Download - Colorado Rental Housing Journal June 2014

One lesson the average Ameri-can should have learned from the recent financial cri-

sis and gradual recovery is that put-ting more money into savings is, in general, good, says veteran financial expert Jeff Gorton.

“When things are fine, most of us are prone to commit less of our money to savings; when the econo-my is down, however, we realize that having money is far more important than spending it on things we don’t need,” says Gorton, a veteran Certi-fied Public Accountant and Certi-fied Financial Planner™, and head of Gorton Financial Group.

The personal savings rate in July 2005 hit an all-time low at just 2 per-cent, according to the Bureau of La-bor Statistics. But in May 2009, near the beginning of the recession, the average American’s savings rate hit a high of 8 percent.

“That rate dwindled as the econ-omy recovered, which is unfortu-nate because you can do more with accumulated money, including benefit from investments yielding

compound interest, which means that interest also earns interest in an investment,” says Gorton, who sug-gests practical ways to trim spending in the short term in order to get your financial house in order and accumu-late more money in the long term.

• Car buying says plenty about how a consumer views their money. For most Americans, the question is whether to buy new or used. The moment you drive a brand new car off the lot after the purchase, the car’s value drastically drops. Many of the benefits you may enjoy in buying a

new car can be had with a certified pre-owned car: low miles, good-as-new functionality and, usually, that new-car smell. And, a given model will have a history, so you can avoid cars that have been recalled. Buying a certified pre-owned car will save you several thousands of dollars ver-sus buying new.

• Summer vacation is an im-portant lifestyle enhancer for many couples, but consider replacing the $400-per-night hotel with a condo rented through a private owner, es-

I recently had the opportunity to visit with Dick James, the owner of Dick James & Assoc., a well-

respected apartment management company currently managing more than 6,000 units in three States. In life, there are individuals that you meet that you appreciate for their enthusiasm about their work, treat-ing everyone in their company as

“family” and taking a sincere inter-est in every employee. Dick’s web site (www.djaproperties.com) notes that “they care for every property like they own it”. He attributes his success to this mandate – plus some very basic philosophies. His answers to my questions provide insight on how a successful company works.

Jim Kasten: How did you get into

managing apartments?Dick James: I was a very active

apartment broker in the Sacramento area for many years, and then I start-ed putting together a large number of partnerships that invested in and purchased apartments. I had worked with a number of management com-panies with mixed results, leading

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One important place to find savings is in your electrical/lighting Budget. Every year

we waste over 57% of the energy we import or generate in the form of leaks and unused heat. Inefficient lighting, especially the incandescent kind, greatly contributes to this while providing poor lighting quality.

Both incandescent and fluorescent bulbs, in a variety of applications, give off more energy in heat than they do in lumens, effectively drain-ing power while trying to do their job. Commercial owners, especially those in the office and retail sectors, spend over 34% of their energy cost on simply powering their lights, and this does not account for the repair and replacement of the fixtures and ballasts. As energy costs continue to rise, even in the Pacific Northwest where we enjoy cheap energy, small increases in the cost per kWh can mean hundreds more on your energy bill. Switching to a more efficient and durable light source, like LED light-ing, will reduce energy consumption, increase the lifetime of your lighting assets, and reduce your environmen-

2. Experts on… The Ultimate Set of Property Management Tools

2. Energy Efficient Window Shades and Blinds

3. Dear Maintenance Men

7. Shoptalk

Continued on page 6

Continued on page 4

Insight Into a Successful Apartment Management Company

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Rental Housing journal Colorado • June 20142

RENTAL HOUSING JOURNAL COLORADO

2

Rental Housing Journal posed this question independently to four industry experts: “If

you were to look into the toolbox of a successful property manager, what 3 tools would you expect to see?”

Here’s what they all had to say…

Kate Good:Flexibility - Due to the fact that

there is a lot about the role of a man-ager you cannot control, flexibility will keep you on a successful path. I have encountered people who are too rigid to be flexible and they end up being rather miserable to be around. This has lasting effects on the people around you and will show up in their attitude. A manager must demon-strate their ability to do a great job no matter what lands in your lap.

Awareness - All problems can be solved. Sometimes you will need to think through the problem and other times you will go around the prob-lem. Having an awareness that oth-ers have encountered what you have, there are resources and expertise at your fingertips, will help you be a standout. Step up to help so that you can standout as a superstar.

Expertise – Never stop learning because nothing stays the same. Even the most seasoned people know that they don't know everything. Being an expert means that you are always in a state of growth even for the things you have mastered.

Greg Knakal:The ability to multitask and pri-

oritize. -- There’s always a lot to do and not enough time, so you have to know what to do, what’s important and when things need to get done. Make it happen.

The 4 Ps – People, product, price and promotions.

Understanding the goals of the investor – Know what your owners want and want to get out of their properties and operate the property with those goals in mind.

Katie Poole-Hussa:A Working Advertisement – Po-

tential renters are faced with weed-ing through hundreds of property ads online to find the perfect place to move. Not only should your adver-tisements for vacant units "sell" the properties, your ads should also be selling you and your company. The property amenities, pictures, and monthly costs speak for themselves. So why not elaborate on what you as a landlord, and your company, can and will do for them as a renter. List items such as your length of ex-perience, quick turnaround times in making repairs, available 24/7, etc. You're applying for a job just as po-tential renters are applying to rent.

IPhone or Like Device -- Staying connected these days has become a way of life. The new culture of ten-ants expect quick responses from their landlords. Acting quickly in most situations is pertinent. Whether you receive maintenance requests, vacancy inquiries, or your clients simply need information, respond-

ing to any and all communications quickly can make or break your busi-ness.

Compassion – Even if we can't count it, we all know compassion is real. We've all felt its power and in-fluence. We also know there is more to achieving business success than market strategy and financial objec-tives. Where do these paths cross? People. Everyone has a story, and I make it a point in my business to both listen to a persons story, and take that story into consideration as the business relationship develops.

