Looking at the costs of re-tenanting should motivate you to try to keep tenants. In office and commercial buildings you have vacancy costs plus leasing commissions, tenant improvements as well as the challenges of the construction coordination that will affect other tenants. We know that you will not be able to keep every tenant. Some tenants don’t pay their rent or pay their rent late. Some tenants are just not the right fit. Just this last month we asked a tenant to move from a building because their clients were harassing other tenants in a building. But the landlord’s objective needs to be to keep every tenant they can.

This leads us to the concept of tenant mix. Many years ago before I knew better, I leased a large space to an office tenant in an industrial park. My client’s were very happy, the rent was low, and the location was great. Even the parking was good. They were happy until the new neighbor moved in. The new neighbor was a metal stamping operation. Their equipment went bang-bang all day long. My client’s employees were very frustrated. The walls and the floors were shaking with every stamp. Those people located within 20 feet of the wall they shared could not make phone calls anymore. We learned a big lesson then about how to combine tenants with similar uses, to keep them all happy. (more…)

search for : tenant improvements, rent, landlord

Selling a home is no easy task, and it’s even more difficult when you’re trying to sell in the dead of winter — when the weather is bad, the days are shorter and greenery is in short supply. There are good reasons for selling in the winter, however — namely, less competition. But you still have to work hard to attract the best customers. According to Bankrate.com, it’s all about staging. Here are Bankrate’s tips for presenting your home in the best way to snag those winter buyers. Keep walkways and driveways clear of snow and ice. You may not have to mow the lawn or trim the shrubs, but in the winter, consider this duty your “yard work.”

Present a warm and cozy home. Make sure the temperature is comfortable and not too cool for visitors coming in from the outside. Turn on gas fireplaces if you have them. Show during “high-daylight” hours and make your home as light as possible. Clean blinds and curtains and keep them open during daytime showings. Put the highest wattage bulbs in amps and fixtures, and turn the lights on when you show. And wash your windows — even a little bit of grime gives the impression that the home isn’t well cared for. Set the mood with a little soft background music and some pleasant smells. Light a few candles that give off a nice scent, such as vanilla. Just don’t overdo it — you don’t want people to think you’re trying to mask a bad smell. (more…)

search for : Selling a home, candles

After several years of a booming real estate market - one that was decidedly to the seller’s advantage - the industry has taken a swing in the opposite direction in recent months. Higher interest rates and a greater inventory of houses is pushing the market in the buyer’s favor. This means that enterprising individuals ready to make a purchase may come away with more than just a good bargain.

To entice people to take out mortgages in spite of rising interest rates, some lenders and builders are offering special programs. Many home builders are using “buy-down” programs, in which they buy down a mortgage by two percentage points in year one and one point in year two. This can lead to substantial savings. But watch out for deals that offer flashy savings early on but sucker-punch you later during the loan term. Pre-payment penalties or early termination fees may be in store for those who don’t do their homework before signing on the dotted line. (more…)

search for : booming real estate market, Higher interest rates

Even a great design can be done in by the sort of unavoidable, nuts-and-bolts infrastructure items every building requires — visible pipes, wires, vents, flues, meters and what have you. As unsexy as they are, don’t fail to think through these kinds of details, don’t put them off to the last minute, and never, ever leave them up to installers to figure out as they go along.

Gas meters, electric meters, and electrical entrance panels — none of which are very lovely to look at — should be assigned to a spot that’s completely invisible from the street, ideally in a recessed or screened area. Never place these items on the front of the building. Since meters are increasingly read remotely, access is less of an issue than it used to be, but you should still check with your local utility for any restrictions on placement. (more…)

search for : electric meters, electrical entrance panels

The Web frontier for vacation-home owners is vast and continuing to grow as they tap into new resources to market their properties. And networking Web sites can offer a support network for owners navigating the apparently bump-filled rental market. “Making a video is so much better than trying to put all that into words.” Mr. Gilbert has two videos, both on YouTube and Google Video: One showcases the house and some of its features, like the brand of mattresses in the home. The other focuses on the community, Bear Trap Dunes, which has three golf courses and two swimming pools.

Any vacation-home owner is likely to confess that marketing the house to renters is only half the battle. And, perhaps the easy half, once you read through the postings on Lay my Hat (www.laymyhat.com). The site allows vacation homeowners to hash out the apparently neverending string of problems that arise when renting out their second home. Owners vent about problem guests, like those who complain about the lack of ketchup and mayonnaise in the refrigerator or refuse to obey the no smoking policies. Some get advice on larger issues, like what to do when an hour before a renter arrives the electricity in the house fails. The solution, wrote one poster, is to light candles and “gets lots of drinks” for the guests. (more…)

search for : vacation-home owners, YouTube, Google Video, Bear Trap Dunes