About Dupont's Dupont, Washington

Watch the small print on your rental agreement. Protect your (the owner) interests or your client's interest!

If you are unable to sell your house and decide to rent, make sure, when you sign those property management papers with the rental agent, you read the whole contract.

You might miss some important clauses that can cost you big bucks.

Watch for;

• Exclusive listing rights when you decide to sell your house; this has become common place however some property managers haven't a clue how to market a house. These fair market listing agreements are based on what the property managers deems to be a fair market commission...
• Automatic percentage rate increase of what you pay your property manager; on one occasion I reviewed a property agreement that was a 3 year deal. The first year was a 10% fee, the second year 15%, and the third year was a 20% fee of the rent collected...
• Who is entitled to late fees? If you have a mortgage to pay you better make sure that you (the owner) receive the late fees to cover yourself.
• Repairs made without permission up to $1000. On my personal rental, I have a $250 limit. Anything over, I want to know about the repair before it is subtracted from the rent collected. I also want the invoice for said repair. For $1000, I want bids, not a handyman or the property manager's significant other.

These are but a few of the small print concerns my clients have found on property management agreements. Some are leget, some are of true concern, but all need to be addressed and understood.

Don't become a loser before your house is rented. Read and if you don't understand something ask questions or consult a professional.

Authored by Paul S. Henderson, Realtor ®, RE/MAX Professionals, Dupont & Lacey, WA.

(Specializing in Internet marketing strategies for positive results!)

(http://phenderson.net) or http://www.lacey-washington.com

©2009 Paul S. Henderson,Rentalnomics, All Rights Reserved

You'd be surprised to know how much we as consumers spend on do it yourself repairs. Now think about the simple repairs around the house that anyone can do.

The first thing to remember is to trust your intelligence. Many of my clients have advanced degrees but act as if a screw driver needs operating instructions. I recommend a step by step repair book from any hardware store. I own several and loan them to my clients but Home Depot and Lowes have really good reference books that make great gifts.

Many people believe you have to have a huge tool chest to do simple jobs around the house. You can do so many home repairs with a screw driver that it is the #1 tool you should have in your kitchen drawer. A set of screw drivers will cost you between $9.00 and $20.00.

Next tool that is a must have is a hammer. This is a great tool also. Make sure you get one that feels comfortable. Bigger is not always better when it comes to a hammer.

Now I know that the Home inspectors will go wild when I mention the next tool. The tool that my clients call essential is the snake. If you don't know what a snake is, it is a tool that you can use to unplug slow running drains. It works like a charm on these clogs and you'd be surprised how many of my clients call me for a plumber phone number when a simple $19.99 snake can do the job in minutes. (Never use snakes or chemicals in a garbage disposal) Many people pour chemicals down their sinks and if you don't follow instructions, tragedies may result. My retired neighbor had his vision destroyed when he used a chemical cleaner and had it blow back in his face. These chemicals are very dangerous as the poison control centers can attest to. We don't need these left over chemicals in our landfills either. They are deemed as hazardous materials in much of the United States.

I have saved my clients a lot of hard earned money by helping on simple repairs. I show them how and let them help. Then they can do it themselves in the future. I don't claim to be a professional handyman but I have learned from experience that I like to share.

I have one client, who lives in NW Landing in Dupont, which uses home improvements as her hobby when her husband is deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. She does journeyman quality work and she learned it all from videos, books and HGTV.

If the job is too big, by all means call a professional. If you need to fix a squeaky hinge, Do it yourself! You would be surprised how easy it is and what a feeling of accomplishment you will feel in the end...

Authored by Paul S. Henderson, Realtor ®, RE/MAX Professionals, Dupont & Lacey, WA.

(http://phenderson.net) or http://www.lacey-washington.com

©2009 Paul S. Henderson, Call your neighbor or self serve! All Rights Reserved

Now that is a topic that brings a host of different emotions to whomever you ask. Some people have never lived in a housing community that has a Home Owner Associations and have heard horror stories.

I hear the horror stories and I have heard many more great stories of how strong associations have saved views and property values by following the by-laws.

What's up with HOAs?

• If you own pet, you might want to look at pet restrictions.
• Look at the parking restrictions and if you have assigned spaces or is it first come, first served. Is there guest parking?
• Water restrictions, can you wash your car?
• Are there any ceilings on how high the monthly fees or special assessments can go?
• Find out if there are any ongoing maintenance problems such as siding or roofing issues. How does the association handle any improvements.
• How much does the association maintain?
• What is the policy on rentals?
• What is the owner/renter ratio?
• Look at the minutes from the last couple of months and ascertain the politics.
• Make sure you look carefully at all the rules and verify the fees.
• Are there any architectural rules?
• Can you install a satellite dish?
• Who takes care of the lawn and common areas?
• What is included in your monthly dues or assessments?

These are but a few of the questions you should ask before you buy into a home or Condo with a homeowner association or committee.

You will be sorry if you fail to ask any of these questions. I feel it's like moving to a foreign country not knowing the language, customs or currency before you get there...

Authored by Paul S. Henderson, Realtor ®, RE/MAX Professionals, Lacey, WA.

(http://phenderson.net) or http://www.lacey-washington.com

©2008 Paul S. Henderson, All Rights Reserved

Within the past few weeks, I have had the opportunity to meet the residents of Dupont, WA. Corey Feldon, a Realtor with Keller Williams and I made it our mission to gather as much information about Dupont. This information has been valuable not only to us, but to our clients looking to make Dupont their home.

Growing up on military bases, it's easy for me to feel at home in Dupont. The streets and common areas are kept prestine. There are no signs of vandalism or neglect. At first glance, it looks as if it is a neighborhood full of homeowners who take great pride in their town. By meeting and talking to individual homeowners, it has become clear to me that it couldn't be closer to the truth.

Dupont is a hotspot for military families. Not only is it close to post, it is far enough from post. This unique balance has been cited as one of the better attributes of this community. Out of the hundreds of people we've come in contact with, we've only met 2 individuals who are not currently in or affiliated with the military.

When Corey and I speak with clients being relocated to the area for military duty, Dupont is always the first subject to come up. It has everything you'd want as a military family. The area is definitely more on the safe side, which for the few we've met who just came back from Iraq, this has been what they appreciated the most.

I look forward to continuing our quest to get a ground level view of what it's like to live in a city like Dupont. Thus far, we've gather an amazing amount of feedback. We can be confident from here on out that for our military relo's, Dupont will be a fine place to live.

Stay tuned for more.....