century21haggerty

Why It's Worth It to Hire a Property Management Company in El Paso: Costs, Services, and Long-Term Savings

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 17:36:44 GMT

If you own an investment property in El Paso, TX , managing your rental property could seem like a fantastic method to save money. Taking care of a rental property, on the other hand, comes with a lot of duties that can be stressful and take a lot of time. And if it isn't handled correctly, it may potentially cost a lot. This is where a business that manages residential properties may truly help.

In this article, we'll talk about the average costs of hiring a property manager, the services they offer, and how hiring a property management company can save you money over time compared to managing your own property.

What does a company that manages property do?

They handle all the day to day operations that are required to manage your property well. Here are the primary services they offer, from finding and screening renters to doing repairs and collecting rent:

1. Finding and screening tenants

A property manager will market your rental property and make sure it gets to the correct people. They will do extensive tenant screenings, which will include:

- Background checks to make sure that tenants don't have any criminal records.

- Checking their credit, job history, and income to see if they can pay rent.

- Checking their rental history to be sure they have a good reputation with past landlords.

This comprehensive screening process lowers the chances of late payments, property damage, or tenant disputes, all of which can cost you money over time.

2. Collecting rent and making sure it gets paid

One of the hardest challenges of maintaining your own rental property is getting the rent on time. Property managers make sure that rent is paid on time and take care of any problems that come up with late payments. If a tenant doesn't pay, they will send them formal notices and initiate the eviction procedure if necessary. This will take the stress off of you when you have to deal with these circumstances.

3. Fixing and keeping up with the property

It's important to keep things up. A property management business makes sure your property stays in fantastic shape by mending leaky faucets and taking care of other urgent repair needs. They have a network of trustworthy contractors and maintenance teams, which helps keep repair costs down because they have built relationships with them. Also, they make sure that repairs are done swiftly so that small problems don't turn into big ones.

4. Following the law and lease agreements

It might be hard to understand the laws about rental properties, especially in Texas. A property manager keeps up with the rental laws in your area, including those in El Paso, and ensures your property is in compliance with them. They also write up precise lease agreements that protect both you and your tenants, which lowers the possibility of legal problems.

5. Dealing with tenants and resolving conflicts

Your tenants can talk to a property manager about complaints, questions, and problems. A property manager can keep tenants for a long time and minimize turnover rates by handling tenant relations in a professional way.

6. Reporting and Accounting

Property managers send out frequent financial reports that show how much money the property makes, how much it costs, and any repairs that have been completed. These reports help you understand how your investment is doing and makes it easier to file your taxes.

What you might expect to pay to hire a property management company in El Paso :

Usually, the cost of hiring a property management business in El Paso is a percentage of the rent you get each month. This is what you may expect:

Management fees are usually between 8% and 12% of the monthly rent. If, for instance, your house rents for $1,000 a month, you might pay between $80 and $120 a month for management services.

Leasing Fees: Property managers may charge a fee to offset the costs of finding and screening new renters. Most of the time, this cost is between 50% and 100% of one month's rent.

Fees for Maintenance and Repairs : You normally have to pay for repairs and maintenance, however property management companies may charge a nominal fee for managing repairs or an administrative fee for receiving maintenance requests.

Other Fees: Some businesses may charge for things like evictions, renewing a lease, or other office work. Make sure to discuss all possible costs ahead of time.

We only charge three fees at Haggerty Company Property Management :

50% fee of one month’s rent - ONE TIME FEE

10% of monthly rent collected - We Only Get Paid If You Do

$75 per tenant inspection performed twice yearly

Why do you need a property manager ?

You might wonder why you should pay for property management services when you could do it yourself. Self-management may sound good, but you should think about the long-term benefits of hiring a professional property manager. Here's why you should spend the money:

1. Save time and stress

It takes time to take care of a property. You need to advertise your rental, set up viewings with potential renters, check their references, collect rent, and fix things that break. You may spend more time on other investments or activities that are important to you when you hire a property management business.

2. Knowledge and Experience

A property manager has a lot of useful experience, especially when it comes to screening tenants, following the law, and knowing the market. They know what a reasonable rent is, how to settle disagreements between tenants, and how to keep your property in great shape. Their experience helps avoid making mistakes that could cost you money.

3. Fewer empty units and better tenants

Property managers are good at advertising homes and swiftly locating good tenants. They can help cut down on vacancy times and find reputable, long-term tenants with their knowledge. You can count on a stable income and fewer surprises if you have fewer vacancies and reliable tenants.

4. Better upkeep and lower costs

You don't want to spend time searching for a trustworthy contractor when something breaks. A property management company knows reliable maintenance workers and can sometimes get better prices for repairs. They also check things out on a regular basis to find little problems before they get worse.

5. Navigating the various laws and regulations

Property managers make sure you follow all local and federal laws, such as those about tenant rights, eviction procedures, and safety codes. If you don't follow these rules, you could have to pay a lot of money in penalties or lawsuits. When you hire a professional, you minimize the chance of getting into legal trouble that could cost you money or hurt your reputation as a landlord.

Here's how hiring a property manager can save you money in the long run:

Less Time Without Tenants: A good property management company can help keep your rental property occupied for longer, which means you avoid loss on empty units.

Lower Costs for Repairs and Maintenance: Property managers frequently get better deals from contractors, and they can stop expensive repairs from happening later by doing maintenance quickly and performing routine inspections.

Professional rent collecting: Property managers make it less likely that you'll get late payments or no payments at all, which keeps your rental income steady.

Avoiding Legal Costs: Property managers help you avoid expensive litigation or fines by making sure you follow all the rules.

Property owners in El Paso who want to save time, lower their stress levels, and make sure their rental properties are well-kept and obey the law should hire a property management company. Long-term benefits like fewer vacant units, better tenants, lower maintenance expenses, and legal protection will save you money and improve your overall return on your investment.

Make your investment property journey easier by turning to the Haggerty Company for your property management needs.

Get in touch today. (915) 757-3445 www.haggertyrentals.com

How to Turn Your Property into a Long-Term Rental

Fri, 19 Feb 2021 17:21:28 GMT

If it’s time for you to move out of your property, your first thought might be to sell it. However, if you have the means and time to turn it into a long-term rental property, doing so can be a huge boon. With a rental management company like Century 21 Haggerty on your side, you can make the most of this opportunity. Here’s how to get started:

Research the Process

You should never go into an investment without a solid understanding of how the process works and if the investment is right for you. So, it’s important to take some time to ensure it’s your best option. In many cases, selling can be a better choice , especially if you’re not prepared to take on the work that comes hand-in-hand with running a rental.

There are also ways to mitigate some of that work. For example, hiring a property management company like Century 21 Haggerty can take all of the work off your plate, and it can go a long way toward making it easier and more manageable — especially for beginners. As a first-time landlord, there is bound to be a world of legal issues and best practices you don’t yet know. Having a property management team on your side can help you learn to navigate this world with confidence.

Protect Yourself

Whenever you begin a landlord-tenant relationship, you open yourself up to potential legal troubles. Although most leases go off without a hitch, it’s important to be prepared for the ones that don’t. There are several steps you can take to protect yourself in such an event. The first is to establish an LLC . Once you have this designation, create a bank account for your LLC and only use those funds for your business. This creates a layer of legal separation between your personal assets and business assets that can be invaluable if you ever face litigation.

On the same note, find a solid landlord-tenant attorney you can turn to for advice and have on call if you ever have issues. You’ll need one on your side to help you create rental agreements, ensure you provide all the proper paperwork, and, if necessary, serve and enforce evictions. Developing this relationship from the start will put you in a far better position if a lawyer ever becomes urgently necessary. Alternatively, you can hire a property management company to assist you with any problems or issues that may arise during the rental process.

Focus on Marketability

Once you’ve decided to get started in property rental and you’ve started the basic steps to protect yourself and your assets, it’s time to look toward making your property as attractive to renters as possible. There are many steps you can take to do this, and many strategies that will work. For most landlords, it’s a matter of combining the methods that make the most sense for your situation.

For example, you can make your property attractive by offering a lower rent relative to the surrounding area. Too low isn’t wise — you don’t want to undercut anyone (including yourself) by offering a property below its fair value. However, if you take some time to investigate the rental rates for properties similar to yours in your area, you can get a sense of the range. Picking a number on the lower end of that range can boost your appeal.

