Owning property as a business is highly competitive and owners undoubtedly have a lot of options when it comes to choosing a property management company. Setting your properties apart from the competition is not easy, so it takes the professional know-how of an experienced property management team to ensure you remain competitive. 

For those who are new to property ownership, the demands of managing multiple properties can quickly become overwhelming and remaining competitive can sometimes take a backseat. For commercial and residential property owners, navigating the competitive world of property ownership can be overwhelming but the right team can help you remain unfazed by the competition. 

Property Management Pros Carefully Craft Your Brand Image

An experienced property management company is well-versed in assisting owners with creating a brand image that stakeholders identify with. Instead of just mimicking what everyone else is doing, a professional property management team works to carve out a solid brand identity that serves to appeal to the target market and distance itself from the competition. Standing out in such a competitive industry is critical so working with a property management company that really understands this is a wise move. 

What is the easiest way to create a solid brand image? Starting with the company website, the right property management team works to use your most valuable marketing tool to create a strong brand identity. Just having a basic website is not enough. As a property owner who wishes to remain competitive, a dynamic website is a good way to increase visibility and attract the right tenants. 

Your site should be user-friendly and stand out to visitors as soon s they click on it. Beyond visual appeal, an effective website will answer visitor questions and deliver your brand message. A skilled property management team can assist in streamlining your website as well as crafting a brand image that is easily recognizable across all digital platforms. 

Property Managers Understand the Market

Professional property managers have a wealth of experience that makes them adept at recognizing trends in the real estate market, which allows them to develop effective marketing strategies for owners. Knowing how to provide value to the community while keeping the owner’s best interests at heart is a delicate balancing act that highly-experienced property management teams can pull off. Professional property management companies know that targeting the right people will pay dividends in the form of brand loyalty. 

When crafting your marketing strategy, the property management team will look at the overall real estate market, as well as those that pertain to an owner’s specific niche and the surrounding community. These trends are then used to gauge everything from rental pricing to understanding how city projects like major construction may affect your business. In addition to coming up with completely new marketing initiatives, property managers are tasked with auditing your current or former marketing efforts and finding ways to improve. It is possible that your current marketing strategy is great overall but could use some tweaking, but if your marketing efforts have not yielded the desired results, professional property management can figure out why and create a strategic plan for success. 

Next-Level Property Management

To remain competitive in such a saturated industry, you should consider seeking the help of a professional property management team. The pros at Herman Boswell Property Management offer combined decades of experience and have assisted property owners in the Arlington, Texas, area for over 30 years. 

If you are interested in elevating your brand and edging out the competition, contact the experienced property management professionals at Herman Boswell Property Management. A top property management firm in the Arlington, TX metropolitan area, Herman Boswell Property Management prides itself on delivering first-rate property management solutions for both commercial and residential owners.

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Owning property is an exciting and sometimes complicated business venture an there are often many unanswered questions. One of the most common questions asked by real estate investors is whether there is a need for property management services. There is often confusion between being a landlord and property manager and sometimes owners do not realize that these are two different things. Making the decision to use a property management company should come after doing thorough research and weighing the pros and cons of each.

The Duties of a Landlord

The biggest difference between property management and landlords is that the landlord is the owner of the property. This means that not only is the owner responsible for handling the business side of owning property, they are also charged with dealing with tenant issues, the hiring of contractors, and more. In some cases – for both residential and commercial properties – tenants and prospective tenants may prefer dealing with a landlord over a property management company. Since being a landlord is a more hands-on role, you will likely be personally meeting prospective tenants and building a rapport with existing tenants.

Generally, the more property one owns, the more hiring a property management firm makes sense. Owners who choose to take on landlord duties may soon become overwhelmed when trying to keep up the demands of maintaining the property and dealing with tenant issues. 

While it is certainly a lot of responsibility, being a landlord does have a few benefits including: 

• Determining rental rates, fees, and renewal rates
• Collecting rent and deciding which rental collection method is preferred
• Creative control over advertising
• Meeting prospective tenants face-to-face

Being a landlord comes with its challenges, but many owners have found that it is a great learning experience and gives them valuable insight that can be used when deciding to hire a property management firm later on.

The Role Of A Property Manager

As with many business ventures, it sometimes pays to have someone with more expertise come in and get things organized. For real estate investors who do not want to assume landlord duties, a property management team is essential. Hiring a reputable property management firm to recruit tenants and run day-to-day operations will save valuable time and give you an edge over DIYers.

Using the services of a trusted property management team lowers the risk of making costly mistakes and gives you access to a wealth of knowledge that would likely take years to a

accumulate on your own.

