Environmental Tips

Everyone is on the “green” bandwagon – but is it going to cost you or save you some “green” in your pocket? Topics on landscaping, energy, cleaning, rodents, paint, carpet and the list goes on with what we can discuss about being more environmentally aware and how that can benefit not only your pocket but allow you to differentiate yourself and your properties.

July 1, 2011 – Save a Life!

July 1, 2011

Today it is law that all homes have Carbon Monoxide Detectors installed in them. Having personally known people who have died from Carbon Monoxide it is well worth putting the detector in your home. Rental properties have until July 2013, but in our company we have already installed them in all of our units. If [...]

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Don’t Rake the Leaves

November 29, 2010

All those leaves that fall on the ground – don’t rake them up.  They provide ground cover and nutrients for the earth and they keep the weeds from coming through.  Or, rake them and put them around the base of your trees or shrubs. Please check out my website at www.PortolaRentals.com if you are interested [...]

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Fowl Play in the Backyard – Chickens Make a Come Back

July 14, 2010

I recently rented a cottage in Santa Cruz and was surprised to see the tenants had a chicken coop with 2 hens and they collected the eggs daily.  When I would show the cottage the hens would scurry around the yard – no bugs at this property was my first thought. As a property manager [...]

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Party Homes – What To Do?

June 23, 2010

In the June 9, 2010 Santa Cruz Sentinel Newspaper, www.santacruzsentinel.com page B3, there is an article by Shanna McCord about the crack down on party homes in Santa Cruz.  The City Council passed an emergency ordinance not allowing repeat offending property owners from making renovations to their properties that would increase the number of bedrooms [...]

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Don’t Be Scammed This Summer

June 16, 2010

It is summer time and that means scams.  In the June 4th, issue of the Santa Cruz Sentinel Newspaper, www.santacruzsentinel.com there was a short article about Vacation Homes Should Be Watched and the article referenced a couple homes where people were squatting in them. I don’t do vacation rentals as part of my business but [...]

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The Pain of Stains

May 26, 2010

I keep things that are of interest to my business and this posting is from the Santa Cruz Sentinel July 17, 2008.  I thought I would share with you some of the tips and tricks for stain removal. Grease – use cornstarch, cornmeal and talcum powder to soak up Dried blood, juice, felt-tip pen or [...]

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CALNARPM – Property Management Conference Summary

April 26, 2010

As many of you know I have been very involved in professional organizations for Property Management.  By participating and being involved I learn more and grow not only professionally but personally. April 12-15 in Concord at the Hilton, the California Chapter of NARPM (National Association of Residential Property Managers) had their annual state conference.  There [...]

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Property Management from A-Z: G

February 8, 2010

Good Perspective, Good Owner & Gardener I teach classes on how to be a Good Landlord and what is interesting to me is how often people like to share their horror stories but what they don’t realize is that they are part of that relationship.  I find that when owners come from a perspective that [...]

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