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January 2012 A Publication of the Greater Lowell Landlords Association, 1080 Main St. Tewksbury, MA DATE: January 11th, 2012 PLACE: Holiday Inn, Tewksbury, MA TIME: 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm Meeting, Refreshments & Awards THE GLLA COMMUNICATOR January Speaker Here’s How to Beat the IRS. Legally! If you’re like most real estate investors, you waste thousands of dollars every year in taxes you don’t need to pay. Attend our entertaining, fast-paced seminar to learn how to take advantage of these strategies and more: • The single most expensive tax mistake of all • How to slash your audit risk (Fly under the IRS radar!) • Powerful strategies for property “flippers” • Tax-advantaged retirement savings strategies • How to make the most of meals, entertainment, and gifts • The “mileage allowance” mistakes that cost thousands! • Write off family medical bills as a real estate expense. • How to deduct your kids’ private school and college tuition Instant Tax Relief – 10 Biggest Mistakes of Real Estate Investors. Presented by “The Fastest Tax Guy on Two Wheels,” Steve Stanganelli, CFP® of Clear View Wealth Advisors / XtraRefunds Steve began his career more than twenty years ago as a mortgage banker working with real estate professionals throughout the Merrimack Valley before earning his graduate degree in finance from Bentley University and becoming a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional. Over the past ten years, Steve has developed his own financial and tax planning practice. He has delivered workshops and presentations to civic groups and businesses throughout the area and his advice has shown business owners and professionals how to save $10,000 or more in a single year. Steve is the principal of Clear View Wealth Advisors, a fee only registered investment adviser and tax planning practice. He is a member of the Financial Planning Association and National Association of Tax Professionals and has been awarded the highest adviser rating offered by The Paladin Registry. And as a former Category 4 road bike racer with CCB International, he’s probably the fastest tax guy on two wheels you’ll ever know. See you at the meeting Dick Macdonald, President Ron Couming spoke on computer virus and malware free maintenance Chuck Decosta spoke on saving money with green December Meeting Recap: bag trash pick up. Darlene Sergi talked on the new and low cost way of eliminating bedbugs. She also shared sample products with the group. a n d t h e w i n n e r s w e r e : Thank You Helen Brown For all your hard work decorating for this Holiday meeting. As usual you did such a great job. Thank You from all the GLLA members *** REMINDER DUES FOR 2012 ARE DUE ***

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Page 1: GLLA Jan 2012 - nearlistings.org JAN 2012.pdf• The “mileage allowance” mistakes that cost thousands! • Write off family medical bills as a real estate expense. • How to deduct

J a n u a r y 2 0 1 2

A Publication of the Greater Lowell Landlords Association, 1080 Main St. Tewksbury, MA

DATE: January 11th, 2012 PLACE: Holiday Inn, Tewksbury, MA TIME: 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm Meeting, Refreshments & Awards

J a n u a r y 2 0 1 2

THE GLLA COMMUNICATOR

January SpeakerHere’s How to Beat the IRS. Legally!If you’re like most real estate investors, you waste thousands of dollars every year in taxes you don’t need to pay. Attend our entertaining, fast-paced seminar to learn how to take advantage of these strategies and more:

• The single most expensive tax mistake of all• How to slash your audit risk (Fly under the IRS radar!)• Powerful strategies for property “fl ippers”• Tax-advantaged retirement savings strategies • How to make the most of meals, entertainment, and gifts• The “mileage allowance” mistakes that cost thousands! • Write off family medical bills as a real estate expense.• How to deduct your kids’ private school and college

tuition

Instant Tax Relief – 10 Biggest Mistakes of Real Estate Investors. Presented by “The Fastest Tax Guy on Two Wheels,” Steve Stanganelli, CFP® of Clear View Wealth Advisors / XtraRefunds Steve began his career more than twenty years ago as a mortgage banker working with real estate professionals throughout the Merrimack Valley before earning his graduate degree in fi nance from Bentley University and becoming a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional. Over the past ten years, Steve has developed his own fi nancial and tax planning practice. He has delivered workshops and presentations to civic groups and businesses throughout the area and his advice has shown business owners and professionals how to save $10,000 or more in a single year. Steve is the principal of Clear View Wealth Advisors, a fee only registered investment adviser and tax planning practice. He is a member of the Financial Planning Association and National Association of Tax Professionals and has been awarded the highest adviser rating offered by The Paladin Registry. And as a former Category 4 road bike racer with CCB International, he’s probably the fastest tax guy on two wheels you’ll ever know.

