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 you have interest in rentals in Santa Cruz please visit my website www.PortolaRentals.com.

Kathleen

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 in properties in Santa Cruz or have rentals in Santa Cruz, CA.

Kathleen Richards, M.S. MPM, RMP

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 it is hard enough to find owners willing to rent to tenants with cats, dogs, birds (in cages) or even fish.  Now, we have chickens.  I was wondering what the city code said about chickens.  It is the rooster that people have problems with but apparently hens are a wonderful pet and very eco-friendly. The roosters are banned in urban areas but hens don’t require a permit of any kind.

The Santa Cruz Sentinel, Home & Garden section, Saturday, June 12, 2010, written by Laura Copeland, lcopeland@santacruzsentinel.com and www.santacruzsentinel.com had a 2 page article on chickens and how they have taken off in Santa Cruz County.  Scotts Valley Feed sold 3,000 chickens in 2009 up from 150-300 just four years earlier. 300 were sold out in 45 minutes.

If you want more info about raising hens there are workshops, of course, this is Santa Cruz County. Contact 831-466-3444, www.diggardensnursery.com To read the entire article you can find it online or click the links above.

I wonder how soon I will see hens listed on my rental apps under pets?

Please check out my website at www.PortolaRentals.com if you are interested in properties in Santa Cruz or have rentals in Santa Cruz, CA.

Kathleen Richards

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 or the capacity to house more people.

As a local Property Manager, I agree with the City Council.  I think property owners should be forced to follow the same laws that we do.  I think property owners (and I am one myself) need to be responsible owners not just to their tenants but to their neighbors.

I have lived next to a party house and I can tell you it is hell on the neighborhood.  I complained but what can you do with an owner that lives out of the area or just doesn’t care.  I took the route to be friendly to the tenants and let them know when the noise was too much.  It helped until the next round of students moved in and it started all over again.

As a professional property manager, I do not allow my residents to disturb their neighbors.  If I get a complaint I check it out and then the tenants get a 3 day notice to perform or quit.  If it happens again they are given notice to move.  I make it very clear to tenants prior to moving in what is acceptable and what isn’t acceptable.

If you communicate clearly what is expected of people and what they can expect of you 99% of the time they do the right thing.

In my experience when I get calls from property owners who want me to rent their property on the west side of santa cruz I ask how much rent they get and when they tell me $5,000 for a 3 bedroom I know that I am not the property manager for them.  I don’t want to work with this type of owner.  They want to get as much money as they can, they rent rooms, they don’t maintain the property and the kids have parties and ruin the property further because their rationale is that I am paying all this money for this crappy place…

I work very hard to have an excellent reputation in the community and I realize students need a place to live and this type of owner only makes things harder on everyone, me the professional, the students who are responsible, the neighbors who want to live in a quiet area and get along with their neighbors and the city council.

Enough complaining – here are some steps to take if you do live next to a party home.

1. get to know the students
2. take pictures of problems
3. call the police, again and again if you have to
4. contact the property owner and try to work with them
5. contact the property management company if there is one
6. complain to the city council, the university
7. if all else fails, have an attorney write up something on behalf of the neighborhood and have letter sent to students, university, and owner.

Sometimes making yourself the squeeky wheel does work but I do find if you take the steps to be friendly with the students they will often respond better when you knock on the door asking for the music to be turned down.

Please check out my website at www.PortolaRentals.com if you are interested in properties in Santa Cruz or have rentals in Santa Cruz, CA.

Kathleen Richards

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 it got me thinking about scams in general.  When does a property manager decide to put a For Rent sign out front?  Does this alert people to the possibility of the property being vacant?  What about CraigsList and the scams you find there?

The most common scam in my industry being someone takes the photos and the property description and advertises the property for way below rental market rates.  We have gotten angry prospects who come in to apply for the $1000 ocean front house – if it sounds too good to be real then it is.  Also, please check the email addresses on the ad.  Sometimes it is very obvious it is a scam.  I post all my properties in protected fliers so I haven’t had this happen recently.

So do you put up For Rent signs or not?  I do put them up if tenant occupied, and on a busy street.  If on a quiet street no point, no one will see the sign.

Use care this summer when renting your property for vacation or long term.

Please check out my website at www.PortolaRentals.com if you are interested in properties in Santa Cruz or have rentals in Santa Cruz, CA.

Kathleen Richards

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 urine – Ammonia – purchase nonsudsy unscented household version
• Stubborn stains – Hydrogen Peroxide 3% solution
• Pencil, Mascara, Color Candle Wax – denatured or isopropyl rubbing alcohol
• Old Perspiration, Pet Stains – White Vinegar is very effective on removing odors for carpets and upholstery.
• Removal of bumper stickers, crayon on wood floors – use Mayonnaise let sit and wipe
• Pool Hair – shampoo with Ketchup, leave for 15 minutes, rinse out with baby shampoo.
• Hardwater stains – vinegar works wonders.

