Rental properties continue to be an excellent hedge against inflation but, several things can effectively kill your profits as a Beaverton Oregon Real Estate Investor.
In this article, we will break down some of the things that you should not be doing in your rental property business.
Tip #1 – Not Turning Over Your Vacant Units Quickly
One of the first mistakes that many owners make is taking their time to turn over their vacant units.
Moving quickly when you have a vacant unit is essential because, the longer it’s not occupied, the more you will have to face-covering your mortgage, insurance, and other costs out of pocket.
From the moment that your tenant alerts you that they are going to be moving, you should move forward with getting the property ready for your next tenant. Getting the property ready, marketing, and advertising all takes time and it’s better to start early instead of waiting too long to get that done.
Tip #2 – Not Screening Tenants Effectively
Let’s face it, tenant screening is one of the keys to success with owning rental properties that produce consistent profits because, if you screen tenants improperly, you may rent to tenants who make your life difficult.
To avoid renting to the wrong tenants, it’s important to invest the time in thoroughly screening tenants correctly each time, including asking the right questions because, investing the time in tenant screening will produce long-term, consistent rental income for you.
Tip #3 – Handling Maintenance Issues Poorly
Rental property maintenance is something that every owner should outsource immediately because, it’s easy to think that you can handle the maintenance yourself but the reality is that when maintenance is mishandled, it can be very costly.
From your first month of owning a rental property, you should focus on building a vendor matrix. Doing this will help you to effectively know who to call when you have maintenance needs at your property.
Contact Rent Portland Homes – Professionals
Ultimately, hiring a property manager is the smartest decision you can make as a landlord because it saves you the time and hassle of managing your property yourself.
To learn more about the services we can offer you, contact us today by calling (503) 447-7735 or click here to connect with us online.
Are you thinking about renting your Beaverton Home but you’re not sure what it’s worth in the current rental market? If so, you’ve come to the right place.
There’s no denying that the rental market is even more competitive than ever before but, the good news is that you can determine what your property should rent for when you follow these tips.
Tip #1 – Review Your Property Age And Condition
Your home may be a much-loved family home but, if it’s not been painted or renovated in some time, the age and condition of the property will affect what you can rent that property for.
Take the time to think like a renter and critically analyze your property from the front door to the back door because, this will help you to determine if your Beaverton home is ready to be rented or not.
Does the property need?
New flooring
Paint
Furnishings
Light fixtures
If the property has been well-maintained over the years, you may be able to invest in minimal repairs/upgrades before listing it for rent but, if your Oregon property needs major repairs, like a new roof, you should commit to making those repairs now before renting it out.
Tip #2 – Do A Comparable Analysis
After getting your property ready for rent, you should do a comparable analysis to determine what other similar properties in the Beaverton area are renting for.
During your comparable analysis, you will also be able to determine if adding additional amenities like onsite storage, dog run, patio or an RV pad will help to improve the value of your property and help you to rent it for more money.
Tip #3 – Hire A Property Management Company
Even though you could manage your rental property yourself, hiring a property management company is the best way to earn the most ROI from your property possible.
A property management company will save you the time/money and hassle of managing that property yourself, so you can focus on enjoying your life while earning passive income from that rental.
Contact Rent Portland Homes – Professionals
At Rent Portland Homes – Professionals, we offer local property management services for both single-family and multifamily properties in the Beaverton area.
To learn more about the services that we can offer you, contact us today by clicking here or call us at (503) 447-7735.
Are you planning on turning your single-family home into a Beaverton Rental property? If so, like most owners you’re probably concerned about wear and tear at your rental property.
Wear and tear are a fact of life when you own a rental propert, but the good news is that you can easily prepare that property for wear when you ‘future proof’ it by following these simple tips.
Tip #1 – Choose Durable Materials Vs. Trendy Materials
Even though you may be tempted to install granite countertops and a stylish backsplash in your kitchen, the reality is that those features will cost more than durable materials and they may not last as long.
Focus on choosing durable materials each time you plan on investing in upgrades for your property and you will find that those materials cost less and last longer than trendy materials.
Tip #2 – Choose Neutral Floor And Wall Colors
Another way to ‘future proof’ your Beaverton rental property is to choose neutral floor and wall colors.
