Finding Rental Property Management

Many people decide to rent their investment property for extra income. However, people do not think about who will help with the rental property management. People who are not going to be near their residential rental property or who do not have the time should consider hiring a property manager to ensure everything runs smoothly.

Set the Objectives

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Posted in: Property Management

Determine Property Taxes

This article discusses the technique for gathering information regarding tax rates and the method of calculating the property tax that will be assessed the buyer of a property.

It is assumed that the property is located in California and that the transaction does not involve a Proposition 60 or Proposition 90 transfer of assessed tax base. Although the following example is for a property located in Orange County, the same techniques would apply for any California county. Each county has its own way of making the information discussed in this article available to the pubic and the reader may need to perform a little research to collect the necessary data.

The property for this example was recently listed and sold through the SoCalMLS system. The address is 1723 Miramar Drive in Newport Beach and the listing price of $3,595,000 will be used as an assumed sales price. All information used in this example is easily obtainable from the combination of public records and advertising publications.

Property tax charged to the owner is comprised of two parts.

    The first part is called the ad valorem portion and is computed by multiplying the property base tax assessment value by the ad valorem tax rate. Base tax assessment is the purchase price of the property. Under current California law, the base property tax assessment may increase each year a maximum of 2%.
    The second part is called the special assessments portion. This is the total of the property's portion of special assessment bond and improvement bond payments. This amount is determined by the applicable bonds and is independent of the property base tax assessment.

To collect the data for this example click on the The Orange County Tax Collector property search page link shown at the bottom of this article and enter either the Assessor Parcel Number or the property address and city.

Then click on the appropriate "FIND" button. A page will open displaying the parcel number of the property.

Click on the parcel number link. The page which opens may display several lines with parcel numbers. Click on the parcel number in the line which has the most recent year and does not contain the word "Supplemental".

The page which opens will show information relating to the current tax bill. Look near the bottom right hand corner of the page to locate the words "Click Here for Details" and click on that link.

A page will open which displays a "Tax Rate" column and "SPECIAL ASSESSMENT USER FEES".

The ad valorem tax rate is the sum of all tax rates listed in the "Tax Rate" column and is equal to 1.03956%.

Therefore the ad valorem tax is then 1.03956 x $3,595,000 / 100 which is equal to $37,372.18.

The special assessments portion of the tax bill is the sum of the amounts shown in the "Amount" column below the "Special Assessment User Fees" title and excluding the amount in the "Total" line.

The special assessments portion for this example is equal to $184.56.

The resultant total property tax for this example is equal to $37,372.18 + $184.56 or $37,556.74.

Home Owner's Exemption.

If the home owner has filed for a Home Owner's Exemption, then the property base tax assessment may be reduced by subtracting from it the amount of the Home Owner's Exemption prior to performing the above calculations. At the time of this writing the Home Owner's Exemption is $7,000.

The property tax question has now been answered for ANY property being considered.

Link to -> The Orange County Tax Collector property search page.

By: Allan E. Heller | Orange County coastal Real Estate in Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach & Newport Coast

Allan Heller represents clients throughout Orange County California, leveraging his extensive experience in all area communities. He places a special emphasis on serving clients in the Newport Coast area. As his valued client, you can expect the utmost level of professionalism and integrity in every transaction. You also will benefit from his strong network of industry contacts and his affiliation with Coastal Orange County's premier real estate brokerage, Coldwell Banker Previews International.

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Posted in: Property Taxes

Property Management

Property management is an ever growing need as more and more people are now opting out of buying homes due to aspects such as the increase in mortgage prices. Renting is now becoming the more popular way of gaining property. It is because of the fact that more of us are now renting property that that need for property management has grown so much. It should be noted that property management requires time, intelligence and good attention to detail as well as management qualifications.

Property management is the job of looking after the properties that people rent out. This is the same for residential and commercial property. Whatever type of property you have as long as you are renting it; you will be able to get the help of property a management team.

