UPDATE
Monthly Newsletter Published by the Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland
June 2013
“Deal Analysis” June Dinner Meeting Page 1
Managing Quick Apartment Turns Page 4
Nice Landlords and Good Business Page 8
Landlady Katie: Curb Appeal Page 13
VISIT US AT www.RHAGP.org
Ve n d o r
HAPPY HOUR J o i n u s Tu e s d a y, J u n e 2 0 t h at 4:30pm for a free vendor a p p r e c i a t i o n h a p p y h o u r.
• Learn how to get the most of y o u r Ve n d o r m e m b e r s h i p • New Premium Member marketing opportunities-FREE • Share best practices • Compare results • Provide program feedback • Brainstorm program improvements RHA Office 10520 NE Weidler Portland OR 97220 503/254-4723
Appetizers & Beverages provided
DINNER MEETING When:
Wednesday June 19, 2013 from 6:00pm-9pm
Menu: Spaghetti with your choice of one of the following: Mizithra Cheese & Browned Butter Sicilian Meatballs Baked Lasagna
Where:
The Old Spaghetti Factory 0715 S.W. Bancroft St. Portland, OR 97239 Dinner Price: $16.00 per meal, Call 503/254-4723 for reservations
Includes: Hot Fresh Baked Bread Spumoni Ice Cream Coffee, Tea, Decaf or Iced Tea
$10.00 for meeting only (includes coffee and tea). Speaker: Courtney Goodman, Real Estate Investor Anita Borgaes, Licensed OR Broker & RE Investor North West Real Estate Investors Association
“Deal Analysis & Discussion” Bring Your Creative Real Estate Deals to the Table!
This is an open real estate forum where both real estate investors and brokers can bring active and potential transactions to discuss, break down, evaluate, and sell.
Directions:
THE OLD SPAGHETTI FACTORY 0715 SW Bancroft St. Portland, OR 97239
From SOUTH on I-5: Take exit 298 for Corbett Ave. Turn right onto SW Corbett Ave. Take the 2nd left onto SW Richardson Ct. Turn left onto SW Macadam Ave, right onto SW Bancroft St. Destination will be straight ahead. FROM NORTH ON 1-5: Take exit 299A to merge onto OR-43 S/SW Hood Ave toward Lake Oswego, continue to follow OR-43 S. Turn left onto SW Bancroft St. Destination will be straight ahead.
JUNE 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS RHAGP Dinner Meeting................................................ 1 President’s Message.................................................... 2 RHA Calendar............................................................... 3 Managing Quick Apartment Turns.................................... 4 Fire, Flood or Blood...................................................... 5 Dear Maintenance Men.......................................... 6 & 7 Nice Landlords and Good Business....................................................................... 8
What Tenants Should Bring When Seeing Your Apartment............................................ 10 The Seven Habits of Property Owners............ 11 & 12 Landlady Katie:Curb Appeal.................................... 13 Disability Discrimination Settlement................ 14 & 15 Connecting Your Community with Wi-Fi................................................................ 16 & 17 The Preferred Service Guide .............................18-20 June 2013 1
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
RHAGP LIST OF COMMITTEES Building Chair: Phil Owen, Phone: 503-244-7986
Dinner Meeting: I’d like to start this month’s message with appreciation for our expert panel of attorneys who helped make the May dinner meeting a wonderful success. Questions and answers Elizabeth Carpenter extended a full hour over schedule, and brought to mind a RHA President quote from Jed Bartlett of the TV show West Wing where he said, “She’s not worried about the length of your question, she’s worried about the length of my response.” Legal questions, and their lengthy answers, ranged from trusts and wills, to service animals and companion pets to fair housing laws and Section 8.
Community Relations/Donations Chair: Tony Kavanagh, Phone: 503-522-4474
Legislative Update:
House Chair: Robin Lashbaugh, Phone: 503-760-7171
Speaking of Section 8, our lobbyist Cindy Robert has reported very minor edits to HB 2639 in the Senate, having already passed in the House. While we still feel the current version of HB 2639 isn’t ideal, it is the best bill possible at this time. We long stood alone in opposition, while the other landlord associations moved to neutral early in the process. The recent news of our neutrality is bringing more exposure and credibility to the Association. Our government leaders are becoming more aware of how our members differ from other landlord associations, and have already shown a willingness to consult and collaborate in the future. PR & Branding:
Dinner/Program Chair: Lynne Whitney, Phone: 503-284-5522 Education Chair: John Sage, Phone: 503-667-7971 Electronic Media Chair: Ron Garcia, Phone: 503-595-4747 Forms Chair: Mark Passannante, Phone: 503-294-0910
Legislative Chair: Phil Owen, Phone: 503-244-7986 Membership Chair: Elizabeth Carpenter, Phone: 503-3146498 Newsletter Chair: Will Johnson, Phone: 503-221-1260 Office Chair: Robin Lashbaugh, Phone: 503-760-7171 Public Relations Chair: Margaret Baricevic, Phone: 503-329-5223
Dovetailing nicely with the increased exposure in Salem, our PR and branding efforts under Jason Atkinson’s direction are progressing nicely. Our recent press release caught the attention of OPB, which resulted in Phil Owen, Past President and Chair of the Government Affairs Committee, and Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish speaking on the Section 8 Bill HB 2639 on the popular Think Out Loud radio show. This opportunity has led to an acceptance RSVP NOW! by Nick Fish to speak at our July Dinner July Dinner Meeting Meeting.
Government Relations Chair: Phil Owen Phone: 503-244-7986 Gresham Liaison: Jim Herman Phone: 503-6458287
Interaction:
Alita Dougherty, Office Manager - alita@rhagp.org
503-254-4723
Looking for ways to get involved? The RHAGP has many opportunities to interact, educate and grow the rental housing industry for the better. Visit our website at www.rhagp.org/committees to view the list of committees and who to contact about current projects and opportunities to help out. As a non-profit organization since 1927, the Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland depends on our members to uphold our high level of civic participation and supply affordable, quality housing to Oregonians. Find legislative updates and listen to the Section 8 “Think Out Loud” at www.rhagp.org/lgs.
WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON AT RHA? VISIT http://www.rhagp.org/calendar-event
2 June 2013
Marketing Chair: Ami Stevens Phone: 503-407-3663
RHAGP LOBBYIST
Cindy Robert, Phone: 503-260-3431
RHAGP OFFICE STAFF Pam VanLoon, Bookkeeper - pam@rhagp.org Cari Pierce, Member Svcs - cari@rhagp.org
RHAGP OFFICE Monday - Friday * 9:00am - 5:00pm Phone: 503-254-4723 * Fax: 503-254-4821 10520 NE Weidler St Portland, OR 97220 www.rhagp.org
“Landlords doing good things in their communities”
RHAGP IS COMMITTED TO EDUCATING MEMBERS TO FAIR HOUSING PRACTICES AND POLICIES.
RHAGP Update
RHA Mark Your Calendar Date
Events
Location
Time
6/12
Board Meeting
RHA Office
5pm
6/19
Dinner Meeting
Old Spaghetti Factory
6pm
6/26
Premium Member Work Session
RHA Office
11:30am
6/27
Member Info./Mentor Session
RHA Office
6pm
7/10
Board Meeting
RHA Office
5pm
7/17
Dinner Meeting
Red Lion
6pm
7/25
Member Info./Mentor Session
RHA Office
6pm
8/14
RHA Annual Picnic
Oaks Amusement Park
3:30pm
Date
Classes
Location
Time
Information
6/5
Online Tenant Screening
RHA Office
11am
**
6/7
Understanding Your Decision Point WebEx Report
11am
**
6/13
Mold Class
RHA Office
6:30pm
Taught by Mike Gardner & Ed White, Real Estate Mold Solutions
6/20
Brown Bag Lunch- Pest Control
RHA Office
11:30am
Brought to you by David Frost, Frost Integrated Pest Management.
6/25
What is Radon?
Standard TV & Appliance
6:30pm
Taught by Steve Tucker, Cascade Radon 3600 SW Hall Blvd. Beaverton OR 97005
6/25
Online Tenant Screening
WebEx
7pm
**
6/26
Fair Housing and Screening Review Class
RHA Office
11:30am
Taught by Marcia Gohman, National Tenant Network
6/28
Understanding Your Decision Point WebEx Report
7pm
**
7/3
Online Tenant Screening
RHA Office
11am
**
7/11
Tenant Retention
RHA Office
6:30pm
Taught by Ron Garcia, The Garcia Group
7/12
Understanding Your Decision Point WebEx Report
11am
**
7/23
Measuring your Facebook Success Standard TV & Appliance for Property Owners
6:30pm
Taught by Guy Edwards, Brainjar Media See page 7 for more details.
Information See Page 1 for more details.
See July’s Update for more details. Mark Your Calendar!
**Register by day before class, FREE for Members Only, with current service agreement for tenant screening. Registration is required for all classes/events, Call RHA at 503/254-4723. 3 day advance registration required to receive early registration discount of $5.00 on classes.
