Posts

Why does it cost so much?

Services are never free.  I get & understand that owning an investment property can be expensive.  But I challenge that notion.  You get what you pay for (not just in a monetary manner). When you have a rent ready vacant unit, what are you doing to vet your prospects?  Are you relying on just a pulse (I STILL shake my head at how many owners do this!!).  Are you taking the 1st person who literally has cash in hand?  Does a prospect want to pay rent now at move in but wants to pay off the sec dep over time?  Do you get prospects who have paid so much in application fees but can't seem to get approved? If you're not vetting tenants properly, don't then complain that they become late payers soon after move in; or that they need to be evicted long before their lease expires.  When you do get possession of the unit after an eviction of a tenant not properly vetted, don't then complain the cost involved to turn the unit is as high as it is and the l...

A La Cart Services

As a property management company, we offer a wide range of services.  Property management, leasing up vacants, turning vacants, maintenance, and evictions.  We also have auxiliary services of lead safe certification, HVAC (install & clean & checks), and pest control. While we are proud to offer services in an a la cart manner, we do bill in advance of services in many cases.  Our rates would be spelled out in our management agreement.  In some cases, depending on scope of work, we can provide incremental billing. But, in all cases, for all services, if payment from the owner is not timely received, our services will terminate.  We've just had too many owners sign the mgmt agreement (knowing what our rates are) then balk at paying, yet they still want services.  Or, the owner wants to change terms of payment and or challenge the cost of the services we provide midway thru the process (again, after they've already signed the agreement and know what ou...

Licensed Real Estate Expectations

 I am a licensed real estate broker and Realtor.  As such, my license dictates certain things I need to do related to real estate transactions.  As a property manager, there is even more scrutiny given the increased amount of financial transactions and increased amount of paperwork I process in any given month. Fair housing seems to play a igger role as a property manager, but I believe that's inherent given the volume of transactions I do (leases, renewals, leasing standards, lease termination, showings, walk thrus, etc). Recently, I had an owner get upset when a tenant vacated a rental.  Legally, the tenant needed to surrender keys or I needed a court order (an eviction, sometimes with the use of a bailiff).  In this case, I had neither.  The tenant refused to surrender keys and the owner was refusing to allow me to pursue an eviction.  Despite me explaining the legality of the situation, the owner was upset that I refused to simply take possession o...

Cleveland Book Bank Booktober Fest

I'm a big fan & big supporter (not just financially) of the Cleveland Kids Book Bank.  1 way we support this great organization is offering tenants to "pay" their late fees with kids books (new or gently used); 1 book for each $10 increment. As many organizations do, they have an annual financial fundraiser (I believe I posted in July about their east side vs west side book collection competition).  This special (financial) fundraiser is the Booktober Fest. It is happening on Wed Oct 23, 2024 from 630-830 PM at Pinstripes at Pinecrest. Special features of it include: German inspired hearty bites, beer, wine, & desserts Silent Auction items Raffle Items Purchase a Blind Date with a Book!  with a few hints on a make shift cover to help you decide which might interest you the most! Here is the link to the specific info...check it out! https://www.kidsbookbank.org/booktoberfest/ https://www.kidsbookbank.org/ D&K Property Management Services Karen Bostwick (440) 59...

HVAC Clean & Check Special

You can't tell from this week, but fall will be fast approaching us.  Along with the cooler temperatures. My husband is licensed in HVAC.  We are offering a special for residential forced air furnaces.  Norma price for a clean & check is $150 + parts (if needed).  Mention this email blast and we are offering a $50 discount. If you have 6 or more units (it CAN be separate property addresses) and you make 1 phone call to schedule ALL units, we can offer a price of $75 per furnace unit (+ parts if needed). Call (216) 325-8505 to schedule. Offer expires Dec 31, 2024.  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

(ODH) Licensed Risk Assessor and EPA RRP Contractor

I am now a Licensed (Lead) Risk Assessor with the State of Ohio.  We are able to provide the services needed to process the Lead Safe Certification required by the City of Cleveland as well as the City of Cleveland Hts lead certification. Additionally, we are also now certified with the US EPA as a RRP Contractor (repair, replace, paint).  This specifically allows us to do the required non abatement work determined in a Risk Assessment. We are providing this service a la cart.  You are NOT required to use our other services to also benefit from using us for these services. There is funding available to help offset the cost of the assessment and work/remediation.  I can provide that info when we provide reporting to the owner. We offer a sliding scale rate structure.  The more units you schedule, the more savings on each subsequent property. Feel free to call or text us at (216) 325-8505 to schedule an appointment. Karen Bostwick, Real Estate Broker, Notary Publi...

Business to Business Professionalism

We've been a property management (real estate) brokerage for 6 years.  We've worked with a variety of investors / owners. I'm finding more & more investors who think little or no work is done once title transfers on a property they just aquired.  I'm finding more & more investors are skipping the inspection and or appraisal.  Can I tell you how important it is to spend $ on these 2 services...and the vast # of headaches you will save later. In the last 9 months, I've come across a few investors who are focused solely on cash flow.  These are investors who insist contractors hold / carry receivables and then wonder why the contractor is either too busy on other jobs OR too slow to respond to new work requests.  These same investors who ask for discounts on Every. Job. Quoted.  Or the investors who ask for a quote from a contractor only to use it as a bidding war between contractors.  Lastly, the investors who want to ignore building code as a me...