Attorney Tristan Pettit is presenting the Landlord Boot Camp again this February. Prior Boot Camps were very well received, with positive feed back from all that attended
An interesting, soon to be published Wisconsin case on denial of a rental applicant. This probably has little impact except for Section 8 applicants, but it could also be a basis for Fair housing questions too.
The Housing Authority denied an application because the prospective tenant had been found guilty in a default judgment on municipal citations for disorderly conduct, and assault and battery
The Wisconsin State Bar Association has released a white paper on scanning/ document imaging. While the piece is obviously aimed at lawyers, their suggestions and ideas apply equally as well to our industry.
Here is a link to the 20-page white paper, “Hardcore Scanning for Law Offices of Any Size,”
Every year around this time people focus a bit more on planning, all part of that New Year’s Resolution thing. While planning should ongoing and not be restricted to the last month of the year, I too kick off the beginning of every year with a “big” project with the intent of fundamentally changing some aspect of our business.
This is the first of a handful of ideas that you could use to make 2010 more productive than 2009.
Document Imaging / Scanning instead of paper files
One of the biggest changes in the operation of our business occurred at the end of 2007 when we went from paper filing systems to full document scanning and digital storage.
The scanning project is so cool that I couldn’t help but share it with the readers of the ApartmentAssoc email list. It is a project that a mom and pop operation working from their kitchen table to large multi person offices. And it’s relatively cheap. You can get into it for under $200 and quickly save more than that in time and aggravation.
The following was a post from Ray Como ten years ago. I’ve reposted it to the ApartmentAssoc@YahooGroups.com email list (More info about this free, open to all disussion group) every year since. Even if the ideas themselves are not suited to your situation, they may get you thinking of other ideas that better fit you or at least remind you three weeks in advance that the tax year is coming to an end. — Tim
Each Year
On or about this time of the year you should be thinking of strategies that take advantage of the “straddling-effect” that occurs every December 31st.
This will be worth thousands (maybe millions) to you and your corporations, if you simply TAKE ACTION! With that—lets talk deductions and straddling strategies . . .
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Tim Ballering’s Landlord Links
These are the reference links I use everyday
– Tim Ballering, Affordable Rentals Milwaukee, WI
More Useful Links For Landlords
A couple property owners approached me stating they have received notice from the Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services (DNS) that they must obtain new occupancy certificates on properties they purchased a couple of years ago. In both cases the properties had been in foreclosure.
Owners of pre-1978 properties: It’s going to get much more expensive to make repairs come next April due to the EPA Renovator Rule.
You may have heard the recent Window World ads for their $185 installed vinyl replacement windows. In the ad they warn you to replace your windows now because their price goes up by $100 in April 2010. Why is this?
It’s the new EPA Renovator rule
The rule affects most people who perform maintenance on residential properties, daycares and schools. Contractors performing work on owner occupied homes are also required to comply.
And no, this is not just a painter rule. Property owners, landlords, plumbers,electricians, HVAC, maintenance and handymen all will be affected by the new certification disclosure, documentation and training requirements, too. EPA documentation is at English (PDF)
Wisconsin Code ATCP 134 requires an owner to return a security deposit within 21 days of surrender of the premises. This seams easy if the tenant gives proper notice and moves out when they should. But what if they don’t?
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“Dirty” Words in Ads
From the New York Post article ‘DIRTY’ WORDS IN ADS
Here are seven dirty words you can’t say in real-estate ads: exclusive, quiet, private, bachelor, kids, walking and playroom.
Yet HUD’s Fair Housing enforcement guidelines appear to be more reasonable and contradict this article.
Use of the term master bedroom does not constitute a violation of either the sex discrimination provisions or the race discrimination provisions. Terms such as “mother-in-law suite” and “bachelor apartment” are commonly used as physical descriptions of housing units and do not violate the Act