From the OwnerBy Derek Kattenberg

Ever had one of those days that just don’t seem to go right? Amidst the rat race all of a sudden something else unexpected pops up and instead of getting ahead you feel like you are treading water?

Not sure if this will come as good news but… you are not alone! Last year we didn’t receive much rain. A lot of lawns took a beating and are

in need of repairs this year. Early spring we had a major ice storm which broke trees, windows and power lines followed in late spring by a lot of rain. Heavy rain following a drought usually leads to more basements flooding and lawns washing out because of the cracks in the earth between ground and foundation.

All of these things are just added expense to

property owners with basically nothing to show for it in the end. Here is another one of those “undesired expenses”. This spring we had a water line break underground at our acreage. Right in the middle of the driveway! We knew we had a leak because our water bill was almost double. But until a water leak surfaces there isn’t much you can do. One day I was walking across the yard with my dog leading the way and suddenly she stopped and let out a loud bark. There right where she pointed was water starting to come to the surface.

I hired an excavator to dig up the driveway. While he had the driveway tore up, I asked him to cap an old water line that we were no longer using. Twelve hours later we noticed the cattle were not happy—bellowing and milling around. Then we noticed they didn’t have any water. Upon further investigation we found that the excavator had capped the wrong water line and had shut off water to the entire yard! He had to come back and dig up the driveway the second time to fix the mistake and restore water to the cattle.

Last month we had an owner with two properties get hit with the ice storm and his personal house just about burn down by wildfires out west. When you hear of those situations it makes you bite your tongue before complaining about your own.

For many of our out of state or even out of the country clients they are relying on our knowledge to keep their property in good condition. Thanks to all of our clients for their understanding and working through this tough spring.

IN THIS ISSUEFROM THE OWNER

PAGE 2

RECIPEAvocado-Feta Salsa

FAMILY CORNER Parenting in Another Language

PAGE 3

ALL IN A DAY’S WORK Water Damage Restoration

NEW RPM PROPERTIES

LEASES SIGNED LAST MONTH

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LEASES RENEWED LAST MONTH

SCAMMERS GALORE

PAGE 56

SECURITY DEPOSITS

PAGE 6

GLEANINGS “Atlas Shrugged” : Ayn Rand

PAGE 7

PEOPLE AND PLACES SPOTLIGHT

PAGE 8

WHERE IS RPM? We are constantly on the go. Our travels take us around the city, state, nation, and world

IMPORTANT RPM DATES

ISSUE 2

RECIPE: Avocado-Feta SalsaPrep: 20 min.

Make this salsa shortly before serving for best results. Avoid refrigerating it – the texture of the tomatoes will soften.

4 plum tomatoes, chopped

2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 (4 ounce) package crumbled feta cheese

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon salt

2 avocadoes, chopped

Assorted tortilla chips on multi grain

Stir together first 9 ingredients. Gently stir in avocado just before serving.

From the Kitchen of Jackie Stewart

FAMILY CORNER: Parenting In Another LanguageIn “Family Corner” we share the little things in life that make it all worth while

By Sharla Kattenberg

Although perhaps 5% of the NW Iowa population now consists of people with Latino ethnicity, the area is still dominated by the culture handed down by our Dutch predecessors--white, agrarian, and Reformed--with our guiding principles as reserved and precise as our ever-present, marching rows of corn. A coupon in the mail is carefully cut out and saved. Pickup trucks and minivans are the choice modes of transportation. Families with 5-7 children are not unheard of. And everywhere, there are white faces--in church, at the post office, by the swimming pool.

So, although I have not always lived in NW Iowa, and although I obviously know in my head that greater ethnic diversity exists in other parts of the country, I am still a bit taken aback here in Washington, D.C., where I am rubbing shoulders with not only American citizens of a different ethnic background, but also foreign tourists who are chatting merrily in the myriad tongues of the diverse lands from whence they originate. It’s a little disconcerting.

However, today I experienced what was, to me, a funny little moment that transcended all ethnic, cultural, and language barriers, in that universal human experience that is parent-child relationships.