Please check out my website at www.PortolaRentals.com if you are interested in properties in Santa Cruz or have rentals in Santa Cruz, CA.

Kathleen Richards

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 were classes the first 2 days for those who want to enhance business skills in marketing, office procedures, and owner-client relationships.  The conference kicked off on Wednesday.  Throughout the 2 day event there were serveral workshops covering such topics as how to use  Social Media, Fair Housing, Risk Management (insurance), Starting the Difficult Conversation, Business Practices to help increase revenue, offer excellent customer service and so on.  In place of a key note speaker the first day we had a session that reviewed the new FTB (franchise tax board) 7% out of state withholding tax that property managers must comply with as agents for the owner.  We also had a networking session that produced some real laughs.

The networking session question was, “You thought you’d heard everything until….”  2 stories stand out.

1.  Tenant calls property management office complaining that the heater doesn’t work, his wife has to wear a sweater to bed when they make love….property management company sent maintenance out and there was nothing wrong with heater…

2.  Tenant calls property management office with plumbing back-up, plumber is sent out, and in the process of snaking the plumbing the next door neighbor comes running out of the house screaming that she knew the house was haunted…apparently the snake came up through her toilet and was whipping around and caught the shower curtain and was spinning it in the air!

Humor is what gets any of us through the bad days and it is fun to be able to share these crazy stories.

Our key note speaker the second day was a legend in our community.  Mark Kreditor from Texas.  He has a degrees in music and is able to put property mgmt lyrics to well known songs to keep us all in stitches.   He shared with us his thoughts on the Stimulus of the Economy and how it relates to Property management.

As a current board member for the state I had the opportunity to attend the First Timers breakfast where I got to meet new members to NARPM and their first conference.  It is really inspiring to me to meet other property managers and hear their experiences and find out how they decided to become part of our family.

I can only tell you that NARPM is the first and only professional organization I have ever been a member of that truly made me feel welcome from the first day and each time I see old friends.  They gladly share their experiences, tips and tricks and are always available if you have a situation or question you just aren’t sure how to handle.  The thought is there is more than enough business to go around so there isn’t the feeling of being competitors as much as being professionals who want to do what is right and help others in the field.  A perfect example is the last day of the conference there is always a breakfast and at this breakfast we network and share forms.  Attendees bring with them handouts of some of the forms they use in their office that have been especially helpful.  Why recreate the wheel?  I can’t tell you how many ideas for services, better ways of streamlining my office procedures or added text to my management contracts that I have gotten from fellow property managers.

I would like to encourage anyone that is a property manager or thinking of becoming a property manager to attend a local chapter meeting, or state or regional conference.  I think once you meet some of the members you will be convinced of the importance of getting involved.  Many members are former past presidents of local, state and national boards, are authors of property management books, teach and speak to professional organizations, and continue to run businesses in their local communities.

Our vendors are a large part of our success as well and this year for the first time we had them in the conference room with us instead of a separate vendor exhibitor room.  The feedback was overwhelmingly positive.  They were able to mingle with us in an informal setting and got to hear first hand the presentations and topics of interest to us as business owners.

For more info about NARPM or to find a local chapter go to:  www.narpm.org

Please check out my website at www.PortolaRentals.com if you are interested in properties in Santa Cruz or have rentals in Santa Cruz, CA.

Kathleen Richards

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 all tenants are EVIL that their approach will be adversarial and thus you reap what you sow.  So I want to address a few of the following G topics.

Good Perspective – not all and in fact 99% of tenants are good.  Approach potential tenants with respect, a friendly disposition and the view that they are going to be the best tenant you have ever had.

Good Owner – be good, be responsible.  When tenants report a maintenance issue be responsible and fix it.  By showing you care for the property, address tenants issues within reason and try to solve a problem together you will create a good relationship and a long term tenant.

Gardener – if you have a nice landscaped property include a gardener with the rent.  Tenants and especially those in the profession don’t keep up the property.  My approach when I get a landscaper asking for a rent discount if they do the yard is to ask them to give me a bid to do the yard, and if reasonable I will pay them to do it but I don’t discount rent.  The response I have ALWAYS gotten is, “then I don’t want to do it”  That is fine.  I am alwasy positive and my response tends to be – how nice for you…you can now come home after a long day and enjoy your nice yard.

Please check out my website at www.PortolaRentals.com if you are interested in properties in Santa Cruz or have rentals in Santa Cruz, CA.

Be good!

Kathleen Richards

I belong to Women Homeowner’s Network of Santa Cruz County www.womenhomeownersnetwork.com and at our monthly meeting one of our members shared this bit of gardening news with us.

As a property manager who handles yard maintenance for many properties I thought I would share her thoughts with all of you.

