How to Find a Good Property Management Company for Your Houston Rental Property

By Michael Mengden Tuesday, June 7, 2016

There are a few specific things you want to talk about when you are interviewing and selecting the right property management company for your Houston rental property. We’re sharing some of the best tips to help you start your relationship in the right direction. ...

Best Tenant Screening in Houston – Professional Advice for Homeowners

By Michael Mengden Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Landlords and homeowners who manage their own rental properties really need to know how to properly screen tenants. You never want to just move a tenant in without checking that person’s background and qualifications. It’s important that you always do a professional...

Why Work with Terra Residential Services – Professional Property Management in Houston

By Michael Mengden Thursday, May 26, 2016

Terra Residential Services is a professional property management company in Houston, Texas and we’re talking about why we are best choice when you’re looking for someone to take care of your single family rental property. We are a full service single family propert...

April 2012: Fair Housing and the Rental Process

By Michael Mengden Wednesday, April 18, 2012

It is crucial, when renting a property, that property managers and owners avoid discrimination. There are many pitfalls, and it requires good policies, procedures, and practices, to prevent unwanted Fair Housing complaints. Fair Housing actually began in the United States in 1...

March 2012: The Security Deposit vs. Normal Wear & Tear

By Michael Mengden Wednesday, February 29, 2012

If you have 100 property managers in a meeting, the majority will agree that settling a security deposits dispute is one of the more difficult tasks in property management, particularly when it comes to determining "normal wear and tear," also referred to by some as "ordinary we...

February 2012: Handling Tenant Issues

By Michael Mengden Tuesday, January 31, 2012

In a perfect world of landlord/tenant relations, the rent is never late; there are never maintenance problems, emergencies, or any other difficulties; tenants are never angry. However, this delightful scenario is generally not the case and difficult situations take serious consi...

January 2012: What Does The Tenant Want Now?

By Michael Mengden Saturday, December 31, 2011

There are times when owning a rental property can feel like pouring silver dollars into a big bottomless hole with no chance of recovering them. After a vacancy and repairs, the property successfully rents and then the tenant wants the property owner to spend more money on repai...

December 2011: Are You a Knowledgeable Landlord?

By Michael Mengden Wednesday, November 30, 2011

How would you rate yourself as a knowledgeable landlord? We thought we would put together a list of questions that landlords should know. It is and always will be, our policy to keep you intelligently informed on the business of owning investment property. That is the primary re...

November 2011: A Cash Reserve for Your Investment Property

By Michael Mengden Monday, October 31, 2011

You never know when something can happen that will require a large amount of cash, such as a disaster where the property is located, a major maintenance expense, an unexpectedly long vacancy, or a problem with a tenant that leads to legal action and damage. As your property mana...

October 2011: Landlords DO Have Rights

By Michael Mengden Friday, September 30, 2011

It often seems that a property owner does not have any rights and the tenants call all the shots, the courts only rule in favor of the tenant, and the attorneys end up with all the money. Just look at the multi-million dollar lawsuits that have happened regarding mold, lead-base...