august 2012 rha newsletter

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AUGUST 2012 www.RHAGP.org UPDATE UPDATE Oregon Apartment Association, Inc. WWW.RHAGP.ORG AUGUST AUGUST 2012 2012 THE RENTAL HOUSING ASSOCIATION of Greater Portland INDEX INDEX RHAGP Annual Picnic 3 Upcoming Events 4 President’s Message 5 How Much Are Your Two Bedooms? 6 Thank You Early Sponsors 6 The Landlords Fifth Sense 7 Dear Maintenance Men 8-9 Monthly Tips on Management 10 Ways to Extra Revenue 11 Preferred Service Guide 12-14 RHAGP Classes 15 Craigslist Scam 16 Do You Have Satisfied Residents? 17 Five Tips on Creating Effective Rental Listing 20 Home VS Business Expenses 21 Fire Safety 22 Denise Goding and Paul Turnpaugh at RHA’s 2011 Annual Picnic COME JOIN THE FUN COME JOIN THE FUN AT THE RHA 2012 ANNUAL PICNIC AT THE RHA 2012 ANNUAL PICNIC OAKS PARK OAKS PARK AUGUST 15TH STARTING AT 3:30PM AUGUST 15TH STARTING AT 3:30PM See Page 3 for more details.

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The Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland's monthly publication. This publication provides important information on the rental housing industry and the events that the association hosts in the Portland OR area.

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Page 1: August 2012 RHA Newsletter

AUGUST 2012 Page 1

www.RHAGP.org

UPDATEUPDATEO r e g o n A p a r t m e n t A s s o c i a t i o n , I n c .

WWW.RHAGP.ORG

AUGUSTAUGUST20122012THE RENTAL HOUSING ASSOCIATION

of Greater Portland

INDEXINDEXRHAGP Annual Picnic 3

Upcoming Events 4

President’s Message 5

How Much Are Your Two Bedooms? 6

Thank You Early Sponsors 6

The Landlords Fifth Sense 7

Dear Maintenance Men 8-9

Monthly Tips on Management 10

Ways to Extra Revenue 11

Preferred Service Guide 12-14

RHAGP Classes 15

Craigslist Scam 16

Do You Have Satisfied Residents? 17

Five Tips on Creating Effective Rental Listing 20

Home VS Business Expenses 21

Fire Safety 22

Denise Goding and Paul Turnpaugh at RHA’s 2011 Annual Picnic

COME JOIN THE FUN COME JOIN THE FUN AT THE RHA 2012 ANNUAL PICNICAT THE RHA 2012 ANNUAL PICNIC

OAKS PARKOAKS PARKAUGUST 15TH STARTING AT 3:30PMAUGUST 15TH STARTING AT 3:30PM

See Page 3 for more details.

Page 2: August 2012 RHA Newsletter

Page 2 RHAGP UPDATE

COME JOIN A GREAT ORGANIZATION!COME JOIN A GREAT ORGANIZATION! RHA OFFERS: Your voice heard- State and Local legislative representation Education- We offer a wide variety of monthly training programs, members get a significant discount on classes Monthly Subscription to the Update- Our monthly newsletter the Update contains up-to-date information on landlord/tenant issues and legislative information Substantial discount on Attorney drawn forms-60% off all rental forms and books for members Savings on tenant screening- Report charges are automatically posted to your interest free account Fully Staffed Office- Our friendly office staff are here Mon.-Fri. 9am-5pm, happy to help you with your property management needs

GET YOUR ATTORNEY DRAWN RENTAL FORMSGET YOUR ATTORNEY DRAWN RENTAL FORMSVisit rhagp.org- Click on “Forms Store” to order physical paper forms mailed directly to you. Click “Online Forms” to create an individual form by filling the form out, downloading the form to your computer and printingCall 503/254-4723- Order forms over the phone with one of our friendly representativesCome visit us at 10520 NE Weidler Portland OR 97220- Fast friendly service

LANDLORDS DOING GREAT THINGS IN YOUR COMMUNITY

Page 3: August 2012 RHA Newsletter

AUGUST 2012 Page 3

www.RHAGP.org

JOIN THE FUN AT THERHA ANNUAL FAMILY PICNIC

Wednesday, August 15, 2012at Oaks Park Area 1 in SE Portland from 3:30 to 9 p.m. Dinner 5 p.m.

$5.00

Featuring Oaks Fun RidesDelicious Food and BINGO

If you plan on playing bingo, you need to bring an age appropriate prize (if it’s a child playing, bring an appropriate age prize and if an adult playing bring an adult prize, etc.)

PICNIC MENUGolden Fried Chicken, Hot Dogs, Baked Beans, Relish Tray, Fresh Fruit,

Jell-O Salad, Potato Salad, Cole Slaw, Chips, Rolls, Watermelon, Pies, Cookies, Lemonade, Ice Tea, Coffee and more!

DirectionsFrom I 5 North: Travel SOUTH on I-5. Take the Lake Oswego Exit-299a. Travel SOUTH on S.W. Macadam Ave. two miles to the Sellwood Bridge. Stay in the LEFT lane. Travel Eastbound over the Sellwood Bridge. Turn LEFT onto SE 6th. Turn LEFT on SE Spokane, go down the hill on SESpokane and over the railroad tracks. Take the FIRST RIGHT. Follow the winding road to Oaks Park.

From I 5 South: Travel NORTH on I-5, take the Terwilliger Ave Exit (Exit 297). Turn RIGHT onto Terwilliger Ave and travel to the top of the hill, turn LEFT onto SW Taylor Ferry. Travel down the hill and turn RIGHT onto Macadam Ave., Travel SOUTH on Macadam stay in the LEFT lane, turn LEFT onto the Sellwood Bridge. Turn LEFT onto 6th Ave. Turn LEFT onto SE Spokane St. Go down the hill on SE Spokane and over the railroad tracks. Take the FIRST RIGHT. Follow the winding road to Oaks Park.

Pre-Registration Appreciated!Please mail this to RHAGP or call 503-254-4723

Name(s):

Address:

City: State: Zip: Phone:

Number of Adults & Kids over 12: @ $5.00 ea $Number of Kids - 12 and under: @ FREE Number of limited Ride Bracelets: @ $10.00 ea $ Total Amount mailed to RHAGP: $

mail to: RHAGP, 10520 NE Weidler, Portland, OR 97220Or Fax to 503-254-4821 or call 503-254-4723

Page 4: August 2012 RHA Newsletter

Page 4 RHAGP UPDATE

AUGUST 2012Su M Tu W Th F Sa

1 2 3 45 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 1819 20 21 22 23 24 2526 27 28 29 30 31

* Registration is required, please call the RHAGP offi ce for details 503-254-4723

Date Event Location Time Notes9/3 OFFICE CLOSED RHA Offi ce 9-5 In Observance of Labor Day9/12 Board Meeting RHA Offi ce 5pm9/13 East Side Class RHA Offi ce 6:30pm See September Update for more details.

Understanding Your Decision Point Report

WebEx 11am See September Update for more details.

9/19 Dinner Meeting Red Lion 6pm See September Update for more details.Understanding Your Decision Point Report

WebEx 7pm See September Update for more details.

9/25 *Online Tenant Screening Class

WebEx 7pm Reserve by 9/24/2012, 5 people need toregister for there to be a class.

9/25 Westside Class Standard TV & Appliance

6:30pm See September Update for more details.

SEPTEMBER 2012Su M Tu W Th F Sa

1122 3 4 5 6 7 899 1010 11 12 13 14 15

1616 17 18 19 20 21 222223/3023/30 2424 25 26 27 28 2929

Other Events:August 21st, 6:30 p.m. - NWREIA Multi-Family Commercial Real Estate SecretsRHA Offi ce - Call Jerad Goughnour for more info 503-789-3212

September 18th, 6:30 p.m. - NWREIA Multi-Family Commercial Real Estate SecretsRHA Offi ce - Call Jerad Goughnour for more info 503-789-3212

Date Event Location Time Notes8/8 Board Meeting RHA Offi ce 5pm8/9 Commercial Lending Class RHA Offi ce 6:30pm See Page 15 for more details.8/10 Understanding Your Decision

Point ReportWebEx 11am See Page 15 for more details.

8/14 *Online Tenant Screening Class

RHA Offi ce 11am Reserve by 8/13/2012, 5 people need to register for there to be a class.

8/15 Annual Picinic Oaks Park See Page 3 for more details.8/21 Understanding Your Decision

Point ReportWebEx 7pm See Page 15 for more details.

8/28 Identifying Water Intrusion Problems Class

Standard TV & Appliance

6:30pm See Page 15 for more details.

8/28 *Online Tenant Screening Class

WebEx 7pm Reserve by 8/27/12, 5 people need to register for there to be a class.

UPCOMING EVENTSScan QR Code on Smartphone for Online Events Info.

