Holiday Security and Safety

Nothing can ruin a joyful holiday season faster than coming home to find your home has been broken into.  That sickening feeling in the pit of your stomach will gnaw at you for weeks.  Don't despair though; there are a few simple ideas to make your home less appealing to the burglar, all without breaking the holiday budget.  We all know break-ins occur more frequently around this time of the year,  Let's face it, the average break in thief is not that motivated otherwise, they would just get their own hob and not resort to stealing your stuff.  So making your home appear more protected will certainly help to dissuade them from trying.  Here are a few simple and low cost ideas to help whether you are staying home or travelling this holiday season.

Take a good look around the outside of your home both during the day and at night and make notes on where there are hiding places, dark places or windows with easy access from the ground.  Trim any bushes or trees back around your house to limit the amount of cover an intruder might find appealing.   Breaking into a home takes a little bit of time, and should anyone walk or drive by, the intruder will want to hide.  Next, make sure your exterior lights all work and consider installing extra lighting in particularly dark area.  Home improvement stores offer inexpensive remote motion detectors that will sense motion outside and turn on a light or TV inside. 

Be neighborly letting your close neighbors know if you are leaving, or if you are staying, ask if they will be leaving so someone can watch for trouble.  If you are leaving, stop the paper and mail.  Nothing screams "I'm not home!" more than two weeks of unread newspapers in your driveway!  If you are home or away. LOCK YOUR DOORS and windows and place obvious sliding door stops in your sliding doors.

Use common sense and all the security features your home has, such as deadbolts and window lock. Be observant of what is going on around you.  Should you notice something amiss at your neighbor's home, call the police; should they catch a burglar, there will be one less that might break into our home.  Best of all, have a great and safe Holiday season.

By Brian Hefner

Writer for the Eagle Magazine

For additional information on this and other renting articles, please visit our web site at http://www.mrpmrentals.com/

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Idaho’s Landlord Tenant Law recommends the following:

1.  Conduct a criminal, financial, credit, and rental background check on every adult applicant. 

2.  Inspect the rental property with the tenant before moving in and after vacating the property.

3.  Take pictures and video tape the property before a tenant moves in and after vacating.

4.  Provide copies of the lease and any addendums. 

5.  Provide receipts for cash payments.

6.   Keep accurate records.

7.  Explain the lease terms to the tenant if necessary.

Words N Terms

Visit http://www.wordsnterms.com/ your leading free online Dictionary and Thesaurus made up of an extensive database of words, terms and phrases used in Real Estate contracts and rental home and apartment leases. Supplying trustworthy, extensive definitions; Words N Terms is beneficial to every tenant, landlord, Property Manager or Real Estate Agent.  Words N Terms Dictionary and Thesaurus is updated regularly with word definitions written in simple language to aid in strengthening your knowledge and understanding of the Real Estate business.

For any questions on real estate terms go to http://www.wordsnterms.com/

For additional information on this and other renting articles, please visit our web site at http://www.mrpmrentals.com/

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LOCKSMITH

When renting a new home whether it be newly built or a residential rental home or apartment home make sure your locks are rekeyed. You’re Realtor or Property Manager should have rekeyed the door locks after the previous tenant vacated, but to be sure, this very important job is completed, contact a locksmith and do the job yourself. Be sure to have the locksmith rekey the current locks and make additional keys for the property manager. If you neglect to give news keys to the property manager the responsibility for the cost to rekey the property a second time could easily be yours.
Property Managers are to rekey their properties every time someone moves out but many don’t due to the expense. Tenants should take on this task to reassure themselves it has been done. Providing the manager new keys, as well, is a very minimal cost.
Look through the phone book for a local locksmith or ask your new neighbors or property manager for their recommendation; it’s worth every penny for the added security.

For additional information on this and other renting articles, please visit our web site at www.mrpmrentals.com/

Mountain Ridge Property Management
Your Boise Rental Home Resource

Advertising Your Rental on the Internet

Today’s home rental websites are set up to not only provide descriptive textual advertisements but also a visual ad with a variety of color photos of the rental property. Photos, virtual home tours, mapping with driving directions, email, text messaging and phone for rapid connection to the owner or property manager are common amenities used in marketing rental properties. With this type of on-line advertising the renter has a clear picture of the property including the requirements for renting prior to contacting the landlord or property management company. These types of advertisements connect more qualified tenants to a property than any other type of advertising or marketing medium available today.

Many sites provide landlords or property managers the option of uploading their rental application along with their rental advertisement. Allowing potential renters to fill out and send it directly to the property manager a completed rental application.  Allowing  for a rapid connection between the renter and landlord.  this results in more signed leases at a higher rental rate. Check your local rental market for home rental advertising websites. Rental owners and property management companies are marketing their vacancies on the websites that advertise in local and state markets. Posting rental ads on local or state websites puts your advertisement in the location of your rental property and where most renters reside or perhaps relocate to. Tenants moving to your location or across the country are more likely to search local or state rental markets first since they have already chosen their state and city. Searching a national site takes more time and provides far less appeal to many serious renters searching in today’s rental marketplace.
Check the internet for local rental websites and review the information required to develop a complete advertisement. This type of marketing allows more information to be provided than a local newspaper can allow. For the first time, write down the property details along with taking several photos. Developing additional information and photos allows you to make as many changes to your marketing details without incurring additional cost.

