James Engel KW Beverly Hills

In screening prospective tenants, there are several standard steps a landlord must go through. It is completely appropriate, and expected by would-be tenants, to provide you with basic information. This includes;

• Identification, including driver's license, social security card, and date of birth should be provided. Always photo copy any government issued identification.
• Income and Employment Information. Call this important reference In order to ensure the tenant's ability to pay rent.
• Rental History. Make sure to check these references to find out what previous landlords experienced with this prospective tenant.
• Eviction History.
• Credit History. You may or may not require an application fee, which will cover the cost of running a credit check through such companies as Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion.
• Personal References, which will attest to the good character of your applicant.

The Golden Estate Management team does all of this work, and more, for you as part of our standard services. To review a complete description of our excellent, thorough and reputable services, please visit www.GoldenEstateManagement.com.

The landlord's most important task is finding reliable tenants. Your goal is to move in tenants that will pay their rents on time and, in the base case scenario, care for and respect the property as if it were their own. The good news is most people fall into this category.

Here is a shortlist of the best ways to find tenants:

•1) Place a "For Rent" sign on the property. Simple, low-cost, and effective. Sometimes this is all it takes.

•2) Classified Ad in the newspaper. Again, a low-cost way to generate calls on your property.

•3) Internet Ads. Many sites like www.Craigslist.org are free to post your property info, pictures and contact information. Some other sites include www.rent.com, www.forrent.com, and www.move.com.

•4) Personal Referrals. Let people in your social, work and family circles know that you have a property to rent. The people you know and trust can often recommend other that they know and trust to be good tenant potential.

•5) Ask your Realtor. Your real estate agent is in the business of connecting people with property to people who have various property needs.

For more information, suggestions, or help with your property management needs, contact James Engel of Golden Estate Management at 1 (888) 999-6575 or visit our site www.GoldenEstateManagement.com.

Are you pondering becoming a landlord of residential or commercial property? Today's market provides many opportunities for buyers looking to get into rental property ownership for the first time. With historically low interest rates and high inventory, now is an excellent window of opportunity if you're considering making that purchase.

Everyone wants a good deal. We hear so many buyers saying they want to wait for the best deal possible, for that magical and elusive moment when the market "bottoms out." There's one problem in waiting for that moment - we'll only know we've hit bottom in hindsight, once that moment passes and the market is climbing back up.

What constitutes a good deal in a rental property? One that is profitable. Period. If you can afford it, and the numbers show a good margin of profitability, then it's a good deal. Successful landlords don't fall in love with a building, they fall in love with the deal.

For more information on currently available properties in the Los Angeles area and beyond, go to www.James90210.com.

What are the 2 most Common Problems Landlords experience, and how can you avoid them?

As a landlord, you expect to handle issues such as repairs, maintenance, making sure tenants pay their rent on time, etc. You may be surprise to know that the top two problems landlords encounter are:

•1) Complying with the various laws and

According to George Sheldon's book, "250 Questions Every Landlord Should Ask," the problem landlords face in complying with laws is that they vary so widely between jurisdictions. For instance, in the greater Los Angeles area such cities as Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and West Hollywood are their own municipalities. Venice Beach, Brentwood and Hollywood, however, are part of the City of LA. Each is subject to specific laws regarding retrofit and safety requirements, rent control and renter's rights. To protect yourself, get in touch with your local Housing Department and familiarize yourself with your city's laws and regulations. In Los Angeles, you can go to www.lahd.lacity.org for more information.

•2) Finding good tenants in the first place!

As a landlord, your goal is not simply to fill your building with tenants, but to find and keep good, problem-free tenants who will pay their rent on time. You want tenants who do not have a history of frequent relocation, who will treat your property with care and respect. How does a landlord find such tenants? Here are a few suggestions:

•- Ask family members and friends for referrals. Most everyone knows someone in need of housing.

•- Check those references! Call past landlords, employers, and personal references provided you on the tenant's application

•- Run a credit check. A nominal investment will ensure your future tenant has a sound financial history.

The whole ritzy look and allure of Beverly Hills, has lately been under a microscope, especially with the 2 big development projects with Hilton and Robinson's May being the center of attention. Both projects are now having their own share of set backs, one got beat in the polls by a very slim margin and the other is trying to find an alternative to its financing.

But what is important is that the city has lost 2 huge revenue streams that would have given a fresh supply of oxygen to a already burdened budget. Now the Beverly Hills needs to come up with funds from elsewhere to keep up all the city services, education and development programs it is so well known for. There is a certain age group and income group that lives in Beverly Hills, that does not have the financial means or accepted norm of being rich as the city is so well known for. And any decrease in services or increase in fees will effect this population very negatively. With one of the worst economic crisis at the door and sales down at top vendors and ailing income from tourism, the sales tac dependent income stream wont be as glamorous as it has historically been.

So what will Beverly Hills do? I will look into that and on my James Engel or james90210 blog will try to see what is being done by the city to bring financial order back into, one of the smallest but richest blocks of city in the US

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There is a twist to this story, the ballots have just been counted and believe it or not the results have chaged. Will need to rewrite this blog once the results are made official