Alphabetical Listing of Top Internet Picks

10 Steps to Better Manage Crime Risk in Apartment Portfolios.  Having a crime risk reduction program is becoming a necessity.  This article contains tips on reducing the risk of crime in your apartment community.  

11 Profitable Lease Purchase Strategies.  Useful ideas for the employment of lease purchases, or leases with purchase options, in your investment strategy.   

104 Million Online. Not only is Internet usage growing, but it is growing across all demographic classifications.  Is true Internet based landlording really becoming practical?

Advertise the Property, Not the Purchaser.  Although written for sellers, the principles involved are applicable to landlords looking for tenants as well. 

Air Conditioning Disconnect Switches.  Did you know that by law your air conditioning unit must have a readily accessible disconnect switch?  Read this article on what the code requires.

Ants In and Around the Home.  A guide to identifying and eliminating these pests. 

Aphids On Trees and Shrubs.    Your nice shade trees and ornamental shrubs can be far less than pleasant if shade seekers are subjected to a rain of honeydew from aphids.  See how to control these pests.  You may not even need chemicals.

Applicant/Tenant Screening Tips.   A collection of seven effective things to do to screen prospective tenants. 

Are You Haunted By Carpet Ghosts?    Carpet ghosts are discolorations that mysteriously appear in new carpeting, particularly lighter colored material.  It is most noticeable in newer construction but can appear anywhere and shows up first at doorways and along walls.  This describes what causes this phenomenon and how to deal with it when your tenant complains that the new carpet is “no good.” 

ATTN:  Mortgage Shoppers.  Here are ten tips to help you while shopping for your next mortgage.

Avoiding the CPI Monster.  While it is customary to tie periodic rent increases in commercial leases to the CPI, this may not be in the landlord’s best interest.  Explore alternatives to the CPI rent increase cliché.

Bankruptcy.   An interesting discussion of the various forms of bankruptcy protection.  A good starting point for those unfortunate landlords who have a tenant who has filed. 

Balance Sheet, The:  What Does It Mean?    How to read and understand the components of a balance sheet, and prepare one for your own business.

Blacktop And Beyond.   This article, really a collection of pages, outlines driveway repair and replacement options.

Budgeting Key to Investment Success. Learn why you need a budget for your investment properties and how to create one. 

Buying Investment Property. Check this overview for the ways you can get into an investment property and what it will cost you. 

Can Home Inspections Be Perfect?  No.  Home inspection is a process of risk reduction, not risk elimination.  If you employ an inspector to go over your next purchase, be aware of what is likely to be missed. 

Can Pesticide Foggers Be Dangerous?  Of course they can.  If you use them, follow the directions that come with the article. 

C.A.R. Addresses Housing Affordability With Legislative Package.   The poison and the antidote are made in the same kitchen.  Read about the California Association of Realtor’s 2001 package of proposed legislation to cure the results of earlier legislation, including a hilarious proposal to have a government funded security deposit system. 

Choosing a Tax Preparer.   Seven questions you need to ask when deciding on who will prepare your tax returns.

Choosing the Right Model.  A handy calculator for selecting the right size water heater for the rental unit.

Click The Purchase Button.   This is a good discussion of the true magnitude of the risk you take by making credit card purchases on the Internet.  In reality, you are not taking much of a risk at all. 

Clean Water Convenience.  If you are searching for a way to make your rental property stand out from your competition, consider a filtering water faucet.  At $200 to $400 for the unit, plus the cost of filters the tenant will have to buy, you might consider them for higher end units, or any unit where the municipal water supply is particularly bad.  Such a unit might also be offered as a premium to encourage lease renewals or induce tenants to commit to longer leases. 

Collecting From Tenants Who Move Without Paying.    This short piece gives suggestions on how to recover rent from tenants who skip. 

Computer-Savvy Criminals Increasingly Turn To Mortgage Fraud.  How high-tech crooks are using increasingly automated mortgage processing to rip off lenders big time.  Some of this may even impact you directly.