Page 5: August 2012 RHA Newsletter

AUGUST 2012 Page 5

www.RHAGP.org

PPRESIDENT’SRESIDENT’S M MESSAGEESSAGE By Phil Owen, RHAGP President By Phil Owen, RHAGP President

“A Shared Path to Fair Housing” was the headline of the Oregonian’s article last June 9th. After reading this I could only conclude that the only way to please them would be tomandate that at least one house on every block in Oregon must be occupied by a low income family. Every family will have to live in a neighborhood selected by the government to assure the quotas are met regardless of the wishes and needs of the families.It seems that although the government talks about choice in housing for everyone, they want to take it away so they can obtain a preconceived result. The common answer is we need more government so we can spend more money. Agencies and governments serving Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties accept about $170 million a year in federal money for affordable housing. In doing so, under the Fair Housing Act, they are expected to try to spread affordable housing across neighborhoods. They are expected to avoid concentrating poverty or people of color. In taking the money, they explicitly promise to identify and dismantle barriers to those efforts. The consequences are far-reaching. Nationally, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development spends nearly $35 billion a year on low-income rental housing programs. In Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties, that money provides housing or assistance to at least 20,000 households. People of color, because they are overrepresented in subsidized housing, are particularly affected. In Multnomah County, for example, more than 8,800 black residents -- nearly 1 in 5 -- rely on some sort of assistance from the housing authority. HUD moneyHow much local governments and agencies receive a year • $85 million: Home Forward (the housing authority

that serves Multnomah County) • $29 million: Rent-assistance contracts

administered in the metro area by the state • $23 million: Washington County Housing Services • $15 million: Housing Authority of Clackamas

County • $13 million: Portland/Multnomah County,

Community Development Block Grant (not all CDBG money must go to housing projects) and HOME funds

• $4 million: Washington County, CDBG and HOME block grants

• $3 million: Clackamas County, CDBG and HOME block grants

Now we know that it is VERY LIKELY that a bill will be submitted requiring that Section 8 be made a protected class in Oregon. Tina Kotek has made it clear that this is on her agenda and has already begun planning out strategy around this issue.In Washington, Redmond, Bellevue, Seattle and Unincorporated King County have already adopted protected class status for Section 8 recipients. The Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland is evaluating language that would prohibit local government from requiring persons to participate in, or accept housing choice vouchers from federal housing subsidy programs.I feel that the Portland Section 8 program which is administered by Home Forward has been doing a great job of encouraging property owners to accept subsidized tenants by realizing that they have to pay rents that are market rate for the area they are in. They have also made efforts to provide quality customer service to Section 8 landlords and tenants. This has increased the number of families that were able to move into the areas near where they wanted or needed to live.The property owners still have to put up with several issues. They have to have HUD approved contracts, there are unpaid rental days waiting for a move-in inspection, notice requirements to Home Forward to get rent increases, and annual inspections. It seems to me that for the state or city to make another protected class amounts to taking other people’s freedoms and it seems that we are losing more of our freedom every day. It is the landlord that has the responsibility to not only maintain the property but to ensure that all the tenants have the opportunity to have the safe and peaceful use of their unit. It seems clear that there are forces that don’t think that the free market will work, so they want to take tax payer money to deny property rights.Defi nition of 'Property Rights'Laws created by governments in regards to how individuals can control, benefi t from and transfer property. Economic theory contends that government enforcement of strong property rights is a determinant regarding the level of economic success seen in the area. Individuals will create new forms of property to generate wealth only when they are assured that their rights to their property will protect them against unjust and/or unlawful actions by other parties.

Phillip Owen

Page 6: August 2012 RHA Newsletter

Page 6 RHAGP UPDATE

Thank You Early Picnic Sponsors

We would like to thank the following that have already agreed to sponsor the 2012

Picnic:

GOLD SPONSORSJeff Bennett - Warren, Allen LLP

Roger Harms - Contract Furnishings Mart

SILVER SPONSORSRon Garcia-Garcia Group

Jon Moon - Northwood Business ServicesDavid Frost- Frost Integrated Pest Mgmt.

Tony Kavanagh- G & C DistributingPaul Toole- State Farm Insurance

BRONZE SPONSORSLynne Whitney-, Real Estate Roofi ng

Terry Klein- O’Meara’s Carpet Cleaning

Liz Carpenter- LizC Real Estate Investments LLC

Find the key Logo hidden amongst the Picnic Sponsor signs at the Picnic to

qualify to win 1 of 3 prizes.

Our sponsors help keep the member price of the picnic low.

There is still time for sponsors to sign up,

call Alita at 503-254-4723 for details.

Thank you sponsors!

How much are your two bedrooms?

In listening to phone calls I wondered how often we get the question, “How much are your 1/2/3 bedrooms?” I can tell you from the calls I’ve listened to that it happens a bunch. The problem is, so many people want to just answer that question for the customer right away. Here’s why I think you should redirect that question when you’re talking to a prospect on the phone.1. They already know your price. We know they found your website, an ILS listing, or some ad that shows your pricing. What they are looking for is to confi rm what they found in those listings is accurate (including other information beyond price).2. They really want to know if you have one available for their moving date. Again, they are looking for some type of confi rmation on something they may or may not have found in your listing. This is actually more important to them than price, again, because they already know your price.3. They are checking to make sure you aren’t a complete moron. If you can’t hold a conversation with them or show interest in their needs beyond this price question then you are likely considered a moron in their mind. People want to do business with people they like. This call is your opportunity to be liked. It’s not about your amazing community, plethora of amenities, or AMAZING special.Here are my tips:- When asked about price right up front just simply ask back, “When are you looking to move?” They forget about price and now you take the lead in the questioning.- Take time to build rapport and learn more about the customer and their needs (beyond price). Where they work, why they are moving, who the apartment will be for, etc.- If the conversation ever comes back to price (9 times out of 10 it won’t for quite awhile) just give a range.Customer: “So, how much is the two bedroom?”You: “Did you have a price range you were looking to stay in?”Customer: “I’d like to stay under $900.”You: ” Great! The apartment we were discussing for you starts in the $800s.”- If they ask you if you have a special the answer should always be YES. Even if you don’t, it’s all how you explain it to sound like you do. ”Absolutely, we currently have ‘SPECIAL PRICING’ on select/all apartments.” What’s “SPECIAL” to them is whatever you tell them. They won’t know the difference.- They called you. They are interested. Build value for your price before quoting anything.Mark Juleen, reprinted with permission

Page 7: August 2012 RHA Newsletter

AUGUST 2012 Page 7

www.RHAGP.org

The Landlords Fifth Sense By Robert L. Cain, Copyright 2010 Cain Publications, Inc.

I was just reading parts of Attorney Tom Moorhead’s excellent book, Owner’s Manual for Landlords and Property Managers, when I came across this great point. With all the valuable information that you will be receiving on your rental application, why would you ever not give someone a rental application?

Many landlords dismiss applicants out of hand because the landlords have a “fi fth sense” about the quality of applicants due to these landlords lengthy experience in the business. It’s a fi fth sense because it doesn’t quite make the grade of a sixth sense and is wrong at least one out of six times. Attorney Moorhead points out that many landlords decide on the spot, for example, that someone is “too young,” that is, under 18, and thus unable to enter into a contract, so never offer an application. That is in spite of the fact that someone being underage would become immediately apparent in the screening process such as when the landlord looks at the picture ID of the applicant.

Here’s my point. We can’t tell by looking- only by screening. Bad tenants are past masters at appearing to be outstanding, upstanding citizens because they rely on landlords assuming that appearance is everything and are masters of fi nding new places to live since they have to do it so often. But we can cut their evil plans off at the knees; the best way to get rid of a bad tenant is to hand him or her a rental application that contains the language “we carefully screen all applicants.”

Landlords may dismiss some truly outstanding applicants out of hand simply because they don’t meet some preconceived landlord prejudice. Suppose, for example, that a construction worker is on his way home from work and sees a for-rent sign, drives by the property, notices the landlord is there, and knocks on the door? This man doesn’t do too well dealing with the public, but is great at construction work. He doesn’t even talk a good line and stammers when he says why he stopped. Mr. Knows-instantly-the quality-of-an-applicant landlord takes one look at the applicant in his dirty, work clothes and outside at his work truck that could use some washing and immediately acts as if this prospective tenant is imposing on him.

This prospective tenant has worked for the same company for fi ve years, was just promoted to supervisor, earns in excess of $50,000 a year and drives a late-model, paid-for Toyota Camry on weekends. In addition, he has lived in his current home for seven years and

never been late with the rent. But the landlord could tell just by looking that this prospective tenant was unqualifi ed. He never offers an application.

Later that same day, another prospective tenant is driving down the same street on his way back from some nefarious activity and sees the same for-rent sign. This man is well-dressed and is driving a new Lexus that is about to be repossessed by the fi nance company because he hasn’t made a payment for three months. He has to park several blocks away from his current home so the tow truck driver can’t fi nd the car. He also has to sneak into his apartment because he hasn’t paid any rent lately. He has been too busy trying to impress people with his free drinks and meals while he tries to suck them into his latest scheme.

