Charging Tenants for Eviction Costs

  By Judy | December 14, 2011 - 3:50 pm | NV Landlord/Tenant Law
Leave a comment
FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailShare

 

Charging Tenants for Eviction Costs

This question came in from a property manager last week, and is one that arises rather frequently among residential property managers in Nevada.

 

The story goes something like this…

 

It’s the 5th of the month, and the tenant hasn’t paid rent. The property manager assesses late charges, and warns the tenant that he faces eviction if the rent’s not paid by the close of business. On the morning of the 6th, seeing that the rent is still unpaid, the property manager serves an eviction notice for non-payment of rent. The tenant now has five “judicial days” to pay the rent or be evicted from the dwelling. On the 7th day of the month, the tenant comes into the office with the full amount of rent and accrued late charges.

 

Can the property manager refuse to stop the eviction, pending the tenant’s payment of eviction costs (filing fees and/or charges for serving the notice)?

  (more…)

FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailShare

Coming Around Again

  By Judy | November 28, 2011 - 6:44 pm | Property Management Humor
Leave a comment
FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailShare

Too much of a good thing?

Ah, yes. It’s that time of year again. It’s the season we property managers have grown to love; after all, it challenges the best of who we are!

 

It’s the time of year when furnaces go out in the middle of the night, water heaters flood basements, ice dams build up on walkways, and tenants sometimes forget the rent payment is due on the first day of the month.

 

Seasoned property managers will have prepared for this season. (more…)

FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailShare

Stop me if you’ve heard this one…

  By Judy | November 13, 2011 - 2:03 pm | Fair Housing, Property Management Humor, Property Management Tips
5 Comments
FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailShare

In the area of screening tenants for residential rental properties, property managers often like to think of themselves as great judges of character. After all, as a property manager, you deal with prospective tenants from all walks of life, don’t you? A few years in the business is likely to give us the feeling that we instinctively know who’s going to be a good tenant, and who isn’t.

 

Once upon a time…

(more…)

FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailShare

Security Deposits and Fair Housing Laws

  By Judy | November 3, 2011 - 6:44 am | Fair Housing, NV Landlord/Tenant Law
8 Comments
FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailShare

A few days ago, I participated in a discussion around security deposits. The issue at hand was whether a landlord (property manager) could increase a security deposit for a single tenant, and not run afoul of fair housing laws. I maintain that YES, in Nevada, you can charge different deposit amounts for different tenants.

(more…)

FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailShare

Questions from Property Managers – Renting to Sex Offenders

  By Judy | October 21, 2011 - 10:24 am | Fair Housing, NV Landlord/Tenant Law
6 Comments
FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailShare

This question comes up frequently, and the response might surprise you.

 

Peter writes,

“Can a landlord refuse to rent to a convicted sex offender, and can a homeowners association have rules and regulations prohibiting owner/landlords from renting to sex offenders?”

(more…)

FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailShare

Are you brave enough to specialize?

  By Judy | October 14, 2011 - 10:03 am | Property Management Industry Trends, Property Management Tips
Leave a comment
FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailShare

I see it all too often…real estate licensees claiming to do it all. Really, people?  Do you really mean to tell me that you’re a top listing agent, a savvy buyer’s representative, you list and sell residential property, multifamily, office, retail, and industrial properties, you provide property management services for all of these property types with sufficient expertise to protect your clients’ interests, and, you serve a geographical territory that encompasses everything within an hour’s drive or more? Wow. Just, wow. How do you do all that with any degree of expertise?  (more…)

FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailShare

I’ll Be Presenting at the Century 21 International Convention

  By Judy | October 9, 2011 - 8:50 am | Classes & Workshops, Property Management Industry Trends
2 Comments
FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailShare

That’s right! Century-21 Real Estate’s International Convention is set for March 3-6, 2012 in the beautiful city of New Orleans, Louisiana, and I’ve been selected as one of this year’s presenters. I’m so excited to have this opportunity to talk about property management with some of the world’s most well-respected real estate professionals!

 

My topics for the convention are Tenant Screening and Property Management Profitability — two areas which are crucial to the success of any property management endeavor. In addition, I’ll be participating in a panel discussion around market trends in the real estate industry. Those of you who read this blog are well aware that the trend toward property management is very strong right now.

 

In advance of the convention, I was asked to submit a short promo video, introducing myself and my topics to the conference attendees. Here’s the video: (more…)

FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailShare

I Was Going to Write About Bed Bugs

  By Judy | October 7, 2011 - 6:27 am | NV Landlord/Tenant Law, Property Management Tips
2 Comments
FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailShare

After all, everyone else has. And, there are a bunch of good articles out there on the subject. I have read many of them, and I suggest you do the same. After all, what do I know? I’m not a pest control expert. All I can tell you is this; I’ve gotten 3 emails in the last week about existing bedbug problems – all of them in the Reno-Sparks area. I have to conclude, bed bugs are a problem in Reno-Sparks rental properties, just as they are in many other locations throughout the United States. Bed bugs seem to be more prevalent in multifamily properties, than they are in single family. Makes sense, doesn’t it? You know, adjoining walls, and such…

 

But, I’m not writing about bed bugs, because, I really want to write about something else. And, besides, I’m no expert. I don’t have a pest control license.

 

But, speaking only for Nevada, NRS 118A says, in order to be considered “habitable,” a residential rental unit must be “reasonably free of insects” at the time the tenant moves in. (more…)

FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailShare

Announcing: Truckee Meadows Property Management

  By Judy | October 1, 2011 - 1:45 pm | Managing the Management Office, Property Management Industry Trends
Leave a comment
FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailShare

It gives me tremendous pleasure to announce the opening of my new company, Truckee Meadows Property Management, a division of Cook & Company, Ltd., specializing in property management of single family homes in the Sparks, Spanish Springs, and Reno areas.  (more…)

FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailShare

It’s Official! I’ve Gone National!

  By Judy | September 28, 2011 - 1:52 pm | Classes & Workshops, Property Management Industry Trends
Leave a comment
FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailShare

Who would have thought this might happen? After some 20+ years of facilitating property management classes and workshops throughout Nevada, and consulting with some of the finest property managers in the industry, I’ve been picked up by one of the most well-respected national booking agents in the country, BettsWorks, Inc. Yep, I’m taking this show on the road!  (more…)

FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailShare