It’s time for a vacation, hooray! But before you pack your bags and put on your sunglasses, what are you going to do to protect your home while you’re away? Save yourself the stress and check out our tips to protect your home while on vacation. You’ll enjoy your vacation a whole lot more! Invest in…

June 11, 2018 by Sara Sugar With over thirty years of experience in property management, CTL Management is no newcomer to leveraging and adopting technology in the multifamily space. With 42 properties on the West Coast — and impressive resident engagement with Updater — CTL is providing the most…

Succeed or fail—it’s all about habits and mindset. Not only is it good to learn from those achieving on high levels, but it can be even more beneficial to study the people who “failed” and understand the reasons why. Watch out for these common traits of the unsuccessful. Know what successful people…

Adding a playground to your rental property can be a great way to improve the value of your property, as well as entice renters with children to take up tenancy. These playgrounds are simple, usually inexpensive to install and can be a great boon to your property—but they can also create risks. What…

Corporations get a bad rap in the investor community. This is often seen when an experienced investor who has shied away from corporations tells new investors that you do not need a corporation to start investing in real estate. They will then cite additional reasons as to why corporations are poor…

As a real estate author, investor, podcaster, and BiggerPockets blogger, I’m constantly asked about the best path into multifamily investing. In this short article, I’m going to briefly outline five paths to multifamily mastery. Many of us who’ve been flipping houses have come to realize that…

Up above Hollywood Boulevard, just a couple of blocks from the famed Sunset Strip, sits a stately Southern Colonial–style home with one of the most fascinating pedigrees in all of Los Angeles . It was once owned by silent-film comedian Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle , but it also played a key role in the…

If you’re considering moving to Kansas City, MO, the good news is that the cost of living is significantly less than the national average, rated at 90 while the national average is 100. This is true almost entirely across the board: Housing, utilities, transportation, and more. Plus, the average…

Every day we all go to work. Nine to five (if we’re lucky), and if it’s our own business, it’s usually something like 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.—and we still might be thinking of it even past dinner. At least I do. But I’ve come to notice that with all of this work, it can be easy to get bogged down or…

Did you know that millennials are the largest group of first-time homebuyers currently on the market? Even so, millennial homeownership comes with a unique set of challenges. Plus, this generation is specific about what they want from a home when they do decide to make that purchase. We’re here to…

Given that Drew Scott of "Property Brothers" recently wed Linda Phan , it seems fitting that on the latest episode of "Brother vs. Brother," he reveals what he finds sexy in the bedroom. Ready for it? "You know what I find sexy in a master bedroom ... besides Linda?" Drew asks. "Storage! I find…

Not so long ago, property managers could buy a couple of multi-exercise machines, a treadmill, and a stationary bike; stick them in a room with mirrors and a TV; and voil à : A perfectly functional fitness room for your community! Not anymore. Today’s communities are cultivating new fitness…

Efficiency is critical to the success of your relocation project. The dictionary defines the word EFFICIENT as “ doing something well and thoroughly with no waste of time, money, or energy ”. And that is exactly what you want your upcoming house move to be, isn’t it? Regardless of whether you’re…

June 07, 2018 by Sara Sugar Updater’s VP of Real Estate, Chris Avery , recently sat down with real estate tech entrepreneur, Thomas Kutzman and MouthMedia Network producer, Marc Raco on the Real Estate is Your Business podcast . In addition to chatting about the mission of Updater to streamline the…

Hey there, BiggerPockets! So many of you are landlords. Most of you have rented in the past and some of you currently rent your own home, so you can relate to the tenant’s situation. Some tenants who have been around for a bit understand what their roles are and what they should expect their…

Nine is a lucky number for some, and pop diva Taylor Dayne is hoping to be among them. Her cozy ranch house in Encino, CA, has now had eight offers and been in escrow twice, but still hasn't crossed the finish line for a final sale—even after the home's asking price was reduced from $1,149,000 to…

We all want to be more productive, right? But as they say, you can either work harder or work smarter—and studies have consistently shown that if you work over 50 hours a week (some say 40), you actually become less productive ! We all want to have a life too, so it’s critical to become very…

There’s nothing quite like Mardi Gras in New Orleans, but did you know that once it’s over, it’s worthwhile staying there a bit more? New Orleans is a city in which the rich culture of the past is felt every day, and there are loads of tours to help you experience it. Whether you go with a guide or…

One of our favorite property management conferences is going by a new name this year… The NAA Education Conference & Exposition has been renamed “Apartmentalize!” It's the same conference we've come to (love and) expect from NAA, just with a new name. This year, the National Apartment Association is…