Some of the main duties of property managers include: 

• Determining rental rates based on the regional market and other in-depth research
• Setting up a maintaining streamlined rent collection systems
• Recruiting and screening potential tenants
• Marketing and advertisement on a larger scale through industry and community partnerships
• Drafting leases an enforcing leasing terms
• Handling move-outs and evictions

Hiring an Experienced Property Management Firm

Landlords and property managers share a lot of similarities, but it all comes down to what the owner feels more comfortable with. A qualified property management team can serve both seasoned owners as well as those who are new to the real estate business. For owners who are inexperienced with managing property, hiring a knowledgeable team will save a lot of the headache that comes from trial and error. If you are considering hiring a professional property management firm, look to Herman Boswell Property Management. The Herman Boswell team works hard to build client relationships and make property ownership a rewarding experience. 

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As a landlord, you either have rented (or will eventually) rent out a single living space to more than one individual. This is usually not problematic. But — and no matter how seasoned a landlord you are — you still need to be aware at all times about how to define the individuals who are your clients. Their relationship to you could make all the legal difference in the world, especially if the tenancy doesn’t work out.

Tenant

This refers to a person who has signed a lease or a rental agreement for occupancy of a particular unit. Since he or she has a direct relationship with you as landlord, that person can hold you accountable for all promises stated in the lease or rental agreement. At the same time, you can hold that person responsible for the contents of that same contract.

Co-tenant

A co-tenant refers to two or more tenants who rent the same property under the same lease or rental agreement. Each is 100% responsible for carrying out the agreement, including paying the rent in full. Co-tenancy can also occur after you rent out a property and whenever you add someone else to another person’s lease or rental agreement.

Subtenant

A sub-tenant is someone who rents directly from the tenant and not from you as landlord. In effect, the tenant becomes the subtenant’s landlord. The subtenant may take over for a portion of the lease term — for the summer, for example, with the tenant returning in September — or may live there at the same time as the tenant. Sub-­tenants have an indirect relationship with you as the main landlord. They therefore cannot enforce many of the lease or rental agreement terms.

Roommates

This refers to two or more people living under the same roof and sharing rent and utility expenses. Roommates are usually — but not always — co-tenants. For example, a roommate may instead be a subtenant of the original tenant. Unless you have accepted the presence of the roommate, either by making the person a co-tenant or explicitly or allowing the subtenancy, a roommate has the legal status of a long-term guest, with few if any legal protections.

The reason you need to remember these definitions is that tenancy can get complicated, especially if you are not around to check on the status of a rental living situation. For example, someone who signed a contract as a single tenant may allow a friend or family member to move in…and not tell you. If there are problems between the new roommates that involve damage to the actual rental property, you could be in for some legal wrangling and more headaches than you expected.

At Herman Boswell, we understand that landlording can be difficult, especially if you also happen to work and/or have family obligations. That’s why we’re to help. Our real estate professionals can offer you the management expertise that can give you the peace of mind you deserve. Simplify your life: contact us today!

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Legally, you can use the information you receive through a background check in your rental decisions.  But beware: you must follow state and federal laws very carefully when you (1) obtain a background check and (2) notify a tenant of a housing request denial.

Get permission to do a background check in writing

When you do run a background check, federal law requires you to get a prospective tenant’s written permission.  Smart landlords typically will include this request in their housing applications so they get everything they need at once.

Determine your rental criteria and apply them fairly

You are free to set your own business standards for using tenant background checks in application decisions.  However, it’s in your best interest to ensure that you and any employees you may have are consistent in how you apply these standards to avoid charges of discrimination.

Understand the dos and don’ts of adverse actions

Federal law also requires that you notify a tenant in writing if information from a background check results in an “adverse action” against the tenant.  An adverse action can take the form of:

• an outright denial of the housing application
• requiring the prospective tenant to pay extra security deposit
• having him/her get a co-signer

If you do take an adverse action against your applicant, you must inform the person of the name and contact information of the credit bureau or tenant screening agency, as well as information on how the tenant can get a free copy of this report.

Watch out for criminal background exceptions

While it’s legal for you to deny a prospective renter housing because of a criminal background, a significant exception does exist to this rule.  You can refuse an applicant who has conviction for drug sales or manufacture, but federal disability laws protect recovering drug users.  Bottom line: you cannot use a conviction or simple possession or use of drugs to deny someone housing.

Keeping so many important details straight is one of the most daunting tasks busy landlords face.  But Herman Boswell can help.  Our real estate experts make it their business to stay abreast of all the rules and regulations that affect property management. For the peace of mind you deserve, contact us today!

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When you’re a landlord, not only do you have to worry about the usual headaches like leaky pipes and broken appliances, you’ve also got to steer clear of legal mistakes that could get you into a lot of hot water.

Be careful what you ask

The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits a landlord from refusing to rent for reasons pertaining to race, color, religion, national origin, sex or gender, disability, and familial status.  You should therefore avoid asking questions that may appear discriminatory or suggest an intent to discriminate.

