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Showing posts from April, 2012

Things I Have Learned About Commercial and Retail Property Management

Commercial property management is perhaps the busiest and most intense part of the property industry. The knowledge that the property manager brings to the task is significant and special. Putting it quite simply, these people work very hard and should be carefully chosen for the buildings they manage. Are the best managers for the role sourced elsewhere or are they allowed to rise through the ranks and other roles in the office? The answer is probably both. Importantly the person chosen for the role has to handle investment strategies for the landlord and occupancy issues for the tenants. This requires solid intelligence and analytical skills. Retail property is even more advanced on the skill level scale. So much damage can be done to a property if the manager is underskilled or not well supported. All this requires a reasonable fee base of course. If the management fees are a recoverable item in a lease then it is a no brainer for the landlord to chose the best people to manage thei

Weekend Recap & Menu Planner

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Busy but good weekend! Friday night we had some friends over for Michael's birthday celebration part two....read about part one here. Saturday, I took the kids to Goochland Baptist Church for Trucks n Such. Got the tip from richmondbargains.com  and it was great! It was not crowded and C&C had the best time getting in all the trucks, tractors etc and it was completely free! Saturday night Michael's parents babysat and we saw Five Year Engagement at the Cinebistro ! Here goes with this week's menu planner....we are trying lots of new things this week. Sunday: Turkey Bagel Burger with French Fries Monday: Cajun Chicken Pasta Tuesday: Tex Mex Rice Bowl Wednesday: Cumin Spiced Fish Tacos Thursday: Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches

Michael's Birthday

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Weeks ago Camille decided she wanted to throw a surprise party for her daddy's upcoming birthday. She decided on the guest list and one morning we went to Michael's to pick out stickers and paper for the invitations. She kept it a huge secret and didn't give away the surprise. Here are some pictures from the event. I tried to take a video of the surprise moment but my camera died so I got a 5 second video in which poor Clyde is wearing shirt only - no underpants or pants (guess he was using the potty when it was time to yell surprise) so I will spare you that prize winning clip. Camille helped with the decorations...I wrote the words in pencil and she traced with her paint brush. She did all the other decorating on the page. I served this recipe for dinner and it was delicious...not a low calorie meal but a tasty one! You can read about Michael's other birthday celebration here and here.

Hiring a Commercial Property Manager or Management Company

Finding and hiring dependable management to oversee routine jobs associated with residential real estate investment property requires that you as the owner make a thorough assessment of duties, responsibilities and necessary services you will need. Management is the point of contact with the tenants that represent your revenue. As a business investor you will want to protect your investment and be represented to your tenants as a caring owner that cares about your property. It is especially important that a competent well qualified individual or professional management company reflect your standards as the owner as well as protects your property and your reputation. You can choose to hire larger national companies that specialize in managing commercial property, or a local property manager to live on the premises. When hiring a company make an assessment of their capacity to oversee legal obligations to confirm if the investment is in adherence to the applicable laws of the state or co

Comparing Property Management Quotes

If you are searching for a property management company or an independent property manager make sure that you compare quotes. This will help you to get the best deal possible for high quality and reliable property management. What Will a Property Management Company Do For You? Management companies make life easier on the landlord by acting as the liaison between the tenant and the property owner. They collect rent, take care of maintenance problems, find tenants and handle evictions. In some cases they also handle property acquisitions, construction, repair and maintenance. They provide these services in exchange for a fee which is often a percentage of the monthly rent and can range anywhere from 3-10%. In addition to this standard fee some companies also charge additional fees repairs, maintenance and commissions. Comparing rates is the only way to find a company that will offer service and experience at a reasonable rate. What Will You Still Need to Handle? Even with a manager you wi

7 Things to Consider When Choosing a Property Manager

Buying a property is not as difficult as taking care of it. In addition to dealing with the complicated real-estate laws, you have to efficiently sort out the problems that your tenant puts forth. At the same time, you also have to make sure that your investment is safe and secure. It is not easy to fit in all these tasks in a schedule that is already busy. Our Yokine property management business will not only help you to manage your property adeptly, but it will also ensure that you reap rich dividends year after year. Here are 7 things you should take into consideration when choosing a property manager for your investment: Company experience - Property management is certainly not an easy task. It involves a lot of intricacies, hassles, complexities and challenges. To be able to handle all the problems proficiently, extensive experience in managing various kinds of properties is essential. A good property management business is one that has experience in handling old as well as new

Hiring a Property Manager, Is It Worth It?

I am often asked is hiring a property manager really worth the money? My answer is it depends. The most common tasks associated with property management include collecting the rent, responding to maintenance requests and handling all of the paperwork such as the lease and disclosures. Although these duties are valuable, I don't believe they are the most valuable services a property manager has to offer. In fact, I think the 3 MOST VALUABLE services a good manager can offer are often overlooked. So what are they? The 3 most valuable services a property manager can provide you are: 1. Act as a neutral party between owner and the tenant. 2. Save you time. 3. Protect your privacy and your property. Why? Because when it comes down to it property management is less about managing the property and more about managing people. Sure, the property has its requirements, but the property doesn't clog the toilet or beg to have a late fee waived. PEOPLE DO. Situations involving tenant relatio

Happy Monday!