Will Johnson:

Winning Customer Service - The property management career is largely about serving customers. On one hand, you have the property owners. They’re paying you to man-age their business efficiently, main-tain their real estate investments and earn a nice return on them. On the other hand, there are your residents. They pay you to provide them with a safe, well-maintained and enjoyable place to call home. The problem with this picture is that the wants and needs of these two separate custom-ers are different, and at times seem-ingly diametrically opposed. The best property managers I know are able to deftly balance these opposing forces by managing expectations and selling the win/win/win. Without owners, there are no homes for your tenants and you’re out of a job. With-out residents, there is no business for your owners and you’re out of a job.

Your winning attitude and ability to bring balance and quality service to both, everyone’s needs are met and you not only have a job, you have a career.

Organizational Tools - No mat-ter how big or small your portfolio is, there’s a lot to juggle. Between finances and maintenance and mar-keting and day-today management duties, this is a bog job and one that requires an ability to organize your time and tasks. These tools aren’t a one-size-fits-all situation. For some folks a day-planner notebook, a ma-nila folder or three and a check reg-istry might be enough. For others, a simple out-of-the box computer program will do the trick. Still oth-ers require big powerful enterprise software that allows you to track multiple properties across multiple owners and states while doing bud-gets, financial projections and guid-ing a satellite. The bottom line is you need organizational tools to be suc-cessful in this industry, or any other really. Know what you need to orga-nize, find a tool or tools that do the job and then use them every time. It’s that simple.

Quality Forms – Your property may have a foundation made of concrete, but a good property man-agement business has a foundation made of rental applications, lease agreements and other legal forms that are compliant with national, state and local laws. Very little can cost you and your owners more

Experts on… The Ultimate Set of Property Management Tools

Energy Efficient Window Shades and BlindsBy Mary Girsch-Bock, Articles, Technology

While it’s important for renters to practice ener-gy conservation in their

apartment homes, there are numer-ous things that property managers can do in order to conserve energy on a larger scale. Remember, win-dow coverings, while decorative,

also provide an important function, serving as a barrier to outside heat in the summer, while keeping heat in-side during the winter. It’s currently estimated that about 40 percent of outside heat comes through win-dows, while 10 percent of heat is lost through windows during the winter, so while it’s important to keep those shades or curtains closed, it may be time to upgrade your property with

more efficient window coverings.One of the biggest energy savers

are ‘smart shades’ that help conserve energy. And while just about any window covering is better than noth-ing, with current energy prices in-creasing, managers may want to start thinking about replacing those tra-ditional blinds and window shades with more energy efficient ones.

Here are some popular options that you may want to consider:

Energy Efficient Cellular Shades – Cellular shades help to filter out damaging UV rays. The shades con-tain cellular air pockets inside that shield living space from cold drafts in the winter months. During the summer, direct sunlight and dam-aging UV rays are blocked by blind fabric while the same air pockets that blocked cold air from entering the unit also work to trap cooled air in-side, preventing energy waste year round. Cellular shades are available in single cell and double cell design, with double cell structure offering the most energy efficient savings possible.

Blackout Shades – The black-out shades on the market today are nothing like the old blackout cur-

tains used by hotel rooms, and older apartment buildings in places like Las Vegas, where there is an active workforce around the clock. Black-out shades block 99% of incoming light and are an excellent choice for extremely sunny climates. Blackout shades are also very energy efficient, blocking UV rays from entering the apartment.

Thermal and insulated shades – These shades are designed with up to four layers of insulation and are made to fit as closely to windows as possible. Insulating window panels also offer insulation from the heat, but typically block out most light as well. For extremely hot areas such as the south, or desert southwest, man-agers may want to consider outdoor window treatments which block the sun from penetrating windows and doors.

There are a variety of options available, some very reasonably priced, others presenting a signifi-cant investment, but either option will ultimately save both energy and utility costs.

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Continued on page 4

Rental Housing journal Colorado • June 2014 3


Dear Maintenance Men:I am about to under-take a landscape rehab

project at my building. My problem is that I have a 25-foot King Palm in the way. Can this palm be moved? I’ve also heard that landscape companies will pay for good-sized palms or at least remove the tree for free. Is this true?John

Dear John:Good question. We contacted a

couple of local tree and palm experts in our area. They said King Palms do not travel well and if they are laid down on their sides for transport, they have a low survival rate. For that reason most tree companies will not pay for or remove a King Palms for free. The cost of hiring a crane truck and crew for transplant, most likely will be more than the palm is worth. If it were us, we would try to find a way to include the palm in our new landscape plans or pay for a tree removal service. Dear Maintenance Men:I have a funny problem with the au-tomatic vehicle gate at an apartment building we manage. It gets stuck open at odd times for no reason. I have sent

the handyman to repair the gate, but he found nothing wrong with it. Manual

Dear Manual:Double check all the gate systems

are working properly. Chances are the problem might be a stuck re-mote control unit in one of the resi-dent’s car. What happens is the con-trol button is stuck on and when the resident comes home, the gate opens automatically and chances are they are parking close to the gate. When they leave the property and get out of range of the gate receiver, the gate returns to normal operation. Finding the defective remote control unit will require a bit of detective work. You will want to determine the range of the controller, and then talk to the owners of the cars parked within the range. Another possibility may be that the remote receiver is failing. The gate will open when cars exit by driving over the gate “loops”, but will be unable to re-enter with their remote control units. The receiver is located near the gate motor assembly and can easily be replaced.

