All Forum Posts by: Ray R.

@Mario Robert Garcia

 My SWAG On the Impact

Medium Impact Scenario - Most Likely with some economic impact in the US

I don't expect much of a direct economic impact for 3 months in the US, and that should end in 12 months as hopefully a vaccine enters production. Or if we are really lucky, hot weather will reduce the spread of the virus. So far the US seems to have escaped a Pandemic, but other countries are not doing as well.

Companies that source a lot from China are going to get hit, as well as tourism related.

Areas of the US that are import related, such as ports, resellers of stuff from China, warehouses, are going to take an economic hit. China is basically on lock down for imports and exports.

Interest rates are probably going to go lower in the US, as actions are taken to keep the economy afloat.

For businesses that rely on guest workers (agriculture), my guess is this will take an economic hit.

Lots of medicines are sourced in China, so that may effect the health care industries, until new sources are brought online.

Other countries I have not idea. The spike in cases in Italy, Iran, and South Korea is worrisome. And CoronaVirus could spreads to countries with poor sanitation. And even in the US with populations with poor sanitation - homeless.

Low Impact - We are past this, unfortunately.

- CoronaVirus is just a bad flu, and will have minimal impact outside of a little pain in China.

Worst Case - Low Probability 

- Out of control Pandemic, huge quarantines, death rates in the 10% for those infected, economy crashes. Death rates similar to the 1918 Spanish Flu Influenza Pandemic for those infected which was 50-100 Million killed world wide, with population growth that would be 150 to 300 Million in 2020. In the US 500,000 died, so today would be 1.6 Million dead. A big difference was the Spanish Flue most deaths were under 65, and CoronaVirus seems to be hitting the elderly.

@Jessica Jay-Maleski - I just spoke with an eviction attorney about my situation, and his recommendation is evict, there are no partial evictions where you only get one person off the lease. I can then allow the other back with a new lease.

California just enacted a statewide ban on discrimination on taking Section 8. But, people can be refused for a bad rental history, poor credit, etc.

Some landlords love Section 8, since it's guaranteed rent.

Others landlords don't, because they fear Section 8 tenants, or their family and friends, will be a huge negative. Plus having to go through the entire inspection process to get approved as a section 8 provider.

Interesting Video on CoronVirus Spread:

https://twitter.com/novel_covid_19/status/1230930135890776065?s=20

South Korea is now up to 602 diagnosed, and 6 dead.

I hope warmer weather impacts the spread. I notice all the areas that are being hit by CoronaVirus so far, are pretty cold.

@Jane S. >Filling holes is a multi-day job, waiting for paint to dry etc.

There are some quick drying materials that you can paint over same day. One painter we used could fix holes, texture, and paint in a day a 2BR Apartment. Then there was his son, that took 3 days to do a similar sized job. Unfortunately the Father had a divorce, and the son got the business, and the Father focused on another trade.

@Jerryll Noorden

On your SEO Real Estate business, I am glad it's working for you, and I have a lot of respect that it's working for you!

If you can get lots of page time for your clients, that is Gold for Google signalling.

Disclaimer - I don't know your area of SEO, what software you use, what your customers value, how you attract customers, I am behind on the latest Google Updates, etc. I have more of an outsider prospective to SEO and Marketing in the Real Estate Area. 

Yes, I have used Crazy Egg. It's nice they added A/B Testing. I was big in VWO.

On SEO Techniques, I am very burned out on them. I had an eCommerce B2C businesses that is in a VERY cut throat area for getting traffic for almost 20 years, grew to 6 employees, and it was a huge learning experience.

@Jerryll Noorden

>And btw... when I tell you "you are wrong" don't be all butt hurt.

I see it as a Persona, so I don't take it personally. If it works for you in this area to get clients, good for you!

Seems you have a business teaching SEO in Real Estate, which is impressive.

Pro Tips - Free advice, no charge!

1. Get a script to update the all rights reserved date on your website, a 2017 date gives a poor impression to the more techi types. With WordPress there is lots of stuff available. Hopefully your keeping up to date with all the security stuff, WordPress has so many security issues, unfortunately.

2. Do A/B Testing, I am not seeing the plugins on your site. A key issue with websites, is you don't know, what you don't know. Yes, I have studied Avinash Kaushik, both reading and taken classes from him.

3. And get more than 70 connections on LinkedIn to build your credibility, along with people claiming you walk on water. LinkedIn SEO was another area I played around with for a while. Yes, I got more than 500 connections, and one person I helped as a favor on their linkedin profile doubled their salary getting a new job moving up to a Senior Executive Position in a Bay Area Company. Yes, I worked in Silicon Valley for a while.

Back to SEO Stuff:

I am not meaning to insult the business you have built. If you have the time, can keep up with the Google Updates, and willing to play the game, great. Most people don't have the time to do that, and Google does stealth updates and all of a sudden your traffic falls. And I have seen a lot of businesses get killed by Google Updates. And I have seen a LOT of people claim to be SEO Gurus, and they are full of it. I find I now more about SEO than they do, and they start saying they do stuff that google has deliberately targeted and no longer works. Relying on SEO for your business is highly dangerous, you are one algorithm change away from disaster.

