Property Manager's Guide to Advertising

Key words and elements included when advertising a rental property can be the difference between good tenants and destructive tenants.   Here is some important information to include in your advertisements:

#1.  Contact information
The more available you are, the more potential tenants will trust you as a responsible and considerate manager.  Be sure to provide a phone number where you know someone will always be able to answer.
 
#2.  Specs and Amenities
Most property advertisements only list the square footage.  At minimum, always list the property’s square footage and the number of bedrooms and bathrooms it has. Expand upon the specifics of the rental with details such as appliances, floor coverings, closet space, and so on. Desirable items you’d want to highlight might be an in-unit washer and dryer, out door space,

#3.  Rental Amount
When advertising a rental property, be careful to only charge the market rent, or slightly less.  This is regardless of what overhead or costs are attached to the property.  Some tenants can be quite familiar with the market, and may not even consider looking at your unit if the price is too high above market.  
#4.  Location
Location is a big priority for most people.  With the technology of GPS, it is extremely helpful for potential tenants to have the exact address.  It is also wise to include the cross-streets.  Some advertisements only include a general area, know your area and keep this in mind when listing your advertisement.

#5.  Pet Policy
Whether or not you allow pets will likely be a huge factor as price and location, studies show a vast majority of renters have a pet of some kind.    If you have breed or size restrictions, say so.  Make your pet policy AS clear as you can in advertisement to avoid confusion or conflict later on.

#6.  Screening Process and Background Check
It can save you a considerable amount of time and money if you are upfront about the fact that you intend to run a background check on applicants.  if you explain that you will require references, you will weed out the tenants with a poor rental history.


 Use your word choice wisely to attract the tenants that are right for you.  You want to include accurate information that isn't misleading or deceptive, the main goal is to make sure your ad stands out from the rest.

Organization

Organization is a great skill to have especially when it comes to the business side of things. If a company is unorganized it will make their job a lot tougher than if they had things in an orderly fashion. "My nine year old daughter and eleven year old son are very disorganized," like a majority of the world. Now a days people should not be unorganized because of the amount of technology and how much it progresses each day. We now have electronic scanners which makes filing things just that much easier and without the clutter of all of the paperwork. Having the advancement that we do in technology kind of gives us an unfair advantage over earlier generations, so you would think that businesses are more organized when we really have more of a mess. Everyone's favorite thing in the office should be there trashcan (recycling bin) because that is where all the clutter should go after it is scanned.

Customer Service in the Pumpkin Patch

A Blog based on the principles of The Pumpkin Plan: A Simple Strategy To Grow a Remarkable Business in Any Field by Mike Michalowicz It goes without saying that customer service involves “customers”. After reading a review of Mike Michalowicz’s book: The Pumpkin Plan, I began to weigh the whole issue of customer service. How do I determine the best approach to customer service and handling the needs of my customers when my time is limited? I first needed to look at my customer base and within that base what customers added the most value to my business. Then I needed to determine what customers were the worst and of the worst I would see what method I could put in place to ditch them (FIRE THEM!). For the customers that added value to my business, I would nurture them; blow them away with customer service and let them know by my action how much I appreciate them. These are the customers that don’t require a lot of attention, and provide me with great referrals, and are not demanding. For the customers that attempt to suck the energy out of me, I would FIRE THEM. I would show them the path to go somewhere else and suck the energy out of someone else (my competitor, perhaps). By firing a customer I am able to regain my TIME which is extremely valuable to me and my company. Landmark Group provides property management services in the Omaha, Nebraska area and has served it’s customers for 25 years.

Stress on.. Life on Pause...

Dealing with Stress...How do you Cope?