Consumer Sentinel. The Federal Trade Commission has a database of actual fraud cases, including Internet fraud.  Consumers can search to see if that offer is too good to be true.  Included also are a number of PDF documents, a place to report a scam, and other features. 

Controlling Moles in the Home Lawn.   A brief primer on dealing with the moles that are damaging your lawn.

Covering the rent  Very basic article on insurance considerations for rental property.  This is a good starting place for the new landlord.  It is from Investment.com.

Cracked Basement Floor.   How to tell if the cracks in your basement floor are minor or harbingers of a major problem, and what to do about them. 

Does HUD Owe You Money? You may be entitled to a refund of part of your FHA insurance premium, or a distributive share of “excess earnings” from the Mutual Mortgage Insurance fund if you meet certain criteria. 

Do You Need an Annual Real Estate Check-Up?  There is a new breed of professional out there: the Real Estate Consultant.  Although he may be a licensed broker, his emphasis is not to sell but to provide his clients with unbiased information they can use to make important decisions about their property.  This article discusses how they operate and gives examples of when their services may be useful.

Don't Let Fair Housing Fears Compromise Screening Decisions. If you are feeling intimidated about enforcing your screening policies because of fear of Fair Housing complaints, then read this.

EPA’s Asbestos Home Page.  This is not an article, but it contains links to almost all the information you will ever need about asbestos in your rental unit or home.   

Evolution of Property Management, The.   How technology is changing the property management profession.

Facts, Anyone? (About Rent Control).  This is a good starting point for someone needing to develop the tools to engage in the Rent Control debate.  Thomas Sowell, one of our first rank social thinkers, points the direction so you can do the research necessary to be brilliant at the next City Council of Apartment Association meeting.  He also points out, with a wisp of sadness, that Rent Control is really about politics and politics is not all facts and logic.  

Fair Housing & "Reasonable Accommodations"  Bob Cain  How to and how not to deal with this troubling issue.

FCC Prohibits Exclusive Telecom-Access Agreements.  Under a ruling by the FCC, Telecommunications companies may no longer bind a commercial landlord to exclude competitors from providing service to his building.   

Fencing Match.  Consider these alternatives to the typical chain link or wrought iron fence for the front yard or corner lot. 

Finding The Right Tenant.  A fairly good checklist of things you can do to improve your tenant screening process. 

Five Keys to Successful Negotiation.  This article gives an outline of how to carry out a successful real estate negotiation.  The concepts are applicable to negotiating a purchase, or a lease with a new tenant, or for that matter, non-real estate matters as well. 

Fixing Tax Return Oversights with Amended Returns.  Learn how to get a “do over” from the IRS if you make a mistake on your tax return.  

Fixer-Uppers:  Wise Investment or Money Pit?  How can you tell if that attractively priced but unattractively maintained building will end up making you a profit? 

Flophouse, The.   An illustration of how the government destroys valuable private facilities and services by doing good.

Hiring a Home Inspector?  Getting an independent property inspector to look over a building before you buy it is a good idea.  Here is what to look for when selecting one.

Home Office Design Basics.   This collection of pages will assist you in laying out and setting up your in-home office space so your landlording work can be more comfortably and efficiently done.

Home Office Tax Pluses.  This article describes how you gain benefit from the new rules on home offices.  Perfect if you do your landlording at home.  See our article in the Info Center on the home office deduction and how to qualify.

Home Owner's Guide To Buying a New Roof, A.   Not only does this article compare the different types of roofing systems and materials, it also covers roof design, causes of roof deterioration, how to select a roofing contractor.  This is a must read for anyone with a new roof in his immediate future. 

Home-Sale Trap for Home Offices.  There may be a serious downside if you take the home office deduction.

How Evictions Work.   This article gives a very general outline of the eviction procedure.  Although the specifics vary widely from state to state, and no landlord should rely on what is in this article as a roadmap through an eviction proceeding in his local court, it will still serve as a good orientation to the overall scheme of the eviction process. 

