Property Management Blog

Doing your own pest control is relatively easy and can save you and your wallet a huge amount of money. You just need a sprayer and professional top grade chemicals. Check out the two links below for a $10 sprayer on amazon and a $30 top grade chemical for pests. It’s really important to choose and buy quality chemicals to ensure that your house remains pest free. Do not skimp out on the chemicals. 

After buying your DIY pest control equipment, you simply need to spray down your house perimeter, 2 inches up your house holes and entrances and 2 inches on the ground away from your house. The chemicals will basically “turn off” the scavenging insects and send them on the opposite way instead of intruding in your home. 

Sprayer link: https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000E28UQU/?tag=clarkmainsite-20

Chemical link: https://www.domyown.com/talstar-talstar-one-p-97.html?utm_source=shareasale&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=762637&utm_content=470471&sscid=a1k2_mvdw8

Here’s a How-to tutorial video on repairing dry walls from small holes to large holes on your wall. Remember to check for any obstacles like electrical wiring and to work around them when repairing your wall. 

https://www.lowes.com/projects/repair-and-maintain/patch-and-repair-drywall/project

General picture of materials needed: 

Your rental property is perfect! Well, almost perfect, if it wasn’t for just a tiny corner that needs a bit of touch-up paint. But wait! Before you head down to the store and buy the EXACT same brand and color of paint, take a minute to know why you would only be shortly disappointed by the results.

Regulations on manufacturing paint are constantly changing. So even if you buy the same paint from the same company, it doesn’t guarantee that the paint you bought is exactly the same as the paint that you bought a year ago. As regulations keep changing, paint companies have to adjust their formulas for their paint. If you really insist on touching up a paint job, make sure you buy the same paint that was manufactured the same year as your old paint. Otherwise, you’ll just have a glaring splotch of non matching paint on your wall that will haunt you for years as you can see below. 

As a renter, you can always contact your landlord for permission to repaint your walls. It’s a lot more work, but at least you can rest easy knowing that all the walls shines and glosses exactly the same throughout your home. 

The upfront cost of a washer and dryer may seem intimidating at first, but it affords you the privacy and convenience of being in control of any maintenance that needs to be done in a timely manner. If you’re using a washer and dryer provided with the property, you can’t expect as speedy updates and maintenance, especially if your landlord manages multiple properties. 

Another alternative to buying your own washer/dryer, is visiting the laundromat. Sometimes they smell a little weird and you may feel uncomfortable pulling your undergarments out of the machines with people around you, but if you have one load of laundry each week, it might save you some big bucks. However, remember to factor in how much mileage and gas to get there if you’re not within walking distance. In either case, you’ll need to buy your own detergent, so make sure to think about what option is best for your convenience and peace of mind.

Whether your favorite season is summer or winter, one thing’s clear: the best time of year to rent is in the frigid, cold of winter.

As the temperatures drop off, so do the market prices for homes. It turns out that the cold temperatures discourage a lot of people from finding their dream homes in the months of March-December. The busy holidays also probably deter residents from finding a new home when they’re too busy prepping dinner and decorating their homes for relatives and visitors to come over. However, if you plan accordingly and are able to move during this time of year, you can be in a better place to negotiate with landlords. 

On the other hand, as the temperature slowly rises, so do the rental prices follow quickly after. Months May-October are the worst times of the year to rent as college students come streaming in to find rental homes, rental units climb in price. I’d also add that it’s more convenient to move in the summer for most families, so as the need becomes more apparent, rental prices become more set in higher ranges as well. 

Sometimes rental properties don’t feel like home, but you can change that! Just start with these few tips to get started to safely decorate your rental property to turn it into your dream rental home. By doing so, you can be one step closer to feeling more at home and also better securing your security deposit at the end. 

Tip #1 Consult your lease and landlord about any major changes like repainting

Repainting the walls of your new home can be a drastic change. It can help set the mood in such a simple way. However, make sure you get written permission from your landlord that you can repaint your home. 

Tip #2 Command Strips and corner tables

Command strips are my favorite alternative the old hammer and nail in the wall. It would be best to avoid putting any holes in the walls of your rental home to avoid charges. Command strips can be used to hang paintings, curtains, calendars, photos, and most of the decorations you can think of. Corner tables are another alternative to hanging any decorative on you walls. Why not set them on the table? They’re just as decorative when properly positioned. 

