The Florida building boom resulted in many first time investors becoming owners of rental property. Many homes were purchased through investment clubs or infomercials offering huge profits with little to no money down. While many investors realized unreal profits during this boom those that got in to late and didn't get out in time all of a sudden became landlords. In some cases the property management contract was included with the purchase documents and many owners had no clue they had signed a contract for management of their properties. We have been involved in the building and management of homes as a service provider since early in the boom.
I am baffled that property owners do not take the time to research the company or the owners of their management company prior to turning over their large out of state investment in real estate. As a service provider we have seen owners taken advantage of and screwed out of their money and while they may complain they don't seem to want to change how their property is managed. I assume that since they do not have to reach into their pocket that they accept the lowering of their income by being required to pay excessive and hidden charges as it is subtracted from the rental income.
The Internet is a great resource to find out information about companies and the owners of those companies. I would suggest that owners of investment properties seeking property management use this resource to get as much information as possible prior to signing a contract for management. I recommend not only searching the name of the company but the name of the owner. While not everything on the Internet is completely accurate you can find the experiences that others might have had with the companies you are considering. There are many consumer and rip off sites that will specifically provide a forum to communicate good and bad experiences with companies or people.
While past history is not always an indicator of current or future performance, it is a factor to determine if this is the right company to trust with your investment. I have written previously regarding excessive and hidden charges and asking questions to help you make the right decision in choosing a property manager and I hope some day this information will prevent someone making a huge mistake. I have worked for numerous property management companies in maintaining the properties you own and it was very difficult to balance our need for a source of income vs seeing owners treated with disrespect and being taken advantage of. Many of the companies we have worked for do a good job and provide value for the service they offer. I do not intend to represent that all management companies are bad but as in any profession there are those that you want to do business with and others you will want to stay far away from.
Take the time to do your homework and research your options. Make sure you understand all of the ways in which companies will make money from your property. There are no guarantees that you will find the perfect arrangement but your involvement in the beginning of the process and throughout will go along way to ensure your property provides a steady income and is protected in the long run.
We will soon be establishing a website to provide property owners with a resource to provide information and material to ensure your property is properly managed. We currently have some information available at http://www.onlinehomeresource.com/ and you can always email me at onlinehomeresource@gmail.com. Subscribe to this blog or feel free to leave comments regarding your experience.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Little fish in the BF pond called the internet
I am working on a new website to provide information for homeowners and DIYers in completing maintenance and repair on their properties. We hope to be able to provide some real information to help people not only take better care of their properties but save money doing it. I knew very little about building a complicated website but I have struggled through to the point of having it up and running although the content is still being developed. I began researching SEO (search engine optimization) to try to get our page atleast visable to the search engines to get traffic. I have yet to find a search containing the keywords I built in to pull up anything about our site. I do understand that it may take several weeks to have the search engines process our site.
I began to look at doing some advertising via pay per click and researched the key words associated with our site and the bidding price to be near the top. Wow was I shocked at how much money it takes to be on the first page of Google or Yahoo. If I spent approximately $20,000. per month I could be like number 2 or 3 on the list. For this price it appears you will get traffic but of the 200 or so per day that might click on your ad how many might actually do something that might generate any revenue to offset the advertising costs.
I dont know what my expectation was but I had no idea what kind of money was being spent on advertising to people directed to your site. It is frustrating to try to do search for specific information and only see results that have little to do with what you are trying to find. It doesnt seem to matter if they have the information you are searching for but what matters is how much they bid on the keyword you searched for. I will not be writing checks of this size anytime soon and will keep plugging away here and there to try to get our information out there to atleast be found.
There seems to be less and less content and more and more sites just to collect advertising revenue. There is not much I can do to change the rules of the game I just have to figure out some way to work around them. I guess that I still just dont play well with others. http://www.onlinehomeresource.com/
I began to look at doing some advertising via pay per click and researched the key words associated with our site and the bidding price to be near the top. Wow was I shocked at how much money it takes to be on the first page of Google or Yahoo. If I spent approximately $20,000. per month I could be like number 2 or 3 on the list. For this price it appears you will get traffic but of the 200 or so per day that might click on your ad how many might actually do something that might generate any revenue to offset the advertising costs.