              

Lately,  I've been noticing the pressure of succeeding in my job taking a toll on my body. Physically and mentally. Ive Really noticed the changed coming down into this crunch time. Here is my take of what stress does to my head/body as well as tips on

"How to reduce Stress even when you are in  stressful situation"

Here are a few More tips that weren't mentioned in my blog, but  I think can be useful when your in that "Stress Funk"

• Learn how to say “no” – Know your limits and stick to them. Whether in your personal or professional life, refuse to accept added responsibilities when you’re close to reaching them. Taking on more than you can handle is a surefire recipe for stress.
• Avoid people who stress you out – If someone consistently causes stress in your life and you can’t turn the relationship around, limit the amount of time you spend with that person or end the relationship entirely.
• Take control of your environment – If the evening news makes you anxious, turn the TV off. If traffic’s got you tense, take a longer but less-traveled route. If going to the market is an unpleasant chore, do your grocery shopping online.
• Avoid hot-button topics – If you get upset over religion or politics, cross them off your conversation list. If you repeatedly argue about the same subject with the same people, stop bringing it up or excuse yourself when it’s the topic of discussion.
• Pare down your to-do list – Analyze your schedule, responsibilities, and daily tasks. If you’ve got too much on your plate, distinguish between the “shoulds” and the “musts.” Drop tasks that aren’t truly necessary to the bottom of the list or eliminate them entirely.
• Manage your time better. Poor time management can cause a lot of stress. When you’re stretched too thin and running behind, it’s hard to stay calm and focused. But if you plan ahead and make sure you don’t overextend yourself, you can alter the amount of stress you’re under.

                           http://www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_management_relief_coping.htm

Enjoy xoxo!

My favorite lines from The Super.

I know what is like to be in a category 5 hurricane. Ms. Kitty - Dave Paladino
Good bye captain condescending.Mike- Lisa Paladino
You better watch it budy.The Super-Ila Paladino
We thank wrestling cows is fun. The Super- Zech Paladino

Do you want to get good at something?

If you are planing on being successful in business, life or fitness you need to get used to being uncomfortable. My Bother Kevin is my endurance coach and told me once for you to get really good at something you need to want to suffer.  My swim coach Drew Butler said the same thing when doing a 25 yard underwater kicking drill. "For you to be able to do this your just going to have to get use to the discomfort". I believe to be successful in business is the same. For you to be successful you need to be willing to take yourself to a place mentally where a lot of people are unwilling to venture

Train Like a Champion

Train Like a Champion

I was with my daughter at swim practice the other day and we were talking about our swim training. My daughter's and my swim coach is Drew Butler at the Omaha Swim Federation. I asked her " Ila, remember during the training today to train like a "?" ,and she answers, "Champion!"

Keep in mind, this is an 8 year old saying this.  I kind of got choked up. I have been thinking about how to get better at something since the Olympic swim trials are coming up in Omaha, and I am training for Ironman Arizona in November. For me, I need to see myself as a champion and train like a champion.  After swim practice, Lisa, Ila and I were eating dinner with her cousin Halle and I was talking to Halle about eating like a champion. Halle was asking us what that means. Ila quickly responded what it means to be a champion.

I want to encourage all parents to take the time to lead their children in whatever pursuits that you have. They are listening very carefully, although it may not appear that way. You just never know.

Feasibility Study

A new service Dino’s Storage is providing is conducting Feasibility Studies for current self-storage owners, potential owners, investors, or banks. A feasibility study for self-storage evaluates about a dozen factors that help determine if a potential or existing site is ideal for storage. We do about one per month for ourselves, just looking at potential future Dino’s locations.

As owners and managers of 13 active facilities, we believe we know the specifics to what makes a self storage facility successful - details ranging from traffic counts to the pay structure of the manager. We only choose the sites that we think are a “home run,” as Dave likes to call it. We will soon be adding details to the Dino’s and Landmark websites about this great new service we are offering to anyone nationwide.

"I'm Older Than Time But I'm Still Here."

Landmark Group's reality show, The Super, is now on its fifth episode and we couldn't be happier with how the show has turned out. Responses have been positive and the show has been really well received. We're glad people are as interested in our jobs as we are :) Dave has said it time as time again, but I'm sure it's more understandable to others now - being a landlord is not an easy job. It's a tight-rope balancing act between doing the right thing for the property owners and being just and fair to the tenants. Thankfully Dave has a good head on his shoulder (as many people have realized after watching the show), and we think he does an amazing job for all parties involved.

Check out a preview for next week's episode about one of our tenants, Alma, who gave us some problems when it came time to pay her rent.

"I'm Gonna Go With Filthy"

The fourth episode of The Super airs this coming Monday at 8 PM. Watch as we struggle to get the Colbert Apartments past the city inspections in only three days time - a task that others haven't been able to finish in 2 years! Tune into HDNet to find out what will happen! And be sure to like The Super on facebook!