Mold Class As property and business owners, you cannot afford the liability risks of undetected mold and improper cleaning of affected areas. This class focuses on how to prevent mold growth in your properties along with the proper techniques for cleaning and recovering from mold damage. 1 Continuing Education Credit Hour $25.00/Member, $35.00 Non-Member
www.RHAGP.org
Brown Bag Lunch ClassPest Control A brief overview of some of the more common pests in our area, including small ants, carpenter ants, cockroaches, bed bugs, fleas, spiders, mice and rats. How to identify them and how to best prevent them before they become a problem and cut into profits. $25/Members, $35/non-members
What is Radon? What is Radon? Where does it come from? Why is it a health risk? How do you test? What is the cost of testing? What creates elevated radon levels? Mitigation techniques and the cost thereof. RadonResistant New Construction (RRNC) and new radonrelated building codes. Come have all your questions about Radon answered by a professional. $25.00/Member, $35.00 Non-Member
BBL-Fair Housing Fair Housing class will review some Fair Housing basics and how they apply to the screening process. We’ll be discussing protected classes, accepting applications, possible evictions, criteria and exceptions. If you have taken a class from Marcia before, you know that the class will give you a lot to think about but will not be boring! 1 Continuing Education Credit Hour $25.00/Member, $35.00 Non-Member
June 2013 3
MANAGING QUICK APARTMENT TURNS
By Cliff Hockley, President Sperry Van Ness/Bluestone & Hockley
Joyce was the on-site manager at the Green Pineapple Apartments in Oregon City, Oregon. Her mission was to turn the units from move-out to new move- in, in less than 7 days. To manage that quick turn, she had to be extremely well organized. The week before A week before the tenant moved out she inspected the unit with her maintenance supervisor to gauge the repairs they needed to address for move out. Joyce and her maintenance supervisor checked each room, turning on the heaters and appliances to make sure they were in working order. She inspected the bathrooms and kitchen to make sure the spigots did not leak and that the tubs, sinks and toilets drained properly. She confirmed her assessment with the maintenance supervisor after they evaluated everything from carpeting to windows and sheet rock to mold. Joyce was ready, so as soon as the tenant moved they could start the maintenance and cleaning process. Using the information from this inspection, they gave a heads-up to the painting and cleaning crews as well as informing the tenants about the turning process, including the costs involved in the process. In other words if there was a significant amount of tenant caused damage that the tenant would be responsible for, or if the cost of turning were limited to standard wear and tear, the tenant would know before move out and could mitigate the damages. She usually had the name of a carpet cleaning company, a handyman and a moving company at hand to share with the tenant. Additionally, she handed a checklist to the tenants who included the names of companies that would pick up slightly damaged furniture as well as unwanted clothing (Local Goodwill donation stations, U-Haul locations and places to get used moving boxes were also on the list). Finally, she used the opportunity to get the tenant’s forwarding address, so the security deposit could be mailed to them as quickly as possible. She made it a point to give the standard “vacating procedures” work sheet to the tenants as soon as she received their 30 day notice. Move out Day Joyce was a pro, so dealing with tenant move-outs was straightforward. On move out day she met the tenant and completed the final walk through. This tenant had been in the unit for five years so the carpeting needed to be replaced. As soon as the tenants had moved out she scheduled the blind removal and maintenance work. Luckily there were no fleas and hence no need for a flea bomb (which takes an extra day), even though they had a dog. After the tenant moved out the turn schedule looked
4 June 2013
something like this: Days 1-3: General maintenance; Day 4: Cleaning and Painting; Day 5: Carpet replacement/cleaning and lock changes. Joyce replaced the light bulbs and globes, the range drip pans, broken switch and outlet plates and tested the smoke detectors. She understood the importance of making a new tenant feel at home, so she installed a new welcome mat and hired painters to paint the front door and its trim. To give the unit a “new home” feel, Joyce installed a new bathroom sink and new baseboard heater. Finding the new Tenant Ten days before the tenant moved out Joyce began searching for a new tenant. She placed advertising on Craigslist, called prospects on her waiting list and made sure the website had the correct information. She had already coordinated with her district manager regarding the rental rate and completed her quarterly rental surveys. The two agreed the market allowed a $50 a month increase from the previous rent. The phone was ringing for showings even before the unit was vacant. Furthermore the past tenant had allowed some tours and walk-throughs before they moved out. This enabled Joyce to screen a few applications during the turning process. Day Six As day six dawned Joyce was ready, and so was the newly approved tenant. He arrived at 9 a.m. to fill out the rental agreement, move in and collect keys to the newly rekeyed apartment. They walked through the unit and completed a move in inspection. She took pictures of the unit with her cell phone to include in the unit file with the inspection notes. They then executed the rental agreement and the new tenant moved in, right on schedule. Everyone was happy; the process was well orchestrated and executed, and resulted in an improved unit with increased rent. She had hit her turn goal and lost only 6 days of rent. The landlord thought she was a superhero… and she was. Clifford A. Hockley is President of Bluestone & Hockley Real Estate Services, greater Portland’s full service real estate brokerage and property management company. Founded in 1972, Bluestone & Hockley’s staff totals nearly 110 employees, including 20 licensed brokers. The company’s property management division serves commercial buildings, apartments, condominium associations and houses in the Portland / Vancouver metro area, while the brokerage division facilitates both leasing and sales of investment properties throughout Oregon and Washington.
RHAGP Update
FIRE, FLOOD OR BLOOD
By Buffalo Maintenance, Inc.
Your income property may have suffered a calamity such as flood, fire, smoke, earthquake, or other issue that has damaged or destroyed your property. What do you do now??? Call the insurance company??? That is a good thought, but, may not be the best idea. (We will assume any life and limb issues have been dealt with.) Making the call to the insurance company before you are fully prepared could cost you thousands in reimbursed damages. First and foremost is to pull out your insurance policy and read it carefully; line by line. (You can bet the insurance company knows each and every line.) Understand your policy before you call; don't let the insurance company decide what is important and what is not. You will want to know specifically what is covered. Know what your deductibles are; the policy limits & exclusions. Document everything. Take pictures, video and written notes of exactly what damage has been done to your property. List a complete inventory of all damaged, destroyed or affected areas.
address to someone above. Depending on the extent of the damage, it might be a good idea to hire your own private adjuster to supervise and help you with your interactions with the insurance company. When meeting the company adjuster, remain calm, friendly and prepared. Take notes of everything the adjuster says. From this point on, you will need patience, vigilance and determination. In a major disaster, it is not unusual for the process to take a full year or more for an insurance claim and all the work to be completed. The guiding principle when dealing with the insurance company after a disaster is to read and re-read all correspondence carefully. It is not unusual to spot "errors" that will effect your claim. Don't sign anything without reading every line. Remember, it is the insurance company's job to minimize their financial exposure and your job to get the maximum coverage. Reprinted with permission of Buffalo Maintenance, Inc.
Mitigate any unsafe conditions. In other words, it is your responsibility to protect your property from additional damage. ie: board up window, cap water lines, remove dangerous conditions. etc. Document the mitiagtion. Now you can call your insurance company. Mind you, the above education & mitigation should have happened within the first few hours after the disaster. (We don't recommend waiting days and days before calling your insurance company) Once you know your coverage and exactly what you have lost call the insurance company. Avoid trigger terms such as "Flood" or "Earthquake". Don't go into long drawn out explanations of the damage or what you think should be covered or not. Simple and to the point descriptions of the damage is sufficient. Ask the insurance company what steps they will take to review and cover your loss. Document every contact with the insurance company. Take note of everyone you talked to, including names, dates and what was said. The insurance company will assign an adjuster; document the adjuster's contact information and that of his supervisor. Always have contact information and an email
www.RHAGP.org
June 2013 5
DEAR MAINTENANCE MEN:
By Jerry L’Ecuyer & Frank Alvarez
Dear Maintenance Men: My tenant has a toilet that has little cracks in various places. It has small cracks, but no leakage. I looked online and they said you could epoxy it or replace it...but you must do something. How can you tell what will work? What would be the best thing? Also, do toilets just crack over time? (“I read your column every time! That and the Legal Corner one.”) Kristina Dear Kristina: Our first thought is that the toilet is not on level ground. It might not rock, but it may have pressure points between the floor and the bottom of the toilet or the between the sewer ring and the toilet. Toilets do not typically crack by themselves. They are either abused by the tenant or the installation is poor. (Sometimes both!) We would recommend replacing the toilet and doing a bit of sub-floor work to determine what is causing pressure on the toilet. Epoxy is a short-term fix without repairing the cause of the cracks. Being a rental, you do not want the toilet breaking dramatically while in use! This would not only be a liability for you, but could cause water damage to your property. Dear Maintenance Men: We have been reviewing our safety procedures and have decided to make a safety checklist to help avoid a possible disaster in the future. What is your opinion of earthquake safety measures such as auto shut-off gas meters, water heater strapping and the seismic retrofitting of older buildings? Where can I find information about protecting my property in a disaster? Where would I find a contractor who specializes in seismic retrofitting? John Dear John: Seismic shut-off gas valves are a very good addition to your safety list. There are several manufactures and a wide price range depending on the size of your gas pipe. A simple web search will give you many companies to choose from or call a licensed plumber. Water heater earthquake straps are a must. If you are handy, your local hardware store supplies straps, they are inexpensive and easy to install. Before you start any seismic retrofitting for your building, we recommend talking to your local building department for building code information, and it is a good idea to consult with a structural engineer.
