In Iraq and Afghanistan, US military officers routinely handed bundles of cash to local residents to buy influence and undermine resistance to the American occupation. Such payments came in especially handy after US troops inadvertently killed innocent civilians or sheep. Billions of dollars were shoveled out with little or no oversight as part of the…
DetailsThe last seven articles have focused in various ways on the four (4) items that a thoughtful investor should consider before writing that first deposit check. Although certainly not touching on everything a new investor might confront during his or her investment career, these items are:
You have heard it all before. Some of us have even said it ourselves – “Being a landlord can be a pain.” Most people in this country will agree that it makes a lot of sense to buy property and invest in real estate. We also know all the benefits of investing in real estate. …
DetailsWhen it comes to marketing and leasing apartments, Craigslist might be your best source – but it’s not the only game in town. Zillow.com, HotPads.com, Rent.com, Apartments.com, your own website and social media can all generate good traffic. But have you explored new resources and strategies lately?
Early in my career, I worked for a large recruiting and staffing firm. My sales manager, who was about my age, was the typical company man. He dressed sharp, drove a nice car, constantly smiled, was awkwardly positive about any situation, and was a never ending fountain of motivational quotes — a budding young Zig…
DetailsDo you want to know some secrets for preventing tenant turnover in your single-family rental (SFR) or other real estate investment rental properties? Is the vacancy period between tenants eating too much into your profit margin?
DetailsQuestion One: I have an apartment complex in Burbank. There is another building next to mine that has very noisy neighbors. My tenants are constantly complaining. What are my options? Answer One: You cannot directly control the actions of those tenants. I would write a letter to the property owner and explain the situation and…
DetailsThe look of your rental property can make or break an applicant’s interest in becoming your new tenant. For most millennial applicants, visual media is a must for even a phone call. While using a DSLR camera or high resolution camcorder would be ideal, these few tricks you can use with your smart phone can…
DetailsIt’s Not About Just Offering the “Right” Renewal Gift Don’t fall into the costly mistakes of thinking that simply offering residents the right gift at renewal time will greatly increase their desire to want to renew their lease. Many landlords think the trick to retention is simply figuring out the right renewal gift or incentive…
DetailsWhen it comes to tax deductions, there are a few schools of thoughts. There are the people who want to write off everything, whether it’s legal or not, and figure the cost of an IRS audit won’t be that bad. Or else they think they can’t ever get caught. They are invisible, or so they…
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