However, it likely won’t boost your profits. If you do want to set your rates a little higher, take some time to think about how to make your property worth that price point. Do you have high-quality appliances? Do you offer any amenities? Is your property in (or within a short walk of) a highly desirable area? These kinds of features can help you justifiably set a higher price point without dashing your hopes of capturing a renter’s attention.

If it’s the right fit for your circumstances, property rentals can be a great way to generate income while simultaneously allowing your property to continue to grow in value to sell down the line. It takes a lot of work and comes with risks, but it can easily be a solid investment that provides rewards for years to come. Make your investment property journey easier by turning to Century 21 Haggerty for your property management needs. Get in touch today. (915) 757-3445

Photo Credit: Pexels

Benefits of Great Customer Service in Property Management

rob@elpasocentury21.com (Rob Carrillo) — Tue, 01 Dec 2020 22:08:26 GMT

Property Managers often have to work a balance towards pleasing clients that don't always share a common goal. Where you have a real estate investor who is trying to accomplish maximum returns while maintaining little expense, you in turn have a tenant who wants great value with affordable rent. Excellent customer service can be an effective way to accomplish getting your tenants the value that they want all while producing those ROI(return on investment) numbers that your rental property owners are looking for.

Cutting Corners

Unfortunately too many landlords often look towards cutting corners that only end up hurting them in the long run. Often we find landlords that forego hiring a professional property management company and try to go it alone so that they can avoid paying property management fees . Not only do they soon find themselves stuck within an industry that involves state and federal laws that they are not entirely aware of, but they also will realize that their rental property and their tenants require frequent upkeep and communication. Ignoring a tenant leads to bad blood and quickly sours a relationship. And ignoring an investment property 's needs often leads to increased costs down the road that could have been avoidable.

Bring in Professionals

Mismanagement and bad customer service leads to a cycle of short tenancies, more vacancies and a loss in revenue. The more investment savvy rental property owner will look towards a professional property management company, like Century 21 Haggerty Property Management, to help improve customer service and tenant relations with advanced tools that allows for constant communication, easy rent payment options, quick work order turnovers and other tenant benefits. They also provide the owners with added benefits such as deferred maintenance inspections which not only checks-in on the tenants, but will also help to catch any hidden maintenance issues that have the potential to grow into a much more expensive issue if not tended to.

Q uality Leads To Quality

With so many landlords competing against eachother for not only tenants but quality tenants, they must understand it is important to present a quality rental property. Professional property management that can provide a tenant peace of mind can lead to the ability for above average returns and longer term tenancies due to reduced turnovers.

Century 21 Haggerty Property Management

Fair Housing Guidelines for Rental Property Owners in El Paso, TX

Fri, 16 Oct 2020 20:00:05 GMT

El Paso rental property owners face many federal fair housing laws and state property codes that must be complied with throughout the El Paso leasing and management process. It’s important that you’re thinking about these laws during the application process, during the tenancy, and during the move-out process.

Following these laws will help you avoid potential risk and liability while protecting you against lawsuits and disputes.

Discrimination and Fair Housing

The federal Fair Housing Act prevents you from discriminating against tenants or applicants based on:

Color
Race
Disability
Familial status
National origin
Religion
Sex

Be careful in your marketing. You might not intentionally discriminate, but if you mention that your property is located next to churches or that it’s “not suited for children,” you may be violating the fair housing laws. Screen every application consistently and provide a written list of rental criteria so potential applicants know what you’re looking for. A written process that’s verified and followed can help you avoid discrimination.

You have to allow service and support animals in your property , even if you don’t allow pets. If you say no to a tenant who needs a service or support animal or if you charge a pet deposit or pet rent for that animal, you’re discriminating against tenants with disabilities.

Leasing Disclosures in Texas

Under Texas law, owners are required to make specific disclosures in the lease agreement. These disclosures include, but are not limited to:

Tenant’s rights when the landlord fails to make repairs
Identity of property managers or others acting on landlord’s behalf
Which fees are nonrefundable, including pet fees
How the security deposit is returned
Parking and towing policies

Your lease agreement has to be specific to the state of Texas and meet all the legal requirements. It needs to include all of your rights and responsibilities as the landlord as well as those of your tenants.

Rent Collection Policy

Your rent collection policy needs to be clear, consistent, and in the rental agreement. Make sure you follow it and hold your tenants accountable to it. You need to notify tenants how much rent is due, when it is due, how it should be paid, and what the consequences will be if it’s late. Charge a late fee every time. If you aren’t consistent with the late fees, or you charge one tenant a late fee but not another tenant, you could be accused of discrimination.

Texas Security Deposit Law

First Steps Landlords Can Take When a Tenant is Not Paying Rent

Fri, 09 Oct 2020 20:42:41 GMT

Late or missing rental payments are always difficult for landlords, and it’s something that every rental property owner fears. To effectively earn money and have a pleasant and stress-free rental experience, you need to know that your rent will come in on time. Proper tenant screening is always a good way to prevent late rent payments, but even good tenants can fall behind once in a while. During the ongoing COVID pandemic, rent collection has been even more uncertain.

When your tenant isn’t paying rent, do your best to keep the lines of communication open. Eviction is a worst-case-scenario and rarely works out well for anyone. Try these rent collection tips, and contact an El Paso property manager if you’re still having trouble getting your tenants to pay on time.

Communicate Openly and Transparently

When tenants are late with rent, they tend to avoid their landlords. Make sure you create a relationship where they’re willing to talk to you. If rent is going to be late, you’re better off hearing about it before the first of the month. All late fees should still apply, but you want your tenants to feel comfortable communicating with you if there’s a problem.

Reach out to your tenant if the rent is late and try and find out what the problem is. Be professional and kind. Usually, you can rectify the issue, especially if it’s an otherwise good tenant. If your tenants are willing to talk to you about what’s going on, you’re more likely to reach a resolution.

Good communication, solid and consistent policies, and an understanding of leasing and landlord/tenant laws will help you collect rent on time every month. If you’d like some help, please don’t hesitate to contact us at Century 21 Haggerty.

Serve a Notice to Vacate

The next step is to provide your tenants with a Three Day Notice to Vacate. You cannot go to the court to file for eviction without serving this notice first. It essentially notifies the tenant that rent has to be paid in three business days, or they need to move out. With the service of this notice, the tenants are informed that you will begin the formal eviction proces s if they refuse to pay or move out.

The best way to serve this notice is in-person. If you can, knock on the door and serve the notice to the tenant or any adult who answers. If you cannot reach anyone, tape it to the inside of the main door or send it via certified mail. You’ll want to document that this notice was served, because you may need it in court.

File for Eviction in Court

If you’re not getting anywhere with your tenants and rent still has not been paid, you’ll have to move forward and file a court notice. Visit the local courthouse in the precinct where your rental property is located. There, you can fill out the paperwork and pay the fee to get the eviction scheduled with the county clerk. Then, the constable will serve the tenant a summons and a court hearing will be set.

Talk to Your Tenants about Credit

Landlord Rental Inspection Checklist: 6 Areas that Should Always Be Included

Fri, 02 Oct 2020 20:37:15 GMT

Routine rental inspections for your El Paso investment property serve a number of important purposes. You have the opportunity to document the condition of the home while checking for any potential maintenance issues . You can seek out deferred or unreported repairs that are needed. Inspections also allow you to plan for larger expenses down the road because when you inspect your property regularly, you’ll be able to estimate when a new roof or an updated water heater will be necessary.

Inspections are part of any preventative maintenance plan, and your checklist should include these six items every time.

Air Conditioning and HVAC

The weather in El Paso and throughout Texas can be extreme, especially in the summer with high humidity and intense heat. This means your rental property’s cooling system will work hard throughout the year. Tenants will need air conditioning. Since your HVAC system is one of the most expensive functions in your home, so you want to make sure it’s running as efficiently and effectively as it can.

Checking your air conditioning unit should be part of every inspection you conduct. It’s also a good idea to have the system serviced annually. Have an HVAC technician check and clean the coils, the fans, and the vents. You want to make sure it’s working properly, thereby extending the life of the system. The tenants will appreciate this as well. There will be less of a risk that it breaks down during the hot summer, and a healthy cooling system will improve their air quality and keep their energy costs down.

Inspect the Rental Property’s Roof

High winds, intense rains, and unforgiving sun are all part of the climate in El Paso. The roof of your rental property will be exposed to all of these elements. Inspect the roof for any missing shingles or signs of deterioration. Look for problems with insulation or any potential ways for water to get inside. Clear any debris and trim back trees.

