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 1776, with the Declaration of Independence, which states, "al...

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 wear and tear." Why does this become such a difficult pro...

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 consideration and action. However, as your Property Management Co...

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 repairs. It could be a big property tax bill is due or the mortga...

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 reason for this newsletter service.  We hope this will...

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 management company, we work on preventative measures to keep thi...

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-based paint, Fair Housing, and more. In fact, we do our best to ...

New Texas Law Regarding Smoke Alarms A new law was passed this last legislative session regarding the number and placement of smoke alarms in rental properties in Texas. In short the law attempted to make the requirements consistent throughout the state. It requires at least one smoke alarm to be placed in each bedroom. In addition, i...

Over the years, courts have made many rulings based on the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, URLTA. When faced with a difficult case between Landlord and Tenant, a judge will often consult the fine points of this Act before rendering a decision. Important Landlord/Tenant Law often stems from these judgments. A number of st...

Pests can be a problem any time during the year and are a common occurrence in the property management industry. If you check the dictionary, there are varying definitions for pests - here are three common ones. An insect or other small animal that harms or destroys garden plants, trees, etc. An annoying or troublesome person, ...