Property management companies have the responsibility to deal with multiple responsibilities and aspects of the management and ownership of real estate. The duties of a property management company is to negotiate and stabilise a relationship between the landlord and tenant. The duties performed by a property management company are pretty much the same if your property is a residential or commercial but here we are mainly going to be looking at commercial property. Whether your property is an office block, a retail store or a bar/restaurant the duties that a property management team will perform for you are:

- Collecting rent

- Handle your letting

- Asses potential tenants

- Administration services

- Maintenance of the property

Commercial property management is an essential aspect of the property market if you want to increase the appeal or value of your property. It will allow you to get on with your renting business while the management company gets on with the day-to-day running. The extent of the service that is provided by a property management team is as flexible as you want it to be; it can be used as much as you need it to be.

A professional commercial property management service maintains and raises the level of occupancy, which enables a steady income. This is because a property management company keeps your commercial property in good condition in order to bring in business for the landlord. Your commercial property needs good curb appeal. This is achieved through keeping the structure, landscape and parking elements of the property in a clean and welcoming condition.

Your commercial property needs to be kept in good condition in order to attract customers to use your business. You need to ensure that your property is in good condition to attract businesses to set up shop within your property.

If you have invested within the property market then you will want to ensure that you are getting the most from your investment, which is where commercial property management can help you. By keeping a well run and well maintained property you will generate interest within your business and therefore attract more custom.

If you would like more information about what a commercial property management team could do for you get in touch with an expert company today.

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Posted in: Property Management

Property Ready For Viewing

Many times an agent may feel uncomfortable telling a buyer that his or her home is not up to "snuff" with respect to general viewing by the public. The owner has built an attachment to the home and has yet to let go of the "ties that bind" him or her to it. In this regard, he may arrange for a professional stager to come in and ready the house for the market.

The stager, however, can be expensive. Especially if you remember that you can attain the same effect by yourself, if you know some of their secrets. You will just need to start viewing your property through the eyes of your potential buyer. The following steps will give you an idea of what a stager may suggest with respect to the inside of your property.

*. The first thing to do within the process of staging you house is to eliminate the clutter. This means taking a room by room assessment and removing anything that you see that may be viewed as clutter. Items that should be removed include: toys, decorative statues, possessions in closets outside of your required wardrobe, additional toiletries, and stacks of newspapers and periodicals. After removing the clutter, neatly organize the items that you use on a daily basis. For example, a bookshelf should not be loaded down with books. Rather a few books might be strategically placed within the case.
*. Secondly assure that all of the rooms in the house are well lighted. Dim or dark rooms signal to your prospect that you have something to hide.
*. Remove all personal photos. Pictures of family members definitely do not make your house appear as if it is on the market; so box all photographs up.
*. Apply a fresh coat of paint to the rooms that require it. Stick with neutral colors in the rooms you do paint; such as beige or cream.
*. Clean the bathroom and kitchen areas so that both are exceptionally clean and sparkling. Assure there are no items like magnets on the refrigerator.
*. Remove the piles of CDs and DVDs from the living room. Place them into boxes or in a storage cabinet. A decorative painting on the living room wall is acceptable as long as it is an art print and in good taste.
*. When a showing is booked, spray a hint of air-freshener in the house; however not too much. If you overdo it, your prospect may think that you have an unwanted odor to mask.

The objective is to move from making your property looking habitable to making it appear vibrantly marketable. Thinking in a new direction, the way your prospective buyer thinks, will make all the difference in getting your property sold quickly and at a fair asking price.

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Posted in: Property Ready

Transforming Ways of Property Dealing

So many ups and downs happening in all the sectors due to global economic slowdown, investments in Indian real estate is the hottest topic for discussion. This phase of slowdown is also witnessing mass developments in real estate sector. Everyone is touched by one of the aspects of selling, buying or renting property. Apparently, changes in behavior of consumers and financial firms can be seen with the changing trends in unprecedented times.

Each one of us is generally involved in property related issues of investing, leasing or selling. Since it is difficult to take these decisions and there is some amount of risk involved, we mostly depend on property brokers and the prevalent word of mouth. These tendencies are now facing a make over with the ever growing internet penetration and the constantly increasing internet users. With user base exceeding 50 million, online property portals are set to revolutionize the real estate sector.

Real estate portals in India introduce a completely new way of sending across property related information and transactions. The developed real estate markets abroad are accustomed to the concept of online portals but it is comparatively new for Indian sellers and buyers. Even as the popularity of these portals in India is growing, it is expected to burgeon in the coming years. Number of listings and conversions of both residential and commercial property is multiplying everyday. Moreover, the feedback of both buyers and sellers of real estate in India has been favorable.