See you at the meeting Dick Macdonald, President

Ron Couming spoke on computer virus and malware free

maintenanceChuck Decosta spoke on saving money with green

December Meeting Recap:

bag trash pick up.

Darlene Sergi talked on the new and low cost way of eliminating bedbugs. She also shared sample

products with the group.

and the winners were:

Thank You Helen Brown

For all your hard work decorating for this Holiday meeting. As usual you did such a

great job. Thank You from all the GLLA members

***REMINDER DUES FOR 2012 ARE DUE***

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THE GLLA ELECTED OFFICERS FOR 2012President Dick Macdonald 978-851-4330Vice President Mark Andrade 978-580-4615Secretary Atty. Mark Burrell 978-263-0066Treasurer Priscilla Hilliard 978-909-3887Asst. Treasurer Gail Macdonald 978-851-4330

Web Master and Membership: Clyde Neville Website Committee Sharene Raisbeck, Mark BrunellPublicity/Public Relations: Nancy Szopa 617-413-3177Newsletter Editor Julie Curran 774-239-8897 [email protected] articles John PurpuraNewsletter distribution List Mark Andrade

[email protected]/Video Mark Andrade 978-580-4615Welcoming Committee: Priscilla Hilliard, Helen BrownRaffle Tickets: Chester Briggs, Vichith Nuon, John Purpura

If you would like to volunteer to serve under or even head any one of these committees,

please call any of the people above. Any and all assistance is greatly appreciated.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

The GLLA IS NOW ON-LINE! Our web page:www.GLLAMA.org** check out craigslist in our website for rentals**Our e-mail: [email protected] for quicker response contact Pres. Dick Macdonald

The MRHA The Massachusetts Rental Housing Association (MRHA) is a statewide concentration of local landlord groups banding together. FOR MRHA MEETINGS BE SURE TO CHECK MONTHLY MRHA NEWSLETTER FOR CURRENT MEETING TIMES AND DATES.

MRHA Web PageMRHA IS "ON LINE" you can find them at http://www.massrha.com, and their e-mail address is [email protected] Allen Hebert has taken on this task for MRHA, and he would like to hear from any other on-line members. E-mail him at [email protected] For a quicker response contact Pres. Dick Macdonald [email protected]

GLLA ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPThe Greater Lowell Landlords Association was formed in 1978, when a group of landlords, discussing mutual concerns, realized they could help each other. The philosophy of land-lords helping landlords remains at the core of the association today. We have established three types of memberships. 1. Membership - Owning or managing residential or commercial rental property (Voting member) 2. Associate membership - Planning to own or manage rental property (non voting member) 3. Affiliate membership - Businesses associated with rental property (Non-voting member)

MEMBERSHIP AND ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP FEES for 2012 are $85 a year, which includes a subscription to our newsletter "the GLLA Communicator", membership in the MRHA, and a subscription to their monthly newslet-ter. There are also special "members only" discounts offered by local vendors, (See the vendor discounts section of the Communicator).

AFFILIATE MEMBERSHIP which includes three indi-vidual memberships, one MRHA membership, and a business card size ad each month for a year in our newsletter "The Communicator" is only $195 (over $300 if priced sepa-rately) All types of memberships have the same privileges except for the voting of officers. All fees are due on the first of the year. ANY MEMBERS NOT "PAID-UP" BY JUNE 1 WILL LOSE THEIR SUBSCRIPTION TO "THE COMMUNICATOR" AND THEIR MEMBERSHIP WITH THE MRHA.