This tip is effective because it will save you the hassle of having to search for specific custom colors each time you have to repaint and most of all, your rental property will have a timeless appeal.
Also, when it comes to installing flooring, you should install hard surfaces next to entryways on the property. Doing this will help your tenants to keep the carpet clean and ensure that it will last longer.
Tip #3 – Choose Quality Light Fixtures And Bulbs
Last of all, but most important, another effective way to ‘future proof’ your property is to choose good quality light fixtures and bulbs.
Light fixtures can easily last 10-20 years so it’s best to invest in good quality fixtures that will last.
When choosing light fixtures for the bedrooms in your property, consider adding ceiling fans. Doing this will make it easy for your tenants to cool the rooms in the rental property without having to run the air conditioner.
Contact Rent Portland Homes – Professionals
At Rent Portland Homes – Professionals, we specialize in property management for single-family and multifamily properties in Beaverton and across Portland.
To learn more about the property management services that we can offer you, contact us today by calling (503) 447-7735 or click here to connect with us online.
Life as a landlord can certainly be interesting and one thing that every landlord has to expect sooner rather than later is having a terrible tenant.
Thankfully, dealing with terrible tenants can be easy, especially if you follow these simple tips.
Tip #1 – Stay Calm And Objective
The most important thing to do when communicating with a terrible tenant is to stay calm, rational, and objective because if you let your emotions get in the way, that will only make the problem worse.
Besides approaching the situation calmly, you should also be willing to listen to all sides of the story because the tenant may not be as bad as you initially thought.
Tip #2 – Keep Records Of Everything In Writing
Once you first reach out to the tenant, the next thing that you must do is keep records of everything that was said between you and the tenant in writing.
Having written records of everything is essential because this will eliminate any questions about what was said in your communication with the tenant and those records will help should you need to evict your tenant as well.
Tip #3 – Teach Them How They Should Communicate With You
Last of all, but most important, if the main issue with the terrible tenant is poor communication, you should teach them how they should treat you and eliminate any issues with communication in the future.
This also means offering your tenant multiple ways to reach you should they need to contact you shortly.
Contact Rent Portland Homes – Professionals
At Rent Portland Homes – Professionals, we specialize in local property management for the Portland Oregon area.
Our team of property management also consists of professionals that are experts in the landlord-tenant relationship.
To learn more about the services that we can offer you, contact us today by calling (503) 447-7735 or click here to connect with us online.
Are you searching for tips on how to prevent crime at your rental property? If so, you’ve come to the right place.
There’s no denying that crime has been a major concern for landlords nationwide as it’s continued to increase in many areas.
Thankfully, landlords can do their part to prevent crime at their rental properties by following these basic tips:
Tip #1 – Improve The Curb Appeal Of Your Rental Property
One of the key things that criminals look for is a home that has overgrown trees or bushes because overgrown vegetation creates ideal hiding places for criminals to break into homes or rob tenants when they are entering those properties.
Tip #2 – Invest In Security Lighting
After cleaning up the exterior of the property, another convenient way to improve the security of your rental is to invest in security lighting.
Ideally, you should have lights leading from the parking area, or driveway, to the tenant’s front door because if the path is unlit, this creates more spaces for criminals to hide and target unsuspecting tenants.
Tip #3 – Consider Smart Security Upgrades
Another ideal way to make your property safer for your tenants is to invest in smart security upgrades like an alarm system or at the very least, a video doorbell that the tenant can use to see who is actually at the door before they open it.
Contact Rent Portland Homes – Professionals
At Rent Portland Homes – Professionals, we offer the property management services that you need to succeed as a landlord in today’s changing rental market.
Our team provides all of the property management services that you need so that you can enjoy the passive income that comes from owning rental properties.
To learn more about the property management services that we can offer you, contact us today by calling (503) 447-7735 or click here to connect with us online.
Do you have a tenant living in your Beaverton rental property that you want to evict but you’re wondering if there are other alternatives to eviction that will get them out? If so, you’ve come to the right place.
Let’s face it, no landlord (or tenant) likes eviction because an average eviction can between 1-2 months and be very costly.
Thankfully, landlords don’t always have to choose eviction as their only alternative for getting a problem tenant out, especially if they follow these tips.