I dont know what my expectation was but I had no idea what kind of money was being spent on advertising to people directed to your site. It is frustrating to try to do search for specific information and only see results that have little to do with what you are trying to find. It doesnt seem to matter if they have the information you are searching for but what matters is how much they bid on the keyword you searched for. I will not be writing checks of this size anytime soon and will keep plugging away here and there to try to get our information out there to atleast be found.
There seems to be less and less content and more and more sites just to collect advertising revenue. There is not much I can do to change the rules of the game I just have to figure out some way to work around them. I guess that I still just dont play well with others. http://www.onlinehomeresource.com/
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Florida Investment Property - Out of state buyers
If you are considering purchasing investment property in Florida and live out of state I can provide you a few things to consider in the process. I have been contacted by investors after purchase of a property sight unseen and asked to provide estimates to return the property to the rental market. I am amazed that someone could actually buy investment property with limited information and based on pictures provided by someone who may not be aware of the specific information regarding the property. I do understand that at times the property may appear to be such a bargain that the deal is done without all of the information that is available.
I would highly recommend that you contact someone who is local to the area you are considering and someone who has knowledge of what additional factors should be considered prior to entering into a purchase contract. Most realtors I have worked with do a really good job at providing all information but we are seeing more of the realtors from locations hours away who are handling properties for various agencies or banks. I do not intend to knock the realtors but the fact is there is no way they can understand all of the factors of specific areas or neighborhoods outside of their home area.
In most cases you can easily find repair or maintenance companies that provide free estimates and they should also be able to provide you with some information regarding the specific location of the property. There are so many properties available in the Florida market and especially in Sarasota, Charlotte and Lee Counties that very often you may have your choice of multiple properties with the location playing a larger role in your decision to purchase. If the property is destined for the rental market the area or neighborhood will determine the rent potential of the property. It is not uncommon for their to be $100. per month difference in areas within the same city depending on the location of the property.
More and more properties are being purchased by investors for rental income and certain areas seem to contain a larger percentage of rentals which in some cases has a direct connection to the condition of the area and the rent potential.
As the purchaser you will have to determine your budget for the purchase of investment property but considering the potential for return and the renters that will be considering your property. Having a local resource to assist in providing addtional information to guide you in purchasing investment property is extremely valuable and can often provide you with unbiased information that you may not normally have access to.
If you are considering purchasing property in Sarasota, Charlotte or Lee Counties in Florida we can assist you in providing you with specific detailed information concerning the area where the properties are located. We have provided maintenance and repair services to property management companies and real estate agents for many years and our experience will assist you in your decision. Feel free to contact us for additional information at 941-321-6710.
I would highly recommend that you contact someone who is local to the area you are considering and someone who has knowledge of what additional factors should be considered prior to entering into a purchase contract. Most realtors I have worked with do a really good job at providing all information but we are seeing more of the realtors from locations hours away who are handling properties for various agencies or banks. I do not intend to knock the realtors but the fact is there is no way they can understand all of the factors of specific areas or neighborhoods outside of their home area.
In most cases you can easily find repair or maintenance companies that provide free estimates and they should also be able to provide you with some information regarding the specific location of the property. There are so many properties available in the Florida market and especially in Sarasota, Charlotte and Lee Counties that very often you may have your choice of multiple properties with the location playing a larger role in your decision to purchase. If the property is destined for the rental market the area or neighborhood will determine the rent potential of the property. It is not uncommon for their to be $100. per month difference in areas within the same city depending on the location of the property.
More and more properties are being purchased by investors for rental income and certain areas seem to contain a larger percentage of rentals which in some cases has a direct connection to the condition of the area and the rent potential.
As the purchaser you will have to determine your budget for the purchase of investment property but considering the potential for return and the renters that will be considering your property. Having a local resource to assist in providing addtional information to guide you in purchasing investment property is extremely valuable and can often provide you with unbiased information that you may not normally have access to.
