NARPM Radio

There are a lot of reasons for installing home automation in rentals, including attracting tenants, making the home more secure, and eliminating the need for keys. It can also be costly and raise privacy issues for tenants. What's the right way to go for your properties? Property Manager Bob Preston, RMP®, MPMC discusses the factors that should be considered, including benefits and drawbacks, before installing smart devices in your home. 

On this episode of NARPM Radio, California property Manager and NARPM member Bob Preston discusses the evolution of the property management software market with his guest, Joe Easton, Channel Partner Account Manager at Rent Manager. Joe shares his views about the property management software market and about Rent Manager,  which combines many features needed by property managers to run their businesses into a single integrated solution. Thanks to Bob Preston, RMP® of North County Property Group, Del Mar, CA for his part in this week's episode!

NARPM Radio:  Social Services Forms: Should You Sign?

Your tenant comes to you with a form saying they can get help from a local social services agency. You sign it, wait, and the money never comes. Many social services agencies provide emergency help for tenants, maybe a structured assistance plan or one-time help. Should you sign that form? What are you agreeing to? Will you get your money?  Property management attorney Harry Heist discusses social services forms and what you should do if you are given one. As always, check with your attorney as laws vary from state to state.

Bob Preston, RMP® of North County Property Group, Del Mar, CA, discusses the lingering impact of COVID-19 on tenants who have suffered a job loss, decreased work hours, medical expenses, or other loss of income. Many laws and local ordinances have been implemented to protect tenants with eviction moratoria if they have had financial impact due to the coronavirus. There have been no laws established, however, which give tenants a free pass or restrict a landlord from recovering rent at a future time. As landlords and property managers, what then should we do? Take a look at the pros and cons of two different approaches for tenants with financial impact from coronavirus.

NARPM®Radio:  Power of Attorney and Lease Signing

Your property management lease allows you to sign leases on behalf of the property owner, but are you doing this legally? In the “old days” the word of the property manager was acceptable, but now that’s not enough. Today you need a power of attorney form that gives you specific rights to sign the lease on behalf of the owner.  But what about foreign owners? Property management attorney Harry Heist takes on the advantages of this process in this week’s podcast on NARPM®Radio. As always, talk with your own legal counsel as laws vary in different areas.

NARPM Radio: What is Syndication, and is it a Good Investment for Me?

Syndication is the formation of a company to allow investors and outside money to participate in a real estate investment. With a syndication partnership, property managers can look for a return on their share in the total investment annually and over time without having to bear the entire cost of a property. How long is a typical property held? Who pays for repairs and upgrades? Is this the right investment for me? These questions and more answered by AJ Shepard, co-founder of Uptown Properties in Portland, OR, where he owns and manages over 350 properties.

As always, for any legal questions look to your attorney for details.

NARPM Radio:  Home Warranties - False Sense of Security or Good Investment?

Are home warranties a good idea? Did you know that there’s not much difference between insurance and a home warranty, and often claims are delayed or denied? What should you look for when evaluating a home warranty? What about “pre-existing conditions”? These questions and much more insight from property management attorney Harry Heist are in this week’s NARPM Radio podcast; don’t miss it! As always, check with your attorney as laws vary in localities and states.

You took over a property and an appliance breaks. You get it repaired, and the owner is upset, saying that there was a warranty on the appliance. You weren't made aware of a warranty, and you have the right to make a repair up to a specified limit. Now the owner refuses to pay the repair charge. What do you do? Pick up a few tips on this tricky situation from property management attorney Harry Heist.*

*As always, remember to check with your legal counsel as laws can vary by state or locality! 

What makes a property manager and owner shudder? Paying a tenant to leave. But after paying thousands of dollars in legal fees, sometimes it's the best business decision you can make. Someday, you might get stuck with a "professional tenant" who knows the law almost as well as an attorney. Find out how to deal with it in this podcast featuring property management attorney Harry Heist.  As always, check with your own legal counsel as laws vary from localities and states.