He strides into the property full of self-confi dence, wearing his $1,000 suit and Hugo Boss shoes, smiles, introduces himself, and compliments the landlord on a “beautiful property.” He adds that he “could really feel at home in a place like this that is maintained so well since he wouldn’t live in just any rental home. After all, his home has to be one that fi ts his carefully crafted public facade.

With his fi fth sense, Mr. Knows-instantly-the quality-of-an-applicant landlord takes one look at the prospective tenant and knows that this would be a wonderful person to have living in his property. He thinks about offering an application but decides against it for fear of driving off a potential, platinum-quality tenant by doubting hisquality. In fact, he asks this applicant, “when can you move in?

As I pointed out above, the best way to get rid of a bad tenant and to entice a good tenant is to offer an application with the words “we screen applicants carefully” somewhere toward the top. The most successful landlords do screen every applicant carefully no matter how “good or bad” they fi rst appear and offer each person who looks at his property an application.

Robert Cain is a nationally-recognized speaker and writer on property management and real estate issues. For a free sample copy of the Rental Property Reporter call 800-654-5456 or visit their web site at www.rentalprop.com.

Page 8: August 2012 RHA Newsletter

Page 8 RHAGP UPDATEDear Maintenance Men:By Jerry L’Ecuyer & Frank Alvarez

Dear Maintenance Men:I have an older apartment building in a temperate climate. The residents complain about the units being too hot in summer and too chilly in winter. What do you recommend as the most cost effective method of insulating the building?Sam

Dear Sam:It is very common for older buildings to have no insulation whatsoever. As for where the best bang for your buck is concerned, ceiling insulation is the winner. It is very easy and inexpensive to install. Wall insulation is much harder and involves a more invasive approach. To illustrate the differences; ceiling insulation can be either batt or loose fill insulation. The batt method is a bit more labor intensive and is less effective than loose fill. If you decide to use loose fill or blown-in insulation, be careful not to block ventilation holes or cover any through the ceiling light fixtures. Insulating existing walls typically involves drilling holes

just below any fire blocks and blowing loose fill insulation into the wall cavity. Repairs to walls will be needed after the work is completed. The best of all worlds would be to do both wall and attic insulation. However, if you must choose one over the other, we recommend doing the attic first as we have found this to be the most effective at cutting heating and cooling costs. You may want to check with your city or utility supplier; they often have low cost energy saving programs, or rebates. If it is in your budget, replace all the windows with energy saving double pane windows. The double pane windows will help keep the units cool in summer and warm in winter.

Dear Maintenance Men:My rental unit has a kitchen with a double sink and the drains smell bad. I have tried running lemon slices through the garbage disposal, it works for a short time, but the stink comes back. What steps do you recommend for resolving this problem? Barbra

Continued on page 9

Page 9: August 2012 RHA Newsletter

AUGUST 2012 Page 9

www.RHAGP.org

Dear Barbra:The smell may come from a number of places. First, remove the rubber splashguard and give it a good scrub down. With the splashguard out of the way, use a small toilet type brush with liquid dish soap and scrub the inside of the garbage disposal. This will remove any slime build-up. (For safety reasons, shut the garbage disposal off at the breaker or pull the plug.) Next remove the drain trap and clean out any accumulated sludge. Many times the horizontal pipe between the trap and the wall may have hard deposits coating the inside of the pipe. The deposits will collect food and debris that may slow the drains considerably. If you have a dishwasher, check the drain line leading from the air-gap or dishwasher to the garbage disposal. It may be full of sludge that will cause a smell to come through the air-gap located next to the faucet. Clean or replace any pipes with deposits or sludge. Check both drain lines for the above problems. Now if you wish, run the garbage disposal with a few lemon slices and it should smell good and stay that way. Occasionally, throw some white vinegar laced ice cubes in the garbage disposal unit to help scrape away any debris & deodorize at the same time.

Dear Maintenance Men:Twice a week, we have a garbage truck empty our buildings trash bin. The problem is that the concrete driveway area where the truck picks up and empties the trash is badly damaged. We have patched the cracks and even dug out the area and poured new concrete. However, the cracks come back and the area starts to sink and break up. What can I do to stop this cycle? Marty

Dear Marty:This problem can be frustrating; the new generation trash trucks are much heavier and can carry heavier loads than the trucks 20 years ago. Adding to that problem is that our buildings seem to generate much more trash than before. We have had the same problems ourselves so we understand. The damage occurs when the truck picks up the trash bin and dumps it. The truck bounces on its front wheels each time the bin is shook while dumping the trash. The best solution is to create a landing pad for the trash truck to use. The pad should be at least one and half times as wide as the trash truck and at minimum half as long as the truck. It would be best to make the pad the full length of the truck, but it would be costly. The concrete should be a minimum of eight to twelve inches thick, with the perimeter foundation of the pad at least 18 inches deep by 12 inches wide; this will keep the edges from cracking. Use six inches of crushed stone as the base for

the slab. Heavy-duty rebar or heavy mesh will add strength to the slab & foundation. Contact a local concrete supplier for specifications on the size of rebar, mesh and strength of concrete needed. This landing pad is not cheap, but it should last near forever. We feel sorry for a future repair person whose job it is to remove the driveway!

Paint Trivia: In the 1860s, a painted house was a sign of great wealth. Average Americans, who often could not afford to paint their homes, kept up appearances by nailing cedar clapboard to them.

FYI: If you would like to see your maintenance question in the Dear Maintenance Men column, please send in your questions to: [email protected]

Bio:Please call Buffalo Maintenance, Inc or JLE Property Management, Inc for Maintenance, consultation or management.For an appointment, call Frankie Alvarez at 714 956-8371 or Jerry LEcuyer at 714 778-0480. CA contractor lic: #797645, EPA Certified Renovation Company and DRE lic: 01460075. Please view our websites at www.BuffaloMaintenance.com & www.ContactJLE.com

Serving Oregon & Washington Landlords For Over 15 Years

Just three minutes from the RHAGP main office! 850 NE 122nd Ave., Portland, OR 97230

503-255-8795 • [email protected]

Jeffrey S. Bennett Attorney at Law

Continued from page 8

Page 10: August 2012 RHA Newsletter

Page 10 RHAGP UPDATE

MRLANDLORD.COM MONTHLY TIPS ON MANAGEMENT

IS YOUR SIGN IN THE WRONG PLACE? Once you're in this business for several years, you'll start seeing the cycles that are natural in real estate. The timing of the cycle will vary from area to area, but the cycle exists just the same. You'll go from having all your rentals full and perhaps a waiting list of people wanting to rent from you, to having several empty apartments and not a good applicant in sight.

When you're in that "down" cycle, times can get tough. I remember one such winter. It was cold and nobody wanted to move unless they absolutely had to. As you drove through my city, you would see For Rent signs on nearly every street. None of the landlords could fi ll their empty apartments.

It was a renter's dream because there were many more apartments than there were renters. I had an exceptionally high number of vacancies myself. Some of my tenants had left due to job transfers, some had left due to relationship changes, and some probably left because they saw other rentals in the city for rent cheaper than what they were paying me. For me, the bottom line was that I had to get these empty places rented to cover my expenses. I had ads in the newspaper, I had canvassed some neighborhoods with fl yers, and of course I had For Rent signs in front of the buildings that had vacancies.

Then one day I sent my handyman to do a number of tasks, one of which was to plant a For Rent sign in the lawn of a building. He ended up putting it at a different building that I owned (the wrong building). However, I started getting a lot of calls due to that sign. Of course, I had to explain to the callers that I didn't actually have a vacancy in that building right now, but I did have several other available apartments close by. I actually ended up renting several apartments due to that sign on the wrong lawn. Over the years, I found that this particular location was my highest visibility spot - it was the front lawn with the most passing traffi c out of all my buildings. Lesson Learned: There's no rule that says the For Rent sign has to be in front of the building with the vacancy. In retrospect it seems like common sense, but I learned to put signs in the busiest and most attractive locations and once you get the calls you can then give them the details about where the vacancies are. The fi rst goal is to get the phone ringing. By Dan Arnold, author of Stupid Mistakes of a Self-Made Millionaire Landlord.

WHAT APPLIANCES DO YOU INCLUDE IN YOUR RENTAL?Landlords often ask the question, "What appliances should I include in my rental(s)?" Most often, the competition in the local area will help dictate what appliances landlords decide to include.However, I'd like to offer a suggestion to rental owners. Even if you decide to have the appliances present in the rental when showing it to prospective residents, consider asking the following magic question on the application: "Are you able to provide one or more of your own appliances? If not, you can rent or purchase ours at a small additional cost." This opens up the conversation for discussion which you can then take in whatever direction you think is best. If your state requires that you include a specifi c appliance, you can say that the question refers to appliances beyond the minimum requirement.