How Long Should You Keep Tax Records?  This article gives a good explanation of what records you should retain and the minimum amount of time you should keep them. 

How “Real” Is Your Independent Contractor Status.  Many landlords have handymen and others whom they classify as independent contractors for tax and other purposes.  But simply saying someone is an independent contractor is not enough to make them so.  They may still, in reality, be employees, and a failure to realistically evaluate their status can lead to big problems down the line.  This note on a Georgia appellate court decision evaluates and “independent” salesperson’s status in view of the amount of control the broker sought to exercise over her activities.  This is applicable to any independent contractor.  See also our article. 

How To Collect Debts Other People Owe You.   A very nice how to article with tips you can apply to collection from former tenants who owe you money. 

How To Counter Rising Winter Heating Bills.   This article contains tips on how you and your tenants can offset at least a part of the increasing cost of energy.

How to Create a Real Estate Cash Cow.  One way to use financing to generate cash flow.  

How To Cut Closing Costs.  Some suggestions on how to reduce closing costs on purchases or refinances.

How to Deal With Angry Tenants This is courtesy of the Institute of Real Estate Management.  Formulaic account of how to deal with angry customers.  Though somewhat simplistic, still contains some useful suggestions in the second half of the article.  Skip the first half about how everyone is short of time if you are short of time.  Aside:  Congreve actually wrote: “Music hath charms to soothe a savage breast,/ To soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak.”  It doesn’t have anything to do with beasts.

How To Fight Dryrot in Homes, Condos and Co-ops.  Here is an excellent discussion of what dryrot is, how it spreads, and how to recognize it when it strikes.  Dryrot, “wood cancer,” is destructive and quite expensive if not eliminated early.  Protect your investment and learn how to prevent and spot it. 

How To Hire a Home Inspector.  We all know it is a good idea to have a property inspected by an independent inspector before the purchase.  This article shows how to find a competent inspector.

How to Hire Construction Managers.  If you are confronted with a major repair or improvement job, managing it yourself may take too much time and overtax your expertise.  If so, learn how to select someone to manage the job for you and how to deal with him.

How To Keep On-Site Managers.   Sound tips on finding, recognizing, and keeping good resident managers.

How to Keep the Noise Out of Your Pipes. Find out what those strange sounds coming from your plumbing mean and how to get rid of them.

How To Make Simple Toilet Repairs.  Toilets are high strung, mechanical, and frequently used.  For these reasons they require frequent attention.  A plumber is rarely required, however.  You might save a good deal of money by doing minor toilet repairs yourself.  Here you will find all the information you need to deal with most toilet problems. 

How To Prevent Basement Leaks.  Learn to recognize the signs of a leaky basement in a prospective purchase, and how to correct the problem if you already have a chronically wet basement.

How To Protect Your Estate From Uncle Sam.   Every landlord has an estate.  Thought should be given to shielding the estate from Uncle Sam’s croupier, the IRS.  After all, you have worked to develop your fortune so that you and your devisees may enjoy it, not so the government can buy a rivet for a B-2 bomber.  This article will give some hints in that regard.

How to Reduce Commercial Utility Bills.  The title is self explanatory, and if you are a commercial lessor, particularly in a third world, power starved country like California, you need to read this.

How To Set The Rules For On-Site Managers. If you have a written rental agreement with all of your tenants you are doing well.  What about the on-site manager?  You need a written agreement with him even more and it should contain all the details about compensation and his duties.

Is a Quickie Loan Approval a Mortgage Commitment?  Do not mistake an instant on line “approval” for a commitment.  This article will explain the difference. 

Is City Liable for Approving Building That Blocks Light, Air and Fire Exits?  The answer to this may surprise you. 

Is Your Landlord Responsible For Your Safety?    This article discusses to some degree the extent of liability a landlord may have for criminal acts committed against a tenant on the rental property, but then makes some really valuable suggestions on practical steps a landlord can take to limit his exposure and to some degree protect his tenants. 