The following publications will provide you with most of the information you will need to make an informed decision: 1- The Homeowners Guide to Earthquake Safety. Written and compiled by the California Seismic Safety Commission in Sacramento. Phone: (916) 263-5506. 2- Introduction to Earthquake Retrofitting, 80 page illustrated book from the “Building Education Center” in Berkeley, CA. Phone: (510) 525-7610. 3- Damage Control booklet. Simpson Strong Tie Products for earthquake resistant construction. You can pick up a copy at any hardware store or home improvement center. Your local apartment association should have earthquake information handy for you. They should also be able to lead you to a contractor that specializes in seismic retrofitting. Dear Maintenance Men: I have a unit that has pocket doors between the kitchen and living room and also between the hallway and the living room. The door has fallen off its track and no matter what I do; I can’t get it to work properly. How do I fix this problem? Jack Dear Jack: Pocket doors … a love/hate relationship. We love them because they are an efficient use of space, but when they go bad, we hate them. Pocket doors by their nature are very secretive and getting to their internal working parts is almost impossible. Pocket doors operate very similarly to sliding closet doors. The door has a set of rollers that attach to a track above the door. Typically what goes wrong is that either a roller bracket has come loose or one of the rollers has broken. Unlike a sliding closet door, the pocket door cannot easily be angled away from the track and removed. The only way to extract the pocket door is to remove the casing around the door opening and the vertical jamb on the side where the door that goes into the wall. The door can than be tipped out and removed. This is not easy, as sometimes the top jamb must be removed first depending on original installation. A second method is to make a four-inch hole in the wall in line with the track. This will allow access for your hand and a tool for repairs. Every door is different; a close inspection of the hardware should help determine which side of the wall to open. The most common problem with pocket doors is the screws holding the roller brackets becoming loose and getting out of adjustment. Replace the screws with a larger more aggressive thread pattern and try to use new holes if possible. Lastly, check that there are no nails or screws CONTINUED on PAGE 7
6 June 2013
RHAGP Update
DEAR MAINTENANCE MEN continued from PAGE 6
protruding through the drywall into the pocket door; check for hanging picture frames or other decorations. An alternative if the pocket door is not a critical use door: Using jamb or casing material, seal in the pocket door in the wall. In other words, abandon the pocket door, seal and paint the repair, call it a day. QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? need more Maintenance Questions!!!
We
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 Bio: 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. #: 01216720 Certified Renovation Company Websites: www.BuffaloMaintenance.com & www.ContactJLE.com www.Facebook.com/BuffaloMaintenance
Measuring your Facebook Success for Property Owners In this class Facebook will be made accessible to you and your business, focusing on how to determine if your Facebook page is working and how advertising can be beneficial for any budget. Other topics include: security, best practices, and recent updates. $25.00/Member, $35.00 Non-Member
ADVERTISING AVAILABLE!!!
Are you an Affiliate or Dual Member of the RHA?
Are you Utilizing all your advertising opportunities? There is space available and we want YOU. Call 503/254-4723 to find out more!
ATTENTION! MARK YOUR CALENDARS The Annual Summer Picnic for the Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland has a date change this year, instead of being on the third Wednesday of August, the Picnic is scheduled for Wednesday, August 14 at Oaks Amusement Park. See you ALL there!
www.RHAGP.org
June 2013 7
Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland Premium Membership Looking for a little more? Consider upgrading to Premium Membership:
Î Find out how other landlords are solving issues you may have Î Get access to exclusive offers from Affiliate / Vendor Members Î Unlimited use of RHAGP online forms, 24‐7 Î Save time filling in forms with your own property management database Î Track income and expenses via an easy‐to use, basic accounting software
Premium Membership Pricing:
One time Set Up Fee $ 35.00
Per Unit $ 7.00/year (minimum $30)
Contact the RHAGP office at 503‐254‐4723 to discuss if Premium Membership is right for you.
The Value of Membership
Being part of the Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland feels good. The sharing of ideas, concerns and better ways of solving problems you face every day creates community.
Legislative Dinner Meetings Mentor Program Representation 1750+ Substantial Educational Members Classes discounts Fully staffed Membership Tenant Screening office starting at $99
Since 1927, the Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland has held the standard of landlord civic participation and continues to provide affordable housing to Oregonians.
8 June 2013
Visit www.rhagp.org for details! RHAGP Update
NICE LANDLORDS AND GOOD BUSINESS: By ROBERT CAIN “As soon as the lease was signed, it was a nightmare! Her behavior is completely inappropriate and transcends normal social boundaries. She is a passive-aggressive bully, dishonest, greedy, and prone to making backhanded remarks. She is profoundly lacking when it comes to behaving professionally.” So reported a tenant about his landlord to a website where tenants can review their experiences with their landlords. Did everything happen exactly the way the tenant wrote? Maybe. But maybe not. Whether it did or not is beside the point, isn’t it. A customer’s perception is more telling than the exact circumstances. We do know that this landlord, landlord one, spewed so much venom that her customer was angry enough to write about. Then how about this example? “The apartment is really nice and very well maintained; you can’t even tell that someone has put a nail in the whatever. He is also very courteous as there was a problem with the hot water heater leaking, that didn’t even affect my apartment (I live upstairs), and he called me to let me know he had to work on it. He knew I was at work, but if I came home that I would not have water for a couple of hours.” What an amazing difference! But how much different did one landlord act than the other one did? Notice the complaint about landlord one concerns the landlord’s attitude, not the way the property was maintained or the quality of the unit. Landlord one apparently has an allaround bad attitude and takes a “personal” interest in her tenants. Bad idea for any landlord. Our relationship to our tenants is not to be their best buddies, to stick our noses in their business, or insert ourselves into their lives. Our relationship is one of business. We have a deal with them. They pay us rent, and we provide them with a pleasant place to live. How we go about that determines how well we do with our real estate investments. Think about your own experiences. How many stores have you vowed NEVER to shop in again? Was it because of the quality of the merchandise? Was it the prices? Was it the difficulty in parking? Probably not. You might avoid a store for high prices or poor quality merchandise, but you won’t take a solemn oath to avoid it forever. Most likely you will never go back because of the bad attitude of the owner, manager or employees. Our business relationship with our tenants is the same only more so. We can buy what we want hundreds of other places. Hundreds of other landlords rent properties, too. Almost every renter has a choice about where he or she will live.
www.RHAGP.org
People like to do business with people they like. The wealthiest people are often the nicest people because others enjoy doing business with them. Snarling, angry, exasperating people find themselves left out in the cold cursing the world because they don’t make any money. Landlord two may not own any “better” or any “worse” property than landlord one. But landlord two’s tenant remembers the courtesy and consideration he received from his landlord. And it was something as simple as a phone call that landlord didn’t have to make but did. Apparently landlord two either realizes the importance of good customer relations or is simply a considerate person, or both. Regardless, if I was a renter, he is the kind of landlord whose property I would want to live in. Think about the bottom line. How much turnover do you think landlord one has? And I’ll bet her tenants can’t wait to move out. What about landlord two? His tenants may hate to move, and only do so for reasons that make moving essential. They have heard the stories and fear they will end up with another landlord one after they find a new place to live. Remember, every vacancy costs at least one month’s rent. Good customer relations make for good business. Just think, our tenants pay us thousands of dollars a year to live in our properties; they deserve our consideration and thanks. Good businesspeople value their customers; so do good landlords. Robert Cain is a nationally-recognized speaker and writer on property management and real estate issues. Copyright 2011 Cain Publications, Inc. Visit their web site at www.rentalprop.com
V O L U N T E E R S WANTED!
The RHA is looking for Volunteers to assist with some basic office needs such as stuffing envelopes, preparing mailings, and putting together starter packets of forms. If you are interested and would like to volunteer for this great association Please contact Alita at 503/254-4723 or alita@rhagp.org June 2013
9
WHAT TENANTS SHOULD BRING WHEN SEEING YOUR PROPERTY Once you've decided how you're going to show the house, you need to make sure the prospect meets you at the rental with as much of their needed information as possible. You don't want to make unnecessary trips showing the property if you can help it, and having all needed paperwork and information required by you at the time of the showing will go a long way toward preventing these extra trips. When you have the prospect on the phone, either from your initial interview or when you call back to schedule a showing, you need to tell him or her this: "I'm going to ask you to bring some things when you come to see the unit. Please grab a pen and paper and write down the following..."
Cash for their credit check and for the holding deposit (if you require that deposit at time of showing) If your rental market is extremely hot, I would think about collecting a healthy deposit to hold a unit.
•
Any other bits of information you require that are not mentioned here.
Last but not least, let prospective tenants know they will need all adult parties present who will be occupying the rental. Also let them know to plan for at least 30 minutes for the showing and to fill out paperwork if they like the rental.
Tell them you'll need three personal references from each adult who will sign the lease, including names and phone numbers (I want to speak to at least two references, so I always ask for three. Parents and grandparents don't count.) Ask them to bring the following: •
Past landlord's names, addresses, and phone numbers.