This question may help you generate additional income for appliance(s) that you did not think was possible. Even if you don't charge extra, you may be able to rent your property faster, by saying, "You are currently offering a 'Move-In Special'," where for the next new resident, we can let the appliance(s) remain in the property and you are free to use them on loan and maintain them. Should they ever stop working or you wish to stop using them, we will be glad to remove them for you."

You may also discover, that more prospective residents than you think volunteer that they have their own appliances, which allows you to use your appliances for another rental and not have to worry about the maintenance of their own appliances.

Again, by simply asking the magic question, it offers opportunity for you to "customize" your rental offer to best meet the needs of the prospective rental. The way you "present what you have to offer" can greatly affect your effectiveness in leasing your property and can increase your cash fl ow. How you present your rentals is often more important than what you actually offer.

The above tips are shared on the MrLandlord.com website and in the Mr. Landlord newsletter from landlord contributors and real estate advisors and authors featured on MrLandlord.com. To receive a free sample of Mr. Landlord newsletter, call 1-800-950-2250 or visit their informative Q&A Forum at LandlordingAdvice.com, where you can ask landlording questions and seek the advice of other rental owners 24 hours a day.

Page 11: August 2012 RHA Newsletter

AUGUST 2012 Page 11

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Ways to Create Extra Apartment Revenue - Yield ManagementBy Jim Baumgartner

It is no mystery that the past few years have been tough on the multi family industry. We are seeing pockets of recovery while other regions are still suffering. Despite overall vacancy issues, you often will see certain fl oor plans or views maintain high demand. This is where market rate properties can boost revenue by practicing yield management.I fi rst started practicing yield management when I worked with a client that primarily owned hotels. They taught me a lesson that I would never forget. When occupancy is high, the prices go up. When occupancy is low, prices drop. Basic right? The key, however, was to look for opportunities to grow revenue even when overall occupancy is down. I was curious as to what Wikipedia had for a defi nition and really like what they had to say - there are three essential conditions for yield management to be applicable:• That there is a fi xed amount of resources available for sale.• That the resources sold are perishable (there is a time limit to selling the resources, after which they cease to be of value).• That different customers are willing to pay a different price for using the same amount of resources.Airlines jumped on yield management after deregulation. In essence, they cannot manufacture more seats just as we cannot add more rental units. Hotels quickly jumped on this trend as well. We all sell space for a specifi ed time frame. We have a time limit—and if we don’t maximize that time we lose money.There are software programs available that will help you to do this; however, if you want to experiment without the investment, gather your front-line team, take a look at your property and ask, “Which styles always rent the fastest?” Every property has apartments that rent quickly. This is an opportunity to create revenue where there was none before. Push the rents on those styles.Create a base price. This may be as simple as taking your current pricing and adjusting from there. However, if upon review you fi nd that some unit styles are always full and you have occupancy issues on others, you may have a pricing problem. If you aren’t already doing so, do a market analysis to compare your pricing with your comps. Are their rents higher or lower than yours? (You can look at rents per square foot; however, most customers do not take the time to analyze this. They are more concerned with “What do I get for my money and how much will it cost me each month?”)

Are their amenities better or not as nice? Is the location comparable? Put yourself in your customers’ shoes. Be as unbiased as possible. If you were your customer, how much would you pay? As a result of this exercise you will discover where you can push rents and perhaps where some should be pulled back a bit. Increase rents for value items. Increase the base price for amenities such as fi replace, vaults, extra windows, upgraded fi nishes (appliances, carpet, remodels, etc.), which fl oor it is on (top fl oor is generally premium—unless you do not have an elevator, walk-outs are a premium due to convenience for dog owners and active residents) and views (pool or nature views). (One of the benefi ts of going through this exercise with your team and manually adjusting rents is that everyone understands the reasoning behind the pricing and can therefore explain it to their customers. This has been a frustration with yield management software.)Invariably, when we have gone through this process we have ended up creating the equivalent of several units’ worth of revenue. So, on a 100-unit site, we have ended up with revenue generation equivalent to 103 to 107 units (based on former average rents). At the high end you can end up with almost an extra month’s worth of revenue per year!You will also fi nd that you have enough income to more than offset reduced rents on the apartment styles that typically do not move quickly. This gives you the benefi t of a lower ‘loss leader’ for advertising purposes as well. There is also snobbery on the upper end of the market so this increases your total range and broadens your appeal to a larger slice of the market.At the end of this process you may fi nd that you love the extra income that yield management brings you. (Undoubtedly your ownership will!) At that point you will want to look at the benefi ts of utilizing a yield management software versus doing it yourself. There are pros and cons to both. Regardless of which you choose, you will grow your asset and hopefully increase bonuses and your career growth! Seize the opportunity!

Jim Baumgartner is Senior Vice President of RentSoda, a consulting company offering apartment marketing, business & operations consulting as well as industry-specifi c training. For more information visit www.rentsoda.com or email [email protected] with permission.

Page 12: August 2012 RHA Newsletter

Page 12 RHAGP UPDATE

ACCOUNTING / BOOKKEEPINGBalancing Point, Inc.

Sandy Buhite-LandisP.503-659-8803, C.503-504-946612500 SE Oatfi eld Rd, Milwaukie, [email protected]

Cheryl C. Delozier, CPA 503-239-0111Charlie Rogers & Vicki MartinTax & Accounting [email protected]

Northwood Business SvcsJon Moon, P.503-297-2610OBTP #B01422 LTC 5177Accounting/Tax [email protected]

Portland Tax CompanyP.503-258-0700, F.503-256-1527Full Service Tax and [email protected]

ADVERTISING / MARKETINGThe Landlord Times

P.503-221-1260News for Property Managers and Ownerswww.thelandlordtimes.com

The Oregonian PublishingDavid Sandvig, P.503-221-84171320 SW Broadway, Portland [email protected]

APPLIANCE-RENT,SERVICE,LEASEAzuma Leasing

BJ Rosow, P.800-707-1188P.512-236-9000, F.512-239-90092905 San Gabriel St #218Austin, TX 78705

Mac-Gray CorporationFormerly Web Laundry CompanyKaren AnthonyP-503-330-9628

Mr. Appliance of PDX, CCB#190613P.503-658-520425% Labor for RHAGP MembersAny Problem, Any Brand, Any Time

APPLIANCE-SALES ONLYG&C Distributing Company

Tony Kavanagh, P.503-288-02215010 NE Oregon St, Portland 97213

Standard TV & ApplianceJoe Mosee & Cathy MoseeP.503-619-0500, C.503-888-69273600 SW Hall Blvd, Beaverton 97005

APPLICANT SCREENINGNational Tenant Network

Marcia GohmanP.503-635-1118, F.503-635-9392PO Box 21027, Keizer 97303www.ntnonline.com

Prospective Renters Verifi cation ServiceCharlie KamermanP.503-655-0888, F.503-655-0900

RHAGPP.503-254-4723, F.503-254-4821Fast, affordable tenant screeningwww.rhagp.org

TrueSource Screening, LLC David Mustard

P.888-546-3588, F.888-546-3588www.truesourcescreening.com

Tenant Check LLCBrent VaughtersP.360-574-3924, F.360-397-0196www.aptcheck.com

ASPHALT PAVINGHal’s Construction, Inc. CCB# 34434

Brian King, P.503-656-499920666 S HWY 213, Oregon City [email protected]

ASSOCIATIONSMetro Area Smoke Free Housing Project

P.503-718-6145www.smokefreeoregon.com

ATTORNEYSBittner & Hahs, P.C.

Andy Hahs, P.503-228-56264949 SW Meadows Rd #260Lake Oswego 97035

Broer & Passannante, P.S.Mark G Passannante, P.503-294-09101211 SW Fifth #2330, Portland 97204

Jeffrey S. BennettJeff Bennett, P.503-255-8795850 NE 122nd Ave, Portland 97230Protecting landlords’ rights in Oregon for over a decade.

Law Offi ces of Richard Schneider, LLCP.503-241-1215, www.rbsllc.com2455 NW Marshall St #11, Portland 97210Business formation ~ LLCs

Scott A.McKeown, P.C.Scott McKeown, P.503-224-19378700 SW 26th Ave, STE. S, Portland [email protected]

Timothy Murphy, Attorney at LawAlways representing ONLY landlordsTim Murphy P. 503-550-4894522 SW 5th Ave, #812, Portland 97204

BLIND CLEANINGAlpenglow Window Treatment Co.

Paul Kuzmenko P: [email protected] Ultrasonic Blind Cleaning

BASEMENT WATERPROOFINGJohn’s Waterproofi ng, CCB# 15830

Crawlspace Waterproofi ngP. 503-233-0825 Fully Staffedwww.johnswaterproofi ng.com

CARPENTRY & REPAIRSEaton General Construction, CCB# 154142

P.503-539-0811Full Service General Contractorwww.eatongeneral.com

G&G Construction Inc., CCB# 162743P.503-826-9404Maintenance & Painting [email protected]

CARPET CLEANINGApple Cleaning Co.