Justice in Fair Housing Enforcement Act of 1999, Hearings.   A long and interesting excerpt from the Congressional Record detailing fair housing enforcement nightmares.

Keeping a Tight Seal.  If re-roofing is in your plans for this summer, consider the installation of an ice and water protection product. 

Knowing the Difference Between Assigned Lease, Sublease.    This article is a good one for lessors of residential and commercial property alike.  It contains a succinct explanation of the practical difference between a sublease and a lease assignment. 

Landlord and Tenant    Extremely basic article about what a landlord and a tenant is and how they came to be over time.  After you read this, see our articles on leases and rental agreements, security deposits, and especially Who Are Those Guys?  Part 1, Part 2.  

Landlord Entry During Lease. This squib deals with the issue of landlord entry during a lease that is silent on the issue.  For a fuller treatment of landlord entry see our article in the Info Center.

Landlord Liability for Criminal Acts and Activities.    There has been some movement in many states to place liability on the landlord to his tenant for criminal activities by third persons.  This summary will give some insight into how this liability works and serve as a starting point for further research into the rules in your own state. 

Landlords, Building Owners, and Managers Learn Effective Tenant Screening.  Useful tips on setting up an effective tenant screening procedure from the Chicago Police Department.  See our articles on tenant screening in the Info Center.

Landlords Can’t Reject Unmarried Couples On Religious Grounds.  The 1999 ruling permitting discrimination against unmarried couples on religious grounds has been withdrawn. 

Landlord-Tenant Law:  An Overview. This is a nice little article from the Legal Information Institute that will give you an understanding of the role of the rental agreement in the landlord-tenant relationship.  Also some interesting links.

Landlord’s Checklist of Silent Lease Issues.  This checklist was produced by the New York State Bar Association and is a quite thorough treatment.  It is well worth having on hand to review once you get beyond the question of how much the rent will be.

Landlord’s Life, A.  A good article for those new to the landlording business.  Anthony Schrock is interviewed and describes the trials, tribulations, and rewards of rental property ownership.

Landlords, Building Owners, and Managers Learn Effective Tenant Screening.  Useful tips on setting up an effective tenant screening procedure from the Chicago Police Department.  See our articles on tenant screening in the Info Center.

Landlords May Have Insurance For Tenant Lawsuits For Wrongful Eviction.   Litigation is becoming more a part of the American Way, intruding now even into our Presidential elections.  Landlords who are forced to clear their premises through eviction, especially for reasons other than non-payment of rent, risk being sued for wrongful eviction, and there are plenty of attorneys who will pursue such claims, if only for their nuisance value.  Insurance companies have traditionally denied coverage for this liability, but recent court decisions seem to suggest that the landlord may at least have the right to a defense from his insurer, if he tenders the claim. 

Lead Listing, The.  In order to promote compliance with its new lead paint removal rules, HUD has this new page that includes listings of competent lead removal specialists and information on free courses in lead removal for maintenance workers. 

Making Apartments More Secure.  This article describes things you can do to make your rental units more secure and why it is in your interest, legally and financially, to do it. 

Making It Last.  Here is revealed the secrets to ensuring maximum life out of your carpet investment.

Merchants’ Private Property Rights Supercede Public Forum Interests.   Demonstrators and others do not have a right to use the private property in front of your tenant’s business establishments to disseminate their message to customers.

Munch, Munch, Munch. How your building is landscaped can greatly affect its susceptibility to termite infestation.  Read this article to see why that is so. 

NAR’s Technology Policy Explained.  This article explains how the NAR plans to maintain Realtors™ in their position as the high priests of real estate, even on the Internet.

Net Minded Tenants Want High-Speed Access.  A majority of potential tenants will be swayed in their decision to rent by the presence or absence of convenient high speed Internet access.  Make your property stand out by bringing it into the information age.

No Sold If There’s Mold.  See how the latest bio-hazard panic could affect your next deal – it also applies to your rentals. 