Online property portals are a platform for exchange of information relevant to property. They display residential and commercial property listings; buying, selling and renting options; other recommendations for property registrations, property loans, property laws, property news, etc. This newly developing trend of portals has made internet an acceptable as well as effective medium for real estate transactions. Both property sellers and property buyers find this medium highly cost effective, descriptive and extremely helpful.

For real estate sellers i.e. the supply side Internet is useful in more than one way. It can be noted as following;
* Advertising on internet allows more descriptive ads as against space restricted print ads.
* It enables lower costs as compared to other modes of advertisements.
* It offers various add on features like virtual walk through, uploading video clips, online databases, archives of listings, etc.
* Internet is the most interactive way of advertising as it connects the sellers with the potential buyers through chat messengers, etc.
* It extends more exposure to targeted buyers and offers measurable returns.

The real estate buyers i.e. those who stand on the demand side of property also find internet a feasible way of looking for property because:
* It is convenient and time saving to search for available property online than visiting real estate agents and waiting for their response.
* Portals reduce dependability on third parties as all the information and listing are available online.
* There is no limitation to number of properties available as property agents are generally popular within a particular area.
* The search and comparison between properties according to localities, etc has become effortless as portals are doing that too.
* Buyers can soon make online transactions, see featured galleries and walk through vacant properties.

The current times witness tenants and landlords interacting in a high tech way. The concepts of 'automated transactions' and 'smart buildings' is gaining popularity on this front. Apartment owners and commercial builders welcome automated rent payments, placing of work order requests online, display of facilities management, etc.

Creating a system that blends bricks and clicks is instrumental in changing the face of Indian real estate sector. Internet connectivity and meeting of buyers and sellers online only further enthuses the property market.

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Posted in: Property Dealing

Tools and Tactics For Handling Commercial Property Owners

In this commercial real estate market you really know the property owner that you are dealing with, and their reason for talking with you on property matters.

As a base strategy, it pays to directly question the client on their needs but also and perhaps more importantly their knowledge of the current market. You want all the real facts and make sure you get no hidden agendas from the clients. So let's see how we can achieve this clear and precise information from the client.

Direct Questioning

Question them more and you talk less! Direct questioning does set the foundations of confidence and knowledge for you in the conversation. It makes you stand apart from the competition as the property agent of relevance and knowledge. The property owner can see that they are talking to someone who really knows the current market and why things are happening.

Here are some key questions and concepts. We recommend that you use this as a checklist for the process. That will keep you on track.

