This past month, Bank of America finally stepped forward and foreclosed on the property and gave Robinson til February 13th to appeal or move out. Robinson quietly slipped away leaving the home again abandoned. The law of adverse possession can only be effective when a property has been abandoned and occupied over a period of years. So Robinson had no legal standing to remain in the property or argue it should be his as a result of his slight possession.

Robinson’s act of using adverse possession however had some consequences. It set an example and created many copycats claimants in Texas – all of whom were unsuccessful. In one amusing case, a person took over the home of someone who was only away on vacation, threatening them with legal action when they returned. Undoubtedly it was not funny to the homeowner nor to horrifed neighbors.

This whole situation speaks of the need of adequate property management whether a home is abandoned or not. Having a property left unattended and uncared-for for a lengthy period of time is just an invitation not only to unkempt grounds and building disrepair but to vandalism and worse.

If you own rental property and it is currently vacant, it would be a wise investment to have the property cared for. Even if it is not vacant, Herman Boswell Property Management has 37 years of experience in handling property for investors. They know how to do things right and can use that experience to help you. Give them a call and find out.

Photo credit: renjith krishnan

Once you’ve figured out what might work best, then there’s the issue of what you should say about the apartment, home or condominium you want to rent. If you have any doubts at all, then you need to review the Fair Housing Act which describes exactly who is entitled to rent (or buy) from you.

Knowing what this Act–along with other state and local fair housing laws–says is especially important.  Any ad you place cannot contain words, phrases, symbols or images that could indicate or imply you have discriminatory preferences. You also have to watch out for any religious references. Saying that your rental unit is located near a  particular church or other religious establishment could suggest unintended limitations or exclusions.

The best way to market your property is to be as neutrally descriptive as possible. You can mention prices, amenities, when the unit will be available for move-in and whether references and/or a credit check are required. You can also talk about location–without referring to any religious establishments–and given address. And of course, you can talk about all the special features that make your unit stand out:  for example, spaciousness, affordability and quietness.

Even after you’ve figured out where to market your property and what you can legally say about it to make it sell, you need to have a plan in place regarding what you will do if your marketing approach doesn’t yield the results you want.  Pretty exhausting, isn’t it?

Herman Boswell is a property management firm that understands the needs of busy landlords like you. We are real estate experts that know what it takes to successfully market a rental unit to people who will be good tenants. That is, who will pay rent on time and treat your property with the respect it deserves. When you need a team that knows the DFW market like nobody else, contact us.

Photo credit: jscreationzs

If you are either renovating a home or condominium into an owner-occupied dwelling or buying a small apartment complex with just a few units, the first step is to determine what the zoning regulations and local building codes require.  The second step is to develop a budget as well as a list of what you must do and what can’t do, based on the funds available. For both steps, you need to go to City Hall.

Converting a home into a rental requires that you follow local building and zoning codes regarding renovations and building additions. You also have to meet codes that may have been ignored by previous owners because you are now responsible for the property.

Since building codes exist to ensure the health and safety of occupants, you are legally obligated to repair things that break or don’t work properly, such as kitchen or bathroom plumbing. You also have to keep the property free from rodent and insect infestation. And if there’s an emergency, you have to be available day or night to respond.

What you should not do are unnecessary renovations that cost you money. For example, you may think that purchasing expensive appliances or knocking down walls to gain extra space will give your property greater appeal and decrease the time it takes to get the unit rented. But the reality is that those kinds of upgrades won’t pay for themselves over the long haul.

Property maintenance is a full-time commitment; so is managing tenants. Why end up working the equivalent of two jobs when you could turn both of these landlording functions over to us at Herman Boswell Property Management? We have the experience and know-how to get the job done right. Contact us today and let us help you get more out of your investments–and your life.

Photo credit: David Castillo Dominici

The laws in most states require that rent be paid on the first of the month. In some states, however, tenants must pay their rent by the last day of the preceding month; and in still other states, landlords have the option of determining rent due dates. If you have rented property to someone who wants to move in after the start of the month then things can get a little complicated.  You can:

• collect partial rent for each day that remains in month plus a full rent payment when the new month begins  OR
• opt to start the rental cycle on the day the tenant moves in and collect payment every 30 days thereafter

You also need to make sure that the rental agreement between you and your tenant clearly states when and how you want to be paid especially if the due date falls on a weekend or holiday. It’s also important to put in writing when rent will be considered late and when you will begin to tack on late fees.