Dear Maintenance Men:I am in the process of installing new dead

bolt locks on a number of doors at my building. These doors have never been drilled for dead bolts before. The prob-lem I’m running into is how to line up where to drill for the latch plate in the doorframe. Do you have any good tricks for getting this done?Ken

Dear Ken:Indeed we do. Lip stick or shoe

polish is the answer. After the dead bolt lock is installed in the door and with the door open, extend the bolt. Now, dab the end of the bolt with lip stick or shoe polish and return the bolt to the unlocked position. Close the door and attempt to lock or ex-tend the bolt into the frame. Open the door and on the frame should be the exact location of the latch bolt hole. Using a one-inch wood bit; bore a hole 1.5 inches deep to complete the installation.

Another method is to cut a one-inch thick dowel rod three inches long, insert a small finish nail into the end of the dowel rod, and be sure to center the nail. Cut the head of the nail off. With the dead bolt lock removed from the door, insert the dowel rod into the latch hole in the door with the nail end facing

out. Close the door and with your finger, push the dowel rod into the doorframe. Pull the rod out and your drilling site is marked exactly. One last item, if you are doing a number of doors, it may be worth purchasing a doorknob drilling jig. It will contain all the tools needed for professional door lock drilling and installation. The kit typically costs between $50 for a home improvement store kit and up to $400 for a professional kit. The $50 kit if fine if only have a cou-ple of doors to drill, however, if you have a lot of dead bolts to install, the professional kit is worth the money in the time and frustration it saves.

Please send us your Maintenance Questions!!! To see your maintenance question in the “Dear

Maintenance Men:” column, please send submis-sion to: [email protected]

Please “Like” us on Facebook.com/BuffaloMainte-nance Bio: Please call: Buffalo Maintenance, Inc

for maintenance work or consultation. JLE Prop-erty Management, Inc for management service

or consultation Frankie Alvarez at 714 956-8371 Jerry L’Ecuyer at 714 778-0480 CA contractor

lic: #797645, EPA Real Estate lic. #: 01460075 Certified Renovation Company Websites: www.

BuffaloMaintenance.com & www.ContactJLE.

com www.Facebook.com/BuffaloMaintenance p

By Jerry L'Ecuyer & Frank AlvarezDear Maintenance Men:

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tal impact so your property can run smoother, simpler and brighter.

Longevity: Longevity is the first category to

explore when comparing lighting methods. In a test reported in the 2011 Energy Efficiency Annual Report by the New England Gas Company, the Phillips Ambient LED 12.5 watt A19 indoor bulb, a common LED light, was tested against the CFL GE En-ergy Smart 13 watt bulb. Although the two bulbs compared favorably in energy efficiency, the LED lasted 17,000 hours longer than the CFL. You would need three CLF bulbs to match the longevity of the 25,000 hour lifetime of the LED. When fac-toring in replacement cost, which can mean hiring a professional at $30-$60 an hour, the CLF become much more costly than advertised. LEDs range from 25,000 hrs. – 90,000 hours in lifetime, no other single lighting

method comes close.

Energy Savings:The primary reason for switching

to LEDs is to save on your daily en-ergy consumption and cost. Accord-ing to the U.S. Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption and Intensity Trends report retail locations using over 40% of their energy consump-tion on lighting, business and build-ing owners need to make a change. However many commercial owners have yet to make a switch because of the relamping cost, especially since many owners just switched from incandescent to florescent bulbs in the last five years. The reduction in consumption can reduce the utility bill while increasing the value of the building. Let’s take a large depart-ment store, which uses 300 250 watt halide high-bay fixtures. In one hour this store will use 75,000 watts on these lights. If these were replaced

with 400 24 watt LED high bays, the store would use 10,000 watts in that hour. If these lights are on 14 hours a day, with a cost of $0.10/watt the store would be saving $32,000 on energy every year. LEDs are 80% efficient, which means they convert more energy into light, reducing waste and consumption. Control sys-tems can also be put in place so the lights can be dimmed, brightened, or turned off based on specific pref-erences. In addition an asset boost is possible. In a 200,000-square foot of-fice building that pays $2 per square foot in energy costs, a 10% reduction in energy consumption could be an additional $40,000 of NOI. At a cap rate of 8% this could mean an asset value boost of $500,000. The energy savings don’t stop at the lighting when LEDs are installed. Because less heat is generated, HVAC sys-tems don’t have to compensate for the heat generated by light bulbs in

your office and have more power available to deal with the 90 degree summer heat.

Lighting is Better and Brighter

Although the lighting debate fo-cuses on the environment, cost, and energy efficiency it’s important to in-clude quality of lighting. Quality of light is often determined by the color temperature, measured in kelvins, and the color rendering index (CRI), which indicates how accurately the light renders colors. These are im-portant because color temperature changes based on the application, i.e. retail lighting, kitchen lighting, classroom lighting etc, and CRI de-termines if the enlightened colors will appear correctly to the human eye. LED lights have an advantage in both of these areas because they are adjustable and can be manufactured

money, more quickly than legal is-sues with a disgruntled tenant. Per-haps the most common cause for drawn out legal matters are bad forms. If you’re using bad forms to begin with, your business is shaky from the ground up and no matter what you do after you’re at risk. To build a strong foundation, start with forms from a reliable source. A local rental housing association is a great source for quality forms, also there are a number of sources on-line that offer state specific forms. If you have any question whatsoever, consult a local attorney specializing in land-lord / tenant laws.

Kate Good is one of the most recog-nized and in demand speakers in the industry. She is one of the founding partners of the Apartment All Stars

and has recently added Apartment De-veloper to her resume with the ground

breaking of 800 apartments in Hous-ton, TX. She can be reached at Kate@

KateGood.comGreg Knackal has been in the Prop-

erty Management industry for the last 20 years. He was the 2009 President of Multifamily NW and has been a mem-

ber of the board for the last seven years. For the last 12 years he has worked for one of the largest apartment manage-

ment companies in the state of Oregon, Princeton Property Management .Katie Poole – Hussa is a Licensed

Property Manager, Syndicated Colum-nist in the Rental Housing Industry, Continuing Education Provider and

Principal at Smart Property Manage-ment in Portland, OR. She can be

reached with questions or comments at [email protected].