    What is the Owner's Motivation in talking with you today and how did they reach you? They must have at least one specific reason. You need to know why they have chosen you as the potential agent to help them. You should also know how they found you in the first place. If it was through another property campaign or a referral then you have a base from which to create leverage.
    In this commercial and retail property market, volatility and uncertainty can impact many properties. The time on market will be extensive in most circumstances unless the property is correctly matched to the target market and the price or rental is keenly structured. For this reason you want the best properties to list with you and not the average ones. What do the clients ultimately want to do in listing the property today and what is the time frame that they must satisfy?
    Is there a financial hurdle or benchmark that must be satisfied for the transaction to be successful? If there is any financial pressure from the mortgagees and the banks, it is important to know full details of that. See if the client will involve you with the banks at the earliest stages so that any pressure from that direction can be controlled. If the bank is confident in you and your services, they will likely let you take choices in the property promotion road ahead.
    Given the price or rental that you could achieve with the property in today's market, is there a financial target or hurdle in the clients mind that must be matched? Is it realistic and what will be your strategy in the process? Work on the clients thinking from the earliest stages of the listing process. Attitudes of inflated prices and rents have to be toned down. The property market of this year is a lot different than two years ago. Do not waste your time on overpriced listings at unrealistically high levels.
    Has the property been on the market for some time with other agencies? This fact will impact your strategic approach in continuing with the listing today. You will need to freshen up the marketing so previous promotional campaigns are not impacting your campaign today.
    The previous history of the landlord's interaction and service with the other tenants in the building must be identified and understood. Many potential purchasers or potential tenants for the property in today's market will speak to the other existing tenants in the property as part of their due diligence process. Any bad history can derail your negotiations. The earlier you know about the problem the easier it is for you to strategize and address.
    Given that there are so many changes impacting the market at the moment, does the owner of the property understand the market and how they must adjust to those pressures? This can include property renovation, adjustments of rentals, establishment of fresh lease documentation, repositioning of tenancies, a reassessment of the property financials, well directed marketing campaigns, and reductions in price or rental as required.
    Is the property owner a 'Corporate' in structure and how does that effect or delay decisions that will be appearing in the sale or lease process? It is surprising how much delay can be experienced when working with boards of directors and the people in 'head office'. Property documentation must be a high priority and fast tracked when the time comes. Understand who you must get the documentation to and how they will process the documentation.
    Who are the Owner's Solicitors and Accountants, and can they be directly reached for discussions on the financial matters of the property? It is interesting to note that solicitors in the property documentation process can slow things down extensively (their work load pressures are not your pressures). This is where you will likely need the assistance of the client to make the solicitor respond in a timely fashion to your requests. It is quite likely that the solicitor will not even take your calls as the property agent until the client so instructs them.
    Given the property transaction today, is the client a repeat investor and will they want to re-enter the property markets soon on a different type of investment? This is an excellent time to purchase other commercial real estate. Prices are historically low and offer significant opportunity for those clients that can act today. Finance can be the problem that holds back the bigger deals.
    Does the client own anything else in commercial real estate which needs to be balanced in property portfolio performance as you sell or lease the subject property? In many cases, it is the stability of the cash flow across the portfolio which needs to be considered for the client. Many wise portfolio property owners will select properties in different property types such as retail, office, and industrial, so that the economic trends of any distressed market segment or location will be offset by the other properties in the portfolio. It is of note that diverse property portfolios produce less volatility but also produce less extreme peaks when one property market is performing highly. The property owners today who are reasonably comfortable economically are those that have spread their investment portfolio across different property types in good locations.

So the key issue here is to completely understand client and their needs. The better you do this, the better the chances of an effective sale or lease in a timely fashion. Confidence and control are the foundations of your success as a commercial property agent in this volatile real estate market.

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Posted in: Commercial Property

Becoming a Property Investor

More and more of us in the UK are taking the plunge into property investing. By property investing I mean people who own or manage more than one property, although it would be technically correct to refer to all homeowners as property investors, for the purposes of this article lets look at those who are considering "taking the plunge" and buying additional property for profit.

Unfortunately, although there are considerable profits to be made (and being made as we speak, a significant percentage of the richest people in the UK made their fortunes through property!) many novice investors suffer serious financial losses and in many cases these losses could have been avoided with some planning and foresight.

The absolute first consideration is not raising finance, choosing property in right location or even marketing the properties for sale ( although these are all obviously important factors),it is allowing for the time commitments running a property business will have on your existing occupation, social life and family.

Many people seriously under estimate the time and hassle involved in running a part time business, for those who have the financial resources to invest in property on a full time basis this of course does not apply, but for most of us starting out in property, we will be juggling a full time job along with family and other commitments in addition to property investing.

Cast your mind back to the purchase of your existing home, was it quick, easy and painless? Unless you have been extremely lucky the answer will be an emphatic NO! You will probably have viewed in the region of 20-30 properties just to arrive at a short list, some of the properties you were interested in may have fallen through at various stages due to "gazumping", survey problems or a host of other difficulties. Then there is the paperwork, mortgage applications, solicitors and conveyancing....

Try and work out how many hours you actually spent on the whole property buying process, I think you will be suprised at the amount of time involved. Now consider this, buying a property as a home is MUCH easier than buying an investment property! Take the amount of time involved in buying your existing home and multiply it by a factor of 3-4. Then of course we come to the second stage, the refurbishment/renovation of the property to ensure good selling price and finally selling the property, or renting it out to suitable tenants. Are you beginning to see the time and effort involved in just one additional property?

Unless you are willing to make a substantial commitment in time do not even consider property as a source of additional income, it is a labour intensive business even at the best of times and the potential problems are many and varied. If you have taken this on board and are still interested in property investing however, then the potential rewards can be huge.

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Posted in: Property Investor