I was at a Smithsonian museum, and I had just walked into a bathroom, which was bustling with people. The entrance was at a

right angle with the row of stalls, so when I walked in, I immediately had to turn left. I paused, because all the stalls were in use--all, that is, except for the one that was nearest the bathroom entrance. In front of this stall stood a distracted-looking woman with long, black hair. She had one hand on the stall door, starting to push it open, and her other hand grasped that of a small boy (age 3 or 4). She was talking rapidly to the little boy in her own language.

To my untrained ears, it sounded like very animated gibberish. But, to my eyes, long practiced in spotting the wiles of naughty little boys, I immediately recognized what was going on.

I know a power struggle when I see one, no

matter what language it is being expressed in. She was clearly telling him to stay “right here” (right outside the stall door) while she used the bathroom. The little boy was staring up at her with a glint in his eyes--he wasn’t saying anything, he wasn’t defying her verbally; he was just giving her THAT LOOK. And, sure enough, as soon as she released his hand, he made a dash for the exit.

I could see that the woman was having that one moment of indecision ... her eyes followed her little boy, while her hand reached out again to the bathroom stall door. The dilemma was written clearly on her face in that split second: to sacrifice a moment of parental peace of mind, or sacrifice her own comfort (i.e. not go pee)???? Of course, like any normal parent, the decision wasn’t long in coming--she threw her hands up in exasperation, deserted the bathroom stall door, and went chasing after her son, out the bathroom entrance and down the hallway.

I am still chuckling over that little moment of parental drama.

It was a brief flash of lucid communication--that one poignant moment of parental angst, leaping effortlessly across the chasm of our differing cultures and languages--assuring me that I am not alone, that I belong to that great sisterhood of mothers, a thronging multitude covering the continents, originating with the first breath of Time.

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People and Places SpotlightBy Derek Kattenberg

One of my favorite past

times is golf. Golf gives

you the opportunity to

get out of the office and

catch a few sun rays. It

is also a great way to

meet new people and

make new friends. This

silhouette picture was

taken at sunset on Willow

Run. I was ready to swing

when Cory Meyer of the

Argus Leader suddenly

ran to his golf cart and

grabbed his phone. In his

profession he looks for

great photo opportunities

like this.

A couple years ago I golfed the SDMHA

annual golf outing for the first time. One of

my team members was Scott Newman of

Farmers Insurance. The other two people

weren’t able to get there so Scott and I

golfed for 4 and had a really good time.

The next year Scott and I were on a team

together and Scott missed the Hole-in-

One hole by less than 6 inches! And no we

didn’t have to two putt this one �

Sioux Falls has some great golf courses.

Whether you are a pro or just like sunshine

like me you will find a course that works for

you. I am often asked which course I like

best but I really

don’t have one.

I do , however

know where I

lose more balls

or where it’s

windier or where

you might find

more shade.

So check out

Sioux Falls and

do some golfing

this summer!

GLEANINGS: “Atlas Shrugged”: Ayn Rand

For years I have looked at Atlas Shrugged as something I should read, but at over 1100 pages in the paperback version or 63 hours for the audio book version it was a bit intimidating. However, once started, I couldn’t put it down. Even though it was written in the ‘50s and reached #3 on the New York Times Best Seller list in 1957, the novel sold over 1 million copies during The Global Financial Crisis of 2007-2008. In April 2009 it ranked #1 in the “Fiction and Literature” category and #15 in overall sales at Amazon.

Why the intense interest both past and present? Why the strong reactions from national leaders? Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas lists Altas Shrugged among his favorite novels and former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said, “... Atlas Shrugged is a celebration of life and happiness. Justice is unrelenting. Creative individuals and undeviating purpose and rationality achieve joy and fulfillment. Parasites who persistently avoid either purpose or reason perish as they should.” Senator Paul Ryan is quoted as saying, “The reason I got involved in public service, by and large, if I had to credit one thinker, one person, it would be Ayn Rand.”

In a nutshell, Karl Marx is credited with saying “From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.” In her novel, Rand, born and educated in Russia, seeks to take this idea to its logical conclusion. As more and more is taken from those of ability to give to those with more and more needs, the producers of the country give up and quit. When the takers outnumber the makers, the makers go on strike and the country crumbles into a dystopian wasteland.