The Greater Lowell Landlords Association is a non-profit association, exclusively representing the interests of the rental property industry. Our primary goal is to help protect our interests. We will try to keep you informed, save you money, and help you to stay out of Housing Court. Please note: The information in this newsletter is not intended to be construed as legal, accounting , or other professional advice. You should seek legal advice from licensed professionals for answers relating to your particular circumstances.

ADVERTISING RATES : Business card 2X3 $ 30 per issue $ 85 per year

Quarter Page 4X5 $ 55 per issue $165

Half Page 8X5 $ 85 per issue $255

Full Page 8X10 $ 120 per issue $500

Full Page INSERT- Supplied 8½X11 $100 per issue N/A

The GLLA Newsletter is published 10 months during the year.

FORMS & BOOKS AVAILABLE at meetings: Landlord Training Book $35.0045 Forms on paper $15.00 45 Forms on CD $15.00

Vendor discounts

15% off for all GLLA membersMARK BURRELL, ATTORNEY AT LAW

978-263-0066

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3

IT’S THE LAW by Mark Burrell, Esq.

Q. Does a thirty-day notice to quit given to a tenant afford the tenant just thirty days to vacate the premises? When can

I give a seven-day notice to quit?

A. A thirty-day notice to quit affords a tenant a full rental period to vacate the premises or face eviction proceedings. This means that if the notice is given to a tenant on any day in a particular month, the tenant has until the end of the next following month to vacate. For example, if a landlord gives a thirty-day notice to a tenant on January 14 (or any other day in January), the tenant has until February 28 to vacate. On March 1, the landlord can have the tenant served with an eviction complaint, but not earlier. It is important to remember that a tenant cannot file a counterclaim against you in the eviction action if your thirty-day notice to quit states that the tenant has breached the lease in some way other than non-payment of rent (MGL c.238, s8A).

You can give your tenant a seven-day notice to quit for any breach of a lease other than non-payment

IT’S THE LAWby Mark Burrell, Esq.

Q. quit given to a tenant afford

vacate the premises? When can

of rent, as long as your written lease provides that a seven-day notice can be given. Again, if you give a seven-day notice to quit, the tenant cannot file a counterclaim against you in the eviction action.

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4

“Act The Way You Want To Be And Soon You’ll Be The Way You Act” - Les Brown

Date: 2/9/11 Procedure: Simply give the landlord’s telephone number to prospective tenants. Landlords will do their own screening

Name Telephone Rooms Studio 1 Bdrm 2 Bdrm 3 Bdrm 4 Bdrm House Claudineia 978-430-7006 LowellChester 978-957-1426 LowellSandra 978-479-3947 Lowell LowellSuzanne 978-692-2414 WestfordDick 978-851-4330 Tewks/Bil Billerica Wilmington BillericaLeo & Joan 978-251-4229 Lwll/Chlm Chelmsfd Lwll/Chelm Lowell Lowell Lowell TyngsboroNancy 617-413-3177 LowellGerry 978-407-0857 DracutAnn 781-640-5035 LowellHelen 978-957-4442 Drac/Lwll

Date: 12/14/11 Procedure: Simply give the landlord’s telephone number to prospective tenants. Landlords will do their own screening

Name Telephone Rooms Studio 1 Bdrm 2 Bdrm 3 Bdrm 4 Bdrm House Mark 978-580-4615 Lowell LowellMei 978-551-1105 LowellGabriel 978-430-4921 Lowell LowellAnn 781-640-5035 LowellDick 978-851-4330 BillericaJoan / Leo 978-251-4229 Lowell Chelmsford LowellHeather 978-852-8531 Lowell

Date: 2/9/11 Procedure: Simply give the landlord’s telephone number to prospective tenants. Landlords will do their own screening

Name Telephone Rooms Studio 1 Bdrm 2 Bdrm 3 Bdrm 4 Bdrm House Claudineia 978-430-7006 LowellChester 978-957-1426 LowellSandra 978-479-3947 Lowell LowellSuzanne 978-692-2414 WestfordDick 978-851-4330 Tewks/Bil Billerica Wilmington BillericaLeo & Joan 978-251-4229 Lwll/Chlm Chelmsfd Lwll/Chelm Lowell Lowell Lowell TyngsboroNancy 617-413-3177 LowellGerry 978-407-0857 DracutAnn 781-640-5035 LowellHelen 978-957-4442 Drac/Lwll

Rev. 12/2011

Even if one uses a rental agent to rent one’s apartments, there are times when landlords may do their own tenant screening. Avoiding dis-crimination is important. One can make sure to avoid the classic categories - race, creed, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, sex, etc. But one must also be consistent in the treatment of all prospective applicants.