Will Johnson has been publishing in and providing services to the multifam-ily and residential real estate industries throughout the West for over a decade.

He has over 20 years experience in sales, sales management and training.

p

Continued on page 5



LED Lighting..continued from page 4

for specific color temperature while also ensuring colors are well lit. With increased control over temperature and CRI owners can provide better lighting for each application they need. These applications can range from office and parking lot lighting to retail and restaurant lighting, yet each needs different intensity and temperature to create an atmosphere or to improve safety and visibility.

Tax and Government Incentives:

Most owners are still worried about initial implementation cost. However, there are a number of pro-grams offering incentives and rebates for making important lighting up-grades. Lightingtaxdeductions.com and Energy Trust of Oregon’s Light-ing Incentives Sheet, allows own-ers to supplement the cost of their upgrades either upfront or through tax deductions. In addition The En-ergy Policy Act of 2005 provided en-

ergy efficient commercial buildings a tax reduction program for light-ing systems that exceeded lighting code standards (Energy Policy Act Tax Deduction Information). Each of these programs are very specific, de-pending on the type of building, the lighting applications, and the costs they will cover, but they are incred-ibly helpful is getting your project off the ground despite high costs.

With the Energy Independence & Security Act of 2007 the U.S. began to implement stringent lighting stan-dards aimed at efficiency. The bill called for certain inefficient lighting to be phased out by manufacturers and suppliers. As of Jan. 1st, 2014, 75 watt and 100 watt incandescent bulbs were cut from manufactur-ing, thus, forcing consumers to find more energy efficient options. Re-bates still remain to make retrofitting easier but as energy efficient lights become standard these rebates will be phased out as well, so don’t miss

your chance.

Environmental Plus:Although saving energy is a plus

for the environment, efficient light bulbs are not made out of thin air. Many light bulbs( including flores-cent bulbs) are produced with and contain harmful chemicals like mer-cury and lead. Sophisticated recy-cling techniques are needed to make sure these metals don’t enter our wa-ter ways, where they could be very harmful. LED bulbs on the other hand, contain no mercury and aren’t considered a hazardous product, making them far easier to recycle. Many hardware stores and manu-facturers have recycling programs especially for these lights. Accord-ing to the U.S. Energy Information Administration most of the nation, 70% of our electricity is generated through coal or natural gas switch-ing to energy efficient lighting will reduce our need for these environ-mentally harmful energy sources. In Oregon our power is generated through hydro-electric and natural gas, with some of slack picked up by Coal and Biomass, meaning that even little changes can remove coal from our consumption profile.

ConclusionFor commercial owners, energy

efficient lighting upgrades, specifi-cally LED lighting, improve your

property in many ways. LED are comprehensively more energy and cost effective than comparable light-ing methods, saving on cost, energy consumption, and maintenance, while also reducing stress on other operations like HVAC. The cost of labor, including installing, replacing and repairing, will reduced, saving owners time and money that would otherwise be used to organize and pay technicians. In addition these savings increase the value of your asset, making your property more desirable for owners. Lighting that’s up to the highest efficiency stan-dards will be a great selling point for potential tenants, who are looking to save on energy costs with top of the line operations. Time is running out to take advantage of the programs and rebates that will make your LED transition easier. However, if it hap-pens today or in a year LED lights are still the best all-around lighting value and just may be the brightest idea for improving your property.

By Ari Goodblatt of Bluestone and Hockley and Jim House of LED Trail

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5 reasons to use rentegration1. Access - Rentegration.com is a web based, multi-user software offering cus-tomers 24/7 access to forms generation, archives, property management data-base, basic accounting, vendor ordering and other services.

2. Rental and Lease Forms - Unlimited use of a full line of state specific rental and lease forms. All Rentegration.com forms are created by attorneys and/or local rental housing associations.

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48-HOUR NOTICE OF ENTRYTENANT(S): ____________________________________________________ DATE:________

ADDRESS: ____________________________________________________ UNIT: _________

CITY: _________________________________________ STATE: __________ ZIP: _________48-HOUR NOTICE OF ENTRY

Pursuant to RCW 59.18.150, this is your 48 hour notice that your landlord or their agents will be

entering the dwelling unit and premises located at (Address)______________________________________________________________________________on between the hours of and . (Date) (Time) (Time)The entry will occur for the following purpose:______________________________________________________________________________

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1) Type _______________ Breed _______________ Size ______ Age __ Weight ___ Color ____ Name ________ Vaccinations: Yes____ No____ License Number: ______________



Additional Security Deposit Required:$

AGREEMENTTenant(s) certify that the above pet(s) are the only pet(s) on the premises. Tenant(s) understands that the additional pet(s) are not permitted unless the landlord gives tenant(s) written permission. Tenant(s) agree to keep the above-listed pets in the premises subject to the following terms and conditions:

1) The pet(s) shall be on a leash or otherwise under tenant’s control when it is outside the tenant’s dwelling unit. 2) Tenant(s) shall promptly pick up all pet waste from the premises promptly. 3) Tenant(s) are responsible for the conduct of their pet(s) at all times. 4) Tenant(s) are liable for all damages caused by their pet(s). 5) Tenant(s) shall pay the additional security deposit listed above and/or their rental agreement as a condition to keeping the pet(s) listed above. 6) Tenant(s) shall not allow their pets to cause any sort of disturbance or injury to the other tenants, guests, landlord or any other persons lawfully on the premises. 7) Tenant(s) shall immediately report to landlord any type of damage or injury caused by their pet. 8) This agreement is incorporated into and shall become part of the rental agreement exe -cuted between the parties. Failure by tenant to comply with any part of this agreement shall constitute a material breach of the rental agreement.