Diane Flowers – Landscape Design & Maintenance, Sol Inspirations

Weeds have evolved to colonize bare soil.  The first line of defense is organic matter, fertile soil is relatively weed resistant.  Compost is the best nutrient for all plants from small plants to enormous trees.

Secondly, especially in perennial beds, lay down a thick layer of organic mulch.  Use a weed whacker or pruners to cut the weeds to the ground if they are really tall, and then put down cardboard to smother out the crab grass, oxalis, and other persistent weeds.  Flat sheets of cardboard can be found at Cosco.  The flat board is placed between the pallets if you don’t want to tear up boxes.

Ideally use mulch materials already at your home such as grass clippings, fallen leaves, pine needles, or even dried weeds that you have already pulled out.  Pine needles are also great for azaleas, hydrangeas, rhododendrons, and camellias, and for your strawberries and blueberries since they acidify the soil.  And, slugs don’t like pine needles.

Weed seeds can lie dormant under thick layers of soil and mulch so avoid tilling beds; just add organic matter on top. See there is a reason to not dig up that old soil.

Round-up alternatives are vinegar, rubbing alcohol, boiling water, and cabbage…cabbage??? Cabbage, Brussel sprouts and other cruciferour plants contain thiocyanate, a chemical toxic to newly germinated plants.  Blend those Brussels sprouts or a few cabbage leaves in the blender with water and pour in the cracks of your sidewalk to get those seedlings.

Vinegar and rubbing alcohol work on sunny days if you pour it directly on a weed.  Boiling water in the cracks works too, especially for established weeds and grasses it is also recommended for poison oak and bramble roots and it is useful to rid an area of ants.

Other odd ways for weed control, Nick at Iowa State says cornmeal inhibits seed germination and fertilizes as well with its 10 percent nitrogen.  He says just sprinkle it over the area before the growing season.

My new favorite read for garden and household ideas, using things you have at home, is Slug Bread and Beheaded Thistles, by Ellen Sandbeck, a $10 humorous approach to gardening.

Diane can be reached at diane@solinspirations.com

Ok, we just had Earth Day, and the current trend in marketing is to say you are Green. What does being green mean in property management and our daily lives and can it also save us some green – money?

Here are some things I do in my office and things I recommend to Owners/Tenants.

My office:
§ We print lots of paper. We use the back of the printed side. Then we recycle our paper.
§ We water the plants and yard at our office once a week. That is it.
§ We don’t wash our windows until they really need it.
§ I have started walking to and from work and I leave my car at work.
§ We open the blinds in all offices and don’t turn on the lights
§ I purchase recycled products for my office – paper for one
§ We each have our own coffee mug instead of using paper cups and tossing
§ My house cleaners use non-toxic products
§ My contractors know to recycle paint and building products.
§ Install energy efficient bulbs
§ Lower the water level in the toilet tank (less to fill up each time)
§ We stopped providing copies of all maintenance invoices with monthly statements to owners.
The info is on the statement. This saved employee time, paper, and postage.

Owners:
§ Put in a drip system on landscaping
§ Consider removing grass from yards and landscaping with draught tolerant plants
§ Change out toilets if really old to low flow
§ I offer monthly owner statements via email instead of print, and put in envelop, post and mail.
§ Pay bills on line.
§ Participate in our Preventative Maintenance Program – catch the small stuff before it becomes big.
§ Install energy efficient appliances even if not the cheapest
§ Use non-toxic paints, carpets in rentals
§ Change out heater filters annually
§ Ensure good insulation in the attic or ceiling to roof space.
§ Install dual pane windows
§ Consider solar installation for a very large home
§ Install energy efficient light bulbs
§ Lower water level in toilet tanks

Tenants:
§ Report drips and leaks immediately
§ Water yard or plant a garden and eat the food produced
§ Lower temp on water heater
§ Lower thermostat to save on PGE
§ If no problem with HOA rules, hang clothes on a clothes line instead of dryer
§ Wash laundry less. Even one load less a week makes a huge difference.
§ Wash dishes without running water continuously
§ Brush teeth without water running continuously
§ Take a little shorter shower
§ Recycle trash (Santa Cruz requires)
§ Wear your clothes more than once before washing (I grew up with school clothes and play clothes and church clothes)
§ Use less soap/shampoo/toothpaste. I traveled for 1 year and learned very quickly how little you actually need to use to get the job done.
§ Pay rent on line – saves paper and postage.
§ Have a garage sale at least twice a year. My rule. If I haven’t used it for a year it goes. And, you know what I never miss it.
§ As light bulbs die, install energy efficient ones.
§ Lower water level in toilet tanks
§ Turn off lights when not needed.
§ Unplug counter appliances when not in use

I would argue that most of these Green things that we can all do will save us Real Green – Money. In today’s economy we can all find better uses for our Money than watching it go down the drain literally.

A great resource for FREE stuff is: www.freecycle.com

What Green ideas do you have? Share them and I will post and share with others.

Kathleen Richards