A big help in being consistent is a rental appli-cation, either SPOA’s own form or the form published by the Rental Housing Association of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board, obtain-able from www.gbreb.com, even if one is not an RHA member.

The application can be filled out in front of the owner and then reviewed and discussed as necessary with the applicant. Showing the apartment and engaging in conversation are times one can make more subtle judgments. The following are some of the signs of a risky tenant, which are non-discrinatory grounds for rejecting an applicant.

1. Unwilling to fill out an application. High-risk tenants depend on being able to talk their way into an apartment.

2. Bad credit or bankruptcy (of course).

3. Wants to take the application home, is unprepared. May supply false references and information.

4. Incomplete application, not all blanks filled in.

5. No bank account. Drug dealers, for exam-ple, do not want any evidence of their cash flow.

SIGNS OF AN UNACCEPTABLE APPLICANT

6. Paying in cash.

7. Wants to pay more than the ask-ing rent.

8. Wants to pay several months in advance. If applicant is too good to be true, there’s something fishy.

9. Seems to be in a big hurry, has their belongings in the car, inte-rior of car is disorganized or full of junk. Caution: Cannot dis-criminate against hoarders.

10. Comes with a group of people.

11. Applicant does not want the girl-friend, boyfriend or spouse to fill out an application.

12. Spotty rental or employment his-tory - as always, a major tip-off to a problem tenant. A landlord can not discriminate on the source of income, but can dis-criminate against gaps in income or inadequate income.

13. Comes with luxury car, expen-sive jewelry or designer clothes without documentation of being able to sustain that lifestyle.

14. Bad attitude. Overly loud and aggressive, uses foul language, points their finger in your face or gets into your personal space.

15. Not interested in the condition or layout of the apartment, really interested in the electrical panel. This is a major tip-off for a mari-juana grow operation.

16. Gang clothing or insignias. Or does not take pride in their per-sonal appearance.

17. Alcohol smelled on the person’s breath or the person appears high. See nearby article on dis-crimination risk.

18. A glowing reference from a cur-rent landlord, who might be in a hurry to get rid of a bad tenant. Check the former landlord.

19. Has no valid picture identifica-tion.

20. If something feels wrong, it probably is. Trust your gut instincts, but be sure you have a legal reason to reject an appli-cant.

21. The owner simply doesn’t like the applicant - is a valid reason to reject. It’s a long-term rela-tionship.

If the screening process feels too complicated, finding a realtor to do the screening and tenant selection may be a better option.

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By Dr. Danielle Babb

The Landlord Protection Agency

When you go to rent your home, you will need to determine its rental value, or rental comp. Rental comps are the comparative analyses for similar properties and what they’ re renting out for. If you see “for rent” signs, feel free to sell and just inquire on the property - or use online systems.

Rental comps are like sales comps but they tell you the value of your property in terms of what it can rent for. fake a look at these two sites, or check local newspapers. You may also wish to call a property manager, but if you aren’t using them to list and manage your home they may not be very cooperative in valuing your rental.

www.rent-o-meter.com - This site is pure genius. It is based on user-entered information rather than professionally entered information. Renters use it to tell others what they are paying and what their accommodations are like; bedrooms, bathrooms, quality, zip code, amenities, etc. Potential renters can look here to see if they’re getting a good deal. But, better yet for you as a potential

landlord, you can see what others are pricing at and rather than guessing at a rental price, you can see what others are going for.

www.craigslist.org - Craig’s List, widely known as the large online garage sale, is only available in limited areas but is rapidly growing. Do searches in your state and community and see what others are renting homes out for. This will give you an idea as to what you can get in a rental market (and for a sale market too! Many homeowners are opting to list their homes on Craig’s List in addition to more traditional means).

