may be tempted to think that only large companies are at risk of EPL claims. In fact, EPL lawsuits are among the largest and most common risks faced by companies both large and small. A 2009 discrimination claims survey* found that two out of three small business owners were concerned that employees might bring Continued on page 5

How can you protect your business? Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI) provides protection for an employer against claims made by past or present employees, as well

RENTAL HOUSING JOURNAL VALLEY

Double Productivity ...continued from front page ing ratio and resident retention. Tip From The Coach: For database software consider purchasing ACT, Goldmine, Telemagic, Maximizer, Sharkware or Salesforce. com. Most database programs perform similar functions so ask those in your property management company which software they use and ask them to show you how they use it. On a personal note, a database is great for birthday reminders, for printing labels when mailing holiday cards or for planning a family reunion. Want to hear more about this important topic or ask some additional questions? Send an E-mail to ernest@powerhour.com and The Coach will E-mail back to you a free invitation to be a participant on a PowerHour conference call. Ernest F. Oriente, a business coach/ trainer since 1995 [31,500 hours], serving property management industry professional since 1988--the author of SmartMatch Alliances™, the founder of PowerHour® [ www.powerhour.com ], the founder of PowerHour SEO [ www.powerhourseo.com ], the live weekly PowerHour Leadership Academy [ www.powerhourleadershipacademy.com/pm ] and Power Insurance & Risk Management Group [ www.pirmg.com ], has a passion for coaching his clients on executive leadership, hiring and motivating property management SuperStars, traditional and Internet SEO/SEM marketing, competitive sales strategies, and high leverage alliances for property management teams and their leaders. He provides private and group coaching for

property management companies around North America, executive recruiting, investment banking, national utility bill auditing, national real estate and apartment building insurance, SEO/SEM web strategies, national WiFi solutions [ www.powerhour. com/propertymanagement/nationalwifi. html ], powerful tools for hiring property management SuperStars and building dynamic teams, employee policy manuals [ www.powerhour.com/propertymanagement/employeepolicymanuals. html ] and social media strategic solutions [ http://www.powerhour.com/ propertymanagement/socialmedialeadership.html ]. Ernest worked for Motorola, Primedia and is certified in the Xerox sales methodologies. Recent interviews and articles have appeared more than 8000+ times in business and trade publications and in a wide variety of leading magazines and newspapers, including Smart Money, Inc., Business 2.0, The New York Times, Fast Company, The LA Times, Fortune, Business Week, Self Employed America and The Financial Times. Since 1995, Ernest has written 225+ articles for the property management industry and created 400+ property management forms, business and marketing checklists, sales letters and presentation tools. To subscribe to his free property management newsletter go to: www.powerhour.com. PowerHour® is based in Olympictown…Park City, Utah, at 435-6158486, by E-mail ernest@powerhour.com or visit their website: www.powerhour.com

Resolutions ...continued from front page earlier if you make a conscious effort to limit the time you spend on the web and social media sites, making personal calls, or checking your bank balance. Rethink your errands. Consider whether you can outsource any of your household chores or errands. Could you order your groceries online and have them delivered? Hire a kid down the street to mow your lawn? Order your stamps online so you don't have to go to the post office? Even if you're on a tight budget, you may discover that the time you'll save will make it worth it. Get moving. It's hard to make time for exercise when you have a busy schedule, but it may ultimately help you get more done by boosting your energy level and ability to concentrate. Try to exercise at least 30 minutes 2-3 times per week. Don't assume that you need to make big changes to bring more balance to your life. Set realistic goals, like leaving the office earlier 1 night per week. Even during a hectic day, you can take 10 or 15 minutes to do something that will recharge your batteries. Increase Productivity. Move just one routine task online such as creating an online maintenance request form for your tenants. There is a host of property management software available to make every day management a little easier. Whether you manage one unit or 25, property management software can help you

