Letter to the Editor…City of Richmond Code Enforcement
Below is an open-letter discussion between apartment owner, Donald Kreiss and Bill Lindsay, the City Manager of Richmond regarding the Richmond Code Enforcement Program.
Start the New Year Off With a Rental Operations Manual – By Robert L. Cain
Can your rental property business run without you? What if you wanted to take a three-month vacation, could you rest assured that your business would function just fine in the hands of a substitute landlord? What if you wanted to retire and sell off your investment properties, would their value be higher if you had…
DetailsThe Impact of Vacancy Decontrol – By Michael St. John
Berkeley property owners are glad for vacancy decontrol. It has saved us from the truly unworkable situation that prevailed from 1980 through 1998 – old-style, restrictive rent control that caused not a few owners to lose their properties and that prevented a fair return for us all. Happily, our legislators in Sacramento could see that…
DetailsNew “Largest-Ever” Apartment Rental Survey Highlights Amenities Consumers Want – By the National Multifamily Housing Council
The rise of apartment living is changing communities, driving new development and raising the expectations for the amenities and services offered to the 38 million people in the U.S. who call an apartment home. From walkable neighborhoods to on-site fitness classes, package pick-up solutions to online rent payments and more, new data from the largest-ever…
DetailsHow Investors Use Leverage to Increase Their Return on Equity – by Albert Banks
What is Leverage? Leverage is the use of debt to increase the potential return of an investment. By using leverage, investors can control more property and potentially increase their Return on Equity (“ROE”) invested. There is no “correct” method of employing leverage. Some investors prefer to maximize leverage (usually 75% Loan to Value (“LTV”) in…
DetailsStart the New Year Off Safer – Renters’ Insurance Benefits Tenants and Landlords – By Stacey A. Scott
Renters’ insurance can cost your tenants as little as $10 to $20 per month and could save you, as the landlord, thousands in claims, out of pocket expenses and insurance rate hikes. A typical renters’ insurance policy covers property for the tenant’s belongings, emergency housing and moving expenses plus liability insurance which can serve as…
Details27 New Year’s Resolutions and New Laws for Landlords – by Patricia A. Harris
AOA Consultants get calls daily from our members with a variety of problems; some unfortunately after our owners are already in trouble. Please use the below as a guide to easier management, money-saving ideas and to avoid potential legal problems in the New Year. Our goal is your continued success!
FORECASTS & TRENDS U.S. Debt to Hit $20 Trillion, Poverty Remains Rampant – by Gary D. Halbert
As long-time clients and readers are well aware, the explosion in our national debt has been one of my continuing themes over the last 30+ years, under both Republican and Democrat presidents. So today’s discussion is not a political issue, and it should worry us all.
Something to Think About #40 – Uncle Sally’s Nephew, Part 3 – By Klarise Yahya, Commercial Loan Broker, BRE: 00957107- MLO: 249261
What we hope to do with this article is to explore a way to quickly estimate the value of an apartment building. Quickly means before the water boils. Estimate means that we’re not doing a formal appraisal, but we are ballparking the value. The process we’ll be using works on non-residential properties as well, but…
DetailsLegal Q & A Section 8 Tenants – By Franco Simone, Esq.
Q: I am a landlord of an apartment complex. I have several tenants that receive government assistance through Section 8 housing. All of my Section 8 contracts state the landlord is responsible for paying the water bill. However, I have one tenant that always has a really high water bill. He agreed to pay $20.00…
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