If you are considering purchasing property in Sarasota, Charlotte or Lee Counties in Florida we can assist you in providing you with specific detailed information concerning the area where the properties are located. We have provided maintenance and repair services to property management companies and real estate agents for many years and our experience will assist you in your decision. Feel free to contact us for additional information at 941-321-6710.
Friday, April 15, 2011
No limitations, You can do it !
I have always believed that there is little that you truly can't do if you put your mind to it. From very early on I was determined that I could tackle any project or task by finding a resource for basic information. I also prepared myself for the unexpected and accepted this was a part of the process. I have been able to complete many projects that if I would have had to rely on hiring someone to do it for me would have never been attempted.
In the last year we purchased a severly vandalized foreclosure home for less than we could have purchased the lot for just a few years earlier. I remember the first time we saw the house and immediately visualized the possibilities. While most others including our realtor saw the property as overwhelming and a mess my wife Jann and I immediately began seeing our home. As we discussed moving walls and redesigning the layout I still remember the look on our realtors face which was one of us being on the verge of insane.
As I remember there were 2 windows that still had glass all the rest had been broken out and boarded up. Virtually every wall had damage to the drywall and all of the light fixtures, switches and outlets were damaged or missing. The large sliders in the living room, dining room and master bedroom were gone and replaced by sheets of plywood. The drywall areas that did not have large holes had been covered in graffiti and splashed paint.
The house sat on a corner lot that was full of large mature oak trees that provided natural shading not often found in this area as the new construction almost always involved clear cutting the lot, The nearest neighbors are a block away. We knew immediately this was the house for us and we had to figure out how to beat out the investors who were snapping up cheap foreclosed properties to turn them into rentals.
Today we have a brand new home that is exactly what we wanted and we have the sense of pride that we did it ourselves. The journey was not easy nor was it without challenges and hurdles that made us question why we chose this route.
We are now setting out to provide homeowners with information and assistance to help them overcome similar challenges and hurdles in completing home improvement projects. Our site http://www.onlinehomeresource.com/ will offer DIYers help in overcoming their limitations and realizing the rewards of being able to do it themselves.
The internet contains information that can prepare you to complete almost any project that you want to tackle and it is just a matter of finding the right information is all of the clutter. http://www.onlinehomeresource.com/ is intended to be your go to source for all things around the home. We are taking baby steps at this point and it will be a long process to take it to where we want it to be but we will get there. We are building this site ourselves with virtually no experience in designing a website but we have a similar vision as the first time we saw that vandalized wreck of a house.
We are prepared for the hurdles and obstacles along the way and hope with the input of others we can overcome them and help others realize the sense of pride and accomplishment.
In the last year we purchased a severly vandalized foreclosure home for less than we could have purchased the lot for just a few years earlier. I remember the first time we saw the house and immediately visualized the possibilities. While most others including our realtor saw the property as overwhelming and a mess my wife Jann and I immediately began seeing our home. As we discussed moving walls and redesigning the layout I still remember the look on our realtors face which was one of us being on the verge of insane.
As I remember there were 2 windows that still had glass all the rest had been broken out and boarded up. Virtually every wall had damage to the drywall and all of the light fixtures, switches and outlets were damaged or missing. The large sliders in the living room, dining room and master bedroom were gone and replaced by sheets of plywood. The drywall areas that did not have large holes had been covered in graffiti and splashed paint.
The house sat on a corner lot that was full of large mature oak trees that provided natural shading not often found in this area as the new construction almost always involved clear cutting the lot, The nearest neighbors are a block away. We knew immediately this was the house for us and we had to figure out how to beat out the investors who were snapping up cheap foreclosed properties to turn them into rentals.
Today we have a brand new home that is exactly what we wanted and we have the sense of pride that we did it ourselves. The journey was not easy nor was it without challenges and hurdles that made us question why we chose this route.
We are now setting out to provide homeowners with information and assistance to help them overcome similar challenges and hurdles in completing home improvement projects. Our site http://www.onlinehomeresource.com/ will offer DIYers help in overcoming their limitations and realizing the rewards of being able to do it themselves.