Checking Window Locks and Security

Windows need to open, close, and lock. You should check the windows every time you inspect the rental property to ensure they’re doing those things. If windows aren’t in great shape, consider replacing them. Vinyl windows are a terrific option. They’re cost-effective, low maintenance, and they insulate the home properly. Window coverings should be checked too; you don’t want breaking or snapping window blinds making the property look run-down and unkempt.

Make Sure Doors Comply with the Texas Property Code

The Texas Property Code requires that all exterior doors on your rental property:

Include a doorknob lock or keyed deadbolt
Have a keyless bolting device such as a deadbolt
Include a peephole or door viewer.
Include a door pin lock and either a security bar or a handle latch when there’s an exterior sliding door.

Make sure you check the security of your doors when you’re inspecting your rental property. Test the locks and the deadbolts, and if you’re conducting the inspection between tenants, be sure to change the locks and rekey the property.

Inspect for Leaks and Check Water Shut-off Valves

Water can damage your property faster than anything else. Every inspection should include checking for leaks under sinks and around toilets and tubs. Look for any evidence of plumbing problems and inspect the water shut-offs. Make sure your tenants know where to find those shut-offs in case there’s an emergency. Look at the irrigation systems in your landscaping and make sure your property is protected against water intrusion and damage.

Safety Checks for Chimneys

Should I Rent Out My Home in El Paso or Sell it?

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 19:55:44 GMT

Deciding whether you want to sell or rent out your property is a very personal decision and there’s no single answer that’s right for everyone. It will depend on your financial situation and your plans for the future.

Our team talks to investors and homeowners in El Paso who are moving into a different home or leaving the area for work or other responsibilities, and they’re not sure what to do with their property. Today, we’re helping you answer that question for yourself, and standing by to provide any additional tools, resources, or experience that you might need.

Selling: Consider Short and Long Term Financial Goals and Needs

If you need some immediate cash fast, it’s better to sell your property. Renting out a home can build wealth and earn you incredible profits, but it’s not going to happen right away. You need to settle into a long term investment strategy in order to make real money as a rental property owner. So, if you’re looking for money to use as a down payment on a new home or you want to invest elsewhere or put a child through college right now; selling is better for you.

When you don’t have an immediate need for the equity that’s in your property, it might be better for your financial future if you rent out the home. You’ll earn some regular cash flow and hold onto your asset while it continues to appreciate in value. Long term investors will earn more by renting out the property.

Renting: The Value of a Great Tenant and a Maintained Home

As a rental property, your home has the potential to earn you regular income. A property with positive cash flow has higher earnings than expenses. So, if your mortgage payment is $1,000 per month and your taxes, insurance, and other expenses add up to $300 a month and you’re renting the home out for $1,500 per month, you’re earning a bit of cash every month when the rent is paid. Even if you’re breaking even with your income and expenses, remember that there are still several benefits to renting out your property:

Your tenant is paying down your mortgage.
Your asset is increasing in value.
Your tenant is taking care of the property.

If you’re keeping your property well-maintained and occupied with a great tenant who pays rent on time and follows the terms of your lease, a rental will provide income and ROI for as long as you own it.

Renting: Tax Benefits

How Do I Calculate a Rent Rate for My Investment Property?

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 20:18:33 GMT

As you’re deciding what to list your El Paso rental property for, remember that the local rental market drives your rental value. When you’re calculating a monthly rent, you want to make sure you’re setting yourself up to earn as much as possible in rent every month. But, you don’t want to price the home so high that you’re left with a vacant property no one wants to rent.

Today, we’re using our experience as an experienced El Paso property management company to talk about rents and how you can determine what your property is worth. Accessing reliable data is extremely important in attaching a rental price to your property, so get some help from professionals when you need a comparative market analysis. That’s our best advice.

Understanding the El Paso Rental Market

If you’re like most landlords and investors, you’re expecting to earn enough in rent to cover the property’s mortgage and other expenses, and maybe even earn some extra cash every month. This is certainly possible, depending on your loan payments and the properties in your portfolio. But, the price you place on your rental will depend on what’s going on in the rental market , and whether there’s a demand for homes like yours.

Before you price your property, take a look at the market. If there’s a lot of competition and a large numbers of homes like yours, you’ll need to be more competitive in your pricing. If the market is tight and it’s hard to find a home as well-maintained and well-located as yours is, you can probably ask a little bit more.

The strength of the current rental market is really what’s going to drive your price. This can be a source of frustration to owners, especially if you want to earn a specific amount. But, you have to strategically calculate your rental amount and not arbitrarily put a rental price on your home based on what you’re hoping to earn. It’s essential to know the market and how it’s performing.

Conduct a comparable market analysis, which will tell you what homes similar to yours are renting for in the neighborhood. You need good and recent data to price your property effectively.

Location Has an Impact on Monthly Rent

Calculating your property’s rental value needs to include its location. If you are renting out a single-family home in a great neighborhood with a good school system or a new construction condo in a walkable area, you’re going to be able to charge a lot more than you could if your property was in a less desirable zip code without access to good schools, commuter routes, and recreation. More remote properties will usually rent for less.

Impact Your Rental Value by Improving Your Rental Property

Property condition is one thing that you can actually control when you’re establishing a rental price. You’ll want to use this to your advantage and make sure you’re maximizing your rental value by offering a clean, attractive, and inviting home.

When you allow your property to look worn and run down, you’re losing monthly rent money. Keep it well-maintained, and make some strategic upgrades and updates. You’ll be able to charge more in rent when you provide improvements such as:

Fresh paint.
New carpet or hard surface flooring.
Updated hardware like drawer pulls and faucets.
Better lighting inside and out.
Energy-efficient appliances

How Long Does It Take to Find Good Renters in El Paso?

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 20:45:25 GMT

It shouldn’t take you more than a few weeks, or even a few days, to find a great renter in El Paso. Our recommendation, however, is that you don’t rush it.

Every landlord and investor has heard a horror story or two about terrible tenants. You don’t want to be stuck with a renter who doesn’t pay or destroys your property. It’s worth your time and resources to slow down and find a tenant who can be relied upon to pay rent on time and take good care of your home. A good rental experience starts with a great tenant.

While it’s important to take your time, you don’t want the vacancy days to add up. It’s important to find that well-qualified tenant quickly so you can get your rental income flowing.

High quality tenants in El Paso are always looking for well-maintained homes in desirable neighborhoods, and finding them shouldn’t be a problem. If you want to find and place them quickly, it’s important to ensure your property is rent-ready, priced competitively, and marketed strategically.

It also helps to work with a professional El Paso property management company.

Make Your El Paso Property Rent-Ready

To find a qualified tenant quickly, you need to provide a great rental home. Expect the best tenants to have high standards when it comes to cleanliness and curb appeal. They’ll want an attractive and comfortable home that feels welcoming and spacious. Make sure everything inside the property works before you open it up to showings. Pay attention to landscaping and lighting. You want the best tenants on the market to be able to imagine living there.

Price your property competitively as well. Spend some time doing a comparative market analysis so you know you’re in the right rental range. A home that is priced too high will take longer to rent.

Strategic Rental Property Marketing

A good marketing plan will attract good tenants swiftly.

You’ll get your best results with an online advertising plan. List your home for rent on some of the hundreds of rental sites that attract tenants in El Paso. You can even create a website that showcases your home, or work with a property manager on leasing so that your listing will be featured on their website.

Share your home for rent on social media. Take some professional pictures, write a great and detailed description that includes pertinent information like price, property size, and rental terms, and post that listing all over the internet. You’ll need as much exposure as possible.

Screen Your Tenants with Urgency

5 Innovative Building Materials for a Rental Property that are Low-Maintenance

Wed, 02 Sep 2020 16:38:50 GMT

If you own a rental property, one of the best ways to raise its value is to remodel it with some innovative materials that don’t require a ton of maintenance. Thankfully, there are tons of options right now for property owners looking to remodel, so let’s take a look at some materials you might want to consider using for your next rental property remodeling project.

1. Steel Siding

Steel siding is one way to modernize the exterior of your rental property while also improving its durability. Unlike vinyl siding or wood siding which requires occasional maintenance, steel siding is incredibly durable and unlikely to ever need maintenance or repairs.

One of the great things about steel siding for rental properties is the amount of stylistic diversity available. For example, there are even steel siding color options designed to look exactly like real log siding.

2. Quartz Countertops

Not only is quartz one of the most attractive materials out there for countertops, it’s also great for rental properties because of its incredible durability and low-maintenance requirements.