Then there’s the small matter of bookkeeping. You have to keep careful record of payments received for each individual tenant. And in the event a tenant owes you money, you need to monitor the outstanding balance and whatever payments have been made (or not) to clear it (or not)  from your books.

As if that weren’t enough, if your lease with the tenant states that he or she can pay for some of the repairs in the rental unit then the tenant can legally deduct those charges from the following month’s rent. And if the tenant feels that there’s a major problem with the rental unit then that person can legally withhold rent until the situation gets resolved. And as with everything else, you have to make note of everything and be prepared to deal with an angry–or unreasonable–tenant.

But you have options. The property management professionals at Herman Boswell can lighten your work load by serving as your rental unit representatives.  Regardless of whether you lease apartments, condominiums or homes, we have the expertise you need to maximize the returns on your investment. Contact us and make your life easier today!

Prepare for lots of noise

It’s frustrating to deal with a neighbor who loves loud music and parties or who can’t seem to keep their voices down during arguments or fights.  It’s noise, noise, noise, all the time and because they live so close to you, there’s no way you can escape the ruckus. What a nightmare!

If you’re the landlord of a property inhabited by an unruly tenant, you–unlike the neighbors who have to put up with all the noise–can legally terminate the troublemaker’s lease. But that doesn’t mean the process will go smoothly or be easy.

You have to document the nature of the complaints filed against the tenant and then tell them that they have caused a disturbance.  Should the behavior–and the complaints–continue, then you have to arrange a meeting with the offender and send a letter afterwards that recapitulates the points made during your discussion.

If that doesn’t work, then you have to send a reminder that the lease prohibits the wanton disturbance of others. And if that doesn’t solve the problem, it’s time to send a Notice of Breach and Right to Cure form (a.k.a. the Cure or Quit notice), which gives the tenant one last time to tone it down.

Through all of this, you have to keep careful records of every complaint lodged against the noisemaker that include specific information regarding how the tenant in question are violating the lease. This is because if you have to go to court for an eviction, the judge has to verify that you gave your tenant three chances to comply with these regulations before eviction proceedings can take place. And the eviction itself can take time.

Why put yourself through all of this when there is an easier way to manage rental properties? The Herman Boswell Property Management team handles tenant problems quickly and professionally so that they don’t get out of hand. And if they do, you can count on us to end the nightmare before you start losing unnecessary sleep over your investments.

There is a lot of things to do before you turn over the keys.

Before you can even consider listing a property for rent, you have to inspect your apartment, condominium or home carefully to make sure everything is neat and clean. That means painting the walls, vacuuming the rugs and floors, washing the windows, scrubbing down the bathroom and kitchen, getting rid of insect infestations and sprucing up the exterior.

It also means checking that everything in the unit is in working order. Appliances, water heaters and furnaces should be in good condition or replaced if they can’t be fixed. Leaky faucets and broken hardware on kitchen cabinets and doors should be replaced. And if there’s any frayed wiring, that needs to be repaired as well.

You also need to call your local fire department to check that you have installed the proper smoke detectors in your rental units. Some local ordinances don’t require that landlords provide these devices. Nevertheless, you still do so because you know that by providing a safer environment for your tenants, you’re more likely to get a break on your property insurance.

It’s all a lot of work. But if your rental unit isn’t properly prepared, any potential tenant who looks at it will likely not want to rent it and may also be left with a bad impression about you and/or your property.  With everything else that you need to do, both as a landlord and person with a life, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.

That’s why you should contact the property management team at Herman Boswell. We know just what do to give your property sales appeal and simplify your life as an investment property owner. When you need the helping hand of real estate experts who know the DFW area like no one else in the business, we’re there.

Photo credit: luigi diamanti

A non-paying tenant can have you almost wishing you didn't own the property. Instead, call HB Property Management to handle your property and renters.