The internet contains information that can prepare you to complete almost any project that you want to tackle and it is just a matter of finding the right information is all of the clutter. http://www.onlinehomeresource.com/ is intended to be your go to source for all things around the home. We are taking baby steps at this point and it will be a long process to take it to where we want it to be but we will get there. We are building this site ourselves with virtually no experience in designing a website but we have a similar vision as the first time we saw that vandalized wreck of a house.
We are prepared for the hurdles and obstacles along the way and hope with the input of others we can overcome them and help others realize the sense of pride and accomplishment.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Investment Property Owners - Information on Property Management part 1
The owners of investment properties will have to determine how the management of their property is handled. Out of state owners will generally have to rely on a property management company to handle the rental and maintenance of their properties. The selection of a property manager is one that should be researched very carefully as the hiring of a management company will determine how well your property is managed and will impact how much you receive from your rental. The commission structure is one area of consideration but should not be the sole determining factor in selecting your manager. In our area (Florida) the monthly management fee is generally 8% to 10% of the rental income. A number of property owners do not understand that the fees dont end there. The largest expense area involved in owning rental property will be repair and maintenance. Not only is it necessary to maintain your property and protect your investments but it is often used as a source of secondary income by the property management company.
Our experience has been that there is a fee or percentage of invoice that is collected by management companies for coordinating the maintenance or repair of your property. Property management companies are required to disclose the practice of adding fees on to the service performed on your behalf. Initially you may not see this as a big deal but if you add up the numbers over the period of management you might be surprised how much extra you are paying for repairs or maintenance to your property. As a vendor who provides maintenance services to property managers we have been required to add a percentage into our invoices so that the owner of the property believes that is what the service cost but come time to pay us for the service we must provide discounting of 15% to the management company. In other cases our bid or pricing has been marked up as much as 100%.
We have seen companies form just to notifiy vendors by phone or email of necessary repairs who then collect huge percentages for making a phone call or sending an email. Recently we spoke with an owner regarding a mail box that was installed at one of his properties who was outraged over being charged $150.00 for installing a plastic mailbox and post. We were in a position of having to explain that our charge for providing and installing the mailbox and post was only $75.00 and the remaining $75 was split between the management company and the middle coordinating company. I have estimated that my profit on going to the store, purchasing the mailbox and post, driving to the property, removing the damaged mailbox and post, digging the hole, assembling the mailbox and post, purchasing and installing the address numbers on the box, putting the post in the ground and covering it up was roughly $23.00. The property manager received 15% with the balance kept by the coordinating company.
WOW !! I am in the wrong line of work. While I understand that the coordination of maintenance request require some effort I believe that this is outrageous. Take this example and use the same ratio for replacing and A/C unit or a plumbers visit.
When the fees are deducted from the rental income and you are not directly reaching into your pocket I guess it is easier to take but that is your money. Someone else reached into your pocket and took the money out for you and you didnt even know it.
I will have more tips for owners of investment property in the very near future. Let me know what you think. Visit http://www.onlinehomeresource.com/ for specific how to's and help for DIY projects.
Our experience has been that there is a fee or percentage of invoice that is collected by management companies for coordinating the maintenance or repair of your property. Property management companies are required to disclose the practice of adding fees on to the service performed on your behalf. Initially you may not see this as a big deal but if you add up the numbers over the period of management you might be surprised how much extra you are paying for repairs or maintenance to your property. As a vendor who provides maintenance services to property managers we have been required to add a percentage into our invoices so that the owner of the property believes that is what the service cost but come time to pay us for the service we must provide discounting of 15% to the management company. In other cases our bid or pricing has been marked up as much as 100%.
We have seen companies form just to notifiy vendors by phone or email of necessary repairs who then collect huge percentages for making a phone call or sending an email. Recently we spoke with an owner regarding a mail box that was installed at one of his properties who was outraged over being charged $150.00 for installing a plastic mailbox and post. We were in a position of having to explain that our charge for providing and installing the mailbox and post was only $75.00 and the remaining $75 was split between the management company and the middle coordinating company. I have estimated that my profit on going to the store, purchasing the mailbox and post, driving to the property, removing the damaged mailbox and post, digging the hole, assembling the mailbox and post, purchasing and installing the address numbers on the box, putting the post in the ground and covering it up was roughly $23.00. The property manager received 15% with the balance kept by the coordinating company.
