property management

Fighting roof leaks on a flat roof can be a struggle. Even with the highest quality roof  you are constantly in a battle against gravity.  It's not a question of if, but when gravity will win and water will find a way inside. Whenever a flat roof is hit by freezing rain, sleet, or a significant amount snow,  the groundwork for a leak is there. Almost instantly, freezing rain will cover your roof in...

When it comes to living in a historic property, there is a lot to like. But one thing that can be notoriously problematic, is the lack of closet space. Built in an era where amoires were commonplace and people simply did not own as many possessions, architects in the early 20th century didn't often pay much attention to bedroom closet space. Short of a gut rehab or building a new closet in the existing...

You've been trying to lease that apartment for weeks and you finally have an appointment for a showing. The prospective tenant shows up and says how much they love the apartment. Flash forward a few weeks later and the apartment still hasn't been rented and you are still losing money. What went wrong? Was the unit not right for the prospect? Maybe, but it might also have been you. One of the hardest...

One of the most dreaded events in the life of a landlord is when you have to give a tenant the boot.  Whether it's because they don’t pay rent on time, tear up their unit, or cause some other nuisance, bad tenants can turn a profitable rental property into a property management nightmare. Eviction and Cash for Keys can be good options for handling the getting rid of the worst violators, but many times...

Getting unwanted tenants out of your apartment units can be one of the most frustrating experiences a landlord can go through. Whether they need to leave in order to rehab the unit or you want them out because they aren't paying their rent, its not a fun experience. You just want them out as soon as possible. The most common method used to do the job is the eviction. An effective method, for sure, but an...

One of the decisions that all landlords must face when managing their apartments is whether or not to allow pets in their properties. There is no doubt that there can be a negative side to allowing pets: they can pee on the carpet, they can scratch  hardwood floors, they can be loud when they bark or run around the unit... You get the idea. But while the negatives sometimes outweigh the positives, with...

So you're a landlord who has decided to allow pets into your apartment. Even so, that doesn't mean you should simply allow any pet to stay at your property. To ensure the safety of tenants, other pets in the building and your property, you should always run a background check on a pet, just like you would a tenant. So what are the ingredients to a good pet policy? Breed The first thing you need to do is...

One of the most frustrating things I come across in the rental business is poorly managed apartments. I'm not talking about bad property management companies (that's a whole other story), but bad landlords. The biggest issue is that everyone seems to want to have their cake and eat it too. Too many landlords seem to be under the impression that they can put a run-down, dirty rental unit on the market and...

It is amazing what some landlords say to perspective renters. Lines like "I don't rent to single mothers?" or "How many kids do you have?" seem to come out of far too many people's mouthes. For those who use that kind of language, you're playing with fire. According to Federal Fair Housing Laws, as well as some States and Local Districts, the following classes are protected from...

When a landlord is faced with a vacancy, the first thing on their mind is generally filling the apartment as quickly as possible. Cleaning the unit, making improvements, getting an occupancy permit and finding a new tenant can all be pretty time consuming. So when a visit to a newly vacated apartment reveals a stack of the former tenant's unread mail in the foyer, it can be a bit of an annoyance....

Keeping your properties safe and secure is one of the most important responsibilities of a property owner. Failure to maintain proper security can lead to expensive vandalism and property theft or even leave occupants open to potential violence. One of the most efficient and cost-effective ways  to ensure proper security is to have proper security lighting....

Nothing hurts a landlord's pocketbook or pride like being the victim of theft or vandalism. Prior to PEX plumbing the main security issue facing landlords and homeowners in St. Louis and around the country is copper theft, but there are many other temping targets at any property. One particularly expensive and "easy to steal" component are AC condensers. With thousands of dollars of materials and labor...

Whether you are talking about your own home or a rental property, nothing is quite so fun as replacing light bulbs. No matter how quickly and easily the change can be done, it's amazing how long we all tend to put off such menial tasks. One of the best ways to cut down on this hassle is by using compact fluorescent (CFL) light bulbs instead of the traditional incandescent....

One of the biggest maintenance issues landlords and homeowners face at their properties is with their heating and cooling systems. With the extreme heat of St. Louis summers and extreme cold of St. Louis winters, our environment can certainly put a strain on these systems. Annual maintenance by your HVAC technician is always a good idea, but there is one simple thing you can, and should, be doing ever...

One of the most awkward situations a landlord can face is informing a tenant that they will not be renewing their lease. Whether the tenant has been in the apartment for one year or ten, it can be a delicate matter. Proper management of the situation will help to avoid lack of final rental payment and property damage. Following these tips will help to make the situation easier: Send the tenant a letter...