Tip #3 Curtains

Curtains make a huge difference on the look and feel of your windows. Curtains aren’t just for practical use, they’re also for decoration. You can change up the curtain color and style in each room, but try to keep the curtain rod the same style for an overarching style and theme. 

Tip #4 Choose Themes 

Try visiting Burlington, DD’s Discounts, and Ross for cute and quirky designs. I personally like cute and classy decorations, so I have 3 beige small boxes with a little glitter on the side at home set on a table with a romantic theme. They say “Every love story is beautiful but ours is my favorite” “Mr. Right and Mrs. Always Right” and “Happily ever after.” Hitting yard sales and thrift stores can also be a fun trip when looking for decorations when on a budget. 

Tip #5 Plants or Lamps

Plants make a huge difference in the home. Right now, succulents are really popular since it’s hard to kill them for those of us who don’t have a green thumb. But even if you just can’t manage taking care of household plants, you can get a fake one to add a little more color in your home! Lamps can also help brighten a room up both literally and figuratively. Adding lamps in various rooms in your home can make it feel more personalized. 

Happy decorating! 

If it’s your first time renting a home with landscape responsibilities, it’s important to understand how to take care of them. Aside from HOA rules that dictate which plants are acceptable on your home, there’s also city restrictions on how, when, and how much you water your plants. Not everyone has a green thumb, so I’ve listed some tips below on how to keep your lawn green without spending too much “green” yourself, if you know what I mean. 

Tip# 1 Prevent Problems, Don’t Procrastinate

Take 5-10 minutes to scan your lawn for any issues every week. Check to see if your sprinklers are working and if there are any weeds starting to come up. The faster you identify issues, the easier it is to deal with them. Without water, plants will die and then you’ll have to replace them. Given the many HOA restrictions of what plants are or aren’t permitted, this process can be a huge headache, but also preventable. 

Weeds on the other hand natural pop up every year. But if you catch them early, you might have a not to see them again until next year. There’s many different types of weed. There are weeds that grow annually, biannually, and indefinitely throughout the year. If it’s the former two, as long as you dig up the soil and root, you shouldn’t see them until 6 more months or a year. Side note: if you don’t have a trowel to dig out the soil, you can use a table knife to accomplish the same thing. See the link below to identify what kind of weeds are growing on your landscape. 

Link: https://www.preen.com/weeds/nv

Tip# 2 Know your watering schedule 

Simply look up when you’re sprinkling system is allowed to water your landscape to avoid fees from the city. Follow the links below according to your city. 

Las Vegas: https://www.lvvwd.com/conservation/mandatory-watering-schedule/index.html

Henderson: http://www.cityofhenderson.com/utility-services/water-conservation/water-use-efficiency

Tip# 3 Yelp or search for landscapers 

If you don’t have the time and/or can afford hiring a professional landscaping team, then make sure to research your options. Contact multiple companies to get competitive quotes for your landscaping needs since most companies offer free estimates. 

Happy landscaping!

Knowing your way around your home will prove useful in times of urgent and stressful events. It’s important to have a game plan when unforeseen events occur like when the handle in your tub breaks off and you can’t shut off the water. Instead of flooding your home, you can easily minimize damages by shutting off the water in your home. 

Tip #1: Know WHERE and HOW to shut off water in your home 

The water valve can differ both in its location and appearance in the home. It can be found in your garage or outside your home near a facet. Since there’s no standardized location for your shut off water valve, you may need to do a quick search in your home to locate it. Once you’ve located your shut off water valve, turn it clockwise either by hand or your own choice of tools. Some water valves can look like shown in the image below, but it can also take the form of a cogwheel like shape. For more information, you can check out this video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvE6n7rTGnM

Tip #2: Know WHERE and HOW to shut off breakers in your home 

In case of electrical fire or emergencies, it would be helpful to know where your main breaker is instead of looking for it while there’s an electrical fire currently going on in your home. Breakers also don’t have a standardized location, so you may have to look for them in closets or outside in your home. They should be up on a wall generally at about eye-level and they’re generally grey or beige large boxes. There will be multiple switches on your breaker that coincides with different areas in your home. Usually, the switch at the top is your main breaker that turns off all of the electricity in your home, which includes your lights, so bring a flashlight so you’re not left in the dark. See the image below to have a better idea of what your breaker looks like.  