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Copy of current driver's license or photo ID
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Recent pay stubs (I recommend asking for two months' worth.)
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Solid verification of other income source, such as alimony check stubs, regular pension, or government support check stubs, and so forth. (You want concrete proof that they have solid, reliable income. Have them show you proof that they have solid, reliable income. Have them show you proof for at least two recent, consecutive months. This is a must, because you don't want to be chasing government agencies on the phone trying to verify this.)
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If self-employed, a copy of last two years' tax returns and three to six months of bank statements.
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One or two current utility bills with their present address on it (optional).
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One other source of ID or credit card (optional)
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Bank name and phone number (You might want this to verify they have an active account. This may also be optional. Some landlords want bank account numbers, but with the increased identity theft, tenant prospects are more reluctant to give that out. I don't blame them. I wouldn't give out any account information, either, but you can ask.)
10 June 2013
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Once this list is given and verified as understood by the prospect, set the appointment time. Give precise directions, including north, south, east, and west, notable streets, and easy-to-locate landmarks on how to get there. Remember that not all people are good with compasstype of directions, so include left and right turns, number of stoplights or signs, and approximate mileage between these streets and landmarks. If you can't do this properly, drive to your rental from all possible directions and write a complete set of directions down. (You could get your directions off MapQuest, although it may not have the designated landmarks.) You should keep this set of directions in your file of paperwork on that rental so you have them for future reference. Don't lose a great prospect because you gave poor directions. As you conclude your call, again give prospects a precise meeting time and your cell phone number. Have them repeat what they need to bring, the complete directions, the time of your appointment, and your cell number. Ask them to call you 30 minutes ahead of their scheduled time (or whatever time you need before you leave your house) to confirm that they will still be on time. Also, be sure to thank them for their time. Unless you live within walking distance of the rental, use these techniques. You'll be glad you did. The above tips are shared by Don Conrad, a regular adviser to MrLandlord.com and author of the audio CD How to that Find Quality Tenant, available at LandlordBooks. com. To receive a free sample of Mr. Landlord newsletter, call 1-800-950-2250 or visit their informative Q&A Forum at LandlordingAdvice.com, where you can ask landlording questions and seek the advice of other rental owners 24 hours a day. WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON AT RHA? VISIT http://www.rhagp.org/calendar-event
RHAGP Update
THE SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PROPERTY OWNERS By Lauren Boston It’s hard enough to budget the correct amount of money for Christmas gifts, let alone for an entire operating year in the multifamily housing industry. While it may not be a major crisis if the Justin Bieber poster you promised your daughter for her bedroom wall is five percent more expensive than you anticipated, it is a serious problem if a community’s budget goes over by that amount— potentially putting your company more than $1 million in the red. Consequently, it is imperative that apartment management companies have a firm grasp on the budgeting process and deliver the revenue promised to the owner at the start of the year. At the end of the day, if the owner isn’t happy, nobody is happy. Following are tips and strategies that Nick Alicastro, Vice President of Business Development for Western National Property Management, uses to create an effective annual budget. 1. Start Early In early spring, Alicastro’s Irvine, Calif.based team, which manages 24,000 units, begins the budgeting process for the coming year. The capital expense team, regional managers and vice presidents tour every community to determine the upcoming or immediate needs from a capital perspective. Additionally, every apartment is walked by the onsite team and regional manager, who evaluate the condition of the flooring, appliances, counter surfaces, cabinets and A/C units. The purpose, Alicastro says, is to obtain an accurate assessment of each apartment home in order to determine probable turnover costs. An extensive exterior review of each community is conducted to identify additional deficiencies. After such assessments are complete, Alicastro’s team determines the capital dollars needed for each community during the next five years. “The process is with much thought and provides an exceptionally accurate idea of the condition of each occupied apartment as well as a full understanding of short-term and long-term capital needs,”
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says Alicastro. “The necessity of providing ownership with an accurate representation of anticipated cash flow in the short and long term is crucial to the approval and completion of the anticipated capital projects. Accurate findings and estimations will give the owner the ability to make decisions now that may impact cash flow and distributions in the future. At the end of the day that’s what they care about—a consistent and accurate projection of returns and cash flow, with very few surprises.” 2. Do Your Research After all buildings are walked, the team collects and solidifies hard bids from vendors, suppliers, contractors and service providers for items that need to be addressed in the coming year. Alicastro says companies should not assume a project or service will be priced the same the following year. At the end of the summer, the team begins to load currentyear operating numbers. At this point, a great deal of time is spent forecasting the balance for the rest of the year, and by October, a precise picture of the financial situation for the remaining months is evident. “It’s imperative that we accurately express year-over-year revenue growth assumptions to our owner,” Alicastro says. “If a management company under- or over-projects current year performance, the year-over-year figures are not accurate and mean less to the owner.” 3. Understand Your Market During the budgeting process for the future year, Alicastro’s team relies on economic indicators, such as housing starts, new multifamily development and renovations on existing multifamily communities, employment statistics and new industrial and retail construction. Western National also hires economic consultants who use a variety of macro and micro metrics to determine growth expectations for the coming year. CONTINUED on PAGE 12
June 2013 11
seven habits of property owners continued from PAGE 11
Alicastro says it is also important to network with industry partners to develop relationships and understand their current and future projects. “A property management company must know the conditions of current markets and consider other competing communities’ current and future goals or plans to enhance their own communities,” Alicastro says. “A new lease-up or a change in leasing velocity within the market could substantially reduce a community’s revenue.” 4. Pick up the Phone When determining the coming year’s budget, Alicastro says his team thoroughly investigates property tax fluctuations, anticipated property insurance costs, salary adjustments and utility increases. Western National personally contacts the utility companies to determine what increases may be anticipated for the upcoming year. “A commonly known mistake is to calculate a three percent inflationary cost against actual numbers, however, it generally doesn’t reflect true numbers,” he says. 5. Sometimes, You Can’t Cut Corners When considering total operating expenses, Alicastro says payroll, insurance, utilities and taxes are cost-drivers that may impact future needs of the community. “These are fairly consistent numbers that don’t deviate very much year-to-year and aren’t areas where you’re going to save a great deal of money,” he says. “There’s very little mobility up or down.” However, Alicastro says a careful review of these line items sometimes can yield gains. Changing insurance companies or coverage, reducing staff, combining staff with other communities, negotiating a new term with utility companies, implementing green solutions and appealing property taxes are ways in which favorable savings may be obtained. Alicastro says with proper research, insurance and taxes are easy to accurately budget. Payroll isn’t difficult, either, because Western National Property Management budgets for base payroll, overtime, commissions, renewals, health insurance, taxes and workers’ compensation. When budgeting for payroll, Alicastro’s team reviews last year’s approved budget and compares it to the new proposed budget. He says there should only be a modest increase based on the market rate salary increase, assuming no change in the number of employees budgeted for that community.
addition to overtime, commissions and health insurance,” Alicastro says. “All deviations should be understood and explained to ownership. It may look like you are asking for a 20 percent increase in payroll, when in reality you had an open position or positions that are creating a false sense of savings.” To avoid major budget discrepancies, Alicastro says the company has an internal analyst whose sole responsibility is reviewing utilities, normalizing them and projecting costs for the following year. 6. Be Realistic and Hit Your Target If Western National Property Management is 1 percent or 2 percent under or over its budget each year, Alicastro says the team may not have done enough accurate homework. “That may not seem like a big deviation, but when you’re dealing with a $20 million to $40 million business, 1 percent makes a big difference,” he says. While his team never wants to exceed budget, Alicastro says that if his company is significantly under budget, they risk being accused by their owners of “sandbagging” their numbers or being incompetent property managers. “A good explanation should be prepared for any variance at the end of the fiscal year to create an operating budget that is aggressive but attainable,” he says. 7. More Eyes – More Accurate Once the team has reviewed a plethora of reports that compare the portfolio’s communities and created an accurate forecast, Alicastro says the proposed budget is sent to the regional vice president followed by the vice president and president. Ownership gives final approval by the end of November. Just in time to start worrying about holiday presents. Lauren Boston is NAA’s Staff Writer. She can be reached at lauren@naahq.org or (703) 797-0678. Reprinted with permission Reprinted with permission of the Apartment Owners Association of California, Inc. http://www.aoausa.com
“Usually, large year-over-year (actual versus budget) variances reflect open positions in the previous year that could negatively offset the year-over-year numbers, in
12 June 2013
RHAGP Update
CURB APPEAL: IT’S MORE THAN JUST ANOTHER PRETTY FACE By Katie Poole-Hussa, Smart Property Management The sun is out and your property is no longer hidden, and due to your busy schedule during the fall and winter months, your rental property may have become a magnet for crime or suspicious activity. It’s time to ask yourself, “Is my property’s exterior appearance inviting to criminals, deadbeats or other unsavory characters?” Unfortunately, many landlords surrender a majority of the control of their properties exterior upkeep to tenants. However, a landlord is obligated to make sure the aesthetic and physical nature of the property is attractive to honest renters and unattractive to dishonest tenants. Landlords can do their part by taking on a few housekeeping items to help prevent crime from happening at the apartment or rental home, and to keep the neighborhood a desirable place to live. The idea is simple; natural surveillance. Natural surveillance, a term coined by Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, known as CPTED (pronounced “Sep Ted”); a field of knowledge developed to demonstrate that the architecture of some buildings deters crime while that of others encourages it. This concept includes exterior illumination, landscaping, and general property maintenance. Replace any missing or burnt out light bulbs. Install motion-detecting fixtures if none exist. Trim all shrubs to allow visibility from both inside and outside the unit and in such a way as to not promote humans to hide behind them. Prune any tree branches hanging below 6’. Clear the property paths of any debris to the entrance of the home and install a stone walkway or something similar to deter wandering. Make it clear to visitors where they are expected to enter the rental property from and have a freshly painted front door to welcome them. Maintain the fence in good repair; address graffiti immediately, replace broken sections as needed, keep pets in but leave gaps to maintain visibility. Make sure address numbers are clearly posted for potential renters or apartment residents to easily find the home as well as for emergency vehicles. “No Trespassing” signage is agreeably unattractive, but that’s the point of them! Simple signage is virtually effortless yet loudly conveys to others that you mean business in maintaining your real estate investment.