Quartz isn’t porous, so it stands up well to spills and is hard to stain. It’s also not fragile like marble, meaning it won’t chip or crack. Quartz makes for great durable countertops because of its heat-resistance as well.

3. Acrylic Solid Surfaces

Acrylic is another option for countertops and other surfaces if you want a less expensive alternative. Acrylic comes in many different colors and patterns and is also incredibly durable. It can also be installed without seams, making for much easier cleaning and lower maintenance requirements.

4. High-Quality Door Trim

It’s not uncommon to see door trim coming loose and letting air and moisture in through the gaps between it and the siding. One way to eliminate this issue is by installing some higher-quality exterior door trim around the edges of your doors. By installing durable and high-quality lintels and pilasters around your doors, you can rest assured they will stay firmly in place for years to come.

5. Wooden Floors

Replacing a carpeted living room with wooden floors is a great way to remove the need for vacuuming. Wood floors don’t trap dirt and are infinitely easier to keep clean than carpet. Premium hardwood floors are also very durable and shouldn’t require anything more than the occasional sweeping and mopping.

Low-Maintenance Materials Can Raise the Value of Your Rental Property

Tenants looking to rent are generally looking for places without high maintenance requirements. By installing innovative materials like quartz or acrylic countertops, high-quality exterior door trim, steel siding, or wooden floors, you can drastically reduce the amount of maintenance required to keep your property clean.

Materials that are durable and simple to clean are what you should focus on. Hard, non-porous materials and seamless designs will go a long way towards lessening the amount of effort it takes to keep your property clean. This will help you attract more potential renters and raise the value of your property as well.

Matt Lee is the owner of the Innovative Building Materials blog and a content writer for the building materials industry. He is focused on helping fellow homeowners, contractors, and architects discover materials and methods of construction that save money, improve energy efficiency, and increase property value.

How is the El Paso, TX Rental Market for Real Estate Investors?

Sat, 18 Jul 2020 03:51:26 GMT

Understanding the local rental market is one of the first steps to successfully investing in rental properties. Whether you’re hoping to buy your first investment property or you’re looking to increase the diversity and wealth potential in your existing real estate portfolio, El Paso is an excellent market for investors interested in rental homes. Today, we’re talking about why it’s a great place to buy real estate.

El Paso Rental Homes are Affordable

Entering the real estate market in a coastal city like San Francisco or New York is nearly impossible. Prices are high and inventory is tight. El Paso, on the other hand, is full of opportunities for investors of every level. The properties here are affordable, especially by national standards. It’s currently a buyers’ market, which means investors can find great homes for low prices. It allows you to start your investment process on a profitable and positive note.

El Paso Rents are High

There’s more good news for investors who are interested in an El Paso property : rents are high. In fact, you can often find neighborhoods where rental income will surpass the amount of your mortgage payment. This sets you up for some great cash flow and provides you with stable rental income even while your asset is appreciating and growing in value.

There’s a stable tenant pool in El Paso. You won’t have to worry about high turnover or vacancy rates. This stability makes the region a great area for investors.

El Paso Economics: Growth and Military

The El Paso economy also contributes to the desirability of the market for real estate investors. There are plenty of industries that are doing well in El Paso, and new companies are moving into the area all the time. This provides a great supply of residents who are looking for well-maintained homes.

There’s also the economic power of the military presence in El Paso. We’re very close to Fort Bliss, which has over 30,000 military personnel coming and going to the base to serve in the army. Often, these soldiers and their families are looking for housing, and that provides a lot of opportunity for landlords and rental property owners who have homes to offer our military.

Accessing El Paso Property Management

If you’re interested in investing in El Paso rental properties but you’re not local to the area or you’re not sure you have the time and the resources that are necessary to ensure a successful investment experience, don’t worry. There’s some great property management in El Paso , and companies like ours can help you have a profitable and a pleasant rental experience.

Texas Landlord-Tenant Law & The Eviction Process

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 21:26:40 GMT

Evictions are unpleasant and expensive, and when you’re looking for professional El Paso property management , make sure you’re working with a company that has a low eviction rate but a thorough understanding of the eviction process in Texas and how the landlord and tenant laws apply to removing a tenant from your property.

At Century 21 Haggerty Property Management , we handle evictions for you and you don’t have to pay any of the court costs associated with eviction. This sets us apart from other property management companies; they usually pass the $150 court cost onto owners.

We are comfortable with our eviction position because with our team, evictions are rare. We screen tenants very carefully and we develop professional, respectful relationships with them. This keeps our eviction rate down and it means non-paying tenants are rare.

If you do find yourself having to evict a tenant, make sure you get professional help. You have to follow the law or risk putting yourself in legal jeopardy.

Texas Evictions and Court Procedures

In Texas, the eviction process cannot start until you have served your tenants with a Three Day Notice. Most evictions happen because the tenant isn’t paying rent. You can also evict when you notice a lease violation and the tenant refuses to comply with the rental agreement. However, most of the owners we work with are evicting because they cannot get their tenants to pay rent.

The Three Day Notice must be delivered in person or sent through the mail. After the three days have come and gone, if you still have not received the rent, you can go to court and file for the official eviction. It’s not a difficult process, but you have to be detail-oriented. Even a simple mistake can mean your case will be thrown out and you’ll have to start over.

Tenant Responses and Court Hearings

El Paso tends to be more pro-tenant when it comes to enforcing the landlord and tenant laws in Texas, but when you can prove that your tenant has not paid rent and you have the necessary documentation, you will be able to get your eviction without much trouble.

We are very good at documenting everything. We have innovative accounting software that makes it easy to demonstrate when rent is late and what we’ve done to try and collect it. This makes it easier for the courts to rule in our favor during an eviction. Documentation is critical.

One of the big misconceptions about eviction court is that tenants can show up for their eviction hearing and claim that they didn’t pay rent because the landlord didn’t fix something. This will not make nonpayment of rent acceptable and again – we document everything, including repair requests and follow-up. There is no way a tenant will get away with not paying rent when our team is managing your property.

Relationships and Responsibilities in El Paso Property Management

Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid When Tenant Screening in El Paso

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 18:41:30 GMT

Tenant screening is an important part of renting out your El Paso property. When you are eager to fill your vacancy quickly, it’s easy to make a mistake. However, mistakes are expensive when it comes to screening. If you violate a fair housing law, for example, you can face fines and penalties that are thousands of dollars. And, if you don’t screen properly, you may place a bad tenant, which will only cause you stress and cost you money.

We’re looking at the five most common mistakes that landlords make when they are screening tenants, and how to avoid them.

Not Establishing Rental Criteria

The most important thing you can do before you begin screening tenants is to establish some rental criteria and be consistent about using that criteria. Everyone will have different standards for the tenants they approve. Maybe you want someone who has been employed at the same place for at least two years. Perhaps you’re looking for a credit score of at least 600.

Whatever your standards may be, put them in writing and provide them to potential applicants. This will save their time and yours because they’ll know if they have a good chance of being approved before they go through the application process. It also allows you to document your screening process and demonstrate that you’re fair and consistent.

Violating Fair Housing Laws

A common mistake we see landlords make is violating fair housing laws. This can easily happen if you’re not aware of what the state, local, and federal fair housing laws are. If you’re not familiar with the requirements, make sure you contact an El Paso property management company for help placing and screening tenants . You can be fined thousands of dollars for violating fair housing standards.

In El Paso, you may have multiple tenants applying for the same property. You need to be fair in the way you screen and select your tenants. It’s important that you screen the applications in the order that they were received. So, the applicant who turns everything in first needs a chance to be screened, get approved, and sign the lease. You need to provide 24 hours for your first approved tenant to take the home before you can move onto the next applicant on the list. You can’t pass over one approved applicant for another. That’s a fair housing violation.

Not Screening Fast Enough

You have to move quickly when you’re screening tenants. Obviously, you want to be thorough. But, you cannot take weeks before you get back to an applicant about whether or not they’ve been approved. At Century 21 Haggerty Property Management, we have the technology and the tools to screen quickly. We get back to applicants within hours and we don’t leave them waiting for days and weeks. This is especially important for military families who want to avoid the additional costs of a hotel while they’re looking for a place to live.

Not Screening Thoroughly

Speed is important, but so is attention to detail. When you’re screening tenants, we recommend you look at the following things:

Credit history
Rental history
Criminal history
Eviction history

We also recommend that you verify employment and income. These are the basics, and you must make sure you’re looking at whether each applicant meets your standards. Don’t skip the process.