“O” Marks the Pot.  It is possible to remove water rings left by your tenant on the hardwood floors, but it is not always easy. 

Online Communication:  The Illusion of E-Mail Privacy.  No, email is not private.  Its convenience and speed is counterbalanced by its openness.  Save truly confidential communication for truly confidential means of communication. 

Patching Holes in Drywall.  Holes, dents, and dings in drywall are a recurring feature of just vacated rental units that need to be readied for showing and reletting.  This is an fine article on dealing with these problems, accompanied with excellent illustrations.  Be sure to follow the links in the right margin. 

Points:  What Are They And How To Deduct Them.    Even if you already know what points are, read this article anyway to find out what the rules are for deducting them on your income tax return.

Prepare for the Best Time of Year to Sell Your Home.  The best time of year to sell single family dwellings, perhaps even duplexes, is from April to August.  If you have such a property and want to sell it, perhaps to move up to a larger building, now is the time to market it.  This article tells you how to get ready. 

Profit and Loss Statement, The:  What Does It Mean?  How to read and understand the components of the P&L, and prepare one for your own business.

Property Manager’s Skill Can Make or Break a Deal.  What does a manager of commercial rental property do and why is it so important?

Property Rental On a Small Scale. How several landlords got started in the business, why they did, and what they learned. 

Pros and Cons of a Home Business.  This article discusses the practical benefits and drawbacks of running a small business in your home.  Read this before you decide to open up shop there.

Questions You Should Ask About Property Taxes. This is a short course in how property taxes work and what you should know about them when making a buying decision. 

Racial Bias Alleged in Miss. This piece is from the Inman News Features.  Apparently a man in Mississippi has been charged with racial bias for deterring black shoppers from his property by announcing it was in an all-white neighborhood and making threats of physical violence.  Flash – Bulletin.  See our articles on tenant screening and the Federal Fair Housing Act.

Real Estate Moves On Line  This article introduces another Real Estate Industry revolutionist, Loopnet Canada.  This one, however, has much more modest goals.  Rather than revolutionize the whole industry tomorrow, they expect to revolutionize a part of it over time by providing real estate listings on line.

Records And Record Keeping.   What records should you keep and how should you keep them?  This article goes over the basics.

Refinishing School.    A dull, worn out wood floor does not make a very good tenant magnet.  This article shows how to do it and how easy it is.

Renewing Concrete Surfaces.  How to repair worn and cracked concrete without a bulldozer.

Rent Collections Via the Internet?   Purely electronic rent collection and record keeping is not only on the way, it is largely here.  See what is coming in this article. 

Repairing a Large Hole In Wallboard.  If you do cleanup and preparation of your rental units yourself, you will eventually come across a hole in wallboard that is too large to be filled with joint compound.  Find out how to deal with the problem.

Resolving Disputes.    Tips on how to resolve disputes with your tenants short of litigation.

Responsibility of Real Estate, The  An offering from Investment.com dealing with the onus of getting started and surviving in real estate investment.  A starting place for the tyro, especially the involuntary landlord, i.e., the one who inherited or moved out of a house they cannot sell.

Roommates and Rent:  How to Protect Yourself.  Here is an outline of the ins and outs of rent sharing between roommates.  If you are a landlord who permits this, give a copy of this article to your next tenant who asks permission to move someone in to share the rent. 

Rubber Roofing’s Hurtful Bounce.   If you are contemplating one of the new “rubber” or single ply roof systems, or if your rental has one, this article is a must-read. 

Russia – US Landlord Tenant Dispute  This articles deals with a rent dispute between the US and Russia over the US embassy in Moscow four years ago.

Section 8 Changes.   New rules for renewal periods in certain HUD contracts are covered here.

Septic Tank System for Sewage Treatment, A. A discussion of the design and installation of septic tank systems is valuable for anyone who has one. 

Service Animals In a “No Pets” Apartment.  This article is written from a California point of view but is still useful for all the information it gives about the Federal Fair Housing Act.