investment property is an extension of you. 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. Katie Poole- Hussa Smart Property Mgmt
The RHAGP Mission
The Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland is a group of rental housing owners and managers in the Portland metropolitan area who have joined together for the purposes of: • Providing information to improve the knowledge of rental owners and managers. • Enhancing the reputation of “landlords” by promoting professional practices. • Assisting local public officials on various community endeavors relating to public or private housing.
The Update is a monthly publication for members of The Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland. 10520 NE Weidler St, Portland, OR 97220 Phone 503-254-4723, Fax 503-254-4821 www.rhagp.org Hours: Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Editorial Staff Alita Dougherty Cari Pierce - Graphic Designer Publisher: The Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland The opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the authors and do not reflect those of the Board of Directors or the newsletter editor or committee. All advertising inquiries should be directed to Alita Dougherty or Cari Pierce at 503-254-4723. Please notify the RHA office of any address changes.
Taking care of these basics will make at least a psychological impression that someone cares. Crime is less likely to occur if criminals feel like they may be seen. Protect against neighborhood decay. Remember, your
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June 2013 13
DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION SETTLEMENT IN LENDING INDUSTRY By: Jo Becker, Fair Housing Council Serving Oregon and SW Washington Following is a media release from the Department of Justice detailing a settlement for alleged disability discrimination in the lending industry. Bank of America has agreed to maintain revised policies, conduct employee training and pay compensation to victims to resolve allegations that it engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination on the basis of disability and receipt of public assistance in violation of the Fair Housing Act [1] (FHA) and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA). The terms of the settlement require Bank of America to pay $1,000, $2,500 or $5,000 to eligible mortgage loan applicants who were asked to provide a letter from their doctor to document the income they received from Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Applicants who were asked to provide more detailed medical information to document their income may be paid more than those who were asked to have a doctor verify their source of income. Bank of America will hire a third party administrator to search approximately 25,000 loan applications involving SSDI income to identify any other victims. Under the settlement, Bank of America will conduct training of its underwriters and loan officers and will monitor loan applications to ensure that applications from disabled individuals are treated in a manner consistent with applicable law. This lawsuit arose as a result of three complaints filed by loan applicants with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). After investigating the complaints, HUD undertook a broader investigation into Bank of America’s practices. Bank of America revised its policies for documenting disability income during HUD’s investigation. The Assistant Secretary of HUD elected to have the case heard in federal court and referred the case to the Department of Justice. The HUD complainants will receive a total of $125,000 for their harm and compensate them for costs associated with their loan applications. “Loan applicants with disabilities should not be subjected to invasive requests for medical information from a doctor when they are applying for credit,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Today’s settlement shines a light on a practice that violates the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act.” The settlement comes after an investigation by the Justice Department. Bank of America cooperated fully with the department’s investigation into its lending practices and agreed to settle this matter without contested litigation.
The lawsuit was developed and filed by the Fair Lending Unit of the Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. Since the Fair Lending Unit was established in February 2010, it has filed or resolved 22 lending matters under the Fair Housing Act, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, and the Service members Civil Relief Act. The finalized settlements in these matters provide for a minimum of $370 million in monetary relief for more than 200,000 individual borrowers. “HUD and DOJ are committed to ensuring that lending institutions do not break the law. This settlement vindicates the rights of disabled homebuyers who were singled out just because they rely on disability payments,” said John Trasviña, HUD Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “Applicants who are otherwise qualified for a home loan should not have additional requirements placed on them because they have a disability.” “This settlement confirms the resolve of this office to protect the civil rights of citizens in our district from illegal discriminatory practices,” said Anne M. Tompkins, U.S. Attorney of the Western District of North Carolina. “Discrimination in lending has profound consequences that will not be tolerated.” This announcement is part of efforts underway by President Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force (FFETF), which was created in November 2009 to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. The task force has established financial fraud coordinators in every U.S. attorney’s office around the country to help make these broad mandates a reality on the ground. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Over the past three fiscal years, the Justice Department has filed more than 10,000 financial fraud cases against nearly 15,000 defendants including more than 2,700 mortgage fraud defendants. For more information on the task force, visit www.stopfraud.gov . A copy of the complaint, as well as additional information about fair lending enforcement by the Justice Department, can be obtained from the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/fairhousing.
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14 June 2013
RHAGP Update
DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION SETTLEMENT CONTINUED from PAGE 14
This article brought to you by the Fair Housing Council; a nonprofit serving the state of Oregon and SW Washington. All rights reserved © 2013. Write jbecker@FHCO.org to reprint articles or inquire about ongoing content for your own publication. To learn more… Learn more about fair housing and / or sign up for our free, periodic newsletter at www.FHCO.org. Qs about this article? ‘Interested in articles for your company or trade association? Contact Jo Becker at jbecker@FHCO.org or 800/424-3247 Ext. 150 Want to schedule an in-office fair housing training program or speaker for corporate or association functions? Visit www.FHCO.org/pdfs/classlist.pdf [1] Federally protected classes under the Fair Housing Act include: race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status (children), and disability. Oregon law also protects marital status, source of income, sexual orientation, and domestic violence survivors. Washington law covers martial status, sexual orientation, and domestic violence survivors, and honorably discharged veterans / military status. Additional protected classes have been added
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in particular geographic areas; visit FHCO.org/mission. htm and read the section entitled “View Local Protected Classes” for more information.
Premium Member Work Session
Interested in the New Premium Membership through the RHA, but not sure what it is all about? Have you recently become a Premium Member and want to learn more about what it offers and how the software works? Come join us in a session that will show you what added benefits the membership has and how to use the software provided through the membership. Come join us June 26, 2013 11:30am at RHA Office June 2013 15
connecting your community with wi-fi By Timothy Phillips As a property manager, you are a business, and tenants are your customers! Although the term isn’t commonly used, the meaning is true. Your job, of course, is to keep your customers happy so they don’t move out. You have other customers too, of course “ the property owner “ and although there is sometimes a push and pull between the needs of the two, the end goals are really aligned: happy tenants who stay! You put so much effort into maintaining a property in order to satisfy and retain customers “ including maintenance, improvements, marketing, signage, and more. Knowing what your customers’ needs and wants are is part of the landscape of running your business. And keeping your business competitive begins with the very act of asking yourself, How can I improve service and value for my customers? Providing Wi-Fi to your tenants is an important tool in your toolbox that will not only increase customer retention and satisfaction, but also differentiate your property from your competitors. Imagine the value of being able to market free quality high-speed internet with free tech support to your tenants! The trend is starting, and you can be one of the first to provide internet to your customers. (If you don’t, your competitors will!) Consider all the benefits of offering Wi-Fi: Reduce Turnover Rate Tenants will think twice about relocating when they realize that they also have to find their own, pricey internet access at other locations. By offering a higher level of service, you will be giving tenants one less reason to leave. Improved Customer Relationships Adding Wi-Fi service shows that you are committed to taking care of your customers. When you take the initiative to meet their needs, it tells tenants that you value them. Higher Customer Satisfaction Broadband internet is not an option, but a requirement for the vast majority of tenants. Getting it, however, can be costly and full of hassles “ even before they get to the actual installation! Tenants find themselves scrambling for the best deal with the best speed they can find. Often they are locked into high-priced bundled packages that leave them wishing for more options. They will be relieved and grateful to have this off their plate.