manage your rental properties more effectively and fill vacancies faster. With features like self-service customer portals, powerful accounting and advanced marketing, you’ll not only save time and increase productivity, but also reduce costs. Property management software helps you easily manage tenants, leases, contracts, documents, vendors and more. Go Green. One strategy a landlord can employ to stand apart is going green. Using environmentally responsible practices can save money, attract more prospective tenants and help the environment. A landlord's office should be as green as the rental units themselves. Using email and telephone to communicate with tenants saves paper and also speeds up the process. Energy-efficient computers, fax machines and scanners all use less electricity. Print fewer checks and pay bills online or sign up for online bank statements. While you may have many other resolutions set for 2014, definitely consider these as they are simple to implement and will no doubt benefit your business moving into the New Year. Katie Poole – Hussa is a Licensed Property Manager, Continuing Education Provider and Principal at Smart Property Management in Portland, OR. She can be reached with questions or comments at Katie@ SmartPM.com.

UTAH

Rental Housing Journal Valley • January 2014

RENTAL HOUSING JOURNAL VALLEY

Everything You Need to Know about Aid Animals may make it all a little clearer in your mind. The one caveat to all this is reasonableness. In a very few instances it might be acceptable to contact the care provider in writing for clarification. I recently spoke to a landlord whose tenant wanted to bring five (yes, five!) aid animals into a studio apartment. It might be appropriate to contact the care provider to confirm. You don’t want to ask “why” they need the animals (that’s confidential medical information) or “if” they need an aid animal (they’ve already said they did). You could write, though, and find out if it absolutely needs to be five animals in such a small space. The same could go for a breed you usually don’t allow, say a pit bull. You could write and say that you know that the tenant is allowed an aid animal but ask if it has to be THAT animal. If the care provider says yes, you are probably stuck with it. Always weigh carefully, though, the risks of being accused of discrimination against writing to the care provider. Make sure you only write to the care provider in cases

By Jim Straub, Oregon Rental Housing Association Legislative Director The question I get most often about aid animals is whether one has to allow them, especially if you have a “no pet” policy in place. Of course, once you have aid animals in your rental properties, there’s even more to know. Many landlords decide not to allow any animals in their rentals and then aren’t quite sure about their rights when along comes a tenant with an aid animal. In fact, many landlords even think that an aid animal doesn’t change their “no pet/ no animal” policy? If you think that, you may need to think again. Aid animals, companion animals, assistance animals – they all practically mean the same thing, and as long as your tenant has authorization from a care provider, they all mean you generally have to allow them. If your tenant contacts you to say they have an aid animal, your first step is to get the legal authorization, and the courts have been fairly generous about who can write that

authorization: physicians, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, case managers. (If you have questions about whether someone qualifies to provide the authorization, call your local rental owners association for clarification.) Then make sure you have the tenant and care provider sign two ORHA forms: ORHA #53 Reasonable Accommodation Request and Verification and ORHA #46 Assistance Animal Agreement.

Deep Pockets ...continued from page 3 discrimination claims or other employment-related charges against them. And 60 percent were aware of new employment laws and legislation that could make it easier for workers to file an employment-related claim or lawsuit. The survey also revealed that 60 percent of those responding vastly underestimated how much it would cost to defend and settle an employment-related charge. In reality, it’s the smaller companies, with fewer resources, that are most vulnerable to the potentially significant financial hit of an EPL suit.

What makes sense for your business? Now more than ever, your business needs to consider EPLI coverage. A professional insurance advisor can recommend the amount of EPLI coverage you may need to protect your business. He or she can

PROPERTY NAME

also provide you with the resources to develop a clearly written and regularly updated employee handbook, strong anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies, and training for supervisors in HR procedures and policies. Consider the potential costs of going without: Could your business afford to pay out hundreds of thousands of dollars – or potentially much more – to a disgruntled employee? Or even just the $50,000 to $100,000 it could cost for legal advice and fees to prove that a claim is fraudulent or groundless? Taken together with the escalating frequency and severity of EPL claims, the relatively low cost of EPLI seems like a much more prudent investment.

