When it comes time to turn your rental property or preparing your home for sale what are the “best practices”?  I always say it has to smell good and look good!  What does that mean?

Exterior needs to look like you really care!  Pressure wash, cut yard. Remove leaves. Freshen up landscaping! Pick up trash, make sure trash bins and other items are out of sight from the street. Front door, painted or wiped down. (You only get one chance to make a first impression) Storm door glass clean. Clean gutters, blow off roof.  Your front exterior is the lead picture in your ad!

The home needs to be vacant and ready, meaning no leftover paint buckets or cleaning supplies left out or repairs still half…..done.  Paint or spot paint as needed.  Fix everything you can!  Get rid of leftover furniture and declutter if selling.  If it is feasible use a professional staging company.  Just because you don’t want to throw something away doesn’t mean it’s going to enhance the value of your home! (This includes your garage) Donate it!!

Has to be clean! Really clean!  Windows and baseboards clean!  All spider webs gone. No dust or left over work residue on surfaces. (If you have work to finish make sure items are in a cabinet and out of sight, and finish the work quickly) Bath and kitchen need to be the cleanest! (if a property stays vacant for long you will need to refresh).  A prospect will open the appliances every time so make sure they look stellar! New drip trays in the stove and no cracks in the flat top. Change out caulk in the tub if needed. Professionally clean carpets!  Install shower curtains or liners in your rentals (first night people will flood your bathroom for you if you don’t). Install window blinds in your rental if you don’t want someone else using a hammer on your walls! (They are economical at Walmart) Everything should work properly including light bulbs and fixtures. (30% of people take the light bulbs when they move, sometimes even when they sell) PS – If you are buying or selling make sure you cover the chattels you want  in your contract.

Practice what you know by making your house show ready to maximize value!!
Need help? Let us know! 864-395-6538!
To your success!
  Robert
Do you have questions about
maximizing your return on your
real estate investments?  I invite
you to call me and discuss your needs. 
With many years in the business, I’m
confident our team can guide you in the
right direction.  We help our clients
rent, buy and sell real estate in the
upstate of South Carolina.

Call 864-395-6538 for more info on
how to make money in real estate!


                        Talk soon.
     Thank you for your business!
     We appreciate your referrals!Some Articles You May Enjoy

The Difference Between LLCs, C Corporations, and S Corporations
www.biggerpockets.com

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www.rentecdirect.com

What will the future hold for Cleveland Park? These conceptual plans could provide clues
www.upstatebusinessjournal.com

The Superhuman real estate market has heated up until the toast is beginning to burn! Welcome to Greenville-Spartanburg SC!   With all the building that is going on we should be able to, but we can’t find affordability!  Are those days gone? Prices have gone up for 48 months straight. So buyers are taking a hiatus from the endless search for value and renters that can’t pay more are just opting out and staying put.  Pricing fatigue.. It’s not always about the price for sellers and landlords, time is money!  Vacant  time is “big money”.  

If you want to rent or sell in this market make sure you set yourself apart with:

1. Attractive Aggressive Pricing  
2. Interesting Incentives  
3. Flexible Pet Policy                    
4. Marketable Concessions!   

Negotiate on the things that you can live with!

To your success!
  Robert
Do you have questions about
maximizing your return on your
real estate investments?  I invite
you to call me and discuss your needs. 
With many years in the business, I’m
confident our team can guide you in the
right direction.  We help our clients
rent, buy and sell real estate in the
upstate of South Carolina.

Call 864-395-6538 for more info on
how to make money in real estate!


                        Talk soon.
     Thank you for your business!
     We appreciate your referrals!Some Articles You May Enjoy

How to Invest in the Hottest Real Estate Markets and Still Cash Flow
www.biggerpockets.com

QUIZ:  What’s Your Dream Home?
www.realsimple.com

Greenville Ranks 21 on Verizon’s Top 50 Small Cities for Small Business
www.upstatebusinessjournal.com