Giving renters time to pay their missed payments is important; so is asking them to stay in touch with you regarding rent issues. If you find that your tenants are willfully disregarding your efforts and that more than a few weeks have passed, then you have to escalate the process, which usually means sending out an official notice to pay rent or face eviction.

If more time continues to pass and still don’t see the rent (and any late charges that may accrue), you may, in moments of extreme aggravation, consider your tenants out or shutting off their utilities. Of course, you don’t do either, because both actions are illegal.

Having exhausted other, more amicable means of settling the non-payment problem, you start legal proceedings against your renters. But before a lawyer can take action, you may have to show that as many as four months have gone by without you receiving rental payments from your tenants. In the meantime you’re losing money—and probably a lot of sleep as well.

Herman Boswell Property Management understands the needs of landlords like you. Managing investment properties is a more than full-time job that requires both business and interpersonal savvy. Count on us to handle even the most difficult rental situations with the integrity on which we made our name and through which we’ll protect yours.

Don't let unpleasant tenants ruin your property. Let HB Property Management Arlington help you.

The ideal tenant is someone who communicates problems to you when they happen. For example, if a faucet or appliance needs to be repaired or replaced within the home, that tenant will say so. He or she will also maintain the exterior of the house or apartment to keep trash and other debris from accumulating.

Then there’s the tenant who will turn your property into a dirty mess. That person will cause you endless aggravation since you can’t evict a renter simply for being a pig and inviting ants and roaches into the house. If there’s no immediate threat to health and safety, the lease protects the tenant.

The worst kind of tenant, though, is the one who willfully breaks fixtures and appliances or does serious structural damage to your rental property. The good news is that you can evict the person on the grounds that he or she  is decreasing the value of your property. But—and not unlike the dirty tenant—this person will cost you plenty in terms of time, money and stress.

This is why you need the services of the real estate professionals at Herman Boswell Property Management.  Not only do we check out all the individuals to whom we rent, we also monitor the actual property that gets rented to make sure the tenant is treating it with the proper care. When you work with our team, you’ll always be assured that your property is in experienced hands: we do the managing so you don’t have to.

Let Herman Boswell Property Management handle your properties and tenant processes for you.

First, you need to make potential applicants to fill out an application with their name, social security number, driver’s license number, current address and get their permission to run a credit check. You also have to ask for personal, work and rental references, which will require you to make numerous calls and inquiries.

An interview, whether formal or informal, is also an important part of the process, as it gives you an idea of the kind of person you might be dealing with. A credit check is also crucial because it can give you much-needed insight into that individual’s rental history. Unfortunately, both take time.

When running a credit check, you may only get an incomplete view of an applicant because credit bureaus don’t always record rent payments. This will mean using the services of a company that specializes in researching potential clients to get a more accurate financial picture of the person who wants to rent from you.

You also need to check public, eviction and criminal records. Doing so will make certain that a potential tenant isn’t in bankruptcy, hasn’t ever been evicted or been the subject of court proceedings. Any of these factors could make for a scenario straight from your worst nightmare.

The experts at Herman Boswell Property Management understand how time-consuming checking out potential tenants can be. At the same time, we also know that careful screening is key to avoid doing business with deadbeats. That’s why we go the extra mile for you and treat your properties like the the important investments they are.

Need help with your properties? Trust Herman Boswell Property Management to care for them.

Here’s a list of a few important things to look for in a property management firm:

• Make sure that any company you consider has the relevant credentials. In most states including Texas, a property management company must be licensed as a real estate broker if they are collecting rent, listing properties for rent or helping to negotiate leases.
• Ask the company for a few references and get feedback from past clients. Also try to speak with current clients and see what they have to say about the kind of service they are receiving from the company.
• Investigate the firm’s overall track record and consider the kinds of properties that firm has managed in the past.
• Look at how the company handles such issues as monthly reports, collections and finances. You should also get information on reply time: that is, how quickly the firm responds to problems or complaints.
• Check to see if the firm is a member of the local Chamber of Commerce and whether or not it has any other business affiliations. Professional memberships can give you an idea of the company’s status within the property management industry.

Your properties represent a significant financial investment: their management should only be entrusted to a property management firm with a proven track record of success. Herman Boswell Property Management is proud to offer service that consistently exceeds industry standards. We look after your real estate interests so that you can relax.