D & K Property Management Services

More importantly, know how you're being represented by. 1 of the investors I represent as property manager reached out to me because the city scheduled a hearing for a code violation.  This is for the city of Cleveland. Context:  in late summer (it's early Oct when he got the notice), he had 2 representatives who helped him buy the single family house also helped him rent it out.  The tenant was wanting to use it as a residential facility.  She presented her business plan, bank statements, etc as part of her application process.  From what I saw after the fact, I don't know how much more info she could have given and what she did give was obvious what her intent was.  These 2 representatives signed her a 2 year lease. Apparently there's been a complaint by a neighbor or someone in the area as to this being a code violation because there's another residential facility near by...too close to this newly set up facility. The owner asked what he should do and I ...

There are a sub group of investors who mandate only going Sec 8 for their properties.  I get it...it's guaranteed income every month.  No excuses of why it's paid late.  No chasing down tenants for rent money that never showes up. There are others who refuse to deal with Sec 8 given their initial inspections and their annual inspections.  The thought being there will always be maintenance work to be done. As a property manager, if an owner tells me they want to go Sec 8, I will comply.  But can I illustrate perhaps reasons why you might be better off using private pay tenants? 1)  Section 8 tenants put a lot more wear and tear on their units than private pay.  Sec 8 tenants are home a greater amount of time than a private payer who has to work to keep a roof over their head and put food on the table.  Starting as early as month 4 of occupancy, I've seen significant more wear & tear with a Sec 8 tenant than a private pay.  Every.  Sin...

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 ...

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...

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...

 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...