_____________________________ ______________________________Landlord Tenant ______________________________ Tenant

OR-RTG-24 Oregon


CHECK-IN/CHECK-OUT CONDITION REPORTTENANT(S): __________________________________________________________________

ADDRESS: ________________________________________________UNIT: ______________

CITY: ___________________________________ STATE: ________ ZIP: _________________Rating Scale = (E)Excellent (VG) Very Good (G)Good (F)Fair (P)Poor

Rating Scale = (E)Excellent (VG) Very Good (G)Good (F)Fair (P)Poor







Rating Scale = (E)Excellent (VG) Very Good (G)Good (F)Fair (P)Poor IN OutIn Out

In Out

LIVING AREASKITCHEN

BEDROOM 3

Walls

Walls

WallsWindows

Stove/RacksWindows

Blinds/DrapesRefrigerator

Blinds/DrapesRods

Ice TraysRods

Floor

Shelves/DrawerFloor

Carpet/Vinyl/WoodDisposal

Light FixturesLight Fixtures

DishwasherDoors/Woodwork

Doors/WoodworkCounter Tops

LocksLocks

CabinetsCeilings

CeilingsSink

Electric OutletsElectrical Outlets

Floor

Smoke DetectorsGarbage Cans

WindowsTV Antenna/Cable

Blinds/DrapesBATH ROOM

Fireplace

Towel BarsCleanliness

Sink & Vanity

ToiletBEDROOM 1

BEDROOM 2Tub/Shower

Walls

Walls

Fan (Exhaust)Windows

WindowsFloor

Blinds/DrapesBlinds/Drapes

Electric OutletsRods

Rods

Light FixturesFloor

FloorLight Fixtures

Light FixturesEssential ServicesEssential Services

Doors/WoodworkDoors/Woodwork

PlumbingLocks

Locks

HeatingCeilings

CeilingsElectricity

Electrical OutletsElectric Outlets

Hot WaterSmoke Detectors

Smoke DetectorsSmoke Detectors



www.rentegration.com 503-933-6437 [email protected]

state specific forms for arizona, california, colorado, indiana, KentucKy, new Jersey,

new yorK, oregon, pennsylvania, texas, utah, washington & more.

Color Standards for National Tenant Network Logo

• Logos are provided on the CD in all three forms: all black, reversed to white, or in PMS 280 Blue/PMS 7543 Gray spot or 4/color applications. Please see below for specific use examples.

• No other colors are acceptable for use for the logo.

• No altering of the logo is allowed. If you have a special circumstance that requires something not provided on the CD, please call NTN NaTioNaL HeadquarTerS 1.800.228.0989 for assistance.

• Logos should not be put over a busy background.

BLACK WHITE (with 40% gray circle)

PMS 280/PMS 7543 over colorBlue PMS 280/Gray PMS 7543

uNaCCePTaBLe CoLor uSaGe

do NoT put over a busy backgrounddo NoT change the color do NoT alter in any way

02

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48-HOUR NOTICE OF ENTRYTENANT(S): ____________________________________________________ DATE:________

ADDRESS: ____________________________________________________ UNIT: _________

CITY: _________________________________________ STATE: __________ ZIP: _________48-HOUR NOTICE OF ENTRY

Pursuant to RCW 59.18.150, this is your 48 hour notice that your landlord or their agents will be

entering the dwelling unit and premises located at (Address)______________________________________________________________________________on between the hours of and . (Date) (Time) (Time)The entry will occur for the following purpose:______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Landlord Phone

Method of Service: Personal Service: Post and Mail: ** Add one additional day for compliance if served by post and mail.



CHECK-IN/CHECK-OUT CONDITION REPORTTENANT(S): __________________________________________________________________ADDRESS: ________________________________________________UNIT: ______________CITY: ___________________________________ STATE: ________ ZIP: _________________Rating Scale = (E)Excellent (VG) Very Good (G)Good (F)Fair (P)Poor Rating Scale = (E)Excellent (VG) Very Good (G)Good (F)Fair (P)Poor Rating Scale = (E)Excellent (VG) Very Good (G)Good (F)Fair (P)Poor Rating Scale = (E)Excellent (VG) Very Good (G)Good (F)Fair (P)Poor Rating Scale = (E)Excellent (VG) Very Good (G)Good (F)Fair (P)Poor Rating Scale = (E)Excellent (VG) Very Good (G)Good (F)Fair (P)Poor Rating Scale = (E)Excellent (VG) Very Good (G)Good (F)Fair (P)Poor Rating Scale = (E)Excellent (VG) Very Good (G)Good (F)Fair (P)Poor Rating Scale = (E)Excellent (VG) Very Good (G)Good (F)Fair (P)Poor IN Out In Out In OutLIVING AREAS KITCHEN BEDROOM 3Walls Walls Walls

Windows Stove/Racks WindowsBlinds/Drapes Refrigerator Blinds/DrapesRods Ice Trays RodsFloor Shelves/Drawer FloorCarpet/Vinyl/Wood Disposal Light FixturesLight Fixtures Dishwasher Doors/WoodworkDoors/Woodwork Counter Tops LocksLocks Cabinets CeilingsCeilings Sink Electric OutletsElectrical Outlets FloorGarbage Cans WindowsTV Antenna/Cable Blinds/Drapes BATH ROOMFireplace

Towel BarsCleanlinessSink & Vanity

ToiletBEDROOM 1 BEDROOM 2 Tub/ShowerWalls Walls Fan (Exhaust)Windows Windows FloorBlinds/Drapes Blinds/Drapes Electric OutletsRods Rods Light FixturesFloor FloorLight Fixtures Light Fixtures Essential ServicesEssential ServicesDoors/Woodwork Doors/Woodwork PlumbingLocks Locks HeatingCeilings Ceilings ElectricityElectrical Outlets Electric Outlets Hot Water

