All Forum Posts by: Nathan Gesner

Educate your tenants. When they smell the neighbors smoking weed, call the cops immediately and let them deal with it. Then have them contact you the following day so you can contact the owner and follow up with them.

As for the noise, hit them with a noise violation warning. If they do it again, evict.

You allowed a high-risk tenant in and then you let her take control of the situation. Find a way to evict or get rid of her. 

Check out this article for ways to report rent to credit bureaus.

Go to www.narpm.org and search their directory of Property Managers. Contact them directly and see if they are hiring. This is a great way to find a paying job and learn the ropes.

No, I haven't dealt with this. I would contact the court, explain the situation, and see if they can contact the tenant and get an extension. Or maybe they will advise you to proceed with the eviction.

The attempted suicide is sad but that's not your issue. Keep following your process.

Congratulations on the acquisition and thanks for sharing with us!

You can start by going to www.narpm.org and search their directory of managers. These are professionals with additional training and a stricter code of ethics. It's no guarantee but it's a good place to start.

1. Ask how many units they manage and how much experience they have. If it's a larger organization, feel free to inquire about their different staff qualifications.

2. Review their management agreement. Make sure it explicitly explains the process for termination if you are unhappy with their services, but especially if they violate the terms of your agreement.

3. Understand the fees involved and calculate the total cost for an entire year of management so you can compare the different managers. It may sound nice to pay a 5% management fee but the extra fees can add up to be more than the other company that charges 10% with no add-on fees. Fees should be clearly stated, easy to understand, and justifiable. If you ask the manager to justify a fee and he starts hemming and hawing, move on or require them to remove the fee. Don't be afraid to negotiate!

4. Review their lease agreement and addendums. Think of all the things that could go wrong and see if the lease addresses them: unauthorized pets or tenants, early termination, security deposit, lease violations, late rent, eviction, lawn maintenance, parking, etc.

5. Don't just read the lease! Ask the manager to explain their process for dealing with maintenance or problem tenants. If they are professional, they can explain this quickly and easily. If they are VERY professional, they will have their processes in writing as verification that it is enforced equally and fairly by their entire staff.

6. Ask to speak with some of their current owners and current/former tenants. You can also check their reviews online at Google, Facebook, or Yelp. Just remember: most negative reviews are written by problematic tenants. The fact they are complaining online might be an indication the property manager dealt with them properly so be sure to ask the manager for their side of the story.

I hope this basic guide helps. If you have specific questions about property management, I'll be happy to help!

Even if someone is disabled and protected under Fair Housing, that doesn't mean you have to accept their bad/risky behavior.

Contact the family and ask them for help getting him out. If they refuse, go through the same process you would for any other tenant that violates your lease agreement.

I often find myself too busy in the summer but I work out regularly during the fall, winter, and spring.

You can't make up fees as you go along. You should have it in your lease or as a separate fee addendum.

In my area, there are two locksmiths and one of them lives 22 miles away. It will cost $60 for them to open a door during regular business hours and more at night or weekends...if you can even get in touch with them.

Determine what a locksmith would charge and then create a fee that reasonably compensates you while being cheaper than a locksmith.