Learning how to recruit and retain top real estate agents is an art. Brokerages need to develop a clear value proposition to present to potential agents and show them how working with their brokerage will further propel their real estate careers. By offering competitive industry tools, supporting an…

Living in a home the size of a broom closet is either a crazy or brilliant idea, depending on whom you ask. For some, the benefit of not having to shell out big bucks on rent each month is worth it. But that's just one of the perks. Renters choose micro-apartments for a number of other reasons…

Motivating others has always been a fairly difficult task. That’s true whether it comes to employees, vendors, our children, colleagues—or even ourselves for that matter. As it turns out, it appears that one of the main reasons for all these motivation challenges is that we’ve been going about it…

Recent events surrounding Grammy-winning record producer Timbaland ’s real estate dealings may make him want to say, “Give It to Me.” Timbaland, who has collaborated with Justin Timberlake , JAY Z , and Missy Elliott , is having trouble selling his Miami mansion, which was most recently on the…

Some people are hesitant to hire a property manager. Could someone possibly care for your property as well as you? Even established property management companies might be hesitant about hiring someone new for their team. After all, a bad hire can be incredibly disruptive to a business. It’s nearly…

Learning how to build a terrarium is not as hard as you might think—and it's a great option if you're looking to add some greenery to your home that won't require much maintenance to keep alive (hello, serial plant killers). "Terrariums are great because, depending on the choice of plants, many do…

L.A.'s Getty Center is one of California's most breathtaking and impressive examples of modern architecture. Having the same firm that designed the renowned museum—Richard Meier Partners—create your private residence is a design dream come true. That dream was a reality for the couple who ran the…

You don’t want to miss an important letter, bill, or notification when you move to your new home do you? You also don’t want to find yourself stuck at the booth on voting day, realizing at the last minute that you never updated your voter registration to your new state of residence. Follow these…

Over the past five or six years, I’ve heard the following claim consistently made by investors both in my home market of Denver and nationwide. It seems by far to have been (and continues to be) the most popular prediction made by investors both experienced and novice: “The market is probably going…

Taylor Swift may know how to belt out hits, but can she "shake off" a real estate deal that landed her management team in a million-dollar lawsuit? Real estate brokerage Douglas Elliman is suing three firms representing the pop star—Firefly Entertainment, 13 Management, and Euro Tribeca—for breach…

Every property manager knows what it’s like to lose a great tenant once their lease is up. Finding someone new that fits your requirements costs money and takes up valuable time. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could renew your leases and keep the same tenants without issue, year after year? While many…

There’s no question, technology has disrupted just about every industry over the past ten years. Tech has changed transportation, media, communications, retail, travel, and more. Yet, I’ve heard many people argue that real estate is immune to much of the technology disruption due to its hyper-local…

The process of moving from one home to another offers various challenges to whoever’s about to move out. And if those difficult tasks are to be classified and ranked according to their levels of difficulty, then, non-surprisingly, the physical relocation of furniture pieces will be one of the…

This home in Spring, TX, is perfect for the average Joe with all the usual hobbies: owning planes, flying planes, building planes, and watching other people fly planes. You know, totally normal stuff. The 11,385-square-foot property includes three bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms, and an airplane hangar.…

The creations of three star architects, including Richard Neutra , all for sale on one lot? It's unheard of! "It's the trifecta of important architects, an extremely rare property," says listing agent Steve Frankel of Coldwell Banker Global Luxury . He's referring to Neutra's signature Loring house,…

It’s a new year, and you’re ready to take your business in new directions. But what kind of growth is right for your property management company? The demand for rentals has caused a boom in the property management industry; and if you’re ready to grow, be sure to grow smart . There’s a lot of…

When it comes to the price of his Mid-Century Modern home in Palm Desert, CA, Devo co-founder Gerald Casale has opted to whip it good. He's smacked the ask down, from a reasonable $1.5 million to an even more reasonable $1.2 million. Built and designed in 1963 by the architectural team of Patten and…

Recently, I was fortunate enough to attend a meeting of CEOs (many In c. 5000 companies) at West Point, New York. One of our speakers was Lieut. Patrick Sullivan, who was there to discuss strategic planning. He covered topics like mission analysis, due diligence, purpose statements, and operational…

A resident newsletter is an amenity property managers use to keep their brand front-of-mind and remind residents of the excitement they felt when they first moved into their community. Properties find value in technology that personalizes their resident’s experience and digital resident newsletters…

The young couple had their eyes glued to the computer screen. The beautiful home staring back at them made their hearts flutter. It was ready for move-in, in the right school district, and checked many of the other items on their “dream home” checklist. “Let’s move fast! Call the agent so we can…