Order & Quotes for Carpet Steam CleaningApartment, House & Offi ce CleaningCall 503-380-5298/[email protected]

Dura Clean Carpet CleaningUpholstery, Pet odor removal, Flood ServiceP.503-914-8785 [email protected]

O’Meara Carpet Cleaning503-538-1983, 503-620-5005Cleaning, Pet Odor Removal, Flood Damagewww.omearacarpetcleaning.com

CARPET SALESContract Furnishings MartRoss Williams

P.503-230-1250, 800-275-6722915 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland 97214

Patrick VonPegertP.503-542-8900, 800-935-125014160 SW 72nd Ave #110, Tigard 97224

Roger HarmsP.503-656-5277, 877-656-523215140 SE 82nd Dr, Clackamas 97015info@cfmfl oors.com

Pat HockmanP.360-896-6150, 800-267-615011013 NE 39th St, Vancouver WA 98682

The Floor StoreTed Stapleton, P.503-408-64885628 SE Woodstock Blvd Portland 97206ted@fl oorstoreportland.com

CLEANING / CLEAN UPAll Surface Cleaning Co., CCB# 155380

Adam Zumwalt, P.503-781-3611Exterior surface clean & restorewww.allsurfacecleaning.com

COLLECTION AGENCIESAnderson & Associates Credit Svcs, LLC

P.503-293-5400, F.503-813-2159PO Box 230286, Portland [email protected]

COMMUNICATIONSComcast Business Services

Dave Dronkowski, P.503-957-4186Telephone, Internet and Cable TV [email protected]

CONCRETEHal’s Construction, Inc. CCB# 34434

Brian King, P.503-656-499920666 S HWY 213, Oregon City [email protected]

DOORSGoose Hollow Window Co., Inc.

Mary D. Mann [email protected]#53631 goosehwc.comEnergy Trust Trade Ally

ELECTRICDeKorte Electric, Inc. CCB#159954

P.503-288-22115331 SW Macadam #258-113, Portland 97239

Portland General ElectricAnne Snyder-Grassmann, P.503-464-7534

Rental Housing Maint. Svcs. CCB#163427Gary Indra, P.503-678-2136Fully Licensed to do it [email protected]

ENERGY CONSERVATIONEcoTech LLC

[email protected]

ESTATE PLANNINGLaw Offi ces of Richard Schneider, LLC

P.503-241-1215, www.rbsllc.com2455 NW Marshall St #11, Portland 97210

EVICTIONSAction Services

Wally Lemke, P.503-244-1226PO Box 69621, Portland 97239Your eviction & process service specialists

Barrister Support ServiceP.503-246-8934Evictions, 1st appearances, process servingwww.barristersupport.com

Landlord SolutionsP.503-242-2312, F.503-242-1881PO Box 7087, Portland 97007Online evictions & fi rst appearanceswww.landlord-solutions.com

Portland Pioneer PropertiesP.503-238-2560, F.503-232-0187Full Prop. Management ServiceLIN# 200201113, CCB# 144531

1031 EXCHANGES/REITSTENANCY IN COMMON

Peregrine Private Capital Corp.P.503-241-49495000 Meadows Road, # 230 Lake Oswego [email protected]

FINANCIAL SERVICESAmerican Commercial Mortgage Network

Al Williams, P.206-264-13251366 91st Ave NE, Clyde Hill, WA 98004

Associated Mortgage Group, Inc.Sandi Swinford 503-781-0092sandi@associated mortgage.comLicensed Mortgage Broker, NMLS 89930

Chase Commercial Term LendingTom Barbour, P.503-598-3657Steve Mozinski, [email protected]

Commercial Lending Group, Inc.Trevor T. Calton, P.503-704-4999Professor of Real Estate Finance, PSUCommercial/Multifamily Mortgage Broker

RH Financial Services Inc.Robert Hogg, P.503-781-41811944 NE 45th Ave, Portland 97213roberth@rhfi nancial.net

Wells Fargo Home MortgageRon Eiseman, P.503-886-14971300 SW Fifth Ave. STE 950,Portland [email protected]

FIRE / WATER DAMAGE RESTORATIONCooper Construction, CCB#08587

P.503-232-3121, Since 19502305 SE 9th Ave, Portland 97214www.fi re-water-restoration.com

Horizon Restoration, CCB#160672John PeddenP.503-620-2215, F.503-624-05237235 SW Bonita Rd, Portland 97224

J.R. Johnson Inc., CCB#102676P.503-240-3388, 24/7 ResponseCatastrophe Restoration Specialistswww.jrjohnsoninc.com

While the Rental Housing Associati on accepts adverti sing at face value, it cannot endorse the adverti ser or otherwise guarantee the quality of the products or services being adverti sed. Such guarantees, writt en or implied, are solely the responsibility of the adverti ser.

PreferredService GuideDual and Affi liate members

support the interest of rental housing through their

membership in RHA.

Let the advertiser know that you received their contact information through the Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland

Page 13: August 2012 RHA Newsletter

AUGUST 2012 Page 13

www.RHAGP.org

FIRE SAFETYTualatin Valley Fire & Rescue

Eric T McMullen, P.503-612-70007401 SW Washo Ct, STE 101, Tualatin [email protected]

FLOOR COVERINGContract Furnishings Mart

Ross WilliamsP.503-230-1250, 800-275-6722915 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland 97214

Patrick VonPegertP.503-542-8900, 800-935-125014160 SW 72nd Ave #110, Tigard 97224

Roger HarmsP.503-656-5277, 877-656-523215140 SE 82nd Dr, Clackamas 97015info@cfmfl oors.com

Pat HockmanP.360-896-6150, 800-267-615011013 NE 39th St, Vancouver WA 98682Refi nishing & Laminate fl ooring

Eaton General Construction, CCB# 154142 P.503-539-0811All Types of Floor Coveringwww.eatongeneral.com

J & B Hardwood Floors, Inc.Jim Cripps, P.503-519-4920jandbhardwoodfl [email protected]

Rental Housing Maint. Svcs. CCB# 163427Gary Indra, P.503-678-2136Vinyl, VCT, ceramic, hardwood installs

The Floor StoreTed Stapleton, P.503-408-64885628 SE Woodstock Blvd Portland 97206ted@fl oorstoreportland.com

FORMSRHAGP

P.503-254-4723, F.503-254-4821Court-tested, up-to-date rental formswww.rhagp.org

FURNITURE Express Contract Services Sean Filzen, P971-678-6691 www.EFRCONTRACT.com Because furnished units rent higher

HANDYMANBluestone & Hockley Real Estate Services

Chuck Hodges, P.503-222-38009320 SW Barbur Blvd STE300, Ptld [email protected]

Eaton General Construction, CCB# 154142P.503-539-0811Full Service General Contractorwww.eatongeneral.com

G&G Construction Inc., CCB# 162743P.503-826-9404Maintenance & Painting [email protected]

Rental Housing Maint. Svcs. CCB# 163427Gary Indra, P.503-678-2136Fully licensed to do it [email protected]

Wieder Works, CCB#164323Darren J Wiederhold, C.503-260-2133Maintenance, Repair, Replacementwww.wiederworks.com

HAULINGJunk Away Hauling CCB# 177966

P.503-517-9027Licensed, bonded, insured, trash [email protected]

HEATING & COOLINGMidway Heating Co. CCB#24044

P.503-252-400312625 SE Sherman St, Portland 97233

Pyramid Heating & Cooling CCB# 59382P.503-786-9522Serving the Portland Metro [email protected]

HEATING OIL TANKEcoTech LLC

P: [email protected]

HOUSING AUTHORITIESHousing Authority of Portland

Jill Riddle, P.503-802-8565135 SW Ash St, Portland 97204

INSULATION GOOSE HOLLOW WINDOW CO., INC.

Mary D. Mann [email protected]#53631 goosehwc.comEnergy Trust Trade Ally

INSURANCELarry Thompson Agency

P.503-924-2200, F.503-924-220215573 SE Bangy Rd, STE 220Lake Oswego 97035

Robinson Financial GroupRita J. Robinson , P.503-557-4997Group & Indiv. Health Insurance

State Farm InsurancePaul Toole, P.503-655-22066105 W “A” St #B, West Linn 97068

Stegmann Agency - Farmers InsuranceP.503-667-7971, F.503-666-8110202 SE 181st Ave #201, Portland [email protected]

Wolter Van Doorninck, CPCUElliot, Powell, Baden & BakerP.503-227-1771, F.503-274-76448355 SW Davies Rd, Beaverton 97008

INVESTMENT SERVICESPeregrine Private Capital Corp.