Regardless if you find yourself agreeing with Rand’s philosophy, shaking your head in horror at her idea of the virtue of selfishness, or are caught somewhere in between, there is no doubt that her ideas are front and center in the current debate over the nation’s economic policy, The Affordable Care Act, Sequestration, or Quantitative Easing to name a few.

management company, whose sign happens to still be in the front yard, and fired them. We have had prospects call us names and be angry with us for how horribly we had treated the “owner/scammer”!

Most scams will jump off the page when you know what you are looking for. The supposed ‘seller’ often claims to be ‘over seas’ or ‘out of the country’ this is a convenient excuse so they do not have to meet you. They will often use convincing or comforting words and phrases and use psychological triggers that get an automatic response from you without you realizing it. The latest trend is to tell the potential tenant that they had a falling out with their property manager. This way if you find the property listed for more money you will distrust the manager instead of the scammer.

Protect your family from scams

How do you protect yourself and those you love from this happening?

Buy locally. If you are looking for a home to rent, visit a local licensed property manager who will help you though the entire process.

The old proverb ‘If it seems too good to be true it probably is’ holds true with internet shopping.

Do not give out personal information to anyone without first verifying they are a legitimate business. Doing a quick online search can be very effective for this. Businesses in most states must register with the Secretary of State and can be searched on the State’s website.

The single most important factor in avoiding fraud is this: Learn to trust the feeling in the pit of your stomach. Often people tell us “it

just didn’t feel right.” Follow your instincts.and discussion time participants discussed how to use a self-directed IRA to fund real estate transactions. Not only is this possible, someone at the round table discussion knew something about it!

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INVESTORROUND TABLE

September 125:30-6:30 PM

HJNConference Room 101101 W. 68th St, #101

When?

Where?

NEWPROPERTIES

LEASES

Larch Ave. Sioux Falls

Mesa Pass Sioux Falls

Summit Ave. Sioux Falls

Oakcrest Dr. Sioux Falls

Main St. Lennox, SD

Avalon Ave. Sioux Falls

French Ave. Sioux Falls

263rd St. Hartford, SD

Lowell Ave. Sioux Falls

Covell Ave. Sioux Falls

Nancy St. Sioux Falls

Jeffrey Ave. Sioux Falls

West Ave. Sioux Falls

West Ave. Sioux Falls

26th St. Sioux Falls

Neener Circle Sioux Falls

43rd. St. Sioux Falls

Nye St. Sioux Falls

40th St. Sioux Falls

Leah St. Sioux Falls

Larch Ave. Sioux Falls

43rd St. Sioux Falls

Lowell Ave. Sioux Falls

Harmony Court Sioux Falls

West Ave. Sioux Falls

26th St. Sioux Falls

Nye St. Sioux Falls

Covell Ave. Sioux Falls

43rd St. Sioux Falls

West Ave. Sioux Falls

Glenview Rd. Sioux Falls

29th St. Sioux Falls

Sandra Dr. Sioux Falls

Jeffrey Ave. Sioux Falls

Hofstad Ave. Sioux Falls

Nancy St. Sioux Falls

Redwood Blvd. Brandon, SD

Grange Ave. Sioux Falls

French Ave. Sioux Falls

263rd St. Hartford, SD

ALL IN A DAY’S WORK:Water Damage RestorationBy Jim Slater / ServiceMaster of Sioux Falls

In a matter of moments, carpeting, wood floors, baseboard, walls and ceiling, and personal property can be flooded with water. Who knew water damage could cause so much damage so fast? Here are just a few tips to help if you have water damage, whether it is a sewer back up, broken pipe, failed sump pump, or rain water through a window.

First, you should find the cause of the water damage and get the water stopped if possible. Next, protect your house-hold items. You need to get your belongings out and away from the water and the humidity, do not let items stand in any kind of water if you can help it.

Take pictures of the damaged area and any damage to house hold items; there is no such thing as too many pictures.