The Top 20 Real Estate Investing Blogs Author’s Note: The original list, and a subsequent update, were compiled by Joshua Dorkin. The most recent update (as of May 2018) was compiled by G. Brian Davis. Just like our now-famous list of the top 35 real estate blogs (August 2006) — which has been…

One skill all homeowners and renters should master is knowing how to get rid of mice and other rodents. Depending on your perspective and level of infestation, these unwanted critters can range from an annoyance to a nightmare. They gnaw on stuff, leave poop around your house, and—worst of all—carry…

When all is said and done, buying a home is exciting—and a milestone to be celebrated. But if you expect each step of the process to be a thrill ride, we're here to tell you you're sorely mistaken. In fact, between the rush of the hunt for the perfect place and the extreme satisfaction of crossing…

Many of us have that room in the house — the one that becomes the receptacle for odds and ends, boxes that you don’t want to deal with just yet, even broken electronics that you’ll fix “someday”. So how do you even begin to move a messy room when it’s time to relocate? The task can seem beyond…

Kerry Baird is an Air Force veteran with 10 years of service. Over the course of different military assignments in England, Arizona, Texas, and Florida, she has invested in 31 single-family properties. Kerry’s mission statement is “Improving my country, one house at a time!” The links to third-party…

Seattle recently overturned its “first-in-time” mandate , which required landlords to accept the very first rental applicant who met their basic qualifications. The law, which was originally written to help avoid discrimination, received widespread attention as landlords lost several…

Everyone is productive in the first few weeks of January, but how do you stay on track for the long haul? Here are 25 hacks and habits that have helped me skyrocket my productivity, efficiency, and success in 2018! Keep in mind, just knowing these tips won’t change anything. You have to implement…

“Yikes!” I said it aloud while glancing in the mirror this morning. “My hair is really getting gray. Or should I say, silver?” Why do I look older than I did last week? I wondered to myself. I’m just finishing a wonderful 12-day vacation with my family on Sanibel Island, in Florida. The sun has…

These days there’s an app for everything — so why not use them to tackle all of the overwhelming tasks associated with moving? We’ve compiled the best apps for moving house that will help streamline and automate your move from the moment you start getting organized to when you need to stock the…

The worlds of real estate and literature collide in this lovely, historic home in Sacramento, CA . It was once the home of a teenage Joan Didion , the acclaimed writer known for her generation-defining style and love of California. The Didion house, as its now known, has landed on the market for…

Jonathan and Drew Scott have always harbored some sibling rivalry, but the competition reaches a fever pitch this week in "Brother vs. Brother" as they square off renovating the hearts of their respective homes: the kitchen. You might recall that this season, they each bought their San Francisco Bay…

A common question I see on the forums is, How do I find a bank to lend to me? The answer should actually sound fairly familiar: You’ve got to pound the pavement. Here’s how! What Type of Bank Should You Look For The first thing to figure out is what type of loan or institution to pursue. One of the…

Celebrated for his clay and bronze bells, avant-garde drawings, and concept of Arcosanti (an experiential village hosting design workshops), the late Arizona architect Paolo Soleri is less celebrated for his residential designs. This could be because only one was built: this six-bedroom, four-bath,…

Moving out for the first time can often be a truly daunting task for a number of valid reasons. Number one, you may feel scared of the upcoming relocation simply because you’ve never moved house before, and number two, moving out of your parent’s house for the first time will put a heavy financial…

Air conditioner maintenance isn't a bunch of hot air—in fact, it's pretty darn important considering your unit will probably be running nonstop during the hot summer months. If you're used to living in a crisp, temperature-controlled environment, you know the pain of having to repair a…

If you’ve become serious about investing in property but have yet to invest outside your familiar area, there are factors you should think about before venturing too far. The most important factor to consider is climate. For example, if you’re a successful landlord in sunny California , you’ll…

Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Scott Linehan 's Dallas-area home is now on the market, asking a not-bad-for-Dallas $2.47 million. Located in swanky Highland Park , the five-bedroom home is a Texas-sized 4,724 square feet. Linehan is in his 29th year of coaching. He started his career as a high…

If you're looking to jazz up your walls, here's a handy guide on how to install wainscoting—a fine alternative to a new paint job or an expensive redesign . Wainscoting is the term for decorative wood paneling that lines the lower portion of interior walls. You can use wainscoting in just about any…

Former NBA player Kris Humphries , best known for his brief marriage to reality TV star Kim Kardashian , is now ending his relationship with his Lake Minnetonka home in Mound, MN . He's listed it for $1.65 million, the Los Angeles Times first reported . The Minneapolis-born Humphries last played…