Not Collecting an Application Fee

El Paso Professional Property Management vs. Self-Management

Fri, 26 Jun 2020 22:22:20 GMT

A lot of rental property owners wonder if they can manage their own homes , and it’s certainly possible. If you have the time and the resources needed to effectively lease, manage, and maintain your rental property, there’s no reason you shouldn’t. However, you need to be aware of the commitment that’s required and the level of knowledge that’s needed. Many landlords begin managing their own properties and then realize they aren’t equipped to deal with things like late rental payments, emergency maintenance, and security deposit disputes.

If you’re wondering whether you should hire professionals or manage on your own, there are a few key things you need to consider.

Professional El Paso Property Management Saves Money

You might think you’re saving money when you manage your own rental property , but there are hidden costs that many landlords don’t think about. For example, the longer your property is vacant, the more money you’re going to lose. Professional El Paso property managers can often rent out a home faster and for more money than landlords who are doing it themselves.

A professional can often save you money on maintenance as well. Property managers have excellent relationships in place with vendors and contractors, allowing their clients to access the best rates and most cost-effective repairs.

You also have to think about what your time is worth. Spending all of your weekends and evenings showing a vacant property, putting together lease agreements, and coordinating painters, cleaners, landscapers, and other professionals before a tenant moves in can cost you hours, days, and even weeks.

The amount you pay in a management fee more than covers the services and value you receive. Renting a property for more money and to better, long-term tenants will save you in the long term and ensure your cash flow is consistent.

Resources and Systems Make Management More Efficient

Another good reason to work with a professional El Paso property management company is that you will have a hassle-free experience. You won’t have to do anything; your property managers will have all the systems and processes in place to ensure rent is collected on time, the lease is enforced, and your home is inspected. The value of your asset will be protected and you won’t have to worry about preventative maintenance, screening vendors, or accessing a lease agreement that’s legally compliant in Texas.

Individual landlords do not have the resources and tools available to them that professional managers have. We do this full-time, every day. This means we have a lot more experience, and we can do things like tenant screenings, move-out inspections, and emergency maintenance without any delays or mistakes. Nearly everything is automated and we also personalize the management of your home depending on what you need and what your tenants are expecting from us. We handle property management accounting , we accept rent payments online, and we document everything. Self-managing landlords don’t have the technology, software, or experience that allows for faster and more effective management.

Legal Mistakes are Expensive for Self-Managers

How To Confirm Tenants Are Changing A/C Filters

rob@elpasocentury21.com (Rob Carrillo) — Fri, 12 Jun 2020 15:32:33 GMT

As we enter the hottest months of the year we have to prepare for tenants running their air conditioning systems much more frequently on the homes they are renting . This of course also means that tenants need to be on top of changing a/c filters regularly to not only ensure that they are getting adequate airflow, but also to avoid any costly a/c repairs. While it is highly recommended that property managers regularly perform inspections on the home, typically these are performed every 6 months. It is unrealistic that a property manager can perform a home inspection every other month to make sure something like regular a/c filter replacement is being performed. However, if the tenant is not swapping out these filters in a timely manner, then the rental property owner could be facing unexpected repairs or replacement that is not only expensive but could possibly end up disrupting their cash flow. So how can this challenge be solved?

As a homeowner, even I have a hard time remembering when its time to change my a/c filter. Sure I have a reminder service on my thermostat that even emails me when it's time to change, but now I have to make time to run out to the store to buy one. If even I find this simple task an exhausting one on my own home, just imagine what is running through a tenant's mind when they are faced with the same situation on a home they are renting. Procrastination ensues.

We took this challenge and decided to do some research on how we could address this. With some internet research and discussions with property management groups we were introduced to the Second Nature Filter program . With this program we were able to enroll our tenants into a subscription program that delivers high quality filters to their doorstep every other month. Essentially they have a reminder to change their filter on their doorstep and it removes them needing to make time to go to the store to purchase one. Going one step further, these filters are stamped with dates to help us make sure that they are being changed regularly. Second Nature even provides us a web portal which makes it easy to to start, stop and pause subscriptions as well as other features such as tracking shipments and the ability to order replacements for any damaged ones. The tenants pay a very small monthly fee that is included with their per month rent and is similar to what they would be paying if purchased at the store. In the long run it even saves them money since the up-to-date clean filters help avoid reduced a/c efficiency which tends to lead to higher utility costs.

A win-win situation in that the tenant's rental property is staying cool and comfortable while the rental property owner is reassured that they are getting the best value out of their investment property while avoiding any unexpected surprises and costs.

Century 21 Haggerty Property Management

www.c21rentals.com

11400 Sean Haggerty Suite 202B

El Paso, TX 79934

915.757.3445

5 Things Self-Managing Rental Property Owners Are Not Aware Of

Wed, 20 May 2020 17:25:05 GMT

Many owners of rental properties don't realize that owning a rental property is very much different from managing a rental property. Often times the assumption is that the hard part was purchasing the investment property . Now the easy part starts with collecting rent and making sure the occasional maintenance issue is taken care of. Unfortunately, this will lead to a rude awakening as you start to realize that there is much more to property management . You soon become aware that there are a few things you were not prepared for or even aware of. This is right around the time you discover that ownership is much easier than property management. Below are 5 things that a majority of rental property owners are usually not aware of as potential issues that can lead to big problems.

Fair Housing Laws

Landlords are generally not very familiar with the many fair housing laws attached to renting out a property. Example of this would be the numerous times I have been asked not to rent a house to a family with more than 2 children or not to rent to a military family since they can leave if they get orders during their lease. Either of these are a big no-no and can get you into some big trouble as well as leave you open to a lawsuit. There are quite a few other examples that can be considered discriminatory and must be avoided. Navigating through these fair housing laws is paramount when planning to rent out your home .

Background Check

Of course you want to do a background check on the prospective tenant, but there are some procedures that must be negotiated during this process. First, you must have it in writing and signed that this person is allowing you to perform a background check on them that includes pulling a credit report. Further, before you collect an application fee and run the background check, it should be clearly stated what the application requirements are. Should the applicant be rejected, you then must provide an Adverse Action letter immediately which informs the tenant of the reason on why they are being denied. The reason for this is because it is required by law and secondly because it will clearly show that you are denying them based on lawful and credible reasons and closes the door on them making any accusations of discrimination. Lastly, you must inform the applicant that they can request a copy of the same report that you received as long as they contact the reporting agency within 60 days.

Evicting

Eviction isn't just filing some paperwork, showing up on your court date, telling the judge how you have been wronged and then case is closed in your favor. As with everything else property management, there is a process that needs to be followed and executed otherwise you will walk away very confused and frustrated. First, you need to provide the tenant a 3 Day (Pay or Quit) Notice and there is certain information this notice must include. Next, the manner in which you service this notice must be followed correctly as well depending on your State Property Code. Should you fail in this, be prepared that there is a good chance the judge will dismiss your case and you will have to refile, make another payment for court fees and wait for another court date so you can try again. All this and we haven't even covered what is expected of you when you actually get to court and appear before the judge. Not to mention what you are and aren't allowed to do after you prevail in court and are awarded the eviction judgement.

Service Animals

It's understandable that many owners do not want a pet in their rental property . The fear of the damages these pets can cause will sometimes lead to an owner willing to take a chance that their property will remain on the market as long as they can get a no pet tenant. However, if the tenant has a service animal then there may be no choice in the matter. First, the animal needs to be a certified service animal or a doctor prescribed emotional support animal. There is documentation that must be provided but beware, there are many online sites that for a fee will allow a tenant to print out a very real looking certification. If the animal is a confirmed service animal then they are to be treated as medical equipment and not a "pet". Therefore, you cannot deny them from living with the tenant, you cannot deny them from living inside the home, you cannot impose breed restrictions and you cannot charge pet rent or pet deposits on them.

Security Deposit

While collecting a security deposit is a great resource to provide financial protection to landlords, they can also be a major liability if not handled or disbursed correctly. Many states do not allow for the commingling of the security deposit funds. Meaning, a landlord can not deposit the security deposit into a personal bank account or an account in which they deposit the rent payments. On move out, once your tenant turns in the keys and provides a forwarding address the clock starts ticking. Most states require that you either return the security deposit or send the tenant an itemized list of what was charged within 30 days. If not done in a timely manner, you could be on the hook for 3 times that security deposit amount. You then need to verify that whatever you charged the tenant for can be determined to be due to tenant negligence and not the result of what your state might consider normal wear and tear.