Smoke Detectors

OR-RTG-20 Oregon


PET AGREEMENTTENANT INFORMATION

TENANT(S): ____________________________________________________ DATE:________ADDRESS: ____________________________________________________ UNIT: _________CITY: _________________________________________ STATE: __________ ZIP: _________

DESCRIPTION OF PET(S)




Additional Security Deposit Required:$

AGREEMENTTenant(s) certify that the above pet(s) are the only pet(s) on the premises. Tenant(s) understands that the additional pet(s) are not permitted unless the landlord gives tenant(s) written permission. Tenant(s) agree to keep the above-listed pets in the premises subject to the following terms and conditions:

1) The pet(s) shall be on a leash or otherwise under tenant’s control when it is outside the tenant’s dwelling unit. 2) Tenant(s) shall promptly pick up all pet waste from the premises promptly. 3) Tenant(s) are responsible for the conduct of their pet(s) at all times. 4) Tenant(s) are liable for all damages caused by their pet(s). 5) Tenant(s) shall pay the additional security deposit listed above and/or their rental agreement as a condition to keeping the pet(s) listed above. 6) Tenant(s) shall not allow their pets to cause any sort of disturbance or injury to the other tenants, guests, landlord or any other persons lawfully on the premises. 7) Tenant(s) shall immediately report to landlord any type of damage or injury caused by their pet. 8) This agreement is incorporated into and shall become part of the rental agreement exe -cuted between the parties. Failure by tenant to comply with any part of this agreement shall constitute a material breach of the rental agreement.

_____________________________ ______________________________Landlord Tenant ______________________________ Tenant

OR-RTG-24 Oregon


CHECK-IN/CHECK-OUT CONDITION REPORTTENANT(S): __________________________________________________________________

ADDRESS: ________________________________________________UNIT: ______________

CITY: ___________________________________ STATE: ________ ZIP: _________________Rating Scale = (E)Excellent (VG) Very Good (G)Good (F)Fair (P)Poor








Rating Scale = (E)Excellent (VG) Very Good (G)Good (F)Fair (P)Poor IN OutIn Out

In Out

LIVING AREASKITCHEN

BEDROOM 3

Walls

Walls

WallsWindows

Stove/RacksWindows

Blinds/DrapesRefrigerator

Blinds/DrapesRods

Ice TraysRods

Floor

Shelves/DrawerFloor

Carpet/Vinyl/WoodDisposal

Light FixturesLight Fixtures

DishwasherDoors/Woodwork

Doors/WoodworkCounter Tops

LocksLocks

CabinetsCeilings

CeilingsSink

Electric OutletsElectrical Outlets

Floor

Smoke DetectorsGarbage Cans

WindowsTV Antenna/Cable

Blinds/DrapesBATH ROOM

Fireplace

Towel BarsCleanliness

Sink & Vanity

ToiletBEDROOM 1

BEDROOM 2Tub/Shower

Walls

Walls

Fan (Exhaust)Windows

WindowsFloor

Blinds/DrapesBlinds/Drapes

Electric OutletsRods

Rods

Light FixturesFloor

FloorLight Fixtures

Light FixturesEssential ServicesEssential Services

Doors/WoodworkDoors/Woodwork

PlumbingLocks

Locks

HeatingCeilings

CeilingsElectricity

Electrical OutletsElectric Outlets

Hot WaterSmoke Detectors

Smoke DetectorsSmoke Detectors



www.rentegration.com 503-933-6437 [email protected]

state specific forms for arizona, california, colorado, indiana, KentucKy, new Jersey,

new yorK, oregon, pennsylvania, texas, utah, washington & more.

Color Standards for National Tenant Network Logo

• Logos are provided on the CD in all three forms: all black, reversed to white, or in PMS 280 Blue/PMS 7543 Gray spot or 4/color applications. Please see below for specific use examples.

• No other colors are acceptable for use for the logo.

• No altering of the logo is allowed. If you have a special circumstance that requires something not provided on the CD, please call NTN NaTioNaL HeadquarTerS 1.800.228.0989 for assistance.

• Logos should not be put over a busy background.

BLACK WHITE (with 40% gray circle)

PMS 280/PMS 7543 over colorBlue PMS 280/Gray PMS 7543

uNaCCePTaBLe CoLor uSaGe

do NoT put over a busy backgrounddo NoT change the color do NoT alter in any way

02

Exclusive Industry Partner of:



Successful ...continued from front page

my wife and me to the decision that we thought we could do a better job managing apartments than what we had experienced. In 1994, we de-cided to start our own management company.

The first property we started with was a 52 unit property that had about $15,000 in unpaid bills. We were told by the management company that it was a difficult property and that we should sell it. I did not agree as I al-ways thought it was a good property with a lot of potential. We took it over without knowing much of anything about the management business. However, by making reasonable de-cisions and dealing with issues based on our ownership experience, we had all of the bills paid within a few months and a substantial amount in savings by the end of the year.

The approach we used was simple and very basic which laid the foun-dation for our philosophy to manag-ing apartments. Based on the success of this one property, we acquired more properties and turned them around rather quickly. Our business has continued to grow, mostly from repeat clients and referrals.

JK: How many units do you currently manage and where are they? How many in metro Phoenix?

DJ: We manage close to 6,000 units located in the Sacramento area, Phoenix, Tucson and Reno, of which

proximately 2,000 units are in Ari-zona. Flying my own airplane allows me to visit the properties on a regu-lar basis, as well as respond quickly if the need arises.

JK: What makes your company spe-cial?