More Affordable In the current economic climate, tenants are watching their bottom dollar more than ever. If you can help them save money, it will put you ahead of your competitors. New Revenue Stream The property has an opportunity to make money instead of the cable or DSL company. You can offer Wi-Fi to current tenants as a value-added proposition, and marginally increase rents as new tenants come on board that will more than cover the cost of the service. It‘s Easier Than You Think! We know that as a property manager, your first response to the idea of offering Wi-Fi might be: I don’t understand it and I don’t have time to support it. That’s understandable “ you probably have only a high-level view of what it is and the technology behind it. But here’s the good news: offering Wi-Fi isn’t cost prohibitive or even difficult, thanks to something called Wi-Fi Meshing technology. Here’s how it works: a wireless mesh network is like a spiderweb of access points (routers) that talk to each other and rebroadcast the wireless signal. This means that the wireless network can extend itself much further “ even across very large properties “ than traditional over-the-counter wireless solutions. By doing this, it is possible to have one large broadband internet connection spread over a larger area within your complex, providing wireless internet to your tenants. Plus, the network is fast and highly reliable. These systems are self-healing and have redundant pathways for failover. If an access point was to go down “ for example, if your painter unplugs it! “ the other access points will take over. The technology is advanced and being upgraded regularly. In terms of compatibility, your tenants will be able to use their multimedia devices (Blu-ray players) and gaming consoles (like Xbox) as well. Everything from smartphones to laptops work with the wireless system as it adheres to the current 802.11n wireless standards. It is also backwards compatible. Support agreements are available to provide your tenants with the technical support to connect to the wireless network. This means that it is hassle-free and that all internet-related service calls would go to the provider, not to you. In addition, should hardware need maintenance, it CONTINUED on PAGE 17
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RHAGP Update
connecting your community to wi-fi continued from PAGE 16
is covered and taken care of. Hardware replacement is even built into the support agreement! We can’t talk about cost savings without giving some real-world numbers. Statistics show that the amount of bandwidth people use is only a fraction of what they pay for. So by getting a 50mb/5mb connection and splitting it with 20 units, we can bring the cost down. In this scenario, a $100 per month, 50mb/5mb and $9 per month per unit service brings the total monthly cost down to $14 per month per unit for high-speed internet “ much less than the tenant would pay to a cable or DSL internet provider. Actual installments will vary, but the price tends to go down in larger complexes. This is a very scalable solution that works even better, the larger the complex! As many companies have learned the hard way, businesses grow through continuous improvement. Adding wireless internet to your complex is a valueadded service that increases the quality of the services you offer. You’ve learned the many benefits of offering free quality high-speed internet with free tech support to your tenants, and now is the time to act “ before your competitors beat you to it! The beauty is that your service provider can handle all of the work for you to make this all happen. Timothy Phillips is with Aletho Wireless Solutions and can be reached at 877-226-0355.
Keep Us Informed Moved? Hired or fired a manager? New email address or phone number? Keep the RHAGP office up to date with your current information. Especially important is to send changes when you hire or fire an authorized user on your account. If you haven’t given RHAGP signed authorization on a manager or partner, they will not be able to buy rental forms or do tenant screenings. Call the office with all changes: 503-254-4723
Reprinted with permission of the Apartment Owners Association of California, Inc. http://www.aoausa.com
NEW MEMBER ORIENTATION AND MENTORING SESSION Have you recently become a member of the RHA? Are you thinking about becoming a member of the RHA? Come join us and see what the RHA has to offer you as a new member. Come have your questions answered by an experienced landlord Refreshments Offered Thursday June 27, 2013 from 6-8pm at the RHA Office 10520 NE Weidler Portland OR 97220. Call 503/254-4723 for more information
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June 2013 17
PREFERRED VENDORS Accounting / bookkeeping Balancing Point, Inc.
Sandy Buhite-Landis P.503-659-8803, C.503-504-9466 12500 SE Oatfield Rd, Milwaukie, 97222 melandsandyl@hotmail.com
Cheryl C. Delozier, CPA 503-239-0111 Charlie Rogers & Vicki Martin Tax & Accounting Service charlie@cdelozier.com
Northwood Business Svcs
Jon Moon, P.503-297-2610 OBTP #B01422 LTC 5177 Accounting/Tax Services northwoodtax@comcast.net
Portland Tax Company
P.503-258-0700, F.503-256-1527 Full Service Tax and Accounting portlandrose@comcast.net
Advertising / marketing The Landlord Times
P.503-221-1260 News for Property Managers and Owners www.thelandlordtimes.com
The Oregonian Publishing
David Sandvig, P.503-221-8417 1320 SW Broadway, Portland 97201 dsandvig@oregonian.com
APPLIANCE-RENT,SERVICE,LEASE Azuma Leasing BJ Rosow, P.800-707-1188 P.512-236-9000, F.512-239-9009 2905 San Gabriel St #218 Austin, TX 78705
Mac-Gray Corporation
Formerly Web Laundry Company Karen Anthony P-503-330-9628
Appliance-sales only G&C Distributing Company
Tony Kavanagh, P.503-288-0221 5010 NE Oregon St, Portland 97213
Standard TV & Appliance
Joe Mosee & Cathy Mosee P.503-619-0500, C.503-888-6927 3600 SW Hall Blvd, Beaverton 97005
APPLICANT SCREENING CoreLogic SafeRent
7300 Westmore Road, Suite 3 Rockville, MD 20850 P: 888-881-3400 www.corelogic.com/saferent
Complet Screening Agency LLC Jacob Turner & Tiffany Webb P: 500-827-3130 www.complete-screen.com info@complete-screen.com
National Tenant Network
Marcia Gohman P.503-635-1118, F.503-635-9392 PO Box 21027, Keizer 97303 www.ntnonline.com
Prospective Renters Verification Service Charlie Kamerman P.503-655-0888, F.503-655-0900
RHAGP
Dual and Affiliate members support the interest of rental housing through their membership in RHA. TrueSource Screening, LLC
David Mustard P.888-546-3588, F.888-546-3588 www.truesourcescreening.com
Asphalt paving Hal’s Construction, Inc. CCB# 34434
Brian King, P.503-656-4999 20666 S HWY 213, Oregon City 97045 www.halsconstruction.com halspave@easystreet.net
Benge Industries
Parking Lot Maintenance Services Corey Wilkerson P. 503-803-1950 corey@bengeindustries.com
Associations Metro Area Smoke Free Housing Project P.503-718-6145 www.smokefreeoregon.com
ATTORNEYS Bittner & Hahs, P.C.
Andy Hahs, P.503-228-5626 4949 SW Meadows Rd #260 Lake Oswego 97035
Broer & Passannante, P.S.
Mark G Passannante, P.503-294-0910 1001 SW Fifth Ave. STE 1220 Portland, OR 97204
Jeffrey S. Bennett
Jeff Bennett, P.503-255-8795 850 NE 122nd Ave, Portland 97230 Protecting landlords’ rights in Oregon for over a decade.
Law Offices of Richard Schneider, LLC
P.503-241-1215, www.rbsllc.com 2455 NW Marshall St #11, Portland 97210 Business formation ~ LLCs
Scott A.McKeown, P.C.
Scott McKeown, P.503-224-1937 8700 SW 26th Ave, STE. S, Portland 97219 scottmckeown@comcast.net
Timothy Murphy, Attorney at Law
Always representing ONLY landlords Tim Murphy P. 503-550-4894 522 SW 5th Ave, #812, Portland 97204
BASEMENT WATERPROOFING John’s Waterproofing, CCB# 15830 Crawlspace Waterproofing P. 503-233-0825 Fully Staffed www.johnswaterproofing.com
Carpentry & repairs Eaton General Construction, CCB# 154142 P.503-539-0811 Full Service General Contractor www.eatongeneral.com
G&G Construction Inc., CCB# 162743 P.503-826-9404 Maintenance & Painting Specialists miesner@comcast.net
CARPET CLEANING Dura Clean Carpet Cleaning
Upholstery, Pet odor removal, Flood Service P.503-914-8785 F.503-372-9163 www.duracleanllc.com dura-clean@comcast.net
P.503-254-4723, F.503-254-4821 Fast, affordable tenant screening www.rhagp.org
O’Meara Carpet Cleaning
503-538-1983, 503-620-5005 Cleaning, Pet Odor Removal, Flood Damage www.omearacarpetcleaning.com
carpet sales Contract Furnishings Mart
Ross Williams P.503-230-1250, 800-275-6722 915 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland 97214 Jim Path P.503-542-8900, 800-935-1250 14160 SW 72nd Ave #110, Tigard 97224 Roger Harms P.503-656-5277, 877-656-5232 15140 SE 82nd Dr, Clackamas 97015 info@cfmfloors.com Jennifer Evans P.360-896-6150, 800-267-6150 11013 NE 39th St, Vancouver WA 98682
The Floor Store
Ted Stapleton, P.503-408-6488 5628 SE Woodstock Blvd Portland 97206 ted@floorstoreportland.com
Cleaning / clean up All Surface Roofing & Maintenance LLC, CCB# 189489 Adam Zumwalt, P.503-781-3611 Exterior surface clean & restore www.allsurfacecleaning.com
energy conservation EcoTech LLC P.503-493-1040 info@ecotechllc.com www.ecotechllc.com
Estate planning Law Offices of Richard Schneider, LLC
P.503-241-1215, www.rbsllc.com 2455 NW Marshall St #11, Portland 97210
Evictions Action Services
Wally Lemke, P.503-244-1226 PO Box 69621, Portland 97239 Your eviction & process service specialists
Barrister Support Service
P.503-246-8934 Evictions, 1st appearances, process serving www.barristersupport.com
Landlord Solutions
P.503-242-2312, F.503-242-1881 PO Box 7087, Portland 97007 Online evictions & first appearances www.landlord-solutions.com
