Every few weeks, more and more bad news seems to crop up about the state of our planet's health. As we creep further and further towards the point of no return for global warming, more folks are eager to change their habits. Thankfully, energy efficiency is easier than ever! Scott Safadi of Cal Bay Property Management recommends these three easy ways to make your rental property more sustainable. He would know, after recently receiving recognition from the Mayor of San Mateo, Rick Bonilla for his sustainability efforts! Getting started in making your community more sustainable isn't hard. Start with a chore you'll have to get around to eventually anyway, like changing your light bulbs. Switching to LED bulbs is an affordable and green way to ensure your tenants have the light they need to live by while also guaranteeing you're living the greenest life possible. The good news? Some electric companies will even help offset the cost of these bulbs! Check with your provider to see if they offer a free bulb initiative. Next, consider opting for an Earth-friendly pest control solution. The use of pesticides is responsible for a huge impact on the environment and animals living near your community. Look to partner with companies who specialize in green pest control options instead. These contractors offer many of the same pest control services you need for your rental, but handle their business in a way that's more sustainable for the planet. Finally, if you don't already have a recycling program in your community, get on it! There's no excuse not to separate out glass, plastic and cardboard from your main dumpster. While starting a recycling program seems like a large undertaking, it's actually a great way to foster community among your residents! - Scott Safadi, Cal Bay Property Management
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Everyone loves animals, right? While it's safe to assume most folks love to pet a kitten or play with a puppy, the reality is that not everyone enjoys pets the same way. In fact, for those with severe allergies, pet hair and dander can present real health hazards. It's one of the main reasons landlords forbid pets to begin with. Scott Safadi of Cal Bay Property Management recommends ensuring that your tenants are doing a particularly thorough job of cleaning when they move out, especially if they had pets. Leaving behind even the smallest amount of pet hair can result in serious health risks for the next person who moves in.
Take, for example, the following example: if you onboard a new tenant with a severe allergy to cats, there may very well be problems moving them into a unit where a previous cat-lover tenant recently lived. The typical cleanup that might be required of your tenants may not be enough to satisfy a person with sensitive allergies. Should you shell out for an expensive, thorough, top-to-bottom clean to ensure the apartment is healthy for the new tenant? The answer is probably yes. The Fair Housing Act requires landlords to provide reasonable accommodations to tenants with special health concerns. Defining the world reasonable isn't always easy to do, but ensuring that an apartment is free of pet hair and dander is indeed reasonable. Whether you and your team roll up your sleeves yourselves to provide a deep clean or hire a maid service to do it for you, it's safest to work with such a tenant rather than against them. Consider this theoretical when determining whether pets are right for your community. While dogs and cats can certainly bring your tenants a lot of happiness, they do undeniable damage in even minor ways. The most responsible and clean pet owner will still likely leave behind pet hair and other evidence that an animal was present. While this might be considered normal wear and tear, it'll be up to you to have the unit clean enough for the next tenant. - Scott Safadi, Cal Bay Property Management Security deposits exist to protect you, the landlord. When a tenant fails to uphold their end of the lease agreement, these deposits can help offset the costs associated with tenant missteps. While not all security deposits are large enough to cover the kinds of damage some tenants leave in their wake, the money can help recoup the most common kinds of losses linked to tenant conflicts. Scott Safadi of Cal Bay Property Management recommends holding onto security deposits for the following reasons:
When a Tenant Damaged Property The most literal reason not to return a security deposit is to use the money to make repairs to damaged property. Even the most careful tenants will often cause minor damage to an apartment or rental home. This is called normal wear and tear, and tenants shouldn't be penalized for such damage. On the other hand, serious damage like torn carpeting or broken windows can be grounds for holding onto a portion of a security deposit. When a Tenant Terminates Their Lease Early Leases help protect landlords and tenants alike from having the rug torn out from under them when they least expect it. When a tenant needs to terminate their lease early, their landlords are often left hanging with a vacant apartment and no one to fill the financial hole left by the tenant. A security deposit can help cover the costs