Valley Rental Housing Journal June 17

Page 1

June 2017

Rental Housing Journal Valley

3. RHA Oregon President’s Message 5. Win, Win: Improving Cash Flow for Renters and Property Managers 6. Tia’s Tips for Better Rental Management

EUGENE · SALEM ·ALBANY · CORVALLIS WWW.RENTALHOUSINGJOURNAL.COM • PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHING, INC

Five Ways Managers Can Perk Up Employees this Summer

H

by OfficeTeam uman resources managers report workers may feel less productive in the summer and want more flexible schedules, while fewer companies offer flexible schedules, according to a new research. In addition to wanting more flexible schedules in the summer, employees also want the ability to leave early on Fridays, a more relaxed dress code, and events such as company picnics. However trends involving those employee desires have reversed since 2012, according to the survey from Office Team, a Robert Half company. Now fewer companies are offering these benefits with a decline in flexibility of hours and leaving early on Fridays. Also the most common employee behavior that managers see is employees not planning well for vacations. “It’s natural for employees to get distracted when the weather’s nice and thoughts turn to plans outside the office,” Brandi Britton, a district president for OfficeTeam, said in a release. “But savvy companies maintain staff productivity and morale by embracing summer in the workplace. “Letting employees modify their schedules, leave early on Fridays or dress more casually when it’s hot out are easy ways to keep them loyal and engaged,” she said in the release. ...continued on page 5 Professional Publishing Inc., PO Box 6244 Beaverton, OR 97007

Top Regret for Home Buyers and Sellers is Not Prepping Soon Enough

T

With the 2017 home shopping season approaching, Zillow reveals data-driven tips for buyers and sellers

he home-buying season is gearing up to be one of the most competitive in recent history, as the shortage of for-sale homes is keeping inventory tight and prices high. Buyers and sellers hoping to be successful should start the process early, according to the 2016 Zillow Group Report on Consumer Housing Trends. Of over 13,000 U.S. residents surveyed, the number one regret for both buyers and sellers was not starting their home search or prepping their home to sell soon enough. U.S. home values across the nation are up 7.2 percent over the past year, and there are three percent fewer homes to choose from than a year ago, according to the January Zillow® Real Estate Market

Reports.i “This spring, both buyers and sellers should be prepared for fast-moving sales, intense negotiations, and even bidding wars,” said Jeremy Wacksman, Zillow Group chief marketing officer. “Home shoppers and sellers are motivated to become more strategic and knowledgeable about what’s happening in their neighborhood. Understanding whether you are in a buyer’s or a seller’s environment will help you manage your expectations and will give you insight into what you’re going to need to bring to the table in order to close the deal.” The Zillow Group Report on Consumer Housing Trends reveal strategies for how to buy and sell in today’s highly compet-

itive market.

Buyers:

• Keep your options open. More than half (52 percent) of buyers said they also considered renting, and more than one third (37 percent) of first-time buyers seriously considered continuing to rent. Savvy shoppers will have a Plan B in place, hoping to buy if it works out, but willing to sign a lease for a home if they don’t make a deal by the time they need to move. • Be realistic with your budget. Once you set it, stick to it: firsttime home buyers are more likely ...continued on page 3

Can I Say “No Pot In My Apartments” When It’s Legal In My State?

by John Triplett

O

regon Governor Kate Brown this month signed a bill that prohibits marijuana retailers from keeping or sharing customer’s personal information. According to reports, she said she was concerned about the Trump administration’s future actions when it comes to the legalized pot industry which employs 13,000 people in Oregon. So when pot is legal in a state, what issues does this present to property managers and landlords of rental properties? Property managers are often confused and seeking to better understand how to handle the issues of legal marijuana and medical marijuana when it comes to tenants and rental housing in their states. Laws are changing all the time in many states as voters approve different levels of permission when it comes to marijuana. This leaves property managers trying to figure out what should be in their leases

PRSRT STD US Postage PAID Portland, OR Permit #5460

around the issue. You may be able to ban smoking, but do you really know what your tenants are eating or growing in their apartments? Do you really want to know if they are good paying tenants? Rental Housing Journal did a recent interview with Seattle, Washington attorney Bret Sachter, an expert in tracking the progression and transformation of marijuana laws, to discuss some common questions property managers have about marijuana and tenants. “I’ve been asked this a lot,” Sachter said, “but it does not come up as often as you might think. The overarching issue here is that, with few exceptions, people can do what they want to protect their property, even if the prohibited behavior is not illegal. You can prohibit smoking, prohibit pets, but with marijuana it’s much easier because it is federally illegal. So you can

pretty much prohibit it if you want to no matter what, even medical marijuana,” Sachter said.

4 Questions About Pot, Tenants and Apartment Leases

Sachter says in terms of Fair Housing issues, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) it is a situation where HUD wants it in the lease that marijuana is illegal but enforcement is another issue, he said. It is not so much that HUD wants landlords to evict over ...continued on page 7

Text REALESTATE-ROI to 44222 to receive a digital copy of this year's Real Estate Opportunities in Investing (ROI) Finding Investing Success in Today's Housing Market


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.