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Wow this weekend has flown by! Lots going on ... fun stuff and work ... so it was a good mix :) Most importantly, I am aunt :) My cousin/sweetest/favorite person in the entire world had her sweet baby boy this weekend and he is ADORABLE! Henry Graham Hatfield (will go by Graham, love it!) How freaking cute is he? 9.5 lbs!!! And she was TINY ... barely looked pregnant! Could not believe he was such a big boy!  I wish they lived closer, I can't wait to squeeze his cheeks and kiss his face ha! (even if he is a Tennessee fan hahahaha jk love you all!) Next on the baby train ... my friend since high school/does my hair/BarreAmped owner teacher, Leigh Ann, had her baby shower this weekend! First let's talk about how pretty she is ... talk about a glowing pregnant lady ... so pretty! Pictures were taken by her friend, Abby Custer, who is an amazing photographer in IN ... "Like" her Fbook Page HERE I love her pics! They are awesome! Sew Jwl did it again with her amazing mon

Secrets to the Structure of a Commercial Property Management Proposal

In commercial real estate agency, it is common to be preparing a property management proposal to submit to the property owner following a sale or a lease. This is the most opportune time to seek a new management appointment. The structure of a commercial property management proposal will be designed for the property, the landlord, and the general precinct location. Importantly the proposal should tap into the strategies and ideas that help the property owner to achieve better property performance through sensible strategies of lease performance, income, and expenditure control. Here are some key ideas to help structure your proposal for the management of the property. You can add your specific agency recommendations around the model. An executive summary should always be placed at the front of the document. This allows the client to quickly grasp of the main strategies and outcomes that you can see as part of the management strategy. Summarise the property physically together with

Easter Recap

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Two catch up posts in one day... very rare :) Easter is my favorite holiday. Period. I love it, love everything about it. I love that everyone gets a new Easter outfit to wear to church :) I love coloring and hunting for easter eggs. I love relearning that Jesus rose from the dead for us. I love Easter baskets and goodies. I love those chocolate bunnies in the yellow box with the Peter Rabbit story ha. I love peeps. See? Love everything about it ha. The kids left the Easter bunny this letter and snack haha I died.. He must have liked it because he left them these... ;) And don't think he forgot this sweet stud muffin ;) They each got these cute little shirts to wear for their easter egg hunt ha! Chris even got a little bucket of his own ;) I made "Easter Kabobs" ... via Pinterest... They were so cute! Peeps, Homemade rice krispy treats, and fruit :) super easy! We went to Chris's sister's house in Louisville for the afternoon after church to eat and hide eggs! It

A Golf Birthday & Papaw

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My brother's birthday was over Easter weekend... my papaw and aunt & uncle come up to visit and go to Keeneland every year around his birthday so we can all be together and celebrate :) My brother is obsessed with golfing. He played golf in school. Loves it. His girlfriend found these cupcakes on Pinterest and I just thought they were too cute not to share... If you have a golfer in your life... you should try them! They were a hit :) Is that the cutest thing you've ever seen or what? Love them! My brother was so excited :) Leslie did an awesome job! Email me or comment if you want the directions and I'll get them from her! We went to Bonefish for dinner... Me, my Papaw and Chris In case you need a refresher on my 87 year old, amazingly funny Papaw, click HERE hahaha The girls looked adorable :) My brother had a great dinner! Then we went to our house for a mini party :) Leslie (Chris's gf), Chris, his friend Preston, and his gf Photo Op ... Aunt Cathy, Papaw and

Weekend Recap & Menu Planner

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Gorgeous weekend in RVA! Today, I have an open house at my listing on Wishart Court ! Hoping for a good turnout...it is a great day and a great house. Yesterday, we went to Belle Isle and walked around with C & C. Then last night we had dinner with friends at Portico , a new restaurant off River Road. It was delicious and I definitely recommend it. Here are a few pics from our trip to Belle Isle.... And this week's menu planner..... Sunday - Black Bean & Chicken Quesadillas & Homemade Pico de Gallo Monday - Deep Dish Pizza Chicago Style from Casserole Queens Tuesday - Kickin Mini Meatloafs with Yellow Rice & Corn Wednesday - Elaine's Chicken Enchiladas (recipe below) Thursday - leftovers Friday - Dinner out Elaine's Chicken Enchiladas 3/4 c. sour cream 1- 7 oz diced chilis 4 large green onions, chopped 1/2 cup cilantro (optional but I used it and it was great) 1 and 1/2  t. ground cumin 2 c. pulled chicken (could use rotisserie) 2 c. packed cheddar cheese 8