Escalation!!! Amazing!  Rent rates are rising double digit percentages in some areas of the upstate! Sale prices are going through the roof! For those of us who lived through the “great downturn”  it smells and feels a bit like 2005-06! However the economy this time seems to support the increases with demand and a widening footprint!  Micro areas like downtown Greenville, Augusta Rd., Gower, Simpsonville are experiencing record setting increases in rents and sale prices.  In these areas some rental rates are $1 per square foot or more (We did not experience this last time).  And sales are going up to $150/$200+ per square in these micros. We have surpassed Charlotte Metro area with these numbers. https://www.zillow.com/research/local-market-reports/ – http://dlvr.it/QM5hvW – Further out from the micros, suburbia and even the “country” are increasing but not quite at the clip that the “micros” are. In the counties; Spartanburg, Anderson and Greenville.  Anything close to corridors, shopping and good schools are experiencing a “spill over” effect from Greenville’s rise! It’s an excellent time to invest in local real estate maybe the best time ever! You decide. (That’s my disclosure that we are real estate experts but not fortune tellers) If you have a house that you want to rent or sell please contact us, we can help! 864-395-6538 or property.htsi@gmail.com. To your success! Robert Do you have questions about maximizing your return on your real estate investments?  I invite you to call me and discuss your needs. With many years in the business, I’m confident I can guide you in the right direction.  We help our clients rent, buy and sell real estate in the upstate of South Carolina. Call 864-395-6538 for more info on how to make money in real estate!                         Talk soon.      Thank you for your business! We appreciate your referrals! Some Articles You May Enjoy Why I will Always Allow Pets in my Rental Property www.biggerpockets.com Take Care of the Little Things and the Big Things Will Take Care of Themselves www.lollydaskal.com Things to do in Greenville, SC www.washingtonpost.com Check out THESE rental and sale listings.

1448 Dover Rd. Unit C, Spartanburg

28 N Acres Greenville, SC

28 N Acres Greenville, SC

680 Fairview Rd. Unit B, Simpsonville

Contact Us Phone: (864) 395-6538  Click HERE to rent, buy or sell today! www.housesandthensome.com www.htsrealty.com Email: property.htsi@gmail.com  www.htsipropertymanagement.com            www.htsrealty.com See how to get maximum cash flow without hassles! (:60 video)

A real estate investor with one or two properties may not find it necessary to acquire property management services, but at what point should an investor consider adding this to their overall business strategy?

Property management companies are designed to maximize the profits of any real estate investment, while also minimizing the amount of time an investor needs to spend on administrative tasks.

Property management services vary from firm to firm, but the most experienced property management companies include a comprehensive marketing program, maintenance and collection services, as well as record-keeping and reporting.

Choosing a property manager for your real estate investments is a large, important step in your real estate investment journey. Consider the following to determine if now is the right time to hire a firm that offers expert property management services:

How Many Properties Do You Own?

In most cases, a real estate investor who is beginning with one or two single-family residential properties will not need property management services. However, as you grow your business and purchase additional properties, it will become more difficult to manage them on your own.

For example, if you own an apartment building with 10 units or you own 10 duplexes with two units in each building, you may find yourself inundated with requests from tenants on an hourly basis. The more units that you are trying to manage, the more tenants you will have, and the responsibilities will increase exponentially.

Real estate investors who intend to use their properties for full-time income can almost always benefit from expert property management services. A qualified property manager will eliminate the administrative tasks associated with real estate investment properties, and allow you to focus on the larger picture as you acquire more properties for your portfolio.

There’s not set number of properties in which a property management company would be required, but you may find that after you have purchased several properties that you are ready to take this next step.

Where Are Your Properties Located?

Not all real estate investors purchase properties near their home or office. In fact, many real estate investors have properties spanning across the state and even throughout the country.

Managing properties that are located hours — and sometimes days — apart can be nearly impossible for an individual real estate investor. It can make it difficult to access tenants when they require maintenance services, and it can be challenging to monitor the activity at the property.

Real estate investors who have properties scattered across the region would benefit greatly from property management services. Property management companies have the resources available to market all of your properties, to connect with your tenants and to protect the value of your real estate investments.

What Are Your Personal Strengths and Interests?

Like all individuals, every real estate investor is different. Some real estate investors begin purchasing properties because they enjoy the hands-on work associated with updating those houses and transforming them into homes for their tenants. Others love the thrill of the chase, but they are not handy with their power tools.

Real estate investors who prefer to spend more time searching for new potential properties in the market than managing tenant requests and taking care of maintenance issues would be wise to hire a company that specializes in property management services.

As a real estate investor, you need to take the time to decide how your personal interests align with your real estate ventures. An individual can make an excellent real estate investor because they can see the diamond in the rough, but that doesn’t always mean that they will be the most effective property manager.

If you feel like your personal goals and interests are more suited to an investor who hunts for the next great property rather than the hands-on landlord that you would need to be without a property management company, then now is the right time to start searching for a qualified property management company to help you run your investments.

What is Your Current Availability?

As your real estate portfolio grows, the amount of time that you have available will begin to quickly diminish. Marketing properties, screening tenants, managing maintenance requests and dealing with the bookkeeping can require long hours — and you simply may not have those hours to give.

You need to seriously consider whether you can juggle regular requests from your tenants with financial record-keeping and monitoring the market for new potential properties to acquire.

Many real estate investors who own several properties find that they do not have the availability to effectively manage the day-to-day tasks associated with property management along with the long-term tasks required of a committed investor.