DJ: The thing that makes our com-pany most special is our approach to managing. Not only do we keep a simple and basic approach, we man-age as if we owned the properties, as if it were our money to spend or not spend. This concept is embraced by our managers, maintenance person-nel, and all of our supervisors. Our employees have the authority to make decisions and they know I will back them up if they make a mis-take. I have made many mistakes, so I know how important mistakes are in the learning process. As Dale Carnegie said, “The successful man will profit from his mistakes and try again in a different way”. I want our employees to build confidence and self-esteem so they have the tools they need to run their properties as if they own them. Additionally, we are a family based company and seven years ago we brought in my daughter, Michele, who has worked as a CPA. She has embraced the man-agement business and has become an integral part of our company. Her background in business and account-ing makes her an asset to our compa-ny. Also, I am personally involved in every property we manage bringing my years of experience to our busi-ness.

JK: You manage apartments in a number of cities in California, Arizona and Nevada. Is there anything unique to metro Phoenix?

DJ: While each area may have some unique characteristics, our ba-sic approach to managing enables us to effectively run a property no mat-ter where it is located. We also en-courage our employees to be warm and friendly and leave a positive first impression which leads to good re-sults no matter where you are.

JK: When you were in our office, you noted that you typically manage “B” and “C” quality properties across the Valley and currently manage communities from 52 to 336 units in size. With the increase in new “A” quality apartment construc-tion, do you think there will be signifi-cant influence on your properties?

DJ: I believe the increase in “A” quality apartments will have a posi-tive effect on “B” and “C” quality properties. With the cost of new units being high (approximately $150,000 per unit in Phoenix and $200,000 in Sacramento), the rents of these new units will have to be much higher to accommodate the higher cost of con-struction. We have a huge back log of people that are living at home due to the current economic conditions and once those start improving and we see meaningful job growth, we will see a greater demand for rentals. So in effect, the new units are like a new Mercedes Benz but not everyone can afford a Mercedes. This will lead to more renters being interested in “B” and “C” properties. Also, many of

these new properties are being built in the outlying areas, thus, making infill properties, particularly those that have been improved, more de-sirable with the ability to get higher rents.

JK: Since 2010, vacancy rates have dropped every quarter. Have you had a similar increase in occupancy and if so, have you been able to decrease conces-sions and been able to raise rents?

DJ: We have definitely seen im-proved occupancy and we have been able to reduce concessions, as well as raise rents. However, you have to take into consideration the micro-markets and the specifics of the prop-erty you are managing. If the prop-erty is a bit run down, it will take longer to respond to an improving market. With the lack of meaningful job growth in the higher paying jobs, we have done a good job of monitor-ing rents to maintain good occupan-cy while maximizing the cash flow of the property.

JK: . Since we broker apartment com-munities in metro Phoenix, if I wanted to suggest that a buyer consider Dick James & Assoc. for management - what main points should I tell the buyer?

DJ: We have a management team that embraces our philosophy of managing everything as if we owned it. We do our best to spend money in smart ways by controlling costs, yet still effectively maintaining the property. We put a big emphasis on responding to clients and customers promptly and truthfully. Also, we get a lot of compliments on our monthly operating statement as it is very sim-ple and easy to understand. If a client has a specific need, we are happy to go out of our way to accommodate their wishes.

We tend to hire managers with good people skills and willingness and a desire to be successful, not nec-essarily with a great deal of manag-ing experience. If we hire someone with a good attitude and a desire to succeed and train them using our philosophies, we will almost always be very successful.

JK: You said that every time that you have taken over a property, as best you could recall, you were always able to lessen the expenses and increase the owner’s cash flow. Can you shed some light as to how you are able to do this?

DJ: One of the ways we control costs is to control our use of outside vendors. We hire a variety of main-tenance personnel who can do a lot of the work in-house. As an example, my maintenance supervisor in Phoe-nix and Tucson is a licensed electri-cal contractor. Anything having to do with electrical issues, he can trouble-shoot, and with the assistance of his maintenance staff, solve a problem without spending much money. We recently had a fire alarm issue in one of our properties and because it was about 40 years old, the alarm com-pany wanted to install a new system claiming they could not fix the old one which would cost about $90,000. The maintenance supervisor did re-search on the system and figured out how to fix it which ended up costing

only about $5,000. Now the system works well and the fire department is more than satisfied. When faced with a problem, we are always focused on going the extra mile to make the best financial decisions for our clients to maximize their cash flow.

JK: At the end of our conversation – you mentioned that over the years you had developed Five Philosophies that have now come to be your guideline for management.

DJ: When we started our manage-ment company, my wife was putting together the employee handbook and suggested I put something per-sonal in the handbook from me to the employees. After thinking about it, I came up with what I call my “Five Philosophies" in apartment manage-ment. Little did I realize that these philosophies would become an inte-gral part of our management compa-ny as it developed. The Five Philoso-phies have become the base we work from in managing our many apart-ment complexes. Whenever we take over the management a property that was managed by another company, there are always a few of these basic philosophies that are overlooked.

One of the reasons it works so well is that the management team only has five basic things they have to remember. Rather than loading my management team with a lot of meaningless reports and things to do, they are able to focus on what produces results. This keeps things simple and, if things are kept simple, things get done.

Jim Kasten, CCIM Dick James, CCIM

Kasten Long Commercial Group Dick James & Assoc., Inc.

2821 E Camelback Road, Ste. 600 4849 Manzanita Avenue, Ste. 91

Phoenix, AZ 85016 Carmichael, CA 95608

602 677 0655 916 332 [email protected]

[email protected]

www.DJAProperties.com The Kasten Long Commercial Group

has specialized in apartment brokerage in metro Phoenix since 1998. Agents have brokerage more than 1,000 com-munities with gross sales in excess of

1 billion dollars. The company also provides weekly updates (by e-mail) on

apartment sales and publishes anp



The telephone is your single most important leasing tool and it’s probably the easiest

“tool” to operate at your community, but is everyone answering it when it rings? Many apartment communi-ties are spending time and money on designing creative, effective ads and signage to make their phones ring. Yet, believe it or not, many leas-ing people are still choosing not to answer their telephones. Worse yet, those who are relying on voice mail to take messages, are not always returning calls in a timely manner or even at all. I cannot tell you how many shopping reports I received last month with remarks like this:

“If I had really been looking for a new home, I would have given up trying to reach someone here. The phone went unanswered as I at-

tempted to make contact numerous times, and no one returned my call when I left a message.”