You can also do a search in Google for “rent “ and see what rents are going for in that zip code.

Check out the Housing and Urban Development’s Fair Market Rent System also. This is a good link to use: http://wvvw.huduser.org/datasets/fmr/fmrs index.asp?data=fmr08 It will show the standard rent and then a multiplier by state and county, as well as consumer price index updates, information by the number of bedrooms, and compares it to other surrounding areas too.

Dick’s

5

Determining Your $ Rental Values

NOTES FROM A FELLOW LANDLORD:

RENTING TO RELATIVES CAN BE A NIGHTMAREI just found your website after evicting my own brother, wife, 4 kids, 7 dogs, and 5 cats back in October. My house needs to be gutted after a mere 3 years....Even with a “HOME INSPECTION” to their previous residence.... you can never be totally sure how things will turn out. The home in this case had obviously never seen a cleaning in 3 years...roaches took 2 months of bombing to be eradicated...walls and all floors need removed and replaced after pet odors permeated it all... oh my GOD...never rent to Family!!!! NEVER! They owed me over $12k in rent, they had medical issues that empowered the court to delay evictions, and the damages have destroyed all the value to this once A+ Condition property...

The following tip was shared by one of the regular contributors to the popular MrLandlord.com Q&A Forum. Thanks Elite, IL!

Listen up New Landlords. People who fill out applications will put down ANYTHING needed to get into your rental property. --- Verify!

• PAY STUBS

• AWARD LETTERS FROM SOCIAL SECURITY

• AWARD LETTERS FROM WELFARE

• BANK STATEMENTS SHOWING DEPOSITS

• W2’S

• W9’S

Never accept their word for how much they make. I had an unmarried couple apply. Together their stated income would qualify. So I called her up and told them I would need verification of income. She started telling me that her award letter didn’t reflect her actual amount on her check

- that her check was more - Yeah right. She said that her check was direct deposited so she couldn’t show me the check. And that he didn’t have pay stubs because his pay was put directly on a Walmart card. Do I smell a fib here?

There was dead silence when I told her to bring me her bank statements showing the deposits for her checks and that he must get some proof of the amount he was paid. Told her that when she got the proof of income she could contact my property manager and I would proceed with processing her application.

Do not deny people. Throw it back on them to provide the proof that they meet your criteria. I told them that when they got verification of income, and my property manager brought it to me that I would proceed with processing their application. If they do come back with verification of income, I will proceed with credit checks, background checks, etc. That is if the rental property is still available.

DON’T DENY - ASK THEM TO PROVE IT!

Wall StREEt JouRnal Quote from January 5th“The nation's apartment-vacancy rate in the fourth quarter fell to its lowest level since late 2001 as Americans continued to favor renting homes instead of buying them”.

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6

Multi-Rental Management

P.O. Box 36334 Middlesex StreetNorth Chelmsford, MA 01863www.prime-properties.us

978-251-4229Fax 978-251-4247

[email protected]

Joan EidentManager

2. Never, Ever Rent to Anyone You Know.

It’s inevitable: someday your buddy (or brother) Joe is going to need a place to live at exactly the same time that you have a vacancy. It’s going to go through your mind that this might be the perfect solution for both of you. Joe’s a nice guy, and with his carpentry skills (he was the one who drilled through the fridge door in your college apartment to invent—the Keg-A-Rator!), you know he’ll fix your place up real nice. So, in a gesture that you will never cease to regret, you offer Joe your vacant property. He gets a discounted rent, you get a tenant you can trust, everybody wins. Everybody, that is, except anybody who’s even remotely involved in this situation. The thing about renting to people you know (and this also encompasses lease/optioning, carrying financing etc) is that you and your friend/family member enter the agreement with opposing viewpoints in terms of the benefits of the situation. You go in happy because you know your buddy will treat you fairly—meaning that the rent will be on time, the repairs you agreed on will be made in a timely fashion, and he won’t turn your new refrigerator into a Keg-a-rator. HE goes in happy because he knows you’ll treat him fairly—meaning that you’ll let him slide on the rent at Christmas, take his time on the repairs, and indulge his longtime dream of raising Rottweilers in the basement. You think he’ll be the perfect tenant; he thinks you’ll be the perfect landlord. It’s a conflict of outlooks that can’t be resolved without lawyers or fisticuffs.

