The Keys to Success In Selecting a Security Provider
The Keys to Success In Selecting a Security Provider
Article was Featured in the FLORIDA RISING MAGAZINE
Accountability, Transparency and Responsiveness.
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Article was Featured in the FLORIDA RISING MAGAZINE
Accountability, Transparency and Responsiveness.
Florida’s Property Management Magazine, keeping you up to date with information in the Condo, HOA and Property Management Industry.
Our publication has articles written by professionals that work every day managing properties. The information they supply aids Boards Members in Condos and HOA’s all over the State. Through our publication they are given the information so they can learn, then make an informed decision. As you read the magazine, you will find members of the State of Florida Property Management Association – This select group have chosen to do business with the Property Management Industry, including the many Community Association’s, Condo Boards and the Management Companies that make up our industry. ADVERTISE IN THE NEXT EDITION.
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Property management companies can lend a helping hand for busy owners looking to make a profit out of their investment. Whether it’s collecting the rent or performing regular maintenance, property managers are always busy. Sometimes too busy to do everything on time. Luckily, with a little help from homeowners, property managers can do their job more efficiently, keeping your property in tip-top shape while allowing you to enjoy the extra time and money with those you love.
Appearances are everything in the rental market. Handing over a clean, empty property that is ready to be leased will attract prospective tenants and show your property management company how you expect your house to be kept. On the other hand, if your house is a mess, you’re sending a message to prospective tenants and your management company that the maintenance of your investment isn’t a priority
Nothing wipes out the joy of moving into a new house only to find out that essential fixtures and appliances aren’t working. However, you can prevent problems from developing by making sure that everything is working before you hand your property over.
Light fixtures should be in good conditions and with working light bulbs. Bathroom and kitchen faucets should work and have no leaks. Fire alarms should have new batteries. Anything that doesn’t work or isn’t needed should be removed from the property, so as to avoid frustrating the tenants or overburdening the management company’s repair staff.
Whether it’s by accident or on purpose, many property owners end up leaving personal objects in the property. This happens especially in places like the garage or the attic. This is can lead to trouble down the road.
Leaving personal items in a property encumbers everybody. When your new tenant moves into the home, they shouldn’t have to deal with items that don’t belong to them. You also risk having your personal items stolen or damaged. This also affects the property management company that is caught in the middle. Save yourself the hassle and make sure you remove all of your personal items before turning over your property.
Tenants expect to be able to move in immediately, not having to scrub the floor and walls for hours. Your property may be old and have a few issues with its fixtures, but keeping it sparkling clean will make it more attractive for your future tenants. So make sure that there’s no dust or stains on the floor. If you have carpets get them cleaned by a professional.
Your walls don’t have to be freshly painted, although it does help. But the better they look, the easier it’s going to be renting the house out. So make sure that you fill any hole, scrub the walls, or change the wallpaper if needed. Tenants can be picky when it comes to walls, especially if they are dirty or are painted with strange colors.
By visiting your house, prospects expect to get an idea what it will be like to live there. That’s why it’s important that there is running water so that the toilets and the sinks work. Leaving the electricity on is also a must since many tenants visit in the evening and need the extra lighting. Depending on the season, your AC or heating system will also be needed to keep your prospects comfortable.
Every form and document we submit to the owners is necessary for our business activities. That’s why we have a rule of never marketing or leasing a property until the owner, or tenant, has delivered all the information and paperwork we have requested.
Where is your property’s electrical junction box? Does the house have a propane tank? Where is the water shut-off located? These are just some questions that you should answer when handing over your property. They will save you time and many phone calls from your property management company.
These will be passed on and explained to your tenants so they can comply with the neighborhood rules. No tenant can be held responsible for breaking a rule if he doesn’t know the regulations to begin with.
Perhaps the most obvious one, your company needs your full contact information. This includes your current address and phone number, to get a hold of you. The easier it is to talk to you, the quicker your property manager will be able to make repairs in your property or solve other issues that need your authorization.
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Storm drains in Miami after several days of rain and it’s become apparent why they weren’t working properly. Check out all that debris, dirt and rocks
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Broward: Ph. 954.382.2099 | Dade: Ph. 305.267.3992
Brothers Backflow Specialists is state licensed and insured in the plumbing and gas industry. Our technicians specialize in plumbing, backflows, propane, natural gas, medical gas and water restoration including everything from installing gas lines, testing backflows and repairing broken plumbing pipes. We provide services for commercial, residential, industrial & farm properties from Monroe to West Palm Beach County as well as backflow services in Orlando, Florida. Brothers Backflow Specialists is here to serve you 24 hours a day / 7 days a week and no job is too big or too small.