Landmark Group Interview Tips

Landmark Group Interview tips:

1. Learn about the company. Learn as much as you can about the company's mission, objectives, goals, and future plans. This shows that you are informed and interested in what the company is trying to achieve. Also when asked “why do you want to work for us” you can answer in an educated manner.
2. Fill out the application completely. Leave nothing unanswered or blank. It is always better to write in that you don’t know the answer or that it is not applicable than to leave it blank.
3. Be 10 minutes early to the interview. There is never a good excuse for being late to an interview and could cost you the job. If traffic is a concern be sure to leave early.
4. Turn your cell phone off during the interview. Applicants should focus all of the attention on the interview and cell phones (even left on vibrate) are a huge distraction.
5. Dress appropriately for the job. Always be neat, clean and presentable. The employer will look at you as a representation of the company.
6. Don’t babble or make jokes. When answering questions don’t babble on and on, keep your answers short and direct to the question asked. Also don’t make jokes as an interview is not the place to try out new material.
7. Don’t bad mouth former employers. You may have had bad experiences with a former employer however an interview is not the place to discuss this.
8. Maintain good eye contact. Staring at the floor, ceiling, or wall when speaking or listening makes you appear disinterested or untrustworthy.
9. Ask questions. At the end of the job interview make sure you have some questions to ask. It will reinforce your strong interest in the job.
10. Be aware of your body language. Based on your body language it can be seen if you come across as insecure or self-assured. It can also show if you are a busy or a quiet type and it helps give an impression of whether you are speaking truthfully or not.

Click here to see all available positions with Landmark Group and Dino's Storage.

Management Objectives

Landmark Group is a fast-paced workplace that is driven by tight deadlines and a company attitude that demands results and maximum effort from every one of the employees. As a manager under constant pressure to deliver the end result, I have found that it helps to keep in mind on a daily basis the following five objectives:

1. Analyze accordingly
2. Prioritize promptly
3. Force flexibility
4. Communicate constantly
5. Demand documentation

By analyzing the daily workload and prioritizing the important task of the day, I can clearly define my objectives and that of my team in order to avoid confusion. I have a plan of action to follow based upon what is high priority and working my way down from there. Of course in this business it is inevitable that issues and problems arise on a daily basis that forces priorities to change. When this happens it is important that I revisit objectives one and two before altering the course of the day and then, if necessary, be flexible enough to change priorities to fit the demands.

Communication and documentation helps keep a unity among the employees. Being clear in my communication to others helps to define a process that everyone is familiar with and avoids mishaps. Documentation is a proven way of verifying that the process and procedure was handled from the beginning through the end and provides proof of completion.

By following these five objectives daily it has helped me improve my work habits and I believe has made me a better manager at Landmark Group. Try instigating these objectives into your day as well.

Acting

"However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do if you do not act upon them?" - Buddha

One thing many people seem to remember about Landmark Group and Dino's Storage is that we are the ones with "those boards." We put biblical quotes on our reader boards at every Dino's Storage location and on the Landmark Group board, often offering advice to live by, lessons to remember or warnings for those who stray.

Every morning when I drive into work, I see the message on the reader board and think for a moment about the words it's sharing, but that is not enough. Contemplating these words is one thing, but doing them is another step entirely - much like many things in life. Like Buddha said, what good are these words if we don't act upon them? Why even spread the messages if that's as far as they get?

Landmark Group Website

www.landmarkomaha.com

Yesterday afternoon Lauren published the new website that her and I have been working on for Landmark Group. The project has taken us about 4 months to complete- from a vision board to the final product.  The reason we decided to redo the site was because we noticed that a lot of our services were not being communicated clearly to our customers.

The most important thing to Landmark Group as a business is to be able to effectively communicate to our current and potential clients all of the services that we provide within the Management, Maintenance and Sales divisions of the company.

My favorite sections of the new site are the employee pages where you can read survey questions about each person, and the neighborhood sections that showcase the city of Omaha through pictures, descriptions and links.

What are your favorite sections? Leave a comment below to let us know!

Houses And Apartment Vacancies

U.S. Vacancies Rise

US apartment & Houses vacancies are at the highest level in 20 years. This may be good news for renters as they have a better selection to choose from and many property management firms are offering incentives such as paying the first month’s rent Or offering zero deposit. Landlords and property managers however need to be concerned that it may take much longer to rent their properties.