While it may be true that self-managing can help provide you with the opportunity to save on professional management fees, it also means that you will be experimenting with what may be your single largest investment. Mistakes have the possibility of leading to financial losses or lawsuits. If this is your first rental property or you don't feel completely confident in all the challenges that property management will throw at you, perhaps you should hire a professional property management company . This may provide a safer way to maintain your investment property, allow you the opportunity to learn more about rental management and provide you more free time that will enhance the benefits of owning a rental property.

Century 21 Haggerty Property Management

www.c21rentals.com

11400 Sean Haggerty Suite 202B

El Paso, TX 79934

How to Grow Your Own Vegetable Garden

Thu, 07 May 2020 16:37:59 GMT

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

We all have thought about growing our own vegetable garden, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic currently happening in the world. Nowadays, going to the store has become increasingly difficult because of all the restrictions and the possibility of becoming sick. Before the pandemic, it was a tedious task that not a lot of people wanted to complete but these days it is something that we all want to do just to get out of our homes . Finding any kind of food or other necessities has also become extremely hard which is why preparing a garden of our own can make things feel less chaotic and more in our control. It is an understandable response to the chaos around us and it one that can really benefit our lives in many ways which is why we have created a list on how to get started in our dry climate city.

Choosing the Right Location

When we decide to finally add a garden in our backyard then there are a lot of key factors that go into it before we finally begin creating our ideal garden. We can’t just plop down on the ground and begin shoveling dirt and placing seeds. Finding the correct location for our vegetable garden or any kind of garden is extremely important. For example, most vegetables will need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight every day so a sunny location is an ideal area for your veggie garden. Another factor in having a successful vegetable garden is to choose a location that has a leveled surface of soil without rocks to prevent the veggies from being in pools of water. Lastly, our city sometimes deals with a lot of harsh dust storms and heavy winds which can lead to a lot of damages in the vegetable garden. To avoid ruining our gardens, we need to pick a location in our backyard that will protect our garden from harmful weather and heavy foot traffic.

Choosing the Right Vegetables for You

Sometimes we just want to plant everything, especially when we first start out in gardening. However, growing a vegetable garden takes time and consideration in choosing the ideal veggies for our needs. Instead of adding any kind of vegetable to our garden, we need to consider if we will actually eat them and avoid overplanting. Although we can plant as many of the same vegetables as we want, sometimes we won’t be in the mood for all of those veggies which is why we recommend only planting a handful of them. Another way to decide on what kind of vegetable to plant in our gardens is to consider the availability of these veggies in stores and which vegetables are better when home-grown like lettuce and tomatoes. Lastly, planting home-grown herbs can save us a lot of money if we like to use a lot of herbs when cooking and it can save us a trip to the store.

High-Quality Seeds

We can put a lot of time and money into our vegetable gardens and when our plants do not germinate then it feels like it was a waste of time. Sometimes plants do not germinate because we might have used seed packets that are not of high-quality. Instead of purchasing less expensive seeds, we can buy straight from a nursery to receive high-quality seeds that will pay off in the long run.

Arranging Your Vegetables

Arranging our plants can be really simple if we are only planting a few plants, but if we decide to grow a full garden then it is important to know where each vegetable will go and when each needs to be planted. For example, during the cool-season like springtime it is the ideal time to begin growing spinach, lettuce and root veggies while in the hotter season, we can begin growing peppers, tomatoes and so on. It is also important to plant the cool season crops after the “spring frost” and then plant the warm season veggies in the exact location later on in the season. It is also crucial to avoid blocking sunlight from smaller plants with taller plants. To avoid doing this, we will have to plant the taller plants on the north side of the garden so the smaller plants can receive the same amount of sunlight during the day as the taller ones.

Tanya Torres is a content writer for Brian Burds at Century 21 Haggerty who has written several publications as a freelance writer for KISS-FM, Fusion Magazine, El Paso Times and so on.

Tenant Video - How To Program Your Garage Door

Thu, 30 Apr 2020 17:15:58 GMT

Watch this fun and informative video as Nick Haggerty with Century 21 Haggerty Property Managemen t goes over how to set up your garage door and free yourself should it get stuck. It's a mission he doesn't take lightly as he battles his way through many obstacles, overcomes the "main boss" saves Princess Richard and even throws in some Emilio Esteves and Maximum Overdrive for good measure. In the end, we hope this video can assist our tenants when they move into their new rental property and offer some help should they find themselves with a stuck garage door.

Complete video guide on how to:

Program your garage door remote to your garage door opener
Program your garage door keypad to your garage door opener
Engage the manual release in case your garage door opener stops working or gets stuck.

For more informative property management info and videos, hop on over to www.c21rentals.com .

Century 21 Haggerty Property Management

11400 Sean Haggerty Suite 202B

El Paso, TX 79934

915-757-3445

Planning to Manage Your Own Rental Property?

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 17:16:01 GMT

Having your own investment property can be an exciting and rewarding business venture. If your property is in good condition and you find the right tenants, you stand to earn a lot of money from your rental.

Initially, it may seem like a great idea to manage your own rental property and keep full control over costs, tenants and income. However, self-management and "For Rent by Owner" can often be a headache. When something breaks down or your tenants are late on rent, you bear the sole responsibility to address it and ultimately resolve it. Hiring a professional property management company can be worth every penny, especially if you're looking to grow your real estate investment portfolio over time.

Professional property managers can help to avoid legal liabilities from Fair Housing and Fair Credit Reporting Acts, state landlord/tenant laws and local regulations. Property managers will also have resources available to them that can help perform services for less such as credit reports, marketing, inspections, rent collection and access to vendors that offer better pricing for maintenance and repairs. You’ll also be less likely to lose income from tenants who don’t pay their rent or rents that end up being below market. In addition, you will see better marketing, lead generation and response rates that help fill your rental property quickly to avoid periods of vacancy.

Of course we understand the idea of hiring a property management company to manage your rental property can be a difficult one. While it can be appealing to think of a professional handling the day-to-day administration of your rental property, it is understandable that it's not always easy to hand over something as important as managing your rental property. However, you will find that in the end, employing a quality property management company like Century 21 Haggerty Property Management is typically the best choice and far outweighs the benefits that come with managing properties on your own. In addition, services such as marketing, tenant screening, lease contracts, round-the-clock maintenance, eviction protection and an in-depth knowledge of the El Paso and Las Cruces rental market are what Century 21 Haggerty provides their property owners. Contact us now and see how Century 21 Haggerty can help take a load off your plate and give you the peace of mind you’re looking for with your rental property investment.

Century 21 Haggerty Property Management

www.c21rentals.com

11400 Sean Haggerty Suite 202B

El Paso, TX 79934

915.757.3445

WHY RENTAL PROPERTY OWNERS TRUST CENTURY 21 HAGGERTY FOR EL PASO PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Tue, 28 Apr 2020 07:00:00 GMT

Investors and rental property owners in El Paso trust Century 21 Haggerty to be their property management company. Today, we’re taking a moment to talk to you about what makes us different.

El Paso Property Management: Accountability

We understand that placing the right tenant in your home in the shortest amount of time possible is the most important part of the rental process. We are a results-oriented company that holds itself accountable. We pride ourselves on our philosophy, which is: we don’t get paid until you get paid.

If your property is vacant, we don’t get paid. If your tenant doesn’t pay rent, we don’t get paid. We earn 10 percent of the rent that’s collected. It motivates us to be your best property manager every day. For that 10 percent, you get full service property management . There are no no marketing fees, no maintenance coordination fees, or hidden fees that will nickel and dime you. You want to keep as much of your rental income as possible.

Full Service El Paso Property Management

Here’s what we mean by full service property management:

We’ll take care of the marketing. This includes a sign in your front yard, photos of the inside and outside of your home with placement on over 30 websites that we use to market your property . We also do video walk thrus and 3D Virtual Tours on your property. In addition, we include aggressive online marketing as well. We also work on lead generation. We don’t wait for renters to come to us. We seek out clients who may be interested in renting your property. A Realtor conducts showings and walks prospective tenants through your home, answering questions and explaining what is expected.

Tenant screening is thorough and rigorous. We conduct background checks, check credit and criminal history, as well as rental history. We verify income and employment. All contracts are also handled by us, from the property management agreement to the lease.

We take care of rent collection and accounting. All of your information is available through your online portal, which you can access 24/7. We help you with your end-of-year taxes as well.