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SFPMA.COM / State of Florida Property Management Association, Be Safe.
Most things are usually on hand but should be stocked up and easily accessible. If it turns out the hurricane has changed its path, at least you will have known you were ready.
If your city or town is in imminent danger of a hurricane, most likely evacuation announcements have been made, and should be taken seriously. Here is a checklist to consider before you leave:
If staying with relatives is not an option, consider booking a room in a hotel or motel in another nearby town or state. Make sure to get directions and put them in the car ahead of time. It is easy to forget that piece of paper in the rush out the door. A cheaper route might be to find temporary hurricane shelters. Usually nearby towns not in the direct path of the hurricane will provide these for people in need.
Unfortunately, it is unlikely that your pet will have a place in a motel or hotel. Keep this in mind, and try to find alternate housing like pet-friendly hotels and motels or dog boarding kennels in areas out of the path of the storm until it is safe to return home.
Designate a spot, in the hall closet, to keep a bag of clothes for each person in the household. Make sure to include sleeping gear if you plan on going to a temporary shelter.
Along with overnight clothes, consider stocking your Hurricane Kit with the following: extra cash, generator, batteries, flash lights, battery operated radio/television, bottled water, toilet paper, non-perishable foods such as cereal or crackers, canned goods, a can opener, a small cooler, candles, prescription medicines and any over-the-counter remedies you use regularly; and if you have small children – diapers, baby wipes, formula, baby food.
When TV and computer games no longer operate, board games or a deck of cards come in handy! Arts and crafts, crayons and downloadable coloring pages are always great distractions for the kids – so make sure you’ve stored some of these supplies in a tote bag or in the car trunk.
8. If you decide to tough out the storm, stay downwind in your home. This means if the wind is hitting the living room windows, go to the room opposite the living room.
9. Plywood is a ‘hot’ commodity for those of who decide to stay. Boarding up windows that will take the brunt of the wind and rain is a wise decision. If board is not available, protect your windows from the wind by criss-crossing them with layers of duct or packing tape. This will be enough protection for light-to-medium winds, but learning how to build and install plywood hurricane shutters is your safest bet. If you can afford it, have them installed by a professional.
10. Finally, STAY INSIDE. However tempting it may be to videotape or take photos of the storm, be sure to shoot from indoors – where it’s safe, and dry!
Hurricanes are serious business. Weather forecasters can only predict so much. Educate yourself and stay on top of hurricane updates in your area. There is no harm in being overly cautious. In most cases where a hurricane is concerned, it truly is better to be safe than sorry.
Lynn Grosso, director of HUD’s Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Enforcement Office, told the Land Use, Property Rights & Environment Committee that a predatory cottage industry has developed for assistance animal certifications. Consumers are being misled to believe that an online verification letter—often provided by unlicensed medical professionals at a cost of a few hundred dollars—guarantees them the right to have an animal in multifamily housing regardless of pet policy, she added.
“HUD does not recognize these pay-to-play certifications as reliable,” Grosso said. “You should not feel held hostage by a policy where tenants don’t have to demonstrate in a reliable manner a legitimate need for the assistance of an animal.”
Grosso said HUD is developing new guidance that will address for the first time what “reliable verification” means as it pertains to tenants’ service animal requests. It’s not clear when the guidance, which is currently under federal review, will be released.
But Grosso offered some clarity to the committee Tuesday on the substance of the guidance. While landlords and property managers are legally prohibited from inquiring about the nature or severity of a tenant’s disability, they can express concern about the reliability of a service animal certification letter and provide steps for the tenant to take for further verification. This may include asking the tenant to provide additional documentation from their medical provider. The most reliable form of verification is a letter from a medical provider who has a history of treating the tenant, and the letter should name the tenant’s disability and the animal most qualified to assist him or her, Grosso said. “It’s best to have a policy on this issue rather than doing it on an ad hoc basis,” she added.
However, if you can “readily observe” that a tenant has a disability and an animal that provides a service, it’s wise not to push the issue of additional verification, Grosso said. She added that HUD’s forthcoming guidance also will address exotic animals such as alligators and the number of animals each individual tenant can request in their unit.
It’s important not to trivialize the issue of service animals because of abuses of the law, Grosso said. “Very often, there is some nefarious attribution to people who request assistance animals,” she said. “But many times, there are people with significant disabilities who legitimately need the assistance of a service animal. They bear the burden of the effects of service animal abuses.”