Thomas Martin-BROKER, PROPERTY MANAGER Property Manager in Sacramento, Folsom

We have a small Sacramento-based management company serving the greater Sacramento region. I have been a property manager for over 16 years now (I started at 24, and am told 41 is young in property manager years). I love the variation that every day brings. New challenges, new laws to work with every year, it is anything but dull.

I am 3 days away from renting a home near Elk Grove. It has been a trying market out there, but we managed to find a well qualified tenant that is ready to move in. I went to the home yesterday just to check up on things, and what do I find?

Someone has stuffed at least one half of a tree worth of large limbs into our green-waste can. Sounds simple? It's not. The limbs are birch, very distinct, yet not one neighbor has a butchered stump from a birch tree in their yards to speak of. Not only that, we are talking about a neighborhood where the trees are too small to generate limbs the size of which were dumped in our can. The owner does not want to pay the $75-100 hauling fee to remove them. Here is a theory I am looking into:

Our ex-tenant purchased a home about 1/2 a mile south of this rental. I am headed over there tomorrow during my pre-move in walk through to see if they have a mauled Birch tree in their yard. Here's the question for those that like these legal what ifs....if I spy an appropriately sized Birch tree with obvious recent chopping done, then I photograph their tree and the tree limbs left in our can, could I make a convincing argument to charge the cost of removing the branches from their security deposit, even though these "damages" occurred at least 2 weeks after possession was surrendered?

Anyone know the answer? I suspect I do, and the words "circumstantial" and "coincidental" come to mind, but I hate to let something like this go. If harm is done to one of my clients, those responsible should be held accountable. Justice for all, etc. etc.

Investors Choice Property Management (ICPM) manages 110 single-family units with the care and diligence our Landlord clients deserve, in a manner that has them referring their friends, co-workers and family members. With over 16 years professional property management experience, our business is 95% word-of-mouth referral, we do NO Sales, we do NOT markup repairs, and pay among the highest referral fees in the industry for management accounts. Visit our website at www.investorschoicepm.com today for more details, and find out what we mean when we say: “Experience Property Management the Way it Should Be.”

As a small, service based property management company serving the greater Sacramento area, we are always mindful of our clients' wishes, except to the extent when a client's wishes are in conflict with anti-discrimination laws.

Frankly, I am surprised just how often the question comes up, so we'll ask it again here:

How much say does the landlord have in the placement of the tenant?

The answer: It depends. If the tenant is being placed within a bedroom in the landlords home AND the landlord is still occupying the home while a portion of it is being rented (a sublet), then the owner can make the call as to whom he or she would like to rent to (i.e. man/woman/single/married/etc.)

However, if the rental dwelling is being offered on the market for lease or rent (not a sublet), federal fair housing laws apply. Recently an owner client called to state she "really liked the couple that viewed the home last week, but did not want to rent to them because they have 4 children". I was quick to inform the client that she could not make such a distinction, that health and safety codes permitted up to 2 persons per bedroom +1, so a 4 bedroom home conceivably could accommodate up to 9 people.

It looks like we'll lose a client over our insistance to comply with fair housing laws, but that is preferable to a fair housing complaint.

Investors Choice Property Management (ICPM) manages 110 single-family units with the care and diligence our Landlord clients deserve, in a manner that has them referring their friends, co-workers and family members. With over 16 years professional property management experience, our business is 95% word-of-mouth referral, we do NO Sales, we do NOT markup repairs, and pay among the highest referral fees in the industry for management accounts. Visit our website at www.investorschoicepm.com today for more details, and find out what we mean when we say:

“Experience Property Management the Way it Should Be.”

As a property management company, we work with people facing foreclosure to find suitable rentals they can qualify for. This used to provide us with a steady stream of recently foreclosed applicants looking for good quality rental homes. Lately, the supply of these applicants appears to have dwindled. I suspect the reason has to do with our government and their stimulus package. I say "their" as I certainly did not vote for it, nor do I think it is going to be good for the market.

In the last month, I have spoken with at least 6 people that stated they were remaining in their homes, not making mortgage payments for 6 months or more, and their bank had not even called them about it. These people are clinging to the hope that our government will ride in on a white horse, forcing the evil bank to forgive the past due balance on the loan, while slashing the principal balance and saving the homeowner forever, happily ever after, etc.

If the government would just get out of the way and stop giving false hope and empty promises, the market could do what it was designed to do- correct itself. Those who had no business becoming homeowners or bought more home than they could possibly afford need to step back into a rental, helping to solve our vacant inventory problems and drive rents back up to where they should be, which in turn attracts more investors to buy investment properties. The market was destabilized be de-regulation- the government played a major role in the predicament we are facing. Why would anyone think the ones that got us into this mess are the most qualified ones to get us out?