Remember, when you become a housing provider, your outlook on life undergoes a major change. Your friends who are still tenants probably haven’t had the benefit of experiencing that kind of entrepreneurship, and more than likely have no idea what it’s like to invest huge chunks of time and money in a property. My partner once lost not one but an entire group of college friends when he evicted one for nonpayment of rent; suddenly he’d become “The Man” and was no longer welcome at the poker games. I have a brother who can’t see me at family gatherings without eventually coming around to the subject of how shabbily I treated his best friend by forcing him to pay late fees every month. I have never, ever seen a situation like this work out to the satisfaction of both parties. If you have, I’d like to hear about it. On the bright side, since no one ever tells people that renting to friends and relatives is a very bad thing, there

#2 & 3 REASON OUT OF 5 THINGS I WISH SOMEONE HAD TOLD ME EARLIER

are an awful lot of buying opportunities out there generated when owners realize they’re never going to see a dime out of Joe. Keep your eyes open for these situations; they can become some of your best deals

3. There’s No One Best Way to Invest in Real Estate.

Most new investors have a “guru”, a teacher to whom they look not only for advice, but for a world view that helps to direct and focus the newbie on a particular strategy. These gurus can take the form of a professional teacher/instructor, a mentor, or, as was the case in my early career, a family member. One of the major attractions of gurus is their certainty that their particular strategy is the be-all and end-all of real estate investing. My father was a good example of this: he had a cookie cutter that involved buying low-end homes for cash, lease/optioning them, and then ultimately refinancing packages of 5-10 at a time to get more cash to buy more houses. No property, no matter what type, condition, or area ever got any other treatment. And like most gurus, he was willing to defend til death the idea that other strategies were less profitable, more difficult to execute, and generally inferior to his particular favorite.

The guru is a compelling figure to the new investor precisely because he (or she!) is so focused and certain of himself. Following a particular guru can be extremely valuable for the overwhelmed newbie since it allows him to really, really learn how a particular technique works. The downside of guru-worship is that it limits the new investor’s experience. Most gurus—and not just those who have seminars to sell—advocate one or two strategies to the exclusion of all others. As a result, their followers tend to have a narrow viewpoint in terms of what a “good” deal is, and therefore to pass up a lot of profit opportunities. Once I’d quit working for my father, the “pay cash for houses” option dried up and I was forced to learn some new strategies for putting food on the table. Wholesaling properties for quick cash became a prime focus of my business, and quickly became a huge profit center. One day about 2 years ago, I went back through my files of offers I’d made when “Buy and Lease Option” was the only thing I knew, and discovered that I’d walked away from over $100,000 in wholesaling profits during the time I was stuck in that mindset. Many, many

continues on page 7

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7

continued from page 6properties that didn’t fit my dad’s “cookie cutter” would have been great little flips, but I simply couldn’t see them. And never mind all the times I hung up on a seller with an expensive, pretty house for sale, because I couldn’t get it for 70 cents on the dollar.

TOP 5

By Bill Lederer

Fellow Landlord and Founder of CompleteLandlord.com

Investing in a construction project for a landlord is not only an expensive undertaking, but time-consuming as well. In order to get the most bang for your buck, not only should you try to create a positive working relationship with your contractor, but you should also consider the following mistakes many landlords make regarding payment:

The first mistake most property owners make when having con-struction done on their rentals is not establishing their budget correctly. By creating a budget before you contact a contractor, you will save time, money

and unpleasant surprises in the long run. Also, many landlords believe that you should never reveal your actual budget to a contractor in fear of having them over-charge you; however, this can actually have the opposite effect. If a contractor knows your budget and your goals of the renovation, he should have no problem working with you to complete the project not only within your timeframe, but also within your budget.