P.503-241-49495000 Meadows Road, # 230 Lake Oswego [email protected]

LANDSCAPINGJ. Salinas Landscaping

J. Salinas, P.503-816-1190

Oregon Tree [email protected]

MASON CONTRACTORSD&R Masonry Restoration, Inc., CCB#99196

Ray Elkins, P.503-353-16508890 SE McLoughlin Blvd, Milwaukie97222www.drmasonry.com

MOLDJ.R. Johnson Inc. , CCB#102676

P.503-240-3388, 24/7 ResponseCatastrophe Restoration Specialistswww.jrjohnsoninc.com

Real Estate Roofi ng Service, CCB# 149575Yost Espelien, P.503-232-6653Free Inspections, Testing & Remediationwww.realestatemoldsolutions.com

MOVERS-HOUSEEmmert Development Company

Terry Emmert, P.503-655-993311811 SE Hwy 212, Clackamas 97015

PAINT / PAINTERSBrad Poppino Painting Co. CCB# 185497

Brad Poppino P.503-659-7551,/503-957-8298Interior / ExteriorLead Paint Certifi ed

G&G Construction Inc, CCB# 162743P.503-826-9404Maintenance & Painting [email protected]

Rental Housing Maint. Svcs. CCB# 163427Gary Indra, P.503-678-2136Professional interior & exterior [email protected]

Richard Hallman Painting CCB# 142467RichardHallman, P.503-819-1210Quality interior painting

Rodda PaintTim Epperly, [email protected]

PEST CONTROL Frost Integrated Pest Mgmt

P.503-863-0973Residential • Commercial • Multi-Familywww.frostpestfreezone.com

NW Pest ControlBruce Beswick, P.503-253-53259108 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland [email protected]

Orkin Pest ControlDan WolcottAccount Manager & InspectorP-503-384-8384 [email protected]

PLUMBING / DRAIN CLEANINGGrumpy’s Drains

Portland’s #1 Drain Cleaning Servicewww.grumpysdrains.com503422-9476

MJ’s Plumbing, CCB# 36338Michael LeFever, P.503-261-91551045 NE 79, Portland 97213

ProDrain & Rooter Service, Inc.West 503-533-0430, East 503-239-3750Drain cleaining/plumbingwww.prodrainpdx.com

Rental Housing Maint. Svcs. CCB# 163427Gary Indra, P.503-678-2136Fully licensed to do it [email protected]

PROPERTY MANAGERSAction Management

Wendi Samperi, P.503-710-0732

Alpine Property ManagementTiffany Arrington, P.503-641-46204750 SW Washington Ave, Beaverton 97005www.alpinepdx.com

Associated Property ManagementJane Raffety, P.503-648-2150408 SE Baseline, Hillsboro 97123www.associatedmgmt.com

Bluestone & Hockley Real Estate ServicesCliff Hockley, P.503-222-38009320 SW Barbur Blvd STE300, Portland 97219

Bridge City PropertiesTony Forhan, P.503-866-8894Serving Multn., Clackamas, Wash. countieswww.bridgecitypm.com

Fox Management, Inc.Tressa L. Rossi, P.503-280-0241C.503-750-8124, F.503-280-02421734 NE Broadway, Portland [email protected]

The Garcia GroupRon Garcia, P.503-595-47475320 SW Macadam STE 100, Portland 97239www.4-homes.com

Gateway Property Management P-503-303-8545 www.gatewaypdx.com Property Management Done Right!

Lakeside Property Management Co. Michelle Wrege, P.503-828-2283

Finding Home Owners Qualifi ed Tenantswww.lakesidepmc.com

Micro Property Management “We focus on the small details”

P- [email protected]

Portland Pioneer PropertiesP.503-238-2560, F.503-232-0187Full prop. managment serviceLIN#200201113, CCB# 144531

Prim & Prosperous Property Management3PM, 503-635-8926Patricia [email protected]

Rappold Property ManagementTroy K. Rappold, P.503-232-59901125 SE Madison St STE 201, Portland [email protected]

University Real Estate Services, Inc.Tom Coulter, P.503-492-8668929 NE 181st STE C, Portland 97230

Voss Property ManagementRichard Voss, P.503-546-79026110 N Lombard St, Portland 97203

RADONEcoTech LLC

P: [email protected]

REAL ESTATE SALESBluestone & Hockley Real Estate Services

Cliff Hockley, P.503-222-38009320 SW Barbur Blvd STE300, Portland 97219

Chris AndersonJohn L. Scott Real [email protected]

Denise L GodingKeller Williams RealtyP.503-336-6378, C.503-799-2970www.denisegoding.com

Elizabeth CarpenterLizC Real Estate Investments, LLCP.503-314-6498, F.503-698-6566liz @ lizcrei.com, www.lizcrei.com

HFO Investment Real EstateGreg Frick, P.503-241-55411028 SE Water Ave, STE 270, Portland 97214www.hfore.com

Ilse NormanAssociate AdvisorSperry Van Ness Bluestone & Hockleyp-503-459-4376 www.svnbluestone.com

Let the advertiser know that you received their contact information through the Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland

Page 14: August 2012 RHA Newsletter

Page 14 RHAGP UPDATE

J.L. Lutz & CompanyJim LutzP.503-297-7101, F.503-291-78515440 SW Westgate Dr #115, Portland 97221 [email protected]

The Garcia GroupRon Garcia, P.503-595-47475320 SW Macadam STE 100, Portland 97239www.4-homes.com

RESTORATION / RECONSTRUCTIONEaton General Construction, CCB# 154142

P.503-539-0811Full Service General Contractorwww.eatongeneral.com

Horizon Restoration, CCB#160672John PeddenP.503-620-2215, F.503-624-05237235 SW Bonita Rd, Portland 97224

J.R. Johnson Inc., CCB#102676P.503-240-3388, 24/7 ResponseCatastrophe Restoration Specialistswww.jrjohnsoninc.com

Rental Housing Maint. Svcs. CCB# 163427Gary Indra, P.503-678-2136Fully licensed to do it [email protected]

ROOFINGAAA Roof Service, CCB# 78618

Jack Robinson, P.503-642-5353Shingle & Flat Roof Systemswww.aaaroofservice.com

All Surface Cleaning Co., CCB# 155380Adam Zumwalt, P.503-781-3611Replacement, repair, cleaningwww.allsurfacecleaning.com

Real Estate Roofi ng Service, CCB# 149575Lynne Whitney, P.503-284-5522Free Inspections, ReRoof and Repairswww.realestateroofi ng.com

SEAL COATINGHal’s Construction, Inc. CCB# 34434

Brian King, P.503-656-499920666 S HWY 213, Oregon City [email protected]

SEISMIC RETROFITSEcoTech LLC

[email protected]

SIDINGJ.R. Johnson Inc., CCB#102676

P.503-240-3388General Contracting Serviceswww.jrjohnsoninc.com

TELEPHONEComcast

Telephone, internet, Cable and TV ServicesDave DronkowskiP.503-957-4186

UTILITY BILLINGMinol USA

15280 Addison Rd. Suite 100 Addison, TX.972-386-6611minolusa.com

WATERPROOFING / CONCRETE REPAIRD&R Waterproofi ng, Inc. CCB# 99196

Ray Elkins, P.503-353-16508890 SE McLoughlin Blvd, Milwaukie97222www.drmasonry.com

WINDOWS / STORM WINDOWS

GOOSE HOLLOW WINDOW CO., INC.Mary D. Mann [email protected]#53631 goosehwc.comEnergy Trust Trade Ally

J.R. Johnson Inc.., CCB#102676P.503-240-3388General Contracting Services www.jrjohnsoninc.com

Let the advertiser know that you received their contact information through the Rental Housing Association of

Greater Portland

Scan QR Code on

Smartphone for Online

Vendor Info.

Page 15: August 2012 RHA Newsletter

AUGUST 2012 Page 15

www.RHAGP.org

Commercial Lending ClassTaught by Trevor Calton with Commercial Lending Group

Thursday August 9, 2012 from 6:30pm-8:00pmat RHA Offi ce 10520 NE Weidler Portland 97220

Trevor Calton with Commercial Lending Group is a 15-year veteran of mortgage banking and multifamily real estate, will be talking on the following topics:

• Calculating the ROI of Refi nancing-Is it worth paying that prepayment penalty?

• the Current Real Estate Lending Environment-”Where’s the money?”• Calculating Property Values and Actual Returns- “How much am I really

making?”• Leveraging Properties to Reinvest-”Can I turn excess equity into cash?”• Leveraging Leverage-”How a Low-Interest Assumable Loan Makes Your

Property More Valuable.”

Cost is $25 for members or $35 for non-members. Register by Monday August 6th and receive a $5.00 discount on the price of class.

Decision Point WebEx Class-Taught by Marcia Gohman with National Tenant Network

Friday August 10, 2012 at 11amThursday August 23,, 2012 at 7pm

This class is offered to members of the RHA only. If you have a current service agreement and do your tenant screening through the RHA and would like to learn how to read the Decision Point report with more accuracy, then this is the class for you.

This is a FREE class for RHA members only. This is a WebEx class that is taken from the comfort of your own home or offi ce computer. Call the RHA offi ce at 503/254-4723 for more details and to reserve your spot in the class.

Identifying Water Intrusion Problems ClassTaught by John Lombardi with John’s Waterproofi ng Co.