The headache with SEO, is if a technique becomes too good, Google will target it. Google is looking for signals for how good a website is, and if they think you are faking those signals, out comes an update. Backlinks from lots of low quality websites - gone. Article Marketing - gone. Keyword stuffing - gone. Low quality content - gone. And since Google is spying on your website, they know your bounce rate, time on page, speed, etc.

And Google can decide to enter a business area, and there goes your business. Microsoft did the same thing in Windows, where they would incorporate functionality that was separate software.

Not to mention how reviews have become more important, as a signal on how good your site is.

Google is the source of most traffic now days, and Google is very focused on steering the traffic to paid search. Google is trying to make search individual, and that messes up the entire keyword methodology.  And if Google deliberately down ranks your site, because they think it's spammy, good luck on recovering from that.

The problem with most SEO types, is they don't understand A/B Testing, the need to have a scientific approach to documenting changes, and focus on converting the traffic using remarketing, since it may take several visits to convert a customer. Usability, conversion, bounce rate, speed, keeping Google happy and getting the right traffic are key. All traffic is not created equal.

My background on SEO. I know a couple of non Real Estate Top 1% SEO people, and I have done SEO since 1996, pre Google, think Alta Vista where white text keyword stuffing was a technique. I'm active in a private group that has a lot of top Internet Marketers in it and we all agree, having a sole source of traffic, is very dangerous. On top of my personal study, I have personally paid for a couple of Internet Guru Marketing classes, coaching, and consulting, and got deep into usability, conversion optimization, and reviews. I was going to get into Conversion Optimization Consulting with a funnel and everything set up with white papers done, but my life went a different path, and now I am in property management. My Engineering, IT, E-Commerce, Marketing, and Business background do help a lot in figuring out the Real Estate Ecosystem. Peter Drucker told me I was very good at listening, so I listen to a lot to see trends in the industry.

My 2 Cents on SEO, worth what you paid for it.

@Noah Brinker - I have not explored that part of the Real Estate Business yet.

I would build a spreadsheet for making your decision, base it on what Glenn Livingston did. It gave me a whole new prospective on decision making to decide where I should prioritize.

http://payperclicksearchmarket...

Ryan Levesque builds on Glenn Livingson's market research methodology, to figure out the value in your market. He has a book on Amazon, "Ask", and it's a great read.

https://www.amazon.com/Ask-Cou...

Glenn Livingston I think, has figured out he can make a bundle of money by using his skills to go after a huge market segment, instead of teaching his skills as he used to or offering them as a service.

A good question to ask, is if my goal is X, what do I need to do to achieve X in 5 years. Write down, and start executing, and set up a review process to make sure you are on track.

@Jessica Jay-Maleski

Deja Vu - A similar situation just happened at one of my properties yesterday. Boy friend that is on lease, destroyed windows, tv inside, threatened to kill self, and girl friend was not there. Positives is Girl friend will be filing a restraining order, and a police report was filed.

Situation:

What a mess! And the girl friend and boy friend are both on the lease.  And girl friend will not do a restraining order.

Worries:

1. Boy Friend causes more damage to premises if you evict them.

2. Evictions can take a LONG TIME, I have heard stories of a year if they pay the game right with free rent, and the cost of the eviction.

3. Potential legal liability since you are aware boyfriend is a potential danger, and has already attacked another tenant on your property.

4. Loss of other tenants.

Options:

1. The other tenant who intervened can do a restraining order!

2. You can also do a restraining order.

3. File an eviction

4. Cash for Keys

5. Issue a written warning to document the situation for violation of lease, damage to premises, etc.

6. Use the crime free clause, since it's preponderance of proof, and you have enough documentation to make it stick in a court.

7. Install Video Cameras at your property. A Ring Camera can purchased and installed right away. And put up signs about video camera, etc. This may make your tenants feel safer.

My Recommendation:

I would consult an attorney, due to the potential liability issues. Our situation just happened yesterday, and I just got the police report number last night. So Monday first thing my plan is give an attorney a call. 

@Vusa Dube There are sites around that have standard charges for repairs you can use as reference, there is no need to reinvent the wheel. Your charges should be reasonable and fully document them, just in case you have to contest them.

Some landlords take the majority of the deposit automatically. They charge a cleaning fee, etc.

The negatives to this approach is:

1. Reviews for apartments

2. Court Time

A good tactic is list everything and the kitchen sink for charges that are all provable, say the tenant has $500 deposit, so they have $1000 of charges. Then give $600 managers good will, and you mail them a check for $100. My experience is tenant that should have gotten zero, is happy they got something and goes away.

Move Out Inspection is key, and having a list of items that need to be cleaned / repaired. Many tenants will make things right. In California a move out inspection is required by law, before the tenant moves out.

If the tenant made a good faith effort for cleaning, we reflect that in the deposit returned. Of course everything we do on the deposit, we make sure would stand if called into court. In California, it's so easy to be sued.