The one glimmer of hope I had for the stimulus package was the tax credit for home purchase- until they decided to place limits on it (1st time homebuyer). Does anyone believe there are really enough 1st time homebuyers out there right now to jumpstart the market? Imagine how much more effective this plan would have been if the offer extended to any home purchaser- investors with smart money would flood back into the market making a drastic impact. I think it is just another example of the disconnect between our leaders and the people. We are fast becoming a nation divided into two groups- the haves and the have-nots. The "haves" are made up of government officials and big business which fall under the category "cannot be allowed to fail". The have-nots are the rest of us.

Fellow ActiveRain neighbors- This one is just for my own sanity, as it helps to list the things that slowly drive us just a little closer to crazy over the years. Maybe you can identify with one or more of these beauties, offered purely in jest (with a healthy dash of reality):

1. Reminding the property manager that "this is my 2nd call."

We return all business calls within 2 business hours, but this still comes up as impatient people (those whom the world clearly revolves around) will call at 11pm, then 6am, then 7am. Starting out crabby is never a good way to go.

2. "We are really clean."

9 times out of 10 this means you are anything BUT clean, as neat and tidy people never point this out; it just comes naturally.

3. "We have NEVER been evicted."

Yet. Again, good tenants don't feel the need to point out an obvious truth or seek recognition for something that your supposed to do. You should never be evicted, but just because you haven't, it doesn't mean congratulations are in order.

4. "We have the cash to move in right NOW."

Smells of desperation. A well qualified tenant assumes we, as property managers, will be verifying employment and income, so they have little reason for pointing out the obvious.

5. "We really love the place and hope we get it...God help us."

Now this is a tough one, because I consider myself a decent Christian, but I think the almighty has more important things to attend to that doctoring up a bad credit report. If credit is the issue, we encourage applicants to discuss this with us before we run the application, in the hope that we can, at the very least, spare them a wasted application fee.

6. "I have an eviction, but it was from before when I had a roommate, so it wasn't MY fault."

In life, we are often judged by the company we keep. If a rental unit is damaged or the rent is unpaid, the responsibility lies with each and every occupant, as they are all "jointly and severally liable".

7. "I have bad credit, but I went through a divorce, so it was my ex-husband's/wife's fault"

Pretty much the same as #6. We log it under the subheading "It wasn't me, except it really was".

8. "How much is the Late Fee?"

One of the worst questions an applicant can ask, as it gives us a glimpse of future headaches as yet unfelt.

9. "My boyfriend/girlfriend has an eviction, so can we just run the application under MY name?"

It amazes me how often this one comes up. Granted, I go out of my way to look more casual and approachable than most in my profession, and it pays off. People will actually confide in me with the idea being that I will help them dupe our owner client into renting a property to them. Hmmm, will I lie to my client to help you out, because I am just such a nice guy? Let me think- NO.

10. "My dog? Oh.....he's a MIX."

99% of the time, mix=pit bull. Any time I hear this one, we either review photos of the animal, or meet it in person. Non-Pit bull mixes have more specific names (i.e. labradoodle, tiny mutt, etc.). Beware the "Mix".

Investors Choice Property Management (ICPM) manages 110 single-family units with the care and diligence our Landlord clients deserve, in a manner that has them referring their friends, co-workers and family members. With over 16 years professional property management experience, our business is 95% word-of-mouth referral, we do NO Sales, we do NOT markup repairs, and pay among the highest referral fees in the industry for management accounts. Visit our website at www.investorschoicepm.com today for more details, and find out what we mean when we say:

“Experience Property Management the Way it Should Be.”

Investors Choice Property Management (ICPM) is a small, serviced-based management company serving the greater Sacramento area, as well as Lincoln, Auburn, Natomas, Folsom and Elk Grove. Our business is almost entirely word-of-mouth referral and all properties are personally managed by a Broker that stays involved with every aspect of the management process, including:

1. Broker review of all prospective applicants.

2. Broker inspection of all move ins and move outs.

3. Broker review of all maintenance requests with NO MARKUP on any repair or maintenance item.

4. Broker / Owner communication with no middlemen, departmental transfers, trainees, etc.

In short, our clients have the distinct privilege of having their property personally managed by a licensed Broker with over 16 years of experience. If you or someone you know has an investment property in need of effective management, stop getting lost in the shuffle or dropped into voice mail. If you are not on a first name basis with your Property Management Broker, isn't it time to remedy that?

Try ICPM for 30 days, and find out what we mean when we say:

"Experience Property Management the Way it Should Be.

ICPM manages 110 units with superior care and diligence for people from all walks of life- from serious long term investors to established real estate professionals to individual investment property owners, like Tony and Jennifer Chu, current clients with an upscale Elk Grove home. Recently, they paid us a valuable compliment:

Hi Thomas,

Thank you very much for your efforts. My wife and I are very glad we have your services and we can usually sleep better knowing we have someone with your experience on our side. We are very impressed with the professionalism, prompt service, and attention to detail of you and your business.

Regards, Tony and Jennifer

We appreciate each and every unsolicited testimonial we receive and value each client as an individual, not just an account number. We sincerely thank all our our clients and referring agents that have made our business such a success over the years, and look forward to a prosperous 2009.

Thomas R. Martin, Broker/Owner ICPM