For additional information on this and other renting articles please visit our website at http://www.mrpmrentals.com/

Mountain Ridge Property Management
Your Boise Home Rental Source

Landlord Services

Being a landlord requires that many services be performed on a regular basis. Among these duties is to locate a suitable tenant, fill out the required paperwork and process that paperwork to ensure the best tenant has been chosen. Landlords and Property Manager’s alike are also required to inspect and maintain each property and be responsible for its general maintenance and repair.
Landlords and Leasing Property Managers must have a complete set of state specific legal paperwork. From a detailed lease, rental application, tenant credit screening authorization, and any and all paperwork resulting from tenant screening or background checks, all to ensure every step of the renting process is legally covered for your protection whether it is a property owner or property manager. To be sure the leasing process is completed in a consistent manner; a written policy should be completed prior to beginning the renting process. Doing so will aid in a standard process being done but will also remove any doubts for a discrimination suit.

Every property must be maintained either by maintenance personal of the property management company or by the owners chosen maintenance personal. Keeping a property well maintained helps to rent the property faster and at a higher rent. When the time comes to sell the maintenance has already been completed and will command a price at the top of the market.
During the rental property maintenance process every property manager or landlord should be in the habit of doing an inspection. Check smoke detectors, flooring, appliances, yard care and exterior inspection for the tenants care, as well as, maintenance.  This habit will ensure the tenant will be held responsible for repairs and damages that may occur during tenancy and lower the continued damage to the property. Be sure to properly fill out, at the beginning of each new tenancy, a move in condition form detailing the condition of the property. Filled out in detail, this form will clarify the responsibility for each repair in the event any damage occurs.
For many property owners the job of being a property manager is an overwhelming task. If this is your case, don’t hesitate to contact local management companies and interview for your property manager.

For additional information on this and other renting articles please visit our website at www.mrpmrentals.com.

Mountain Ridge Property Management

Your Property Management Source

Locating a Property Management Company

It is recommended that you interview at least two or three property management companies before deciding on the company who best fits your property and your needs.

Use the following guidelines. We believe a company should offer all of these services and at no additional cost to you.

1) High tenant retention. It isn’t the number of properties a company manages; its how do they manage the properties they have.

2) Attentive customer service. Do they pay attention to your needs?

3) Good lines of communication with owners. Are they easy to talk to and do they clearly understand what you are asking and wanting from them.

4) An attention to keeping costs low. Are they keeping costs low and within an acceptable range? Are they spending money on items that maintain the property and or increase its value?

5) Preventative maintenance. Do they do preventative maintenance? What does it include and how often is it done? Is there an additional charge for this service or is it included in the service provided by the property management company.

6) Inspection of units and property on a routine basis. How often and exactly what process is done and how often.

7) Good contractor supervision: Are they with the repairman or left alone in your rental.

8) What is the final cost to you for repairs at your property? Does the property management company charge you a fee for processing the paperwork for a repair?

Be sure every item that is important to you is included in your contract.

For additional information on this and other renting articles please visit our web site at http://www.mrpmrentals.com/

The Professional Deadbeat

A Realtor friend was recently involved in the sale of a duplex. The owner of this rental property was also involved in tenant eviction proceedings against one of the tenants. The tenant had been warned various times for violations of the lease agreement. He had unauthorized occupants living at the property and constantly played loud music, the occupants and guests parked their cars on the lawn and were trashing the duplex. To top it off no one living at this property had paid rent. The owner won the eviction and sold the property.

Interestingly, a few months later my Realtor friend was requested to preview a rental property across town that the owner wanted to sell. In the conversation about the property the owner was questioned why he wanted to sell such a great rental property. He responded he was tired of dealing with the issues that arise with having tenants and rental property. This is a pretty standard reply Realtors receive when previewing a rental property. But in this case, the reason was going to become more apparent. After inspecting the property more closely it was discovered the renter from the first rental property was occupying one of this landlords apartments.

In a short time period, this deadbeat tenant had trashed this landlord's rental and was also delinquent in the payment of rent. This same deadbeat renter had made his way into both of these properties and had caused extensive damages in addition to costing the owner several months rent.

These destructive deadbeat tenants move from one rental property to the next moving from one unsuspecting landlord to the next each falling victim to their deadbeat behaviors over and over again. The only way a rental owner can protect themselves and their rental property is to do the homework required of every landlord no matter where they live, how large or small the community.

This cycle of abuse and financial damage can be prevented with a landlord's upfront due diligent tenant screening of each potential renter applying to their property. The cost of tenant screening is cost effective and minimal especially in comparison to the cost of lost rent and damages. Charging the rental applicant the fees charged to complete tenant screening will also help to discourage the deadbeat renters from attacking your rental property.

Follow these basic rules:

1. Require each adult tenant to fill out your rental application. Completely.
2. Require each adult tenant pay an application fee which totally covers the expense of tenant screening.
3. Require each adult tenant provide you with a clear photocopy of a current drivers license.
4. Never allow anyone to move into the property until each applicant has been approved to occupy the property.
5. Require each adult tenant (roommates) to qualify to rent your property individually. If one tenant moves, the remaining tenant has the ability to pay all of the rent and expenses.
6. Be aware of and understand your states Landlord Tenant Laws.
Set your standard requirements for renting any of your rental properties. Credit limits, employment income, legal issues, smoking, animals etc. Set your policy standards and require your tenants to uphold those standards with no exceptions.


For additional information on this and other renting articles please visit our web site at www.mrpmrentals.com