Maintenance coordination is seamless. Tenants can reach us at any time when a repair is needed, and we send a qualified contractor who is licensed, insured, and bonded. The vendor will assess the situation, and we’ll submit an estimate for your approval.

If your tenant does not meet their obligations, we handle the eviction process from start to finish. That includes filing in court, appearing in court, and taking possession of the home. This is at no extra charge to you.

El Paso Property Management: Technology and Communication

As a veteran-owned business, we understand the unique challenges that active duty military members and their families face, especially with deployments and overseas duties. We will protect and promote your property when you aren’t here locally. With our expert technology, we can provide communication from anywhere in the world, 24 hours a day and seven days a week.

If you have any questions about the El Paso Property Management services we provide, please contact us at Century 21 Haggerty today.

Covid-19: Mortgage Relief Programs for Real Estate Investors

Fri, 24 Apr 2020 19:53:47 GMT

As the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic sweeps across the US and the rest of the world, many real estate investors and landlords are feeling the financial effects of this crisis. With so many people losing their jobs, a lot of people can’t pay their rents, which makes this a really difficult time to be a renter. Consequently, this is also affecting owners of rental properties who depend on rental income to cover monthly mortgage payments, utilities, taxes, insurance, maintenance, etc. Fortunately, the CARES Act offers mortgage relief programs that’ll keep real estate investors and landlords affected by COVID-19 from falling into debt in 2020.

Keep in mind: mortgage relief for real estate investors is the suspension of payments on a rental property mortgage loan. Meaning, this relief is temporary and the debt doesn’t just go away. Instead, lenders don’t collect loan payments during what’s called a “forbearance period”. So, you still owe the skipped payments – just at a future date. Lenders won’t report you to a credit bureau, but they’ll typically continue charging interest on your unpaid debt.

Here’s a list of coronavirus mortgage relief options available that you can benefit from as a real estate investor in the US housing market 2020.

Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL)

On March 27th, President Donald Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (or CARES Act). The $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package aims to support the US economy by providing financial assistance to struggling industries and individuals during this pandemic. If you’re interested, you can read the entire document here. There are several new programs under the CARES Act that provide help for small businesses, sole proprietors, independent contractors, and those who are self-employed. However, one of the most beneficial mortgage relief programs for real estate investors is the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL).

The US Small Business Administration (SBA) is currently offering special disaster loans for small businesses with less than 500 employees who were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. These loans help businesses pay their payroll, rent, monthly mortgage payments, utility, and other operating expenses. These loans are available to most real estate businesses including brokerages, agents, wholesalers, appraisers, property managers, inspectors, as well as individual landlords and real estate investors. For those who qualify, the current terms of this loan program are as follows:

You may borrow up to $2 million in disaster assistance
Loan terms up to 30 years
Interest rates of 3.75% for businesses and 2.75% for non-profits
The first 12 months of mortgage payments are automatically deferred
No penalties for early repayment

Federally-Backed Mortgage Payment Deferral

Another section of the CARES Act deals with mortgages and foreclosures, including eviction moratoriums and mortgage reliefs. The act directs lenders holding federally-backed mortgages to suspend borrowers’ payments for 3 – 12 months if they suffer from lost income due to the coronavirus outbreak. Under this provision, landlords and multifamily investors with a federally backed mortgage (by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA or other federal administrations) can request mortgage forbearance for at least 90 days. Also, under the direction of the FHFA, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will suspend evictions and foreclosures on single-family mortgages for at least 60 days.

Exercising your right under this provision won’t impact your credit score and your lender will waive any late payment fees during this time. Investors are eligible for mortgage forbearance regardless of whether their property is owner-occupied, a second home or an investment property. What’s more, you also have several repayment options at the end of the forbearance period including lump-sum payments, increasing monthly payments, or adding extra payments to the end of your mortgage loan term. Since Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are the largest mortgage financiers in the US, this coronavirus mortgage relief program is a significant one that will be felt by millions of property owners and real estate investors across the country.

There are a few conditions that apply, nonetheless. First of all, borrowers need to demonstrate financial hardship due to COVID-19 to be eligible for the 90-day mortgage relief. The borrower must also be current on monthly mortgage payments as of February 1st, 2020. In addition, owners of multifamily properties who receive mortgage reliefs can’t evict tenants for not paying their rent due to the coronavirus and can’t charge late fees due to the late payment of rent.

State Government Mortgage Relief Programs

Besides mortgage reliefs that the CARES Act has to offer, certain state officials across the nation have rolled out their own relief programs for borrowers whose mortgage loans aren’t backed by the federal government. Among these states’ officials is New York’s Governor Andrew M. Cuomo who allowed the Department of Financial Services (DFS) to issue an emergency regulation. The New York mortgage relief program requires state-regulated financial institutions to provide residential mortgage forbearance for a period of 90 days to any individual residing in New York who shows financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

California’s Governor Gavin Newsom also announced that most major banks will provide mortgage relief to property owners, a development that will benefit independent rental owners suffering financially due to the coronavirus. The California mortgage relief program also requires financial institutions to not report late payments to credit reporting agencies for borrowers taking advantage of COVID-19-related relief. And for at least 60 days, financial institutions in California will not initiate foreclosure sales or evictions.

Likewise, Washington State’s Governor Jay Inslee announced a mortgage forbearance program that allows homeowners to delay mortgage payments for up to 12 months without interest. And finally, New Jersey’s Governor Phil Murphy has also announced a coronavirus mortgage relief program. Under the NJ mortgage relief program, eligible borrowers will receive a 90-day forbearance period for mortgage payments. Also, financial institutions in NJ will not report late payments nor initiate foreclosure sales or evictions for at least 60 days.

For real estate investors, we recommend staying updated on your state’s programs and reaching out to your lender directly to ask about what mortgage reliefs they currently offer.

Relief for Airbnb Short-Term Rental Owners

If you own a vacation home rental listed on Airbnb, you’ve likely felt the impact of the coronavirus pandemic as well. As travel restrictions and social distancing measures continue to take place, Airbnb hosts are dealing with decreased bookings. Recent Airbnb data from Mashvisor show that hosts are also facing a loss of rental income which many depend on to cover their monthly mortgage payments and other expenses. In an attempt to help cover some of the losses Airbnb hosts are facing due to the coronavirus, the company set up a few relief options, including a $260M Airbnb relief package for hosts.

Under this relief program, Airbnb hosts who face booking cancellations can claim 25% of what they would usually charge when guests with check-in dates between March 14 and March 31 cancel their stays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, the company set aside an extra $10 million to help its “Superhosts” — those who are experienced, have high response rates and high overall rating scores. Airbnb Superhosts can apply for grants of up to $5,000 if they meet certain criteria, such as having a maximum of two active listings on the short-term rental site.

The Bottom Line

If you’re a real estate investor who’s worried about staying above water during the COVID-19 pandemic, you’re not alone. If the crisis is impacting your rental property business or even your ability to pay for your primary residence, there are many mortgage reliefs available to you in 2020. We highly recommend applying for and taking advantage of the programs that you may qualify for.

By now, you must be wondering how to apply for the CARES Act or other coronavirus mortgage relief programs. Every lender or servicer is different, but the most important thing to know is that you should contact your lender as soon as you think you need help. Don’t keep waiting until you miss a payment or until your mortgage payment is due. You may miss a payment and your lender will report it to the credit bureaus which will hurt your credit score. No one wants a missed mortgage payment to appear in their credit history. This is especially true for real estate investors who face stricter requirements when applying for an investment property mortgage loan. A missed payment can affect your ability to borrow more money for additional properties. So be smart and plan ahead.

4 Rules Landlords Must Follow to Get Through the Pandemic

Wed, 22 Apr 2020 17:52:18 GMT

It’s doubtful anyone in the world will make it to the end of the summer unaffected in some way by the COVID-19 pandemic. If not you personally, you probably will know at least one person who has been affected financially or been diagnosed with the virus or maybe even someone who was unfortunately defeated by COVID-19.

The tragic dilemma is many of us will end up being touched by all of the above.

Although there is a lot to take in overall during these crazy times, I wanted to provide real estate investors some insight into how we as property managers are handling these unprecedented circumstances.

As a property manager firm for over 1,000 residential units and 350-plus owners, we are currently doing all we can to be sure the owners we manage come out of this situation in the best-case scenario possible. Below are a few rules landlords should follow to have the greatest chance of surviving the next six months with a limited hit to your bottom line.