The second most common mistake property owners make is paying for the work before it is fully completed. Contractors focus on jobs they haven’t been paid for yet. While you make think you are being responsible time and money.in paying for the construction ahead

of its completion, this gives the contractor no incentive to finish the job well, on time or at all.

The third frequent mistake made by property owners is paying full price for late work. A contractor has a responsibility to complete your work on time, and failing to meet this obligation should carry consequences. Be sure to write into your contract a penalty clause: a fee, usually per day, for work done late. Just as you charge your tenants for paying their rent late, so should you penalize your contractor for his lateness. Failing to do so will significantly slow down your project, costing you valuable

LANDLORD TIP:

12 INEXPENSIVE PROPERTY UPGRADES FOR THE NEW YEAR!The following are twelve quick, inexpensive property upgrades, for low income, older properties for the New Year.

Replace all outlet and light switch covers with new ones. New handles on any cabinets are inexpensive. Decorative hand and bath towel bars, toilet paper holder, and new shower nozzle and curtain in the bath are easy, inexpensive touches you can do yourself. Put Mini blinds on the windows, and add new, but inexpensive, light fixtures. Paint the front door, new door knob and brass kick plate makes a good first impression.

Upgrade your properties for the new year, which may help you to increase rents.

PAYING FOR CONSTRUCTION: COMMON MISTAKES AND SOLUTIONS

IS YOUR SIGN IN THE WRONG PLACE?

Once you’re in this business for several years, you’ll start seeing the cycles that are natural in real estate. The timing of the cycle will vary from area to area, but the cycle exists just the same. You’ll go from having all your rentals full and perhaps a waiting list of people wanting to rent from you, to having several empty apartments and not a good applicant in sight.

When you’re in that “down” cycle, times can get tough. I remember one such winter. It was cold and nobody wanted to move unless they absolutely had to. As you drove through my city, you would see For Rent signs on nearly every street. None of the landlords could fill their empty apartments. It was a renter’s dream because there were many more apartments than there were renters. I had an exceptionally high number of vacancies myself. Some of my tenants had left due to job transfers, some had left due to relationship changes, and some probably left because they saw other

apartments in the city for rent cheaper than what they were paying me. for me, the bottom line was that I had to get these empty places rented to cover my expenses. I had ads in the newspaper, I had canvassed some neighborhoods with flyers, and of course I had For Rent signs in front of the buildings that had vacancies.

Then one day I sent my handyman to do a number of tasks, one of which was to plant a For Rent sign in the lawn of a building. He ended up putting it at a different build-ing that I owned (the wrong building). However, I started getting a lot of calls due to that sign. Of course, I had to explain to the callers that I didn’t actually have a vacancy in that building right now, but I did have several other available apartments close by. I actually ended up renting several apartments due to that sign on the wrong lawn. Over the years, I found that this particular location was my highest visibility spot - it was the front lawn with the most passing traffic out of all my buildings.

Lesson Learned: There’s no rule that says your For Rent sign has to be in front of the building with the vacancy. In retrospect it seems like common sense, but I learned to put signs in the busiest and most attractive locations and once you get the calls you can then give them the details about where the vacancies are. The first goal is to get the phone ringing.

By Dan Arnold, author of Stupid Mistakes of a Self-Made Millionaire Landlord.

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The Greater Lowell Landlords Association1080 Main StreetTewksbury, MA 01876

The Greater Lowell Landlords Association1080 Main StreetTewksbury , MA 01876

THE GLLA WAS FOUNDED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF LANDLORDSHELPING LANDLORDS.

ARE YOU BUYING OR SELLING PROPERTIES?

LANDLORDS HELPING LANDLORDS

NAME CONTACT

INFORMATION

BUY ING SELLING # OF UNITS

IN BUILDING

AREA

Manny

Andrade

(978) 835-4101 � 4 Lowel l

Jacqueline

Nevi lle

(978) 761-3618 � 6+ Lowel l

Michael Stucchi

(978) 888-8926 � 6+ Lowel l

Leo Forcier

(978) 251-4229 � 9+, condos Lowel l

Chuck Hirbour

(978) 835-2777 � 1 N.Chelmsford

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