Offer Cash For Keys
Cash for keys is one of the oldest eviction alternatives out there today because there’s nothing simpler than offering your tenant a certain amount of cash if, they are willing to move out by a set date.
The key to success with a cash-for keys agreement is to make sure that you’re in full agreement with your tenant on the money that they are willing to accept and the terms of the agreement then it must be in writing.
Once the agreement is signed, you should do everything possible to make the situation work for your tenant, even renting them a U-Haul for the day, so they can move out with as little hassle to you as possible.
Talk With The Tenant
Many times, simple communication with a tenant is the key to success when it comes to turning a problem tenant into a good paying tenant once again.
If your tenant is behind on their rent, it’s best to reach out to them and find out what you can about their situation then do everything possible to resolve it.
They may be able to catch up on the back rent, if you agree to a payment arrangement, then once paid your tenant could likely return to the same attitude and responsible behavior that they had before.
Avoid These Mistakes When Trying to Get Tenants to Move Out
When you find yourself desperate to remove tenants from your properties, you may consider some more extreme measures. Some landlords make the mistake of attempting to rid themselves of their tenants without respecting lease agreements. Others use self-help eviction methods where they retake possession of a property without using the eviction process. Avoid using any of the following methods to force a tenant to leave your rental property:
Example of Illegal Self-help Evictions
Changing the locks while the tenant still lives on the property
Removing the tenant’s property
Failing to pay included utilities like water, cutting them off
Threats of any kind
Direct orders to leave
Landlord Consequences of a “Self-help” Eviction
If you do use any of these methods above, you could easily find yourself in hot water. A lawsuit is the last thing anyone in business should want to deal with, and any of these could be offenses that could lead to your tenant rightfully suing you and damaging your business.
Every state has rules that all landlords must follow when removing a tenant from their property. Below we compare four different areas to demonstrate the potential consequences landlords face for taking the law into their own hands.
At Rent Portland Homes Professionals, we have decades of experience managing local rental properties.
Our team is experienced at all aspects of property management so you can move on from DIY property management and enjoy the passive income from your rental property.
To learn more about the property management services we can offer you, contact us today by calling (503) 447-7735 or click here to connect with us online.
In today’s world, most tenants want to decorate their rental properties because they want to personalize those properties and make them feel like they are their own.
Sadly, when it comes to decorating, this often involves damage because some tenants may use screws and nails while other tenants go a little too far when it comes to personalizing their properties.
What Are The Do’s Of Decorating A Rental Property
The new time you rent to a new tenant, make sure that they are aware of the following do’s and don’t of decorating a rental property.
Do use command hooks – Thanks to command hooks, or similar products, it’s possible for tenants to decorate their rental properties without using nails or screws.
Do use area rugs – Using a few area rugs in a rental property can effectively personalize the floors of that property, make it feel more like a home, and also insulate the floors to limit heat loss during the winter.
Do use peel and stick wall coverings – Tenants who want to paint, or personalize the walls inside a property should be encouraged to use peel and stick wall coverings instead because these wall coverings offer a wide variety of patterns and are very easy to use.
Do invest in additional lighting – Another great way to personalize a rental property is lighting because adding more light can easily brighten up any dark space and make a rental property feel like home.
What Are The Don’t Of Decorating A Rental Property?
Don’t use nails or screws in walls – As we mentioned above, screws and nails are unnecessary in today’s world simply because command strips offer the same functionality and cause no damage to walls.
Don’t allow permanent fixtures without permission – If your tenant is thinking about adding a permanent fixture to the rental Oregon property, they must get your permission first. This is important because that fixture must complement the design/look of the property and be easy to remove (if needed) once the tenant moves out.
Don’t allow paint without permission – Tenants who want to paint their rental properties should be made aware that they can paint them only with your permission first.
This is important because if the tenant paints the property, they must be made aware that the property must be repainted a neutral color once they move out.
Some tenants will balk at repainting the property themselves before moving out, leaving this job to their landlords, so it’s best to make sure that they know they will be required to repaint or risk losing a portion of their security deposit due to this cost that you may incur.
Contact Rent Portland Homes – Professionals
At Rent Portland Homes – Professionals, we’re experts at local property management and our team can assist you with managing your single-family, or multifamily rental properties.
To learn more about the services we can offer you, contact us today by calling (503) 447-7735 or click here to connect with us online.