Tuesday August 28, 2012 from 6:30pm-8:00pmat Standard TV & Appliance 3600 SW Hall Blvd. Beaverton 97005

Basements and crawlspaces leak with regularity, therefore, we will discuss new construction codes, methods of waterproofi ng, and proper drainage. For existing basements and crawlspaces, we will explain why they leak, problems caused from leakage and water, structure and health, problems with water vapor, and how to guarantee repair.Cost is $25 for members or $35 for non-members. Register by Friday August 24th and receive a $5.00 discount on the price of class. This class will be worth 1 Continuing Education Hour.

The RHAGP Mission

The Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland is a group of rental housing owners and managers in the Portland metropoli-tan area who have joined together for the purposes of:

• Providing information to improve the knowl-edge of rental owners and managers.

• Enhancing the reputation of “landlords” by promoting professional practices.

• Assisting local public officials on various community endeavors relating to public or private housing.

The Update is a monthly publication for members of The Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland.10520 NE Weidler St, Portland, OR 97220Phone 503-254-4723, Fax 503-254-4821www.rhagp.orgHours: Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Editorial Staff Alita DoughertyCari Pierce - Graphic Designer

Publisher: The Rental Housing Associati onof Greater Portland

The opinions expressed in this newslett er are those of the authors and do not refl ect those of the Board of Directors or the newslett er editor or committ ee.

All adverti sing inquiries should be directed to Alita Dougherty or Cari Pierce at 503-254-4723.Please noti fy the RHA offi ce of any address changes.

RHAGP CLASSESScan QR Code on Smartphone for Online Event

Ticket Info.

Page 16: August 2012 RHA Newsletter

Page 16 RHAGP UPDATE

RHAGP NEWSLETTER WARNING OF CRAIGSLIST SCAM IN PORTLAND By Steve Sichau

I have just been scammed by a person outside the US for my rental house.

My renter is in real estate and said this Craigslist fraud is widespread in Portland now.

You can tell from the grammer and syntax of the scam email below that this looks bogus.

I put an ad on Craigslist with 1 photo and text with a rental price of $1550 for my 2500SF house in SW Portland.

The scammers took the actual text from my real ad and made a Craigslist property ad with a phony email return address with the actual name of my current renters as [email protected]

They did this by going into whitepages.com and typing in the address of the property. It returned the complete names of my renters including middle initial.

The scammers created an ad with my photo of the house and my ad text and listed the property in Craigslist for $900 in the scam ad.

The scammer then responded to many email replies in order to get people to send information about their credit on a rental form or to ask for money.

A number of people went to the property and disturbed my renters. The fl yer box at the site listed the correct rent at $1550 and the fl yer had my phone number. I got about 20 emails and calls on this house in a two day period. Many people were upset that they had one price in the scam ad and traveled to the property to see a higher rent listed.

My renters were very upset, as their real names were used to create a phony Yahoo email account, and my renters had people just showing up and knocking on their door.

I fi nally had to put a sign up on the front door

to the house and on the fl yer box warning that the rental ad was a scam and not to disturb the renters, so please call my phone, as the owner.

The following text was sent to me by a person who corresponded with the scammer:

They listed a return phone of +34 which is in Spain

From: Person who responded to scam ad

Sent: Friday, May 18, 2012 9:44 AM

To:

Subject: Suspected Spam: Re: House for Rent

Hello ,

The house is still available for rent. As you can see a lot of people have responded to this advert and it is fi rst come fi rst serve. We are renting out this house because of the new contract I have signed with an employer in Spain, We have been waiting for our agent to rent out the home before we live for Spain but because of his infl ated price the renting out of my home has been delayed till date, that is why we decided to handle this. As you can see I am presently in Spain with my family, below is my phone number, you can call me anytime, skype or e-mail me. You can drive by and take a look of the house ( full address: XXXX Southwest XXXX Street, Portland OR 97221) and get back to me for more photos and renters form.

Cheers,Renters actual name at rental property +34 911 876 584

Email return address for this scam was: [email protected]

By Steve Sichau

Page 17: August 2012 RHA Newsletter

AUGUST 2012 Page 17

www.RHAGP.org

DO YOU HAVE SAD-ISFIED RESIDENTS? BY RUSS SANDLIN

If you are to be effective in property management, you must continually strengthen resident retention. With resident retention so important, why do so many “sad-isfi ed” residents tell me, “When I was considering renting, they waited on me hand and foot. Now that I’ve moved in, it’s my turn to wait for everything!”While there has been a revolution in service in our industry, many residents indicate it’s only “Lip Service!” How effective are you in living up to commitments made to your residents?Ask yourself this question, “What does a satisfi ed resident look like?” When I recently asked this of a group of landlords and property managers, they said that satisfi ed residents do some of the following actions:• Smile when they pass you or speak in pleasant

tones and in a warm, friendly manner over the phone

• Call you by name when they greet you• Pay their rent on time• Take their garbage all the way to the dumpster (in

multi-unit buildings)• Refer others like themselves to your rentalsI recall one landlord who took resident retention on as her personal mission. She remarked, “I want to make sure that living in the property is the pleasant experience I represented when I fi rst leased them the home!”It was obvious that she was looking for opportunities to create resident retention. Her attitude was the most important factor. She responded with solution-oriented feedback when her residents presented her with problems. She also sought out areas where challenges might occur and modifi ed these conditions before they became problems.By sending resident surveys, she was able to receive specifi c feedback on potential areas of improvement and desired upgrades. She then worked to implement those improvements that were economically feasible. When confronted with an angry resident, she tried to remain calm, professional and most importantly, realistic about a solution. She attributed her success in working with angry residents to consistency and fair treatment to everyone.It is critical to set resident retention goals and institute programs that meet those goals. I’ve isolated four specifi c stages where individuals are

making a decision on whether or not to remain or become a resident:• Prospective Resident• New Resident• Residing Resident• Intent to VacateProspective ResidentDo you paint a realistic picture for prospects when they are fi rst considering renting? We found that in some situations “sad-isfi ed” residents were created by landlords overselling the rental; i.e. promising features and property or neighborhood attributes that were not truly present in order to simply rent the place.New ResidentThe greatest impact you have on resident retention occurs when the prospect becomes a resident. His/her “fi rst impression” of living in your rental occurs then.What programs do you have in place to cement that relationship? Here are a few possible approaches to this goal”• Move-In Package – Develop a special move-

in package you will give each new resident.• Market-Ready Move-In Checklist – Create a

checklist to ensure every apartment is 100% ready when the new resident moves in.

• Local Area Service Guide – Create a list of all the services and merchants available in your area, such as schools, stores and recreation.

Residing ResidentIt is at this time that a resident is most often forgotten. They were given special treatment when fi rst applied and moved-in. During the move-in and property acclimation process, they received a great deal of attention from you to ensure they were settled into their new home. What specifi c programs do you have in effect to create resident retention during this time? Here are a few of the many ideas developed:• Resident Rewards Program – Offer resident

access to exclusive discounts to local merchants and restaurants. [AOA has the Resident Discount Club specifi cally designed for this purpose1]• Resident Newsletter - This device should

be used to keep residents informed of rental policies and ways you celebrate accomplishments of your residents (or their

Continued on page 18

Page 18: August 2012 RHA Newsletter

Page 18 RHAGP UPDATE

children). For example, yard of the month, birthdays, good grades, etc.

• Referral Program – If a referral program is legally permitted in your area, it is a tremendous way to thank residents for referring new residents to your community and fi ll unwanted vacancies.

• Anniversary Gifts – on their rental anniversaries. Offer to give small or relatively low-cost property improvements, upgrades to your residents each year. Examples of what I’m talking about could include one room of their choice carpet cleaned, one room of their choice painted, maid service for a day, lawn or landscaping service for a day, new fl ooring in the bath or kitchen or one

complimentary pest control treatment.Intent to VacateLandlords should concentrate lots of energy on possibly saving a resident who has given notice to move. Once a resident begins making plans to leave, they are certain to talk about your rental for a period of time after they move. What will they say, “What a great place, sorry I had to go” or “Was I glad to get out of there!” It’s up to you.Intent to Vacate Program: Determine the real reason a resident is leaving. If they have a job transfer or are buying a home, it’s diffi cult to save that intent. However, if a resident loses a roommate or runs into a temporary fi nancial crisis, there may be a way to work it out. Every canceled intent to vacate is like two rentals. Are you interviewing every resident giving their intent to vacate? Are you willing to paint, shampoo or even re-carpet a home to save a resident?Cost of Moving: Develop a simple fl yer that shows residents the real cost of a move. New deposits, new phone, address changes, renting a van or moving company add up to signifi cant dollars!Resident retention is not a destination, but a journey. It is your personal statement, “This is my work product. I’ve put a measure of my time and life into creating a great home\ that I can be proud of.”Russ Sandlin is a management consultant and can be reached at RussSandlin.com.Reprinted with permission of the Wisconsin Apartment Association News.