For those property management companies who regularly evaluate their employees with a shopping program in order to “perfect their performance,” they are also testing to make sure someone is simply an-swering the phone and returning calls! Of course having difficulty making contact with the leasing of-fice is merely an inconvenience for the Secret Shopper, as I am only PRE-TENDING to need an apartment. What about REAL renters out there? What do you suppose happens to them? My guess is they are living in your neighborhood, perhaps in an apartment at the community next door because someone answered the phone on the day they were looking

for a new home. The question that keeps coming

up over and over again from prop-erty managers and owners is this:

Q: How can I get my leasing people to convert more of their tele-phone traffic into actual visits and then rentals?

Then there’s the question from the leasing consultants and manag-ers who primarily work alone due to budget constraints and the size of their communities:

Q: I know my supervisor is con-cerned about the office coverage and my ability to always answer the phone, but since I work by myself I have to take care of everything out on the property and also run all the errands. I just can’t be in the office all day, every day. What can I do?

A: It sounds like the people be-

hind these questions/concerns all have the same goal in mind, but have yet to devise a plan in order to achieve their objective. While the day to day operations of caring for each community and its residents must be carried out, there will be no new residents to take care of without ac-tive leasing. The most obvious solu-tion is as simple as forwarding your office calls to a cell phone. By having calls forwarded and being prepared to quote information about your available apartments, you can eas-ily set appointments while you are out walking a vacant apartment or running a bank deposit. Of course you will have to always be prepared with something to write on and pos-sibly take a message if a call comes through when you are unable to talk. However, in receiving a “live voice,”

pecially if your vacation will last for an extended period. A condo rental should cost you in the ballpark of $200 per night, which totals $2,800 savings for two weeks.

• Your home is probably your most significant asset if you’re like most Americans. But with that grand house on the hill comes plenty of costs, many of which you may not need. As with a luxury car, rethink-ing the amount of luxury for a home can save you big on taxes, insurance and maintenance. The cost of main-taining a large home can be put to-ward lifestyle activities, such as trav-el and hobbies.

“Of course, these are all simply suggestions; money plays a major role in how we achieve happiness, and I’ve found through years of working with clients, a few tweaks

here and there frequently yields greater satisfaction with their mon-ey,” Gorton says. “You don’t have to be on autopilot with your expenses.”

About Jeff Gorton, CPA, CFP®

Jeff Gorton is a Certified Public Ac-countant and a Certified Financial

Planner™ specializing in individual tax and retirement planning as head

of Gorton Financial Group, (www.gortonfinancialgroup.com). He is also

an Investment Advisor Representative under Alphastar Capital Management,

an SEC Registered Investment Advi-sor, and has a life and health insurance license. Gorton works with individuals and their families to create and protect their financial legacies. He specializes

in working with retirees in the areas of tax planning, benefits, retirement plan-

ning, estate planning and safe money

techniques. He received his BBA in Ac-counting from the University of Okla-

homa. Gorton previously worked for 10 years as the Chief Financial Officer for a large retail organization, overseeing

their accounting, benefits and 401(k) retirement plans.

p

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Spring Cleaning ...continued from front page

Continued on page 8

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Shoptalk ...continued from page 7

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rather than a message, your call-ers are more likely to give you their name and number for a call back rather than leave you a voice mail. Of course if you aren’t in a position to answer your phone, how about regu-larly checking for messages AND re-turning calls? While you’re at it, how about also checking for e-mails from prospective renters. – Most of you can do that with your phone too!

A: To those property managers and owners who already have their man-agers forwarding calls to a cell phone, but are not seeing a high percentage of callers being converted into visi-tors, maybe your employees need an “incentive” as extra motivation to work harder on setting appoint-ments, rather than just answering questions and giving out information when the phone rings. It could be something as simple as a Starbucks gift card in the dollar amount of the number of callers turned into visitors and something more for every visitor who becomes a resident. (Of course a guest card system and/or telephone log would have to be in place for ver-ification purposes. . . .)

If the day-to-day responsibilities of managing your community make you repeatedly absent from your leasing office, consider forwarding your calls to a cell phone. This will minimize the inconvenience to your prospective renters and anyone else that might be trying to get a hold of you, as well as make you readily

available in the event of an emergen-cy. By the way: It’s just as important to answer the calls marked “private” as it is to pick up when the calls are routed through an ad source or you see your supervisor’s phone number come up on your caller ID! – It just may be the Secret Shopper calling . . .

Are you dealing with a unique challenge or unusual situation at your community that you would like to see

addressed next month? The Secret Shop-per would like to invite you to send in your questions, as other people may be

dealing with the same or similar is-sues. - You will remain as anonymous

as the Secret Shopper! Please ASK THE SECRET SHOPPER by making contact

via e-mail. Your questions, comments and suggestions are ALWAYS wel-

come! ASK THE SECRET SHOPPER Provided by: Joyce Kirby SHOPTALK

SERVICE EVALUATIONS Phone: 425-424-8870 E-mail: joyce@shoptalk-

service.com Web site: www.shoptalkser-vice.com Copyright – Shoptalk Service

Evaluations

p

Jerry Kendall Managing Director (720) 280-7431 direct [email protected]

www.multifamilycap.comWhy do Customerskeep coming backto Multifamily Capi-tal Advisors. Thereare more than 700reasons. We eat,breathe, and live

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