Are you interested in investing in rental properties in Beaverton Oregon but you live in Washington, California, or elsewhere in the United States?
Even though long-distance real estate investing may seem difficult, the reality is that it’s easier than you think, especially when you hire a property management company.
Why Property Management?
Let’s face it, long-distance real estate investing will only work if you can catch a flight, or drive to your rental property at a moment’s notice.
If you can’t just get up and go, the reality is that you need a property management company in Beaverton to manage those rental properties for you.
When you hire a property manager, you can rest easy in knowing that all of the day-to-day property management tasks will be handled by professionals, so you can focus on enjoying the passive income that comes from owning rental properties.
What Services Can A Property Manager Offer You?
At Rent Portland Homes – Professionals, we specialize in offering A to Z property management services. This means that you can rely on us to provide you with all of the property management services that your rental needs including:
Property marketing
Tenant selection
Tenant Placement
Rent Collection
Maintenance
Collections
Customer Service
And More!
Property management makes it possible for you to build a portfolio of investment properties without having to do all of the work yourself.
Contact Rent Portland Homes – Professionals
Rent Portland Homes Professionals manages hundreds of rental properties with a professional, well-trained staff of property managers, accounting and maintenance personnel.
We take pride in being experts on the local Beaverton and Westside rental markets and being based in Beaverton for over 15 years! Our main office is located at – 9725 SW Beaverton Hillsdale HWY, Suite 120, Beaverton, Oregon, 97005.
To learn more about the property management services we can offer you, contact us today by calling – (503) 447-7735 or click here to connect with us online.
Vacancies are something that no landlord looks forward to because they mean that one of their properties is unoccupied and not producing income.
Thankfully, it’s easier than ever before for Oregon landlords to lower vacancy rates and increase their renewals by following these simple tips.
Tip #1 – Make The Landlord-Tenant Relationship A Priority
Let’s face it, landlords and tenants need each other because the landlord needs to have an occupied rental property while the tenant needs a place to live.
This is why the landlord and tenant should prioritize their relationship with the tenant and make a point of having a presence in their tenant’s life so that they know that the landlord doesn’t view them as more than a source of revenue.
Some of the things that landlords can do to improve their relationship with their tenants include:
Provide the tenant with multiple ways to reach the landlord.
Respond to tenant complaints or maintenance issues immediately.
Keep promises to the tenant.
Remembering the tenants’ birthdays and having a least one special event per year to interact with the tenants.
Tip #2 – Stay Open To Feedback
Most tenants hate moving, especially after they’ve found a rental property that seemingly offers them everything they’ve been searching for.
Some tenants will think about moving if they feel that the landlord isn’t receptive to their feedback, especially when it concerns things that can be done to improve the rental property.
Landlords should always encourage feedback and let their tenants know that they are listening, especially if the tenant offers feedback for things that can be done to help the tenant to have a more enjoyable experience while living at the property.
Tip #3 – Offer The Tenant Renewal Incentives
Last of all, but most important, landlords shouldn’t hesitate to offer renewal incentives to their tenants, especially if those incentives may lead some tenants to renew their leases a month or two early.
Some of the renewal incentives that landlords should consider offering include gift cards, cash, parking benefits, discounts on their rent, or possibly a new television.
These are just a few practical ideas that landlords can utilize to increase renewal rates and keep good tenants for years to come.
Contact Rent Portland Homes – Professionals
At Rent Portland Homes – Professionals, we specialize in managing single-family and multifamily properties across the Beaverton area.
If you need property management for your rental properties, or you’re searching for a more experienced property manager, who will offer you the level of service that your rental deserves, we encourage you to contact us today.
Call our property management team at (503) 447-7735 or click here to connect with us online.
Searching for property management tips? If so, you’ve come to the right place!
One of the most common problems that landlords face is removing bad smells from their rental property that a tenant has left behind.
Smells are a fact of life, especially when you consider that your tenants may have families with children and everyday living may be responsible for them leaving behind a rental property that has smells that are difficult to eliminate.
Thankfully, you can get rid of smells in your rental property, before you show the rental property to your next prospective tenants, simply by following these tips.
Property Management Tip #1 – Air Out The Rental Property
One of the best ways to get rid of smells at a rental property is by airing it out when you open the windows and let the fresh air in.