Recognizing that you do not have the availability to commit to quality management services is one of the first signs that it is time for you to take the next step and begin choosing a property manager for your business.

How Much Revenue Do You Generate from Your Real Estate Investments?

Ultimately, property management services are an investment in your business. Property management companies will charge fees for the properties that they manage for you, sometimes upwards of 5-10 percent of your total revenue.

If you are starting to think that now may be the right time to hire a property management company, you should begin to assess the revenue that you generate from your properties. Real estate investors that generate significant monthly revenue from their properties often find that the fees associated with property management services are well worth the investment in their business.

To put it simply, real estate investors who can afford property management services should in fact hire a qualified property management company. By partnering with the right property management firm, you will be able to grow your investment portfolio in a way that would not be possible without the expert assistance and guidance of a property manager.

Now that you have decided that it is the right time to begin interviewing property management companies, you will want to know what to look for in a property manager. These tips can help you narrow down your options when choosing a property manager:

• Interview at least 3 to 5 different property management companies. To select companies to interview, ask for referrals from colleagues in the industry and conduct an online search.
• Ask each company to provide you with examples of current properties they are managing. This will give you an idea of what types of properties the company is familiar with, and will help you decide if this is the right fit for your investments. Select a company that works with properties in the same price range and location as your existing investments.
• Discuss property management fees at-length. Each property management company will have different fees, and it’s important to understand all of the costs associated with each company.
• Verify that each property management company you consider is certified and licensed. This helps protect you and your investments.
• Make sure that your goals align with the goals of the property management company you choose. Both you and the property manager that you choose should be dedicated to securing qualified tenants through expert marketing efforts and to maintaining the properties so as to protect the investment.

Ideally, you will be able to hire an experienced, qualified and dedicated property management company that will help you succeed as a real estate investor. This decision is one of the most important ones you will make as a real estate investor and will have a direct impact on your ability to grow your investment portfolio.

For more information on how we can help you succeed as a real estate investor, contact us today.

Good food and bad motel?

When traveling as a child our family always said it was best to go to a restaurant that was full and busy because it must have good food! But then we would look for a motel which had a “VACANCY” sign and was empty so this to me was confusing….. If it was not full was it still going to be good?

Don’t be confused when it comes to renting out your home! Rental properties work best when FULL that way you make money round the clock right? If a property looks good, smells good and is priced right it should rent quickly in today’s market! Time is money!  Attempting to get premium rent but costing yourself 2 or 3 months of additional vacancy is expensive! This past month we had 1683 inquiries for rental properties, 149 showings and 45 applications! Plenty of activity to get your property rented with a qualified applicant! Let us help you rent your home! Our guarantee is if the tenant/customer we place does not stay at least 6 months we will place the next tenant/customer for free!

Ask us about our quick pay system, our collections process, and our full maintenance capabilities!

Robert

Do you have questions about maximizing your return on your real estate investments?  I invite you to call me and discuss your needs.  With 25+ years in the business, I’m confident I can guide you in the right direction.  We help our clients rent, buy and sell real estate in the upstate of South Carolina.

Call 864-395-6538 for more info on how to make money in real estate!
Talk soon.
               

Thank you for your business!
We appreciate your referrals!

Some Articles You May Enjoy

 

When it Comes to Your Rental Portfolio, How Much Cash Flow is Enough?
www.biggerpockets.com

United Community Bank headquarters breaks ground in Spartanburg
www.upstatebusinessjournal.com

7 Habits of People with Remarkable Mental Toughness
www.inc.com

It Was the Best of Times, It was the worst of times!

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, …” (Charles Dickens)

Getting paid rent on time is the best! Nothing like the feeling of your tangible investment paying you real dollars! (Best of times and epoch of belief)  Worst of times and epoch of incredulity is when your rental customer doesn’t pay and projects their drama on you! We can help make this a stress free investment for you!

Investment real estate is about getting paid! We send an invoice to every customer each month plus have a collection process that has a proven success rate! We help you get paid timely with proper recording and reporting! Call/email us today for help in renting, buying or selling your real estate! 864-395-6538 or property.htsi@gmail.com!

Make your Holiday Season the Best of Times by enjoying moments with family and friends! Give to those who do not have! Leave the hustle and bustle of “the times” to others. Slow down and enjoy.

  Merry Christmas from HTSI

Robert

Do you have questions about maximizing your return on your real estate investments?  I invite you to call me and discuss your needs.  With 25+ years in the business, I’m confident I can guide you in the right direction.

Call 864-395-6538 .
Talk soon.
Thank you for your business!
We appreciate and need your referrals!

www.htsipropertymanagement.com            www.htsrealty.com