1. Follow Local & Federal Mandates

Since the middle of March, there have been many changes to what we can do as everyday U.S. citizens. Most of us have been confined to our homes and neighborhoods for over a month now because our local governors have put mandates in place at the advice of the medical experts worldwide.

It’s important for us to all do our part to stop the spread, but some of these local and federal mandates have put in place some new rules for landlords to follow. Some even stop them from going about “business as usual.” These mandates are local, so we encourage you to seek information from your community to ensure you are compliant.

The CARES Act

On March 27, 2020, the U.S. government passed the CARES Act, which lays out many rules for landlords to follow, as well. The act put in effect a moratorium through July 24, 2020, which prohibits a landlord from not only filing evictions for nonpayment of rent or other amounts due under the lease, but also from charging late fees, penalties, or other charges related to nonpayment of rent.

Under this act, however, not every landlord is included. The CARES Act only applies to a property occupied by a tenant pursuant to a residential lease if the property participated in a covered housing program or other housing voucher program like Section 8. The other exception is anyone that has a federally-backed mortgage loan like Fannie Mae. Review the act in detail to see what else may apply to you.

State Tenant Protections

Even if your property doesn’t fall under the CARES Act, your local city or state may have a moratorium on eviction filings, late fees, and sheriff evictions. This is why it is important to understand what is going on locally and for how long.

For example, here in Illinois, we are not allowed to have open house showings, and you are not allowed to show a tenant-occupied rental unit to prospective new tenants. Real estate is, however, still considered essential. These types of decisions were made by the Governor’s Executive Order that most states have in place. But again, details will vary state by state.

2. Have Empathy

If you’ve been poking around on the internet, you’ve probably read about landlords that are attempting to manage a property with a “business as usual” mentality. They want to enforce the lease and rent deadlines and are not open to making exceptions or concessions. From what I’ve observed, this method doesn’t seem to be working for those landlords, and they may actually trigger the opposite outcomes with their tenants.

As mentioned in the beginning, everyone is being touched by this pandemic in some form. Trying to aggressively or forcefully get what you want may not be the best approach in these times.

As a property management company, we hoped our tenants would be the exception—they wouldn’t be suffering financially or physically from coronavirus. But at the same time, of course, we went into April prepared for some tenants to be facing financial hardship.

We wanted to collect every dollar we could for our clients, but we realized right away it wasn’t going to be the usual 97 percent collected by the 5th of the month in the upcoming months. We first prepared our clients, the landlords, for this reality, and then went to work on how we can be flexible with our tenants while still maintaining the goal of collecting 100 percent of the rent eventually.

Going into April was difficult because we had yet to write a clear process for how to handle every scenario. But the framework for the process we did create started with the desire to work with people and approach each tenant’s scenario with empathy and consideration for their level of setback caused by the pandemic. We understand we are not the tenant’s only monthly bill, and paying rent is not always the first priority.

Over the last few weeks, we have seen all the ways in which our tenants have been affected by the pandemic and stay-at-home order. We have seen some tenants laid off with the inability to file for unemployment yet. Some are small business owners whose income has disappeared in recent weeks. Others fear losing their job. This is why it is crucial to keep in mind that many are likely dealing with bigger issues.

No matter what the current circumstances are for our tenants, we want them to hang up the phone or finish reading our emails with a little comfort in knowing we understand what they are going through. In addition to understanding, we want them to know we are here to help them get through the next few months.

There was an article published on CNBC recently outlining how to respond with empathy to a tenant. The article even provides a great template that you can use to create your own letter.

3. Know Your Options

Like our tenants, landlords are facing similar challenges and uncertainties in how to maneuver these next few months. It is important that all landlords are being proactive as opposed to reactive.

Talk to Your Lenders

In these last few weeks, lenders and loan servicers have been scrambling to do what they can to prevent a collapse in their operations. The last thing the government and lenders want right now is for the stay-at-home order to set off any sort of downward spiral of troubled loans. Prevention measures being taken by lenders are a good thing for borrowers and can be a source of relief for landlords experiencing timely rent collection issues.

If you have a loan on any of your properties, you should call your loan servicer to see what programs they are offering. Many lenders are offering payment deferment or forbearance programs and/or short-term loan payment conversion to interest-only. We have even seen reduced interest rates for the next three months to lower the borrower’s payment short-term.

Most lenders have a plan for how they can help their borrowers, but most of them will not call or email about what they can do for you. It is up to you, as the borrower, to reach out to the lender to find out your options.

Landlords that have loans backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may have some of the best options available. You can visit the Fannie Mae website, KnowYourOptions.com, to understand all that is there to help both you and your tenant.

Unemployment

The unemployment rate is at its highest level since the Great Depression, and it is getting worse with each weekly report on the number of people filing. The CARES Act states that independent contractors can now be eligible for receiving weekly unemployment benefits. These changes to the current unemployment eligibility requirements may be an option for landlords.

Many landlords are also real estate agents, and for the first time ever, real estate agents that are not W-2 employees can now receive these benefits. Check with your state unemployment website to see if you qualify. Realtors looking for more information can visit the NAR website.

The process to file for unemployment can be stressful in and of itself, but fortunately, the date your benefits begin will be retroactive—even if it takes you a week to get into the system.

4. Don’t Try to Evict Your Tenants

Evicting your tenants is not even an option in most places right now. Even if you can start the process, you may hit a roadblock in the weeks to come when a state or federal mandate brings the eviction to a halt.

For more on eviction and rent payment protections covered by the CARES Act, check out CRS Reports.

One scenario where we feel for the landlords right now is those who have properties with tenants-gone-bad before the pandemic hit. These tenants didn’t lose their job, get sick, or have a reduction in hours. They were just tenants struggling to meet their lease obligations.

Many landlords that were trying to work things out or be lenient with tenants in March are now stuck with that tenant in a legal system that is pretty much shut down. The new mandates have left those landlords with little power to remove the tenant at the current time.

Consider Cash for Keys

So, what do you do with a tenant that already owes you a few months’ rent and knows they cannot legally be removed through the eviction process?

Here in Chicago, we are still able to negotiate with tenants using the “cash for keys” option. This is a legal agreement between the tenant and landlord drafted by an attorney, which offers the tenant a specified amount of money to vacate the premises on a certain date.

In these cases, we lay out the total expenses a landlord may incur between now and when we could utilize the court system to remove this tenant, then negotiate a number that is less than that.

How you remove a tenant that was already behind going into March or a tenant that is violating the lease in other ways is of course determined on a case-by-case basis. It is important to consult with an attorney on what options you have locally, in addition to potential risks you may open yourself up to. Make sure you have a plan you can see through to the end before you start executing it, because these are uncertain times. The legal system may not have too much empathy for landlords trying to remove tenants, even if it is a justifiable circumstance.

Seek Legal Advice Locally

Everything stated above, like most other info you can find on the internet, is not legal advice. This blog is merely a framework for options you should explore but still have confirmed by the legal community.

If you don’t have an affordable attorney you can consult for legal advice, it’s very important you start building professional relationships in the industry like these. Ultimately, it will benefit your career. If you have a property manager, ask them about someone you can talk to in their network.

Most leases are not built to be accountable for a global pandemic, so the decisions you have to make may go outside the boundaries of your current lease guidelines. Therefore, the decisions you make over the next couple of months just might lead to legal issues down the road.

As a landlord you should make sure that you or your property manager are seeking legal advice on decisions, forms, and negotiations that are happening throughout this situation. While attorneys might not even have exact right or wrong answers to questions pertaining to the coronavirus crisis, they can assist you in reducing long-term risk by guiding you through short-term decision-making.

It’s very important to remember that during this difficult time of fear and confusion, we are all in this together. Typically when a tragedy or natural disaster occurs, the effects are limited to a city, state, or country. When something happens, we hear about it in the news or read about it online and think about how horrible it is that it happened.

We may even relate it to something that has happened close to us. But almost immediately we return to our own day-to-day with the overall event having little short- or long-term effect on us. In this instance though, there aren’t many corners of the world that will not be affected by this pandemic, which means everyone is truly in it together.

As investors and property managers, we hope all of this passes as quickly as possible, and we genuinely believe we all have the ability to work together for the best possible outcomes. Please remember to be kind to one another, be responsible, and most importantly stay healthy and safe.

Century 21 Haggerty Property Management

www.c21rentals.com

11400 Sean Haggerty Suite 202B

El Paso, TX 79934

Rental Property Maintenance During Covid-19

Fri, 17 Apr 2020