Continued from page 17 new The Update

Q & AHere is your opportunity, submit your landlord/tenant questions to Q&A at Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland at 10520 NE Weidler, Portland, OR. 97220 or email your questions to [email protected].

The following are questions and answers supplied by oregonlandlordlaw.com

Q. When can I serve a 30 Day or 60 Day No Cause Notice?

A. In month-to-month tenancies, the landlord may serve "No Cause" Notice of Termination. That Notice, must be 30 days long, if all tenants occupying the premises have lived there less than one year, or 60 days long if they have lived there more than a year. (Caveat: A landlord can serve a 30 day no stated cause Termination Notice to a month-to-month tenant, regardless of the length of their residency, upon the sale of the rental property, if the buyer will be occupying the dwelling as their primary residence.) Month-to-month tenants are only required to give the landlord a 30 day notice of their intent to move out of the rental property. Note that different rules apply to fi xed term tenancies.

Q. Can I demand payment of a late fee in a Notice of Termination For Nonpayment of Rent?

A. No. The nonpayment of rent notice may not require your tenant to pay a late fee in order to avoid termination.

Q. Can I require my residential tenant to do repairs?

A. No.

Q. Can I refuse to do repairs if my tenant is behind in his/her rent?

A. No.

Q. What do I do if my tenant is complaining about repairs and withholding rent?

A. Get immediate legal advice before doing anything. Your tenant may be setting you up.

Page 19: August 2012 RHA Newsletter

AUGUST 2012 Page 19

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RHAGP LIST OF COMMITTEES

Building Chair: Phil Owen, Phone: 503-244-7986

Community Relations/Donations Chair: Tony Kavanagh, Phone: 503-522-4474

Dinner/Program Chair: Lynne Whitney, Phone: 503-284-5522

Education Chair: Ron Garcia, Phone: 503-595-4747

Forms Chair: Mark Passannante, Phone: 503-294-0910

House Chair: Robin Lashbaugh, Phone: 503-805-5993

Legislative Chair: Phil Owen, Phone: 503-244-7986

Membership Chair: Elizabeth Carpenter, Phone: 503-314-6498

NewsletterChair: Will Johnson, Phone: 503-221-2163

Offi ce Chair: Robin Lashbaugh, Phone: 503-805-5993

Public RelationsChair: Margaret Baricevic, Phone: 503-329-5223

RHAGP LOBBYISTCindy Robert, Phone: 503-260-3431

RHAGP OFFICE STAFFAlita Dougherty, Offi ce Manager - [email protected]

Pam VanLoon, Bookkeeper - [email protected] Pierce, Member Svcs - [email protected]

Lisa Craddock, Member Svcs-

RHAGP OFFICEMonday - Friday * 9:00am - 5:00pm

Phone: 503-254-4723 * Fax: 503-254-482110520 NE Weidler StPortland, OR 97220

www.rhagp.org

“Landlords doing good things in their communities”

Page 20: August 2012 RHA Newsletter

Page 20 RHAGP UPDATEFive Tips for Creating an Effective Online Rental ListingFrom Rent.com

An effective property listing provides renters all of the details necessary to understand if your property is a good fi t for them. Making a good fi rst impression is critical to get renters interested in learning more about your property. But the second step, providing all of the information they commonly need in order to take the next step, is equally important. To build your best property listing, we recommend that you:

Compare Your Listing to Other Competitive ListingsThis will help you understand how best to differentiate your property and make your listing stand out in the crowd. Look at how comparable properties are marketing themselves and what they are offering. Then think about what features and amenities your property has that are unique and different from the others. Call attention to these aspects through descriptive text and photos to build a picture for the renter about how life would be better at your property.

Choose Your Property Images CarefullyLeverage the best photos of your property and be sure to include both exterior and interior shots. Your primary image may be the only image a renter sees to determine if they want to visit your property. It should be colorful, sharp and distinct from other comparable listings. Renters have told us that photos of a rental unit’s interior are extremely important to them so don’t skimp here. Make sure you provide enough interior photos to completely show each room of the rental unit and any details that make your rental property unique.

Create Impactful HeadlinesWe recommend that your headline highlights three aspects of your property:• Your location• An amenity and• An interior featureThis will give renters a complete view of what you have to offer. It’s important to use specifi c and descriptive words instead of generalities to grab the renter’s attention. For example, instead of highlighting location with generic words like “convenient location,”get more specifi c such as “within three miles of upscale shopping and dining” or “easy access to I-5 and I-405.: When calling out an amenity, instead of “sparkling pool” you might say

“resort style pool with expansive sundeck.” As for interior features, again, specifi cs are more tangible. Instead of “spacious fl oor plans”, try something like “up to 1,200 square feet” or instead of “renovated apartments” you might say, “brand new kitchen appliances and fi xtures.”A strong sample headline would go as follows: “Within 3 Miles of Upscale Shopping & Dining, Resort-style Pool with Expansive Sundeck and brand New Kitchen Appliances & Fixtures.”

Include Floor Plans and Complete Property DetailsFloor plans are the second most requested images behind interior photos for rental units. Renters want as much information as possible to help them understand if the property will work for their space requirements, furniture and lifestyle. Without enough detail, they may opt to pass over your listing entirely. Aside from the basic information on number of bedrooms/bathrooms and rental price, make sure to include information on:• Square footage• Security deposits• Application fees• Pet policies and fees• Parking• Whether or not utilities are included in the rent• Any special amenities on the property

Advertise Move-In Specials if You Have ThemBy displaying your move-in specials in your online ads, you provide an instant incentive for someone to visit your property. If you have a special offer for new tenants, make sure to broadcast that message in your online advertising to drive traffi c to your property, increase leases and maximize the overall impact of your promotional campaign.

Rent.com is the nation’s #1 Internet listing site (ILS) with more renter traffi c than any other national ILS since 2004. Fill your vacancy faster on Rent.com. To learn more, go to www.rent.com/manage/. Reprinted with permission of UPDATE, the offi cial publication of the Rental Housing Association of Puget Sound.

Page 21: August 2012 RHA Newsletter

AUGUST 2012 Page 21

www.RHAGP.org

HOME VS. BUSINESS EXPENSES AND TAX DEDUCTIONS FOR LANDLORDSFrom Completelandlord.com

No matter what anybody tells you, you cannot deduct personal, living or family expensesas business expenses. The IRS is committed to keeping your business expenses separate,despite a rise in fraudulent home-based business tax schemes. The IRS noted that the following examples are not considered ordinary and necessary expenses to run a business:

• Deducting all travel, meals and entertainment because anyone you meet is a potential client

• Deducting all automobile or truck expenses when the vehicle was used both for personal and business travel

• Deducting payments to family members as business expenses when the activities performed were for the use of the home and family

• Deducting excessive payments to family members as business expenses when the activities performed would not warrant the amount paid

• Deducting utility expenses for the entire home because business materials have been placed in every room so the whole house is, in effect, the home offi ce

• Deducting all of the medical expenses for family members

• Deducting education expenses for family members

Recordkeeping 101:Real Estate Tax Planning for LandlordsNewer landlords may not be aware of all the paperwork they have to keep on tenants, their rental property and their taxes. To be safe, landlords should keep the following records to support their tax deductions, reported income and to keep tabs on tenants:

• Tax records for the last seven years• Maintenance schedules for all rental property

organized by property and by type of work done

• Improvement schedules for all rental property organized by property and by type of completed project

• Building records including the original cost of the building, the mortgage and information about when the building was constructed

• Bills, receipts and invoices from all

contractors, cleaning services or companies who have done work on the rental property

• Insurance policies for all rental property organized by building

• Tenant contact information including telephone number, cell number and email address

• Signed rental agreements and leases from all current tenants

• Financial information on disposition of all security deposits for current tenants

• Correspondence fi le with all letters, notices, legal actions and contacts with current and former tenants

IRS Tax Credits for Older BuildingsMany new landlords shy away from buying older buildings due to higher maintenance costs associated with older structures. However, the IRS offers a substantial tax credit for landlords who buy certain older or historic buildings.The Rehabilitation Tax Credit applies to the costs of renovation and reconstruction of specifi c buildings. The credit includes renovation, restoration and reconstruction but does not include new construction or enlargement of the original structure. Currently, the IRS allows:

• 10% credit for the rehab of non-historic buildings that were built before 1936

• 20% credit for the rehab of a Certifi ed Historic Structure. (Certifi ed Historic Structures are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, located in a Registered Historic District or determined to be of signifi cance to the Historical District or community.)

The rehab credit is generally given in the taxable year in which the property was placed in service. The taxable year is usually the time that the entire property was placed in service. The taxable year is usually the time that the entire property was ready to be rented or when only a portion was available to be rented.

Reprinted with permission of the Wisconsin Apartment Association News

Page 22: August 2012 RHA Newsletter

Page 22 RHAGP UPDATE

Page 23: August 2012 RHA Newsletter

AUGUST 2012 Page 23

www.RHAGP.org

Page 24: August 2012 RHA Newsletter

Page 24 RHAGP UPDATE

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