associated with finding a replacement renter. It can also help update the apartment when it becomes unexpectedly available for rent. When a Tenant Leaves Behind a Mess Most folks try to leave their apartment in the same condition they found in upon move in, but others are less careful. Whether they are in a rush to move or simply don't meet the same cleanliness standards as you, tenants can leave behind a mess when they move out. This is especially true when kids or pets are involved. If you need to shell out for a deep cleaning, you can withhold a security deposit to ensure the costs are covered. Every state has their own set of laws surrounding security deposits, so make sure to cross reference your local policies before withholding a tenant's deposit. Still, there are many good reasons to do so, so don't be afraid to hang onto the cash when necessary! - Scott Safadi, Cal Bay Property Management The Benefits of Renting
There will always be folks in need of a place to rent. Even as the housing market becomes more and more attractive to potential first-time home buyers, new tenants are graduating college, looking for their first place to rent. Of course, in a good economy, buying a home does become more appealing, which is why Scott Safadi of Cal Bay Property Management recommends brushing up on some of the most compelling reasons to rent over buying. The most obvious reason to rent? It saves you serious cash. When folks are hard up for a down payment, buying a house just isn't an option. Not only do you not need a huge amount of cash up front, you also don't need to pay things like property taxes when renting. While it's easy to think only of your monthly mortgage payment when buying a home, the reality is that there are dozens of unexpected costs to add to that price tag. Renting, on the other hand, is upfront. What you see is what you get. The lack of maintenance associated with renting can also be appealing. Homeowners must rely on themselves to rake leaves, mow the grass, and make any repairs necessary to their home. Tenants, on the other hand, rely on their landlords for these services. Lean on these benefits hard when convincing folks to move in; the benefits simply can't be understated. Renting is also a great option for people with no long-term plans. For those who have just begun new jobs and are unsure of whether or not they will stick around town for decades, renting is the best choice. Even for those whole plan to stay local, having the option to move quickly and easily to another area nearby can be beneficial. No matter which tact you take, there are plenty of good reasons to rent over buying a home. Keep these talking points in mind the next time you have a tenant wavering between renting or buying! - Scott Safadi, Cal Bay Property Management Slumber parties are for kids, but having friends and loved ones spend an overnight can be a fun occasion for a person of any age. Inviting guests to sleep in a spare bedroom or crash on the couch occasionally happens even when you're not planning on an official visit. Unfortunately, though, some tenants will take a mile if you give them an inch, and landlords need to be cautious about overnight guests turning into unofficial roommates. Scott Safadi of Cal Bay Property Management recommends limiting overnight guest stays in your lease.
When writing your lease, consider what you deem to be a reasonable length stay for guests. For some, that might only be a night or two. For other landlords, a week or more could be reasonable. Whatever you decided, spell out in no uncertain terms exactly what you envision for your tenants. In some communities, overnight guests are even required to sign in for security purposes. Opt for whatever works best for your tenants and staff. Should you discover a tenant is housing an unofficial roommate under the guise of them being a house guest, have an honest conversation about why this is occurring. In some cases, friends fall down on their luck and need a place to crash for a few weeks. It's important to approach these kinds of conversations with grace and kindness. It's not unreasonable to demand more rent for more folks living under your roof, but understanding the need behind the additional, unofficial roommate can help everyone arrive at a reasonable solution. If you've got an unofficial roommate who is wearing out their welcome, don't be afraid to put your foot down. It's not unreasonable to charge extra rent for the extra roommate, especially if a unit is only intended for a limited number of people. Give a fair warning and then discuss adding the person to the lease. You many even wish to impose some kind of penalty or fee for breaking the rules of the lease. The important thing is to have these policies in place before someone takes advantage of your good nature. Having the lease to point back to with such policies spelled out is a good way to ensure you'll have the upper hand in such circumstances. - Scott Safadi, Cal Bay Property Management |
AuthorScott Safadi leverages extensive experience in the real estate industry to serve as the CEO of Cal Bay Property Management (CBPM), which he founded in Palo Alto, California. Archives
January 2020
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