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Continued on page 6

Background Screening

* Source: http://www.hsbwhistlestop. com/agents/express/2010_01_discrimination.html

NAME ADDRESS

Generally speaking, if the proper authorizations are presented, you have to accept the animal. Because it is an aid device (just like a wheelchair), you can’t charge for it like a pet. That means no extra deposits or increased rent. If you’re in doubt about accepting the animal, just insert the word “wheelchair” into whatever statement you’re about to make. “I don’t accept (wheelchairs)” or “I charge extra for (wheelchairs)”

Visit us at www.erentalservicesinc.com 5

Alive after Five??

vailable for a limited time! Only one of its kind! Offer expires at midnight! These and similar phrases are used to make people “spring boldly into action.” They conjure up images of people rushing into department stores and retail outlets to take advantage of incredible offers on quality merchandise, especially during the holiday season. The advertisers and merchandisers are trying to create a sense of urgency in the minds of their customers; which will motivate them to take immediate action. They are in the “sales” business and want the customer to immediately purchase a product and part with some of their money! You may not have to meet monthly or quarterly sales “quotas,” but undoubtedly you have specific occupancy standards which must be met and maintained. Therefore, you need to rent a certain number of apartments each day, week or month to

achieve the goals set for your community. It’s no secret that in the Pacific Northwest, many prospective renters decide to hibernate for the winter and dig in their heels until after the holidays. The phone isn’t ringing off the hook like it was in July, and the few people who are moving, may or may not make it to your community before they decide to rent somewhere else first. A vacant apartment TODAY, could be “ringing in the New Year” with you on January 1st. The SECRET SHOPPER phoned three communities, looking for immediate availability. I told each consultant that I was new to the area and needed a place to live right away. Each leasing person seemed interested in helping me, but only one motivated me to visit immediately. My first call was answered promptly by a friendly voice. I stated that I was new to the area and needed to find a place right away. The

consultant asked where I was moving from and what was bringing me to the area. She then asked for my name and began to inquire about the specific needs and requirements that I had. It was a pleasant exchange that went on for several minutes. Once the consultant learned what was important to me, she began to talk about various openings. She said that I had called at a good time because there were a couple of great apartments to choose from. The consultant invited me to visit and told me the office hours. She said, “If I’m not here, anyone in the office can help you.” She gave me directions and closed with, “I hope to see you soon.” The next call I made was answered with a great deal of enthusiasm. The consultant asked for my name right away, and I could hear the smile in her voice as she spoke and offered her assistance. I explained that I was new to the area and needed to find a place to live right away. The consul-

tant asked questions to determine my needs and find out what was important to me. She told me there were only two apartments available, and briefly described the positive attributes of each one. She asked when I would like to come by, and we discussed the driving distance and the fact that it was raining. The consultant said, “It’s been kind of slow today because of the weather. If you want to wait and come by tomorrow, I’m sure the apartments will still be available.” I said, “I think I’ll do that.” The consultant said, “Great! I’ll see you tomorrow!” My final call was met with an energetic greeting and an immediate offer of help. When the consultant learned that I needed an apartment immediately, she said, “Well, you better get right over here because I only have one left!” I laughed and asked if she could tell me a little bit about it first. The consultant described the apartment interior, as well as the view. She explained that Continued on page 7