Oregon Legal Assistance Services
P.503-954-1009, F.971-266-8372 Evictions, small claims & process serving
Collection agencies Anderson & Associates Credit Svcs, LLC
1031 EXCHANGES/REITS TENANCY IN COMMON Peregrine Private Capital Corp.
COMMUNICATIONS Comcast Business Services
Financial services American Commercial Mortgage Network
P.503-293-5400, F.503-813-2159 PO Box 230286, Portland 97281 andersoncollectionagency@gmail.com
Dave Dronkowski, P.503-957-4186 Telephone, Internet and Cable TV services david_dronkowski@cablecomcast.com
COncrete Hal’s Construction, Inc. CCB# 34434
Brian King, P.503-656-4999 20666 S HWY 213, Oregon City 97045 www.halsconstruction.com halspave@easystreet.net
Doors Goose Hollow Window Co., Inc. Mary D. Mann P.503-620-0898 marymann@goosehwc.com CCB#53631 goosehwc.com Energy Trust Trade Ally
EFFICIENCY Energy Diet
Free Efficiency Installations P. 503-960-5482 theenergydiet@gmail.com
Electric DeKorte Electric, Inc. CCB#159954
P.503-288-2211 5331 SW Macadam #258-113, Portland 97239
Freeman Electric CCB#61648
P.503-803-6859 Call for RHA Member Discount
Portland General Electric
Anne Snyder-Grassmann, P.503-464-7534
Rental Housing Maint. Svcs. CCB#163427
Gary Indra, P.503-678-2136 Fully Licensed to do it all While the Rental Housing Association accepts advertising at face value, it cannot endorse the garyindra@rentalrepairs.com
P.503-241-4949 5000 Meadows Road, # 230 Lake Oswego 97035 rs@peregrineprivatecapital.com
Al Williams, P.206-264-1325 1366 91st Ave NE, Clyde Hill, WA 98004
Chase Commercial Term Lending Tom Barbour, P.503-598-3657 Steve Mozinski, P.503-598-3661 steve.mozinski@chase.com
Commercial Lending Group, Inc.
Trevor T. Calton, P.503-704-4999 Professor of Real Estate Finance, PSU Commercial/Multifamily Mortgage Broker
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage
Ron Eiseman, P.503-886-1497 1300 SW Fifth Ave. STE 950, Portland 97201 ronald.c.eiseman@wellsfargo.com
Fire / water damage restoration Cooper Construction, CCB#08587 P.503-232-3121, Since 1950 2305 SE 9th Ave, Portland 97214 www.fire-water-restoration.com
Horizon Restoration, CCB#160672 John Pedden P.503-620-2215, F.503-624-0523 7235 SW Bonita Rd, Portland 97224
J.R. Johnson Inc., CCB#102676
P.503-240-3388, 24/7 Response Catastrophe Restoration Specialists www.jrjohnsoninc.com
Fire safety Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue
Eric T McMullen, P.503-612-7000 7401 SW Washo Ct, STE 101, Tualatin 97062 eric.mcmullen@tvfr.com
advertiser or otherwise guarantee the quality of the products or services being advertised. Such guarantees, written or implied, are solely the responsibility of the advertiser.
Let the advertiser know that you received their contact information through the Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland
18 June 2013
RHAGP Update
PREFERRED VENDORS Floor COVERING Contract Furnishings Mart
Ross Williams P.503-230-1250, 800-275-6722 915 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland 97214 Jim Path P.503-542-8900, 800-935-1250 14160 SW 72nd Ave #110, Tigard 97224 Roger Harms P.503-656-5277, 877-656-5232 15140 SE 82nd Dr, Clackamas 97015 info@cfmfloors.com Jennifer Evans P.360-896-6150, 800-267-6150 11013 NE 39th St, Vancouver WA 98682
Eaton General Construction, CCB# 154142 P.503-539-0811 All Types of Floor Covering www.eatongeneral.com
J & B Hardwood Floors, Inc.
Jim Cripps, P.503-519-4920 jandbhardwoodfloors@gmail.com
Rental Housing Maint. Svcs. CCB# 163427 Gary Indra, P.503-678-2136 Vinyl, VCT, ceramic, hardwood installs
The Floor Store
Ted Stapleton, P.503-408-6488 5628 SE Woodstock Blvd Portland 97206 ted@floorstoreportland.com
Dual and Affiliate members support the interest of rental housing through their membership in RHA. Pyramid Heating & Cooling CCB# 59382 P.503-786-9522 Serving the Portland Metro area. info@pyramidheating.com
HEATING OIL Deluxe Heating & Cooling Brian Ray, P.503-287-6688 www.deluxefuel.com
heating oil tank EcoTech LLC
P: 503-493-1040 info@ecotechllc.com www.ecotechllc.com
Housing authorities Housing Authority of Portland
Jill Riddle, P.503-802-8565 135 SW Ash St, Portland 97204
insulation Goose Hollow Window Co., Inc. Mary D. Mann P.503-620-0898 marymann@goosehwc.com CCB#53631 goosehwc.com Energy Trust Trade Ally
insurance Larry Thompson Agency
P.503-924-2200, F.503-924-2202 15573 SE Bangy Rd, STE 220 Lake Oswego 97035
forms RHAGP
P.503-254-4723, F.503-254-4821 Court-tested, up-to-date rental forms www.rhagp.org
GUTTERS Aylwin Construction- CCB# 104039 Gutter installation, repair & cleaning P.503-998-7663 www.roofpdx.com
handyman Bluestone & Hockley Real Estate Services Chuck Hodges, P.503-222-3800 9320 SW Barbur Blvd STE300, Ptld 97219 maint@bluestonehockley.com
Eaton General Construction, CCB# 154142 P.503-539-0811 Full Service General Contractor www.eatongeneral.com
G&G Construction Inc., CCB# 162743 P.503-826-9404 Maintenance & Painting Specialists miesner@comcast.net
Rental Housing Maint. Svcs. CCB# 163427 Gary Indra, P.503-678-2136 Fully licensed to do it all garyindra@rentalrepairs.com
Wieder Works, CCB#164323
Darren J Wiederhold, C.503-260-2133 Maintenance, Repair, Replacement www.wiederworks.com
Hauling Junk Away Hauling CCB# 177966
P.503-517-9027 Licensed, bonded, insured, trash outs jcdoud@msn.com
heating & cooling Midway Heating Co. CCB#24044
P.503-252-4003 12625 SE Sherman St, Portland 97233
Robinson Financial Group
Rita J. Robinson , P.503-557-4997 Group & Indiv. Health Insurance
State Farm Insurance
Paul Toole, P.503-655-2206 6105 W “A” St #B, West Linn 97068
Stegmann Agency - Farmers Insurance P.503-667-7971, F.503-666-8110 202 SE 181st Ave #201, Portland 97233 john.lstegmann@farmersagency.com
Wolter Van Doorninck, CPCU
Elliot, Powell, Baden & Baker P.503-227-1771, F.503-274-7644 8355 SW Davies Rd, Beaverton 97008 www.epbb.com wvandoorninck@epbb.com
investment services Peregrine Private Capital Corp.
P.503-241-4949 5000 Meadows Road, # 230 Lake Oswego 97070 rs@peregrineprivatecapital.com
Landscaping J. Salinas Landscaping
J. Salinas, P.503-816-1190
Oregon Tree Care
P.503-929-9437 www.oregontreecare.com info@oregontreecare.com
Mason contractors D&R Masonry Restoration, Inc., CCB#99196 Ray Elkins, P.503-353-1650 8890 SE McLoughlin Blvd, Milwaukie97222 www.drmasonry.com
MOLD J.R. Johnson Inc. , CCB#102676
P.503-240-3388, 24/7 Response Catastrophe Restoration Specialists www.jrjohnsoninc.com
Real Estate Roofing Service, CCB# 149575 Yost Espelien, P.503-232-6653 Free Inspections, Testing & Remediation www.realestatemoldsolutions.com
Movers-house Emmert Development Company
Terry Emmert, P.503-655-9933 11811 SE Hwy 212, Clackamas 97015
Paint / painters Brad Poppino Painting Co. CCB# 185497 Brad Poppino P.503-659-7551,/503-957-8298 Interior / Exterior Lead Paint Certified
G&G Construction Inc, CCB# 162743 P.503-826-9404 Maintenance & Painting Specialists miesner@comcast.net
Rental Housing Maint. Svcs. CCB# 163427 Gary Indra, P.503-678-2136 Professional interior & exterior painting garyindra@rentalrepairs.com
Richard Hallman Painting CCB# 142467 Rick Hallman, P.503-819-1210 hallmanrj@gmail.com Quality interior painting since 1992
Rodda Paint
Tim Epperly, P.503-572-8191 tepperly@roddapaint.com
pest control Alpha Ecological Pest Control
Marisa Swenson PDX 503-252-5046 Van.360-750-0702 1200 NE 112 Ave, Vancouver WA 98684
Frost Integrated Pest Mgmt
P.503-863-0973 Residential • Commercial • Multi-Family www.frostpestfreezone.com
NW Pest Control
Bruce Beswick, P.503-253-5325 9108 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland 97220 www.goodbyebugs.com nwpestcontrol@aol.com
Orkin Pest Control
Dan Wolcott Account Manager & Inspector P-503-384-8384 dwolcott@orkin.com
plumbing / drain cleaning Grumpy’s Drains
Portland’s #1 Drain Cleaning Service www.grumpysdrains.com 503422-9476
Liberty Plumbing, CCB# 176655
Tim Galuza P. 503-888-8830 Re-pipe, Repairs, Water Service Remodel Kitchens & Bathrooms
MJ’s Plumbing, CCB# 36338
Michael LeFever, P.503-261-9155 1045 NE 79, Portland 97213
Nichols Plumbing, CCB# 132527
Expert in all phases of residential Licensed, Bonded and Insured P: 503-653-2069
ProDrain & Rooter Service, Inc.
