What should concern landlords today
Tuesday, August 4th, 2009As a rental property owner in Milwaukee the following items should rank high on your list of concerns. (Just a draft) (more…)
Archive for the ‘Milwaukee’ Category
Zombie housing
Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009The Milwaukee Journal notes that Lenders are abandoning foreclosured properties
http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/watchdogreports/50548282.html
“Rodney Lass figured his days as a homeowner were over when he was hit with a foreclosure judgment more than a year ago.
He stopped rehabbing his two-story Bay View home and moved on. [snip]
The foreclosure, however, failed to go through after the California-based lender decided it didn’t want the gutted house. Lass said he found out for certain that he still owned it from the Journal Sentinel.”
Tim’s comments
There is another twist, probably worse for the community than abandonment by the lender. An emerging phenomena is owners of properties in lower income areas are being sued for the balance of the mortgage, not as a foreclosure but as a large claim action. The lenders are seeking only a money judgment against the owner and are not asking the court to give them title to the property. The only option at that point for many owners is bankruptcy. (more…)
Evictions: Another week another change
Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009This will be has been posted shortly at the Courthouse:
PLEASE NOTE
In Small Claims Eviction cases, you may only sign complaints and appear in court on behalf of a property owner if you are one of the following:
· The property owner (if the property is not owned by a corporation/limited liability corporation)
· A full time employee of the property owner
· An attorneyEmployees of management companies or other outside service providers may not sign complaints or appear on behalf of property owners.
Who is responsible – you or your tenant?
Sunday, February 17th, 2008No single idea, thought or policy has done as much harm to urban American than the political expediency of ignoring occupants’ responsibilities. While Milwaukee certainly does not maintain a monopoly on these ill-conceived ideas, we are a front runner.
Take today’s Journal article on snow removal as a timely, but far from unique example.
“A city ordinance requires snow and ice to be removed or prevented from posing a hazard on sidewalks within 24 hours after snow has stopped falling. If the city is forced to provide the service, property owners – not their renters – are charged $93 for a 60-foot lot and a $25 administration fee for the first occurrence. That administration fee grows to $50 for each subsequent occurrence”
Any tenant reading this article thinks ‘And here that no good son of a sewer rat I rent from put in the lease that I had to shovel. Even the Journal says it’s his job, not mine. No way I’m going out there in the cold and do his job!.’ (more…)