Aid Animals ...continued from page 5 that appear to be very reasonable cases to question. Definitely call your local rental owners association first if you want to use this option. The financial risk of misusing it is too great! Finally, just like a wheelchair, owners are responsible for damage done by their aid animals. If a wheelchair did damage to your carpet, the tenant would be responsible. The same principle applies to aid animals. Do your inspections and if there is damage, bill the tenants. If they won’t pay or the damage doesn’t stop or is severe Jan, Mar, May, enough, you can even serve ORHA #38 – Notice of Termination with Cause, meaning the tenants pay for

the damage and make sure it doesn’t happen again or the animal has to leave the property. The law says you must allow the animal as a reasonable accommodation, but you don’t have to allow the damage caused by the animal. You also don’t have to risk losing other tenVALLEY, METRO, ants if the aid animal is ARIZONA barking incessantly or acting in a threatening way to others. If this happens, a warning notice or a Notice of Termination with Cause would be applicable in this situation as well. In other words, while you might have to allow the animal, you don’t Jul, Sep, Nov, have to give the animal or tenants cart blanche for their behavior. You still have rights as a landlord, so

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TENANT(S): ___________________ ___________________ OR-RTG-24 Oregon ____________________________ ADDRESS: ___________________ _____________________________UNIT: ______________ CITY: ___________________________________ STATE: ________ ZIP: _________________

PET AGREEMENT Rating Scale

= (E)Excellent (VG) Very Good

TENANT INFORMATION

Order Factory Direct!

Out

BEDROOM 3

Walls

DESCRIPTION OF PET(S) Windows Blinds/Drapes

Rods

Dishwasher Counter Tops

Doors/Woodwork

________ STATE:

Pursuant to RCW 59.18.150, this is your WA-RTG-20 Washington 48 hour entering the dwelling notice that your

Light Fixtures

TENANT(S): __________ ____________________ (Date) and Doors/Woodwork ADDRESS: . ____________________ ____________________ (Time) ________________ (Time) ____________________ CITY: Locks____________________ The entry ________UN will occur for the following __________ _____ STATE: ________purpose:IT: ______________ ___________ Rating CeilingsScale = (E)Excellent ZIP: _________________ ______________________ (VG) Very Good___________ ______________________ ___________ (G)Good ___________ (F)Fair (P)Poor Electric Outlets IN ______________________ _______________________ Out LIVING AREAS ______________________ In Out _ KITCHEN In Out Walls

Cabinets Tenant(s) Tenant(s) certify that the above pet(s) are the only pet(s) on the premises. Ceilings understands that the additional pet(s) are not permitted unless the landlord gives ten Sink

ant(s) written permission. Tenant(s) agree to keep the above-listed pets in the premises Electrical Outlets subject to the following terms and conditions: Floor Garbage Cans

Windows 1) The pet(s) shall be on a leash or otherwise under tenant’s control when it is outside the Antenna/Cable tenant’s dwelling TV unit. Blinds/Drapes 2) Tenant(s) shall promptly pick up all pet waste from the premises promptly. Fireplace 3) Tenant(s) are responsible for the conduct of their pet(s) at all times. 4) Tenant(s) are liable for all damages caused by their pet(s). Cleanliness 5) Tenant(s) shall pay the additional security deposit listed above and/or their rental agreement as a condition to keeping the pet(s) listed above. 6) Tenant(s) shall notBEDROOM allow their pets to cause any sort of disturbance or injury to the 1 BEDROOM 2 other tenants, guests, landlord or any other persons lawfully on the premises. Walls 7) Tenant(s) shall immediately report to landlord any type of damage Walls or injury caused by their pet. Windows 8) This agreement is incorporated into and shall become part of Windows the rental agreement exe Blinds/Drapes -cuted between the parties. Failure by tenant to comply with any part of this agreement Blinds/Drapes shall constitute a material breach of the rental agreement.

between the hours

Landlord

Windows

BATH ROOM

Towel Bars

Blinds/Drapes

Personal Service:

Post and Mail:

Rods

Shelves/Drawer

* Add one additional

Phone

Windows

Refrigerator

Method Ice Traysof Service:

Sink & Vanity

Toilet

Tub/Shower

Walls

Stove/Racks

Blinds/Drapes Rods Floor

Carpet/Vinyl/Woo

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Disposal

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if served by post

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www.rentegration.com 503-933-6437 Rods