West 503-533-0430, East 503-239-3750 Drain cleaining/plumbing www.prodrainpdx.com
Rental Housing Maint. Svcs. CCB# 163427 Gary Indra, P.503-678-2136 Fully licensed to do it all garyindra@rentalrepairs.com
PROPERTY MANAGERS Action Management
Wendi Samperi, P.503-710-0732
Alpine Property Management
Tiffany Arrington, P.503-641-4620 4750 SW Washington Ave, Beaverton 97005 www.alpinepdx.com
Apartment Community Management
8056 SE Harold Street Portland OR 97206 P. 503-766-3365 www.acmportland.com
Associated Property Management Jane Raffety, P.503-648-2150 408 SE Baseline, Hillsboro 97123 www.associatedmgmt.com
Bluestone & Hockley Real Estate Services
Cliff Hockley, P.503-222-3800 9320 SW Barbur Blvd STE300, Portland 97219
Fox Management, Inc.
Tressa L. Rossi, P.503-280-0241 C.503-750-8124, F.503-280-0242 2316 NE Glisan St., Portland 97232 tressa@foxmanagementinc.com
The Garcia Group
Ron Garcia, P.503-595-4747 5320 SW Macadam STE 100, Portland 97239 www.4-homes.com
Gateway Property Management
P-503-303-8545 www.gatewaypdx.com Property Management Done Right!
Lakeside Property Management Co.
Michelle Wrege, P.503-828-2283 Finding Home Owners Qualified Tenants www.lakesidepmc.com
Micro Property Management
“We focus on the small details” P- 503-473-3742 jeannie@micropropertymgmt.com
Portland Pioneer Properties
P.503-238-2560 pppropertiesllc@comcast.net Full prop. managment service
Prim & Prosperous Property Management 3PM, 503-635-8926 Patricia Turner turnerfp@yahoo.com
Rappold Property Management
Troy K. Rappold, P.503-232-5990 1125 SE Madison St STE 201, Portland 97214 troy@rappoldpropertymanagement.com
Smart Property Management
Smart managers + smart residents = smart property management P.503-465-4404 www.smartpm.com
Voss Property Management
Richard Voss, P.503-546-7902 6110 N Lombard St, Portland 97203
radon Cascade Radon Inc.
P: 503-421-4813 cascaderadon.com office@cascaderadon.com
EcoTech LLC
P: 503-493-1040 info@ecotechllc.com www.ecotechllc.com
Real estate sales Bluestone & Hockley Real Estate Services
Cliff Hockley, P.503-222-3800 9320 SW Barbur Blvd STE300, Portland 97219
Let the advertiser know that you received their contact information through the Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland
www.RHAGP.org
June 2013 19
PREFERRED VENDORS
Dual and Affiliate members support the interest of rental housing through their membership in RHA.
Chris Anderson
Hal’s Construction, Inc. CCB# 34434
John L. Scott Real Estate 503-783-2442 chrisanderson@johnlscott.com
Brian King, P.503-656-4999 20666 S HWY 213, Oregon City 97045 www.halsconstruction.com halspave@easystreet.net
Denise L Goding
seismic retrofits EcoTech LLC
Keller Williams Realty P.503-336-6378, C.503-799-2970 www.denisegoding.com
P.503-493-1040 info@ecotechllc.com www.ecotechllc.com
Elizabeth Carpenter
LizC Real Estate Investments, LLC P.503-314-6498, F.503-698-6566 liz @ lizcrei.com, www.lizcrei.com
HFO Investment Real Estate
SIDING J.R. Johnson Inc., CCB#102676
Greg Frick, P.503-241-5541 1028 SE Water Ave, STE 270, Portland 97214 www.hfore.com
J.L. Lutz & Company
Jim Lutz P.503-297-7101, F.503-291-7851 www.jimlutzccim.com contactjimlutz@gmail.com
M. Maltase Real Estate Group
Michelle Maltase, P.503-730-2596 www.mmaltasegroup.com michelle@mmaltasegroup.com
The Garcia Group
Ron Garcia, P.503-595-4747 5320 SW Macadam STE 100, Portland 97239 www.4-homes.com
Restoration / reconstruction Eaton General Construction, CCB# 154142 P.503-539-0811 Full Service General Contractor www.eatongeneral.com
Horizon Restoration, CCB#160672
John Pedden P.503-620-2215, F.503-624-0523 7235 SW Bonita Rd, Portland 97224
J.R. Johnson Inc., CCB#102676
P.503-240-3388, 24/7 Response Catastrophe Restoration Specialists www.jrjohnsoninc.com
Portland Construction Solutions P.503-908-0822 CCB# 174542 General Contractor OR & WA projects@pdxcs.com
Rental Housing Maint. Svcs. CCB# 163427 Gary Indra, P.503-678-2136 Fully licensed to do it all garyindra@rentalrepairs.com
ROOFING All Surface Roofing & Maintenance LLC, CCB# 189489 Adam Zumwalt, P.503-781-3611 Replacement, repair, cleaning www.allsurfacecleaning.com
Aylwin Construction- CCB#104039 Commercial & Residential Replacement, repair & cleaning P.503-998-7663 www.roofpdx.com
Real Estate Roofing Service, CCB# 149575 Lynne Whitney, P.503-284-5522 Free Inspections, ReRoof and Repairs www.realestateroofing.com
Seal coating Benge Industries
Parking Lot Maintenance Services Corey Wilkerson P. 503-803-1950 corey@bengeindustries.com
P.503-240-3388 General Contracting Services www.jrjohnsoninc.com
Portland Construction Solutions P.503-908-0822 CCB# 174542 General Contractor OR & WA projects@pdxcs.com
SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT From Here 2 There
Helping solve business challenges to reach your goals Ami Stevens, P-503-407-3663 astevens@fromhere2there.com
striping Benge Industries
Parking Lot Maintenance Services Corey Wilkerson P. 503-803-1950 corey@bengeindustries.com
TELEPHONE Comcast
Telephone, internet, Cable and TV Services Dave Dronkowski P.503-957-4186
UTILITY BILLING Minol USA
15280 Addison Rd. Suite 100 Addison, TX. 972-386-6611 minolusa.com
waterproofing / concrete repair D&R Waterproofing, Inc. CCB# 99196
Ray Elkins, P.503-353-1650 8890 SE McLoughlin Blvd, Milwaukie97222 www.drmasonry.com
windows / storm windows Goose Hollow Window Co., Inc. Mary D. Mann P.503-620-0898 marymann@goosehwc.com CCB#53631 goosehwc.com Energy Trust Trade Ally
J.R. Johnson Inc.., CCB#102676 P.503-240-3388 General Contracting Services www.jrjohnsoninc.com
Portland Construction Solutions P.503-908-0822 CCB# 174542 General Contractor OR & WA projects@pdxcs.com
Scan QR Code on Smartphone for Online Vendor Info.
PLEASE VISIT US AT WWW.RHAGP.ORG
Let the advertiser know that you received their contact information through the Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland
20 June 2013
RHAGP Update
RENTAL HOUSING ASSOCIATION of GREATER PORTLAND
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PORTLAND, OR PERMIT NO. 655
10520 NE Weidler Portland, OR 97220
The Floor Store For All Your Flooring Needs
Property Managers and Owners ... We are offering special package deals just for you! Package # 1 $16.50 per sq. yard ✔ Filament plush nylon or cut & loop ✔ 7/16 rebond pad ✔ Carpet Installation ✔ Tear & haul of old carpet & pad
his ion t Ment hen you ad w me in co
Package #2 $15.50 per sq. yard ✔ Plush and Cut and Loop ✔ 7/16 rebond pad ✔ Carpet Installation ✔ Tear & haul of old carpet & pad
Make your flooring purchases and installation EASY with ... FREE Delivery • FREE On-site measuring • FAST, Worry-FREE Installation!
Bargain Rollout! FHA Vinyl Only $3.99 per square yard!
Quantity Limited • Minimum 16 yard purchase
Ted Ted Stapleton Stapleton & & John John Fabian Fabian •• 5628 5628 SE SE Woodstock, Woodstock, Portland Portland
(503) 408-6488
24
January 2013
RHAGP Update