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Investing in your investment property

I'm a big proponent of having good quality features in a rental unit.  I've said multiple times, less is more.  You don't need high end on a rental.  Your basic Glacial Bay at Home Depot for instance is a great quality product.  You're not spending an arm & a leg, you're able to keep costs reasonable, and it often can take the use from tenants. I've had a couple of investors who I've managed their properties insist on using granite countertops.  They then worry the entire lease if it'll be damaged at any point.  I have yet to see a rental NEED a granite countertop.  It's also often a cost that shows no incremental increase in the asked rental rate. The other double standard I've seen is where granite countertops are provided but all the appliances (including dish washer, washer, dryer) is all refurbished.  Don't think tenants don't see this.  You're sending the wrong message.  Every.  Time. For appliances, I always recommend to ...
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Hillbilly Hollow

You can't ask high end rent but allow the unit to look hillbilly because you refuse to put any $ into it.  Any investment purchase you make, over the years you will always need to be putting money back into the unit.  Windows don't get any newer as time goes on.  Paint peals if not scraped & painted.  Door hinges wear out over normal wear & tear. If you're mandating a higher than market rent ONLY because it fits your proforma, you will never get it rented out.  Ever. Nor can you mandate higher than market rent because it's dictated by your mortgage payment (because you over paid for the property). There is a direct inverse correlation between amount of interest in the unit and the rent ask price.  If you're mandating over market rate for rent, fewer people will be interested.  AND...those that ARE interested will nit pick.  Every.  Little.  Thing. Don't complain it's been a 2 month process to get a unit rented out when you only g...
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Cleveland Kids Book Bank 3rd Annual East Side vs West Side book collection

The Cleveland Kids Book Bank is having its 3rd annual book collection competition.  East side won the 1st year; the West side won last year.  This will be a tie breaking year! If you have any books to donate, we are a drop off location.  Located in Parma off of W130 south of Snow, we are considered West side!  If you have a full box or more of books to donate, let me know & I'll arrange for pick up. If you're looking for affordable ways to buy books to donate: 1)  Goodwill, Savers, Common Threads all have books in the kids sections...popular books to boot!  Often very affordable 2)  Dollar Tree has been known to have sturdy board books from time to time.  I recently purchased 50 quantity Sesame Street themed board books from Dollar Tree to donate to the Cleveland Kids Book Bank. D & K Property Management Services Karen Bostwick (440) 590-5925 KarenMBostwick@yahoo.com https://dkpropertymgmtsvcs.blogspot.com/ Broker License 2018002999 Bostwi...
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Red Flags from a Phone Call

 I took a phone call last week from a potential investor.  From word 1, he was complaining about how much everything costs involving a rental unit.  Cost of labor.  Materials mark up. He had tasked a new PM with posting a 3 day.  It had been almost a week & it wasn't yet posted.  My immediate question / comment is "Are you paying her to post the 3 day?"  If not, she's busy with work that IS paying her for her time and that 3 day gets posted only when more pressing work (paying her time) is done. In terms of vacants, I asked this investor if he takes the time to make sure they are rent ready with no lingering issues.  Or is he rushing his crew to do next to nothing on the unit.  Does his vacants look shabby to the possible renter?  I explained to him that when my husband & I prep a vacant in the portfolio of rentals we own (that we've oved for over 10 yrs now), we make sure we are putting out a product we can be proud of.  In...
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A La Cart Services

As a property management company, we offer additional companion / auxilary services.  I am a licensed risk assessor and notary public.  Danny, my husband, is licensed in HVAC and pest control.  With these services, you do NOT need to be under contract with our mgmt company to use these services. Within the property management services, all of our services are a la cart.  If you just need an eviction done, a vacant turned, a vacant leased up, etc, we can specialize our services to meet your needs. Is there any other way we can help you out?  Feel free to reach out to us to see how we can help. D & K Property Management Services Karen Bostwick (440) 590-5925 KarenMBostwick@yahoo.com https://dkpropertymgmtsvcs.blogspot.com/ Broker License 2018002999 Bostwick Environmental Services, LLC (216) 325-8505 BostwickLeadSafe@gmail.com Metro Pest Control (216) 312-7702 MetroPestControlOH@yahoo.com  
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Updates Regarding City of Cleveland lead safe certification (WITH A 4.11.25 UPDATE)

Back in the Fall of 2024, I shared info about the updates of the City of Cleveland lead safe certification.  Specifically the additional requirements needing done before paperwork can be sent to the city for them to sign off on an owner's compliance. https://dkpropertymgmtsvcs.blogspot.com/2024/11/city-of-cleveland-lead-safe.html Fast forward to late Feb 2025.  The city is woofully backed up.  What used to take 30 days is now taking months.  If this is a surprise to you, I've got swamp land in Florida to sell you.  A year ago, when the City of Cleveland implemented the new rental registration requirements, the department was already short staffed.  But they assured the City Council sub committee AND the full City Council that they were actively hiring.  Either they're having a lot of turnover OR they can't con anyone into working for the city. because more than a year later, they are STILL woefully understaffed. Here is the article:   https:/...
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Jenny's Warriors: Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Fundraiser

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My daughter Gracie Mae is a senior in high school.  1 of her friends has been very active with initiating a fundraiser, sending out mailiers for fundraising, selling shirts to generate funds.  The friend is also having an in person event fundraiser on Sat Mar 8th, 2025.  This below is her info.  I've contributed $50.  I'm also putting together gift baskets for the in person event for the side raffles. I ask you consider donating to this this truely grassroots effort she has started. https://events.lls.org/noh/svoynoh25/ccanacci My name is Corin Canacci, I am a senior, and I am the Fairview Student Visionary of the Year Nominee with Leukemia and Lymphoma Society on team Jenny's Warriors. I am running this campaign in honor of my friend Jenny who lost her battle with cancer a few years ago. When I was given this opportunity I immediately jumped on it.  Throughout this entire process, she has been in the back of my mind. I named our campaign after her. I will ...
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