WOW !! I am in the wrong line of work. While I understand that the coordination of maintenance request require some effort I believe that this is outrageous. Take this example and use the same ratio for replacing and A/C unit or a plumbers visit.
When the fees are deducted from the rental income and you are not directly reaching into your pocket I guess it is easier to take but that is your money. Someone else reached into your pocket and took the money out for you and you didnt even know it.
I will have more tips for owners of investment property in the very near future. Let me know what you think. Visit http://www.onlinehomeresource.com/ for specific how to's and help for DIY projects.
A Woman's Point of View
My husband has introduced you to us @ onlinehomeresource.com and told everyone how we took a trashed out, foreclosed home, and made it into our dream home. Yes, there was a lot of blood, sweat and tears.........What he didn't say was how many times the tears were a result of us speaking totally different languages. And I don't mean we are from different countries. We both speak English, but through the home remodeling process, more times than not, we weren't speaking the same english!! You see, I was the one with the vision. I could see the living room, dining room and kitchen being turned into one big "Great Room". And my husband was able to turn my vision into reality. How it happened, I'm still not quite certain! There were so many times that I would walk out the door, ready to scream, cause I just didn't think he got it. It seemed like we would talk in circles. But in the end, the house turned out to be everything I had envisioned, and so much more. I will blog about the experience from my point of view and try and share some of the things I learned along the way.
DIY Home Repair and improvement
Home repair and maintenance, DIY ?
DIY home projects are more popular than ever with the current economy and real estate market. Many home owners are taking on repair or remodeling tasks as a way to save money and increase the appeal and value of their homes. The decision to DIY vs hiring contractors should be made only after proper research and planning and honestly evaluating your skills. There is plenty of information out there to provide home owners with basic information to tackle the most common DIY tasks. Most contractors will provide free estimates that will identify how much is involved in completing your project. Often times the best approach is to determine what you are comfortable in doing and working with a contractor to perform a portion of the work while you complete work that you are able to do.
We are currently developing a new website www.onlinehomeresource.com that will be a community of DIYers which will allow home owners to research projects, view videos and communicate with other home owners who have tackled the jobs you are considering. We have over 30 years of experience in DIY projects as home owners and we also work as contractors providing home repair and maintenance to home owners, investors and real estate agents. This experience allows us to understand the process from both sides and share this experience with others via www.onlinehomeresource.com.
Many of you are like us in that the work we do ourselves allows us to do more than we could if we had to hire all the work done. I will be providing additional information on our recent project where we purchased a heavily damaged foreclosure house and transformed it into a brand new house exactly as we wanted all for under $100,000. We live in Florida and even in todays real estate market $100.000 buys you either a former rental that is destroyed or a grow house that has been gutted.
The blood, sweat and tears put into this project will be outlined in future blogs but is so worth it every single time I walk in the house and feel the pride of knowing we did this.
Feel free to contact me if there is an issue you would like to see discussed or if you have any questions or comments you can email me at info@onlinehomeresource.com.
We are currently developing a new website www.onlinehomeresource.com that will be a community of DIYers which will allow home owners to research projects, view videos and communicate with other home owners who have tackled the jobs you are considering. We have over 30 years of experience in DIY projects as home owners and we also work as contractors providing home repair and maintenance to home owners, investors and real estate agents. This experience allows us to understand the process from both sides and share this experience with others via www.onlinehomeresource.com.
Many of you are like us in that the work we do ourselves allows us to do more than we could if we had to hire all the work done. I will be providing additional information on our recent project where we purchased a heavily damaged foreclosure house and transformed it into a brand new house exactly as we wanted all for under $100,000. We live in Florida and even in todays real estate market $100.000 buys you either a former rental that is destroyed or a grow house that has been gutted.
The blood, sweat and tears put into this project will be outlined in future blogs but is so worth it every single time I walk in the house and feel the pride of knowing we did this.
Feel free to contact me if there is an issue you would like to see discussed or if you have any questions or comments you can email me at info@onlinehomeresource.com.
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