VALLEY
Professional Publishing, Inc www.TheLandlordTimes.com
Vol. 17 Issue 3
March 2013
EUGENE • SALEM • ALBANY • CORVALLIS
MONTHLY CIRCULATION TO MORE THAN 5,000 APARTMENT OWNERS, PROPERTY MANAGERS, ON-SITE & MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL Published in association with: METRO Multifamily Housing Association & Rental Owners Association
Multifamily Market Eugene By Anita Risberg, CCIM Senior Broker, HFO Investment Real Estate, Apartment Specialist The information selected is from the City of Eugene planning department, Multifamily NW (formerly Metro Multifamily Housing Association) 2012 statistics, sales comps and pending sale information. If you need greater details, additional information or have questions feel free to email me at anita@ hfore.com or call my direct number in our Portland office, 971-717-6336. It would be my pleasure to answer any questions you might have. Development for Apartments Due to escalating demand for apartments, in part fueled by an increase in student enrollment, Eugene has a large number of apartment properties planned and proposed for this coming year. Continued on page 3
6 Questions with Katie Poole-Hussa The Landlord Times recently caught up with Portland Oregon based property manager, landlord educator and Smart Property Management partner Katie PooleHussa. See what she has to say about motivation, inspiration and fundamentals in her life as a property management professionals. The Landlord Times: What’s your story? What is your background and how did you get into the property management industry? Katie Poole-Hussa: I had been a receptionist in the lumber industry for 6 years., and was attending college classes, as I was able, in an attempt to discover what I wanted to be when I grew up. Through the mandatory “Career And Life Planning” class that the college required of me, I was forced to explore my professional strengths & weaknesses. Test, after test, after test
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repeatedly concluded that property management was where I was supposed to be. So, I listened. Right away I haphazardly submitted my two weeks notice, applied to every property management company that was hiring in the area, and crossed my fingers that the phone would ring. Thankfully it did. The local rental housing association president, and instructor of the property management certification program quickly hired me. What luck! I currently am a licensed property manager in the state of Oregon, an eviction specialist in the Portland area, and a continuing education provider for other licensees. I feel very appreciative that I discovered my niche so early on in life. I made the leap of faith seven years ago and I’ve never looked back. TLT: What is it about this industry that has kept you motivated and interested? KPH: My motivation to continue managing properties, providing evic-
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tion services, and educating other landlords is to help landlords be better landlords. Education is key in this industry. Most often, the mistakes that I see landlords make are simply because they don’t know the laws. Well unfortunately that is not a legally recognized defense. Teaching other property managers and rental owners about laws and common business practices is thrilling to me and I don’t see an end to it anytime soon. As landlords, we must realize that we’re in an ever changing industry. Landlords should approach managing their rentals just like any other business. Do your research, attend workshops, join landlord associations, etc. The opportunities are out there if landlords are willing to make the time and spend a little money. It’s my opinion that you can’t afford not to. TLT: Who was the most influential person/mentor in the early part of your career? What did you learn from them? KPH: The most influential person in the early part of my career was actually a tenant. We’ll call her Nikki. Nikki was a tenant who came to our company just like all others, and it wasn’t until I moved her into the simple 1 bedroom downtown apartment was I even influenced by her. We met at the unit to complete the rental agreement. After collecting the proContinued on page 7
Dryer Vents: Inspection and Cleaning Submitted by Portland Chimney & Masonry, Inc. The vents of dryers serve the same purpose as the chimney of a fireplace: a way for exhaust to be allowed to get out of the building. Usually these vents are vented through the roof or out the side of your buildings. Either way, there must be a clear passage for the exhaust to get out. Structural: Under no circumstances should these vents be allowed to vent anywhere inside the building, such as an attic or the like. This is simply allowing the exhaust and flammable lint to be vented into an enclosed, often unattended area. This is a fire waiting to happen. Cleaning: The lint that is built up in these vents is highly flammable and must be cleaned out on a regular basis, as should the chimneys for fireplaces. If this lint were to catch on fire, it could cause severe damage to your property. According to the USFA (U.S. Fire Administration) “An estimated 2,900 clothes dryer fires in residential buildings are reported to U.S. fire departments each year and cause an estimated 5 deaths, 100 injuries, and $35 million in property loss. “Clothes dryer fire incidence in residential buildings was higher in Continued on page 8 Page 2
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Page 4
A MESSAGE FROM YOUR PRESIDENT …