Besides opening the windows to eliminate smelly odors, you should also leave a ceiling fan on in the rental property while it’s vacant because this will circulate airflow in the property and eliminate potential mold growth during the winter months.
Property Management Tip #2 – Determine What Needs To Be Replaced
If you’re still noticing the smells inside the Oregon property, even after airing it out and doing some deep cleaning, the next thing to do is determine where the smell is specifically coming from.
Once you find out where the smell is coming from and determine if it needs to be replaced.
For example, carpeting typically is one culprit when it comes to smells inside a property because carpet absorbs smells and they can be difficult to remove so if you think the carpet inside your property is locking in a less than appealing odor, you may want to replace it.
Property Management Tip #3 – How To Remove Cigarette Smells
Yes, even though you may have a ‘no smoking’ rule in your lease, your tenants (or their guests) may have smoked inside the property anyway.
Cigarette smells are difficult to eliminate but the reality is that it’s not impossible to remove them especially if you follow these tips.
Paint – After a cigarette smoker has moved out the most important thing you have to do is repaint the inside of the property because the smell of stale cigarettes will linger until the rental has been completely repainted.
Replace – Once the property has been repainted, you will then need to replace any window coverings or drapery inside the property because cigarette smoke also clings to window coverings and can be hard to eliminate.
Clean – Any surfaces that haven’t been repainted should also be thoroughly cleaned as well with an odor-eliminating solution so that the property smells clean and fresh when a prospective tenant comes to tour it.
Property Management Tip #4 – Eliminate Pet Odors
Let’s say that you allow pets in your property and found that once the tenant moved out, the property still smelled like a dog or cat. In this case, you will need to take a black light to the carpeting/flooring to determine if the animal may have relieved itself inside the property.
Once you determine that there is dried pet urine inside the rental, you can move forward with replacing the flooring and thoroughly cleaning that area so that the property doesn’t have any trace of pet smells when new tenants come to tour it.
How to prevent bad smells in your rental unit
The best way to reduce vacancy time and maximize cash flow is to prevent bad smells from permeating the unit in the first place. Preventative measures may involve some investment, but you will save time and resources related to deep cleaning after the tenant moves out.
For example, it can be pretty costly to clean or replace carpets, soft furnishings, or upholstered furniture—but if you don’t take preventative measures, you’ll likely have to do so at some point. Likewise, repainting walls to remove unpleasant odors takes time and money. And hiring a professional cleaning crew will eat into your profits.
Of course, thoroughly screening prospective tenants is one way to prevent cleanliness issues or look after the rental unit. But even when you screen your tenants, these types of issues can occur. As such, here are a few tips on preventing the foul smells that are difficult to remove.
Conduct bi-annual or annual inspections
You should always have a clause in the lease that specifies your right to carry out regular inspections of the unit. These inspections allow you to address any issues in the apartment before they are completely out of control. For example, you will typically be able to detect bad smells from issues like pets, garbage buildup, smoking, or illegal activity, like drug use.
Regular inspections also encourage tenants to clean the place thoroughly before you arrive. During the inspections, you can also check for maintenance issues like dripping plumbing, poor ventilation, or blocked air filters, which will help you to further reduce these types of issues.
Bonus Tips – How to Fix Dog Scratches on Wood Surfaces
Perhaps you’re concerned about the baseboards, wood flooring, and doors in your home. Dogs’ nails can damage these surfaces, especially when they are excited to see their owner returning home. If you find deep scratches on your wood doors or window frames, here’s how to fix them:
Use coarse sandpaper to sand down the marks. This will remove any rough, raised areas and give you a smooth surface to work with.
Wipe down the area with a damp cloth and allow it to dry completely.
Find wood filler that matches the color of the surface you are repairing. Apply the filler with a small putty knife, making sure you fill the gaps.
Wait for the filler to dry, then sand first with coarse sandpaper followed by fine to smooth it out.
Wipe the area down once again with a damp cloth, wait for it to dry, then repaint or stain the area.
Are you searching for a reliable property management company in the Beaverton area?
Our team at Rent Portland Homes – Professionals can help! We offer local property management that will save you the time/money/hassle of managing your property yourself.
To learn more about the services that we can offer you, contact us today by calling (503) 646-9664 or click here.