Make proper health and safety disclosures

You need to tell prospective tenants whether certain conditions or situations apply to your rental property.  These typically include:

• notice of mold, when you know or have a reason to believe it exists
• notice of sex offenders that live in the area, if you have knowledge of this
• disclosure of recent deaths that occurred in the rental unit
• disclosure of lead-based paint if the property was built before 1978

You also need to take basic safety measures, such as providing locks and adequate lighting.

Repair as necessary

Every state imposes an “implied warranty of habitability” on all rental units.  That means that even if your rental agreement does not specify who is responsible for certain repairs, you must still make sure that the rental property itself is fit to live in.  Failure to make major repairs, especially when a tenant requests them, can result in a lawsuit.

Respect tenant privacy

You should never enter a tenant’s rental unit without first giving a 24-hour written or verbal notice, and this only when showing the unit to a prospective tenant, making a repair or inspecting the property.  The only exception to this is when an emergency occurs.

Being a landlord is tough, especially if it’s not your primary job.  But Herman Boswell can help.  Our real estate management experts have the skills and knowledge to protect your investment and offer you the peace of mind you deserve.  Don’t hesitate: contact us today!

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The house money in human hands

PRICING YOUR RENTAL FOR MAXIMUM PROFIT

Getting the best price for a rental property may seem easy to do.  But the minute you begin looking more closely, it becomes clear that there’s more to rental pricing than meets the eye.

First impressions matter

When renters evaluate a rental property, they are not only looking at things like appearance, size and features, they are also sizing up the person doing the showing.  So the more professional and reliable you come across, the more prospective tenants will be willing to pay for your rental.

Do the homework

Before you actually start talking to tenants, you’ll need to know exactly how much you can, and should, ask for your unit.  To do this, you’ll need to look at the rental rates of comparable properties in and around the area where your property is located.  That way, if a prospective tenant should question the price, then you’ll have a basis from which to push back.

Stay aware of trends and laws

Make it your business to stay on top of trends in both the rental and real estate industry.  This means reading studies and reports for the facts and figures you need to help you make sure that you are not only pricing your property well, but also marketing it correctly.  You’ll also need to school yourself on the more technical parts of renting, including state and federal laws governing such things as liability and tax/investment issues.

Don’t cut corners

The best way to get top dollar for your property is to look over as many qualified prospective tenants as possible.  If landlording is not your main job, then you will have to set aside blocks of time in the evenings and on weekends.  You’ll also need to make sure that you review and screen candidate information, especially as it pertains to credit and finances, very carefully before finalizing any agreement.

Sound like a lot of work?  It is.  That’s where the experts at Herman Boswell come in.  Our property management professionals are here to help you get the most for your rental property.  For the financial peace of mind you deserve, contact us today!

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If you haven’t raised your rent in the last few years, consider this: according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the rent index is currently rising at an annualized rate of 3.6%.  So you’re probably overdue for an increase.

At the same time, you may worry that by increasing your rates, you’ll lose good tenants.  It doesn’t have to happen that way, especially if you follow these simple guidelines.

Do your homework

Assess the current rental market in your area and the value of your specific tenants.  Some key questions to ask are:

• When was the last time you raised rents?
• How do your current rates compare to those of similar properties?
• What is the demand for rental units and what are the current vacancy rates?
• Should you increase rates only on in-demand units (for example, one bedroom vs. studio)?
• Which of your tenants are the most valuable and would you consider excluding these individuals from the increase to ensure you keep them?

Be prepared

Once you’ve determined how much to raise rent and on which units, be ready to address negative feedback with justifications for your action.  Legitimate reasons include:

• increased property taxes and fees
• higher utility costs
• increases in janitorial, repair and maintenance costs
• improvement projects designed to enhance tenant living spaces

Be sure to note the length of time since the last increase, especially if you haven’t raised rents for an extended period.

Communicate clearly

Announce the increase in a typed notice on letterhead in concise language.  Consider making explicit some of the main reasons you are raising rent to address complaints before they occur.  Be sure that you adhere to the specified advance notice requirements in your leases and that you make yourself available to tenants should they wish to discuss the increase with you in person.

Raising rent isn’t fun.  But it can be made easier if you have the help of a company like Herman Boswell.  Our professionals are experts in both real estate and tenant management and can see to all the details that go into raising rent the right way.  For the peace of mind you deserve, contact us today!

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Raising rent is not easy to do. In fact, it can be almost as difficult as asking for a raise from your boss. But strategies do exist that can help you move beyond the angst.

The first thing you need to know is that you do not need to explain why you are raising the rent to your tenants. Your one legal responsibility is to inform renters in writing A) that an increase is coming and B) how much that increase will be.

That said, following are two simple but highly effective ways you can adjust tenant rent so as to lessen the psychological impact it will have on both you and your tenants.