_____________________________ Floor Landlord

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Doors/Woodwork

Locks

Ceilings

Electrical Outlets

Fan (Exhaust) Doors/Woodwork

Dishwasher

Floor Locks

Counter Tops

Electric Outlets

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Smoke Detectors

Windows

TV Antenna/Cable Essential

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BEDROOM 2

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may be reproduced without written

sales@rentegration.com

Sink & Vanity

BEDROOM 1 Walls

Windows

Locks

Ceilings

Sink

Light Outlets Electrical Fixtures

Garbage Cans

Doors/Woodwork

Light Fixtures

Doors/Woodwork

Cabinets

Electric Outlets Ceilings

Rods

______________________________ Floor Tenant ______________________________ Light Fixtures Tenant

________ UNIT: _________ __________ ZIP: _________

48-HOUR NOTICE OF ENTRY

landlord or their agents unit and ______________________ premises located at (Address) will be CHECK-IN/CHE ______________________ CK-OUT CONDIT ION REPORT______________________ ___________

Floor

Carpet/Vinyl/Wood 3) Type _______________ Breed _______________ Size ______ Age __ Weight ___ Color ____ Name ________ Disposal Vaccinations: Yes____ No____ License Number: ______________

Locks

______________________

Blinds/Drapes

Ice Trays

2) Type _______________ Breed _______________ Size ______ Age __ Weight ___ Color ____ Name ________ Vaccinations: Yes____ No____ Floor License Number: ______________ Shelves/Drawer

AGREEMENT

___________ ______________________ Out CITY: ______________________ ________ DATE:________ ___________

Windows

Refrigerator 1) Type _______________ Breed _______________ Size ______ Age __ Weight ___ Color ____ Name ________ Vaccinations: Yes____ No____ Rods License Number: ______________

Additional Security Deposit Required:$

WA-RTG-40 Washington

48-HOUR NOTICE OF ENTRY

TENANT(S): ___________ ______________________ ADDRESS:

Walls

Stove/Racks

Light Fixtures

1010 East 62nd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90001-1598 Phone: 1-800-624-5269 • Fax: 1-800-624-5299

(G)Good (F)Fair (P)Poor

IN Out TENANT(S): ____________________________________________________ DATE:________ LIVING AREAS ADDRESS: ____________________________________________________ UNIT: _________ KITCHEN CITY: _________________________________________ STATE: __________ ZIP: _________ Walls

Rental Housing Journal Valley • January 2014

uNaCCePTaBLe CoLor uSaGe

written permission.

do NoT change the color

do NoT alter in any way

RENTAL HOUSING JOURNAL VALLEY

Dear Maintenance Men: By Jerry L'Ecuyer & Frank Alvarez

Dear Maintenance Men: I have a large apartment complex that has become the nesting place for several groups of pigeons. I have used owls, the high pitch sound, and sticky feet; of course the entire place is covered with the metal spike strips. The pigeons walk thru them and build their nest on top of the bent down spikes. I cannot buy poison corn anymore. What can I do to get rid of the pigeons?? Jill Dear Jill: Thank you for a great question. Looks like you have tried most of the common antidotes for getting rid of unwanted pigeons. The key is to make them as uncomfortable as possible and not stopping until they are gone. First thing to do is clean the area with bleach to remove any pigeon nesting smells and spraying any stubborn pigeons with a water hose over and over. If the area lends itself to be closed off, put up netting to keep the birds from entering the area. If the spikes are broken, replace with stronger ones. Check at your local farm supply or the internet for stronger better quality spike strips. Getting rid of pigeons is a war of wills. If you give up, they will return. The area most be monitored constantly until the birds have found a new nesting area. Dear Maintenance Men: The wood fence patios on my property

are not very old, yet the posts appear to be rotting out in the ground. I feel they should have lasted much longer. The fence now leans and is a danger. I will be replacing all the posts soon and want to know how to stop the posts from rotting in the concrete footings. Do you have a suggestion? Mark Dear Mark: Your problem is most likely poor drainage. The posts rot away because of excessive moisture. For a long-term installation, use either redwood or pressure treated lumber. Dig your posthole at least 6 inches deeper than normal. Fill the bottom six inches of the hole with ½” sized gravel. Then set your post in place, level it and pour in another 2 or 3 inches of gravel. Fill the balance of the hole with Ready-Mix or Post-Mix concrete. Taper the top of the wet concrete at a slight angle to the post; that will help drain water away from the post. For added protection, you may want to consider water proofing your post with Thompson’s Water Seal or roofing tar. That should help keep your post healthy for much longer.