Once the water has been stopped, and your personal belongings protected, it is best to call a restoration company that is trained in cleaning and restoring homes and businesses back to pre water damage conditions. A good restoration company will not only bring equipment to your home or business , but they will check on the progress of the drying and make sure that it is dry at the end of the project. On average, water damage will take 3 to 4 days to dry. Often, the company will come back every day to check on the drying process to make sure that all of the equipment is running and drying efficiently. Also, if any equipment needs to be moved around, the technician will take care of that at each visit.

If you as a home owner or business owner decide that you are going to get your insurance company involved, do not wait for the adjuster to come visit to start the clean-up. Especially during weather caused water damage, the adjuster can be overwhelmed with calls. Get started cleaning up even before they come to your home or business. If you need to do any kind of repairs, such as fix a pipe or get a new water heater, you should always keep the part until the adjuster has a chance to see the item before it has been disposed of.

SIGNED

3

Scammers Galore: What to look for while searching the internet for rental propertyBy Derek Kattenberg

How they get your attention

When a person creates a scam online they build off of two main human ingredients. GREED and FEAR

The scammer creates an ad containing quality information (often information they took from another ad) and everything looks correct accept for the pricing. Depending on the size and price tag of the property they will price it $100-500 cheaper than anything else online. Someone who has been looking for a while gets hit with the greedy bug and says “Wow that is a good deal! I better grab it!” They want to hurry through the process because they fear someone else will find this ‘deal’ and it will be gone!

Save your time and money

Scammers are looking for a couple things. First they are looking for quick cash. Last week I had a customer call and she had sent $1200 in a cashier’s check to a scammer. He had promised to send keys and a lease. When she did not receive the items she visited the property to find she had been scammed.

The second thing scammers are looking for is identity. They will ask for a phone number first. If they can get you on the phone they will have better luck getting you to respond in their favor. Also, they will be looking for addresses, credit card and bank info, birthdates and social security numbers. Once they have your information they will either use it personally to gain access to your accounts or sell it on the identity black market where it will be used by people around the globe. Cleaning up the mess after an identity attack can be very costly and time consuming.

A few weeks ago I had a customer call that had been scammed and within 8 hours of her giving out too much personal information her bank account had been hit 4 times.

The Scammer’s Recipe:

• Out of the country doing “Mission Work.”

• Claims not to care about money, only wants a good Christian tenant to take care of the property.

• End’s email or ads with “God Bless You.”

• Has an email address that contains the name of the person on the property tax records. For example: the property owner is listed as John Smith so the email would be johnsmith@yahoo.com. When

someone suspects a scam, they will look up who owns the property. They find that John Smith owns the property and believe the scammer is the owner. Just remember, if you can find out who owns the property from public records, the scammer can too.

• Tells prospects to look in the windows of the property.

• Asks prospects to Western Union or FEDEX money to them and they will send them the keys.

• The scammer will tell a prospect that they had a falling out with their

LEASE

Walts Ave. Sioux Falls

Walts Ave. Sioux Falls

93rd St. Sioux Falls

Walts Ave. Sioux Falls

Bailey St. Sioux Falls

4th St. Crooks, SD

Bailey St. Sioux Falls

St. James Circle Sioux Falls

4th St. Crooks, SD

Walts Ave. Sioux Falls

Walts Ave. Sioux Falls

Bailey St. Sioux Falls

Edinborough St. Sioux Falls

35th St. Sioux Falls

Elm Ave. Baltic, SD

Lancaster Dr. Sioux Falls

Redstone Ave. Sioux Falls

RENEWALS

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SECURITY DEPOSITS By J. Vincent Jones / Woods, Fuller, Shultz & Smith P.C.

Most residential leases call for a security deposit that the tenant must give the landlord prior to moving in. The purpose of the security deposit is to ensure payment of all the tenant’s obligations under the terms of the lease, whether for rent, cleaning, or other purposes. South Dakota limits the size of the security deposit that the landlord may require and sets forth a simple, but strict procedure that must be followed in the event the landlord wishes to withhold any of the security deposit upon termination of the lease.