Strategy 1: Make small increases at the time of lease renewal automatic

Most tenants expect a slight rent increase at renewal, usually in the amount of $20 to $50. But if you suddenly add $200 or more after not having raised the rent for a long period of time, you’ll very likely receive some negative feedback. A good rule of thumb is to increase rent between 3% and 5% a year.

You might consider making an exception to this if you have a good tenant you’d like to see stay on. In that case, you might waive the rent increase if they renew for another year. You can always make up the difference by raising the rent when that person finally moves out.

Strategy 2: Send an increase notice 60 days before lease end

Sending a rent increase letter this far in advance lets you know what the tenant’s intentions are. If he or she doesn’t plan to renew the lease, you have time to start marketing and showing the place without having a vacancy period.

You’ll need to state what the new rent will be and the date it becomes effective, which would be the day after the lease ends. If you have a fixed-term lease, you could include or attach a new lease with your letter or email. If you have a month-to-month lease, the tenant won’t need to sign a renewal since it automatically renews every month.

Herman Boswell understands that successful landlording not only requires substantial infusions of time and energy, but also good business and interpersonal savvy. That’s why our real estate professionals are ready to share their expertise with you when you need it.

\You have a life to live and investments to protect: let Herman Boswell help you on the road to better property management today!

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If you’re a Texas landlord who rents out property that’s part of a home owner association, it’s wise to familiarize yourself with the state laws that affect Home Owners Associations.  It’s yet another task on the never-ending landlord do-list.  But knowledge is power, especially when it comes to keeping your real estate investments safe.

Following are summaries of the top 3 Texas Home Owners Association laws that you need to know about.  They are the newest ones on Texas law books and took effect between September 1, 2011 and January 1, 2012.

Law #1: Regarding Home Owners Association records

Covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs) – the Home Owners Association governing documents that dictate how the homeowners association operates and what rules the owners (as well as their tenants and guests) must obey – must be recorded in the real estate records of the county where your property is located.  So should any amendments to them.

The same holds true for articles of formation, bylaws, design guidelines and any rules or policies affecting you as a homeowner.  A Home Owners Association must also post these documents online.

If an HOA does not adhere to these guidelines, then those rules, bylaws etc. are unenforceable.

Law #2: Regarding Home Owners Association board meetings

All Texas Home Owners Associations must give notice to home owners of in-person board meetings.  With certain exceptions for executive sessions, they must open these meetings to homeowners.

What this means for you as a landlord is that if you have not received notice about a meeting that concerns such issues that directly concern you (for example, fines and home assessment increases), boards cannot consider/decide upon those issues.

Law #3: Regarding annual owners’ meetings

Texas Home Owners Association boards must hold annual owners’ meetings.  If they do not, then you as a property owner have the right to call one.

If the board still will not hold a meeting following such a demand, then you and other home owners may form a committee to elect board members.

At Herman Boswell, we know that landlords can get squeezed between responsibilities to tenants as well as other entities like home owner associations.  This is where we can help.  Our team of real estate professionals can monitor each area of your life as a landlord so you don’t have to.  For property management expertise you can count on, contact us!

The post TOP 3 HOME OWNERS ASSOCIATION LAWS TEXAS LANDLORDS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT appeared first on Herman Boswell Property Management.

Family home in a north American suburb.

REMOTE LANDLORD PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Do you own investment property in North Texas and live outside that area – or even in another state?  It’s a challenge for sure!  But sometimes that challenge can be overwhelming, even for the most organized individuals.

Following are four tips to help you succeed as a remote landlord.

1.  Automate as many of your services as possible

Some common problems that can cause friction between tenants and remote landlords are lost keys and lighting and/or watering systems that don’t turn on (or get shut off) at the proper time.

To avoid dealing with these hassles, you may consider investing in digital and/or automated systems.  For example, you could purchase a keyless entry service that allows for lock management from a smartphone.  And you could install automatic lights and/or sprinkler systems.

2.  Prepare a list of recommended services

Gathering a list of local services will ensure that your tenants have everything they need for almost any situation.  For example, you could provide information on all the local hospitals, police stations, and repair services.

You could also make a list for entertainment purposes, like parks, shopping areas, and restaurants.  Many tenants will appreciate this amenity, especially if they happen to be new to the area where your rental property is located.

3.  Hire a permanent cleaning/maintenance service

When a tenant vacates a property, you will need to make sure the premises are presentable for the next renter.  The best, most cost-effective way to handle this is to look for a service that is (1) on call and (2) offers a discount for long-term services.  Remember: one-time cleaning and maintenance services are much more expensive than hiring a person or company for the long term.

4.  Find a trustworthy property management team

Probably the single best thing you can do as a remote landlord is invest in the services of a property management company.  No matter where you call home, Herman Boswell can assist you with tenant placement/management, rent collection and maintenance.  Our experts are here to give you the freedom, flexibility and peace of mind you deserve: contact us today!

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