Setting Up a Record Keeping System.  Paper is essential to any successful operation, even in these modern computing days.  Learn how to determine what sort of record keeping system is best for you. 

Setting Up a Record Keeping System.  Describes the two major types of accounting systems and how to set them up.

Should I Buy a Home That Generates Income?    Buying a small multi-unit building you can live in is a good way to get started as a landlord.

Should You Offer Seller Financing?  David Reed discusses the advantages and risks of being your own mortgage company. 

Should You Use an On Line Lender? This article gives the pros and cons of securing your next mortgage on line. 

Softening the Blow of Submetering. Submetering is becoming increasingly popular (see our article on the subject).  This article shows how to sell the idea to your tenants and implement it with a minimum of resistance. 

So You Want To Keep a Pet But Your Lease Has a “No Pet” Clause. This article is written from a tenant’s point of view but contains valuable information on how a local “Pet Ordinance,” such as exists in New York, or the federal Fair Housing Act can force you to permit one anyway.

Some Employers Are Wary Of New Legislation Regarding Illegal Aliens.   If you have employees this article is a must read.  It deals with new legislation signed by former President Clinton in December, 2000. 

Spiders In and Around the House.  Distribute this article to your tenants if they start having a spider problem.

Starker Exchanges:  Deals Without Dollars.  Starker exchanges, also known as 1031 exchanges, can permit the investor to transfer his property while deferring capital gains taxes by taking like-kind property in return.  Read this item for an insight into some of the intricacies of the rules and to decide if this is something you need to look into. 

Starting a Business in Your Home – Is It For You?  Another perspective on home business.  This one asks whether you are a good candidate for such an arrangement.

Ten Reasons Why Buyers Should Hire a Realtor.  OK, you probably won’t want to “hire” one, but you should definitely consider engaging the services of one for your next purchase.  This article gives the pros. 

Ten Tips For Being a Successful Landlord.    These tips are very good suggestions on what to look out for as you set out on your road to success.

Tenants Must Negotiate Lease’s Words As Well As Rates.   This goes for landlords too, so read this.

Time To Invest In a Wireless PDA?   If you have been thinking of going to a PDA device read this. 

Timing Adds Profit When Selling Rental House.   This short but good little piece reminds us that taxes play an important role in the timing of a house sale.  Relatively small accommodations to the tax code can make a big difference in the bottom line.

Title Matters.   This article contains valuable information, especially for beginners, on common title issues.

Twelve Steps to Equal Opportunity Housing.   This list of tips about Fair Housing Law compliance should be of interest to landlords and property managers. 

Understanding Deductibles. How a deductible will affect your premiums and how to strike a balance between the two. 

Understanding Umbrella Liability.  An umbrella policy is becoming a necessity in today’s tort-claims-happy society.  Find out what an umbrella policy is and how it can help you sleep nights. 

Virtual Landlords   Courtesy of Investment.com, here is an article about yet another company that is going to revolutionize Real Estate as she is practiced.  “InvestorPlus promises to change the real estate buying experience.”  We’ll see.  Will they make it or will they end up under a tombstone in the already crowded Cemetery of Revolutionary Companies?

Walk Softly.  Is your handyman installing the right carpet cushion, or just anything he has on-hand?  This short piece will give you important tips on the kind and quality of cushions that your rental units need.

Walk-Through the Right Way.  What to watch for when you do the final walk-through before close of escrow.

What Do Loans Really Cost?    With the proliferation of mortgage companies on the Internet it is possible to contact and get quotes from literally dozens of companies, not just the few that may be in town.  How do you know you are not comparing apples to oranges when they quote you a rate? 

What Is “Fair Market Value?”   This is a practical explanation of the meaning of that often used term and why it is important to you.

Who Gets the Earnest Money Deposit.  If you place a deposit on a property but renege and fail to follow through on the deal, what happens to the deposit?  Find out here. 

Subject Listing of Top Internet Articles