 For more information, check out this video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ3ky3VSGgQ

Tip #3: Know how to program your garage opener

When your garage remote suddenly stops working, here are a few tips to figure out what the issue is. First, check with your garage button usually located on your wall to see if the issue is with your garage remote or your actual garage. If it works, then the issue lies in your garage remote. Possible issues could be a bad battery or just normal wear and tear on your remote. If it’s the former, simply buy new batteries. However, if it’s the latter, you need to take a trip to a home improvement store like Home Depot or Lowes and purchase a relatively cheap universal garage remote. We can break down programming your remote in 3 easy steps:

1. Locate the learn button on your overhead garage unit and press it

2. Within 30 seconds of pressing the learn button, press and hold a button on your newly purchased garage remote. 

3. Release your garage remote when the overhead garage unit’s lights blink or when you hear two clicks and your remote is all set!

Check this video out if you want to see a demonstration of programming your remote: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwsVMJUYThU

Now you’ll be AND feel more prepared and less stressed to handle common home emergencies and issues at hand. 

#1 Move-in Report

Your move-in report is a key player in getting your security deposit back. It’s your proof of what the state of the house was when you received it. It can protect you and your deposit by documenting what damages were already in the home before your move-in. This can ensure that you won’t get billed for any damages already present before your move-in. Make sure the state and damages of the home are documented carefully and thoroughly. Move-in reports are so important that some residents even opt to have their home inspected professionally. However, if you don’t have the budget for it, you can do your own move-in report. It’s not hard, it just takes time.

#2 Read your lease

The second best way to protect and get your security deposit back is by reading your lease and knowing what’s expected from you. In your lease should be detailed when you’ll receive your deposit back and what the conditions are for receiving your deposit back. General cleaning is expected in many leasings. 

#3 Clean up 

Whether you do your own cleaning or hire a professional to do it, it’s important to double check some of the common places that are expected to be cleaned and/or are generally missed such as: 

• Inside and outside of the oven

• Vents

• Carpets

• Fans 

• Landscaping
  
  
  
  

#4 Replace Household Items

Replace old filters, light bulbs, and any heavily used or broken household items including blinds. 

#5 Move-out Report

Document, document, document! Everything. If you hired any professionals, keep your receipts as proof. Once your rental has been cleaned, make sure you take thorough photos as proof of the shape of the house when you left it. This will be important if the owner tries to bill you for any house cleanings, when you’ve had it cleaned already, which of course would come out of your deposit. 

Read these 5 tips below to make sure you pick the perfect rental for you and your family! 

1. Do your own research on the property then pick your top 3 or 5 properties. Just because it’s a great property doesn’t mean it’s the perfect fit for you or your family. There’s more to a house than just appearances. 

2. Find an agent - you can’t view a house if you don’t have an agent. FYI: Agents get a commission if you rent the property, so if you have an issue with them or you feel like they’re not working for you, try being more bold in asking them for what you want. If you’re technologically challenged and not exactly sure “what the internet is”, you can ask your agent to help you fill out an online application. If they’re not willing to do that for you, then maybe try looking for a different agent. Trust me, there’s tons of them out there. Any agent can show you the property regardless of what brokerage they’re from, so don’t feel like you have to put up with an agent who seems a little too pushy for you. Although your agent is working for you, always double check with the property management company for any questions regarding the state of the house or what work will be done on them, they would know best. 

3. View the property. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but it’s no comparison seeing the view in person. Visit the neighborhood. A “great neighborhood” is subjective. What “great” means to your agent, may be different for you and your family. 

4. Talk with the property management company before signing the lease about details that are important to you such as: 

• Who is the maintenance company? 

• How long does it typically take to get work orders done? 

• How’s the customer service?

• Can you get a hold of someone regarding maintenance easily to speak with or are they an email type only kind of contact? 

• Tenant responsibilities - what are you responsible for upkeep and maintenance on the property ?

5. Know yourself. Are you the resourceful type and able to fix things or do you call your maintenance company for every single thing? Compare the services of the maintenance company and your needs and see if they’re compatible. Listen to the wise words of Old Shakespeare who shared: “Who buys a minute’s mirth to wail a week? Or sells eternity to get a toy?” Your rental property will be your home for awhile, so make sure you’ll be happy in it.