SDCL § 43-32-6.1 provides that the amount of the security deposit may not exceed the equivalent of one month’s rent. However, the statute provides for an exception for a larger security deposit “where special conditions pose a danger to the maintenance of the premises.” The most common example of such a condition would be the presence of a pet.

What happens if the tenant moves out and the landlord desires to withhold a portion or all of the security deposit? Most commonly, this situation arises when the tenant fails to clean the premises properly or has left damage that requires repair. In the event the landlord desires to withhold any portion of the security deposit, the landlord must follow the process detailed in SDCL § 43-32-24, which provides that the landlord must return the security deposit “within two weeks after the termination of the tenancy and receipt of the tenant’s mailing address or delivery instructions.” Often, since the tenant is moving to a new mailing address, the landlord does not know where to send the security deposit. The statute requires that the tenant provide those instructions in order to trigger the two-week deadline.

If the landlord decides to retain all or a portion of the security deposit, the landlord must follow a specific procedure. Within the same two-week window required for the return of the deposit, the landlord must “furnish to the tenant, a written statement showing the specific reason for the withholding of the deposit or any portion thereof.” The landlord cannot withhold more than is reasonably necessary to remedy the default or return the premises

to its previous condition.

The tenant is not required to leave the leased premises in perfect condition. The premises is required to be in the same condition as when the tenant moved in, “ordinary wear and tear excepted.” Disputes over the condition of the premises at the beginning

and end of a lease are common during eviction proceedings, so it is a good idea for landlords to keep detailed files and photos showing the condition of the premises. Perhaps the most common issues related to “ordinary wear and tear” are holes in the walls from decorations and dirty or worn carpet. It is possible to deal specifically with these issues in the lease contract, and many landlords require a receipt from the tenant showing that the carpet was professionally cleaned upon expiration of the lease.

If the landlord withholds any portion of the security deposit and the tenant makes a request, either written or oral, the landlord must provide the tenant with “an itemized accounting of any deposit withheld.” The more specific the accounting, the less likely a judge is to take issue with it. If the landlord

fails to comply with the requirements of SDCL § 43-32-24, the landlord forfeits all rights to the security deposit. If a court finds that the landlord withheld any portion of the security deposit in bad faith, the tenant may be awarded up to $200 in punitive damages, in addition to any other claims the tenant may have against the landlord.

NOTICE: This article is intended to provide only general information. It does not represent a legal opinion or advice regarding any particular case or issue. Transmission of the information is not intended to create, and receipt of the information does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. For legal advice on a specific matter, please seek counsel.

5

Owner Referral CouponRefer a new owner to Real Property Management and receive

1 MONTH management fee for

Existing RPM Owner (Name; Number & Address):

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________Referred Owner (Name; Number & Address):

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

*New owner must sign a Management Agreement with RPM. Contact Derek Kattenberg at 605-274-7373 for details. Referral coupon must be filled out and presented to RPM.

August 9 Post Owner Draws

August 14-15 Owner Draws Received

September 10 Post Owner Draws

September 13-16 Owner Draws Received

Who do I contact for... Jackie Stewart - jackie@expressrpm.com (605) 274-7373 #103

Derek Kattenberg - derek@expressrpm.com (605) 274-7373 #102

Dan Soper - dan@expressrpm.com (605) 274-7373 #104

Account Questions

Leasing Questions

Main-tenance

Questions

IMPORTANT

RPMDATES

IntroducingDan Soper:Maintenance Manager

When you speak to Dan you will immediately notice that something is not quite right. His British accent immediately makes you feel slightly smarter as he discusses his diary (calendar), his trousers (jeans), and sip his English Tea. Dan has been working as a handyman for Real Property Management for the past three years and

has done a great job. His attention to detail and respect for tenants will be a great aid in delivering the customer service we strive for. Starting in July, he is now coordinating all maintenance operations in the office. He will continue to do the move-in and move-out video documentation, quarterly property walk-throughs, and the Virtual Marketing Tour videos of properties for rent. If you get a chance, please welcome him to the team!

6009 S. Sharon Ave. Ste. 103Sioux Falls, SD 57108(605) 274-7373www.expressrpm.com

FREE*