Here are a few tips to help you avoid vacancies:

1. Ask existing tenants a few months early if they plan to stay for the next year.
2. Get your tenants to sign a lease as soon as possible.
3. Collect a security deposit.
4. Advertise your vacancy several months before it is available.
5. Use every resource possible to advertise your vacancy.
6. Offer incentives to get tenants to sign a lease quickly.
7. Make your rental stand out from the millions of others with special features.

Manage your rental properties effectively and you can avoid vacancies and loss of valuable rental income.

About Landmark Omaha

Check out this video we just shot of Dave Paladino, Landmark Group's Owner and President, talking a little bit about the company - who we are, what we do best and why we're different than the other guys. It's going on our new website that will go live next week, so watch for it!

Feel free to contact us with any questions or comments, (402) 553-8111, or come in and see us at 2702 Douglas Street, Omaha, NE 68131.

What Journey Are You On?

As most of you know, we are in the process of filming a reality show called "The Super," which will be on HdNet starting in October or November of 2011. The production crew took a two week break from filming and they will be back on September 6. Once they are back, it will take about a month to finish filming.

The first episode will be about a female tenant and how she cannot get her bad-news boyfriend out of her life. This episode is close to my heart because I see so many girls that both have worked for me and who I rented to who have a man in their life that is a deadbeat. Because they do not think they deserve any better, they cannot get rid of them. This episode is 100 percent non scripted. Meaning: IT'S REALITY.

Last week, the key people at Landmark that will be on the show and the production crew went boating. Most people just don't see this, but if you love adventure, Landmark Group is an amazing place to work. Charles Little II is one of the producers on the show and while were tubing, he said, "Dave, this is living!", as he was watching me throw Roger, Cody and Phil around behind the boat on a beautiful warm Midwestern day.

I never realized what an amazing journey God has put all of us at Landmark on until Charles said that. I love to live life on the edge and push myself every day to experience the most I can. If you are looking for the kind of job where you can step outside your comfort zone, experience things you never dreamed of doing and hang around with amazing people, Landmark is the place to work. We are in a big push to grow our sales staff. If you know of anyone that wants to live life at its fullest, have them get contact me - (402) 553-8111.

Landmark Group

Landmark Group Omaha is a full service, boutique real estate agency offering residential and commercial sales and leasing, also property management.

Stop by our office at 2702 Douglas Omaha 68131 and maybe you can join in on our reality show called The Super which is currently being filmed!

Maintenance Tip of The Day

It's hard to believe, but winter will soon be upon us! Simple steps can make the winter more tolerable for your house:

1. Clean the gutters and make sure the downspouts are clear and free flowing. This will help prevent ice dams that allow water to back up under the shingles.
2. Check all of your storm windows and repair the damaged one. Make sure they close properly.
3. Check the interior windows to make sure they seal and glaze or caulk them.
4. Trim the limbs that are hanging over the roof; when they are heavy with snow and ice tree limbs dragging on the roof will damage the shingles.
5. Check your walk ways to make sure they are free of trip hazards. It will make them easier to keep clean.
6. Mow the grass and trim, be sure and remove volunteer trees growing in the foundation.
7. Clean around the outside condenser unit.
8. Check the exterior of the house for any loose or chipping paint and scape and paint them.

Simple maintenance can and will save you money and time in the future. And as you well know, whether it's your personal home or rental property, this is a major and important investment!

Landmark Group is available to help you, Please give us a call, e-mail, text or fax!

Employment opportunities

In this age of high unemployment there is also a lot of talk about older people having a hard time finding jobs just because of their age. I am happy to say that not all employers look at being older as a negative. When I was looking for a full time position four years ago I was wondering what I might find. Then I applied at Landmark Group. Dave was looking for someone who could perform the job, in my case working with the computer network and all electronic equipment within the company. He did not care that I was over sixty, just could I do the job.

I have seen other people over sixty that he has hired since I have been here and again age is not a factor, just whether they can get the work done. That is what all employers should be looking at. It is nice to be working at a place that considers your performance.

Look back on some of the blogs and you can see that Landmark is always looking for qualified personnel. And it is nice to know that if you apply your age will not be used against you.