Have you been looking for a great real estate mentor? There’s a lot of talk about finding a mentor, and I think I’ve found the perfect one. How would you like to be mentored by Warren Buffett? Warren’s been mentoring me for some time now, and it’s been inspiring. But I’ve never actually spoken to…

Built as a vision for a romantic getaway, this luxe Colonial in New Canaan, CT, includes a heart-shaped pool in the backyard. Imagine all the love you'll feel if your offer is accepted. Because, after all, shouldn't every day be like Valentine's Day? The previous owner "just thought it was a fun…

So, Mr. (or Ms.) Newbie, you want to find a real estate mentor? You have zero track record. No deals. No connections. Nothing to show. So why should someone with years of experience invest their time in you? That is the million-dollar question—and one you need to answer in order to obtain a solid…

Stray Cats bass player Lee Rocker won't be strutting around Orange County's prestigious Emerald Bay neighborhood with his tail in the air much longer, if the major price drop on his ocean-view mansion is any indication. Originally listed for sale at the end of 2016 for $13 million, the…

Architect Richard Meier is famed for his designs, including the Getty Center in Los Angeles and the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art. But before he rose to prominence designing huge structures on the world stage, Meier had his start building residences. One of his first, from 1967, the Smith…

This is no ordinary article or time in history. If you haven’t heard some rumblings about a new technology called “blockchain” and how people are almost printing money with “bitcoin,” you’ve probably been living under a rock the last few months. I think we will all look back and marvel at the change…

Former Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians is flying away from his home in Chandler, AZ, which he just listed for $1.5 million. Arians purchased the place for $1.2 million in 2013, the same year he joined the Cardinals. The 65-year-old announced his retirement from the team after the 2017…

With the recent changes in tax reform, many companies have increase wages and offered bonuses to employees. For the past half-decade, inflation was struggling to surpass 2 percent per year. Economists have offered contradicting opinions and at times seem puzzled. As the economy soared, wages have…

Need a compelling reason to read up on how to wash pillows? This should do the trick: After two years, dead skin cells, bugs, dust mites, and droppings make up one-third of your pillow's weight. “Washing your pillows is essential,” agrees Chris Brantner , founder of SleepZoo.com, a site that…

The best neighborhoods in Tacoma are more than just cute or within an easy commuting distance of downtown. If you’re planning a big move, you want to be sure you choose the neighborhood that is best suited to your needs, lifestyle, and aesthetic tastes. Here is our list of the best neighborhoods in…

Property managers and landlords have a general duty to make their rentals safe for tenants. However, what you are legally responsible for depends on state and local statutes, as well as applicable building, housing, and health codes. Most jurisdictions set the baseline at the “ implied warranty of…

Moving with cats across the country is a special type of challenge that you as a pet owner can tackle successfully only if you are well-prepared for it. Established habit and daily routine mean the world to cats, and a home move will often shatter both these lifelines of theirs. To make matters…

It looks like Whoopi Goldberg has tired of “the view” in Los Angeles , where she has placed her home on the market for $8.8 million, according to Variety . The outspoken co-host of “The View,” whose given name is Caryn Elaine Johnson , purchased the Pacific Palisades abode in 1993 for $2.5 million.…

Just 30 miles outside San Francisco, in the East Bay suburb of Danville , former airline pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger is selling a lovely family home for $1.6 million. The Danville home was where the Sullenbergers were residing when Sully gently and gracefully landed on the national scene.…

Buildium© Free Trial Buy now Blog Accounting & Bookkeeping Buildium Software News Growing Your Business Industry News & Events Legal Concerns Maintaining Your Properties Resident Retention Tech & Sustainability This week in property management news: January 22, 2018 Industry News & Events The…

If you recall my most recent article, it was about the first mistake we made in real estate investing. Luckily (or unluckily), it cost us $750. But we certainly learned from our mistake. Losing money is a very good driver to keep us from making the same mistake twice. So, once we wrapped up that…

When you’re moving into a new neighborhood, a new city, a new home, you want to take steps to make sure you feel safe. Installing a home security system is one way to feel confident that your house and its inhabitants are safe, so we conducted a little home security system review to give you the…

It's no secret that home prices are on the rise across the country. But they're likely to catapult to new heights in whichever city scores the ultimate prize: Amazon's second headquarters and the up to 50,000 well-paid workers it plans to employ. Amazon Prime! This scenario is something that one of…

I often reflect back on my experiences over the last 30 years as a real estate investor. Even so, it can be tough to pinpoint the biggest mistakes I’ve made, probably because I’ve made so many errors in judgment. The good news, of course, is that experience makes us better, especially when we learn…