Allen. Dear Allen, When doing a kitchen or bath material selection, cohesive and functional design is important. Kitchen and bath rehabs are some of the most expensive work you can do in an apartment unit and proper planning is a must. In order to appeal to a larger segment of the population, try to keep the interior color scheme to neutral earth tones. Cabinetry quality varies greatly. Don’t let the cabinet fronts fool you. Manufactures designed their cabinets to look good at first glance. Keep in mind, being in a rental environment, the cabinets also need to hold up to abuse. Look at the actual construction of the cabinet box or frame. Keep in mind; you do not need to use custom cabinets to fit your existing layout. The use of prefabricated modular cabinetry can greatly reduce the time and cost to have a finished kitchen or bathroom. Using real wood cabinet fronts with 3/8” plywood sides is essential for durability. The drawer fronts and sides should be connected with a dovetail or other positive lock construction. Drawers that are held together by nails or cabinets built

with particle board will not hold up to tenant abuse. On a side note; if you are gutting the kitchen or bathroom, use this time to relocate and add more electrical outlets and under cabinet lighting. QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? We need more Maintenance Questions!!! To see your maintenance question in the “Dear Maintenance Men:” column, please send submission to: Questions@ BuffaloMaintenance.com Please “Like” us on Facebook.com/ BuffaloMaintenance Please call: Buffalo Maintenance, Inc for maintenance work or consultation. JLE Property Management, Inc for management service or consultation Frankie Alvarez at 714 956-8371 Jerry L’Ecuyer at 714 778-0480 CA contractor lic: #797645, EPA Real Estate lic. #: 01460075 Certified Renovation Company Websites: www. BuffaloMaintenance.com & www. ContactJLE.com www.Facebook.com/ BuffaloMaintenance

Dear Maintenance Men: I am starting my planning for a major kitchen cabinet remodeling project in my rental units. However, I am having a difficult time making material and design decisions. What recommendations can you give?

Alive ...continued from page 6 the “view apartments” don’t open up very often, and said this one was especially nice because of its southwestern exposure. The consultant said she had a model to show, and she could take me by the location of the apartment for rent. She told me they were still getting it ready, but that I could move into it by the week-end. The consultant asked if I had time to come over right now. She said she had another appointment in an hour and if I waited, the upcoming apartment would probably be gone. I agreed to come over within the next twenty minutes. The consultant then gave directions carefully, since I had stated I was new to the area. She suggested I bring along her phone number, in case I get lost so I could call from the road. Before we hung up, she asked for my number to be able to check back with me if I didn’t make it by. The consultant thanked me for calling and ended with, “I look forward to meeting you. I’ll see you when you get here.” What are you doing to create URGENCY when the telephone rings at your community? How do you convince the caller that what you have to offer is worth their time Rental Housing Journal Valley • January 2014

and consideration? Your community may be just one of a dozen competing for their attention. Why should they visit YOUR place, and why should they DO IT NOW? Is there something about your apartments or community that stands out from all the rest? Could it be a unique floor plan or desirable location? What about the easy access to area conveniences or your sensational staff? Whatever it is, use it to create urgency to get your callers to visit TODAY! Tomorrow is TOO LATE! By then, they will have already rented from the leasing consultant who invited them to visit YESTERDAY!

VALLEY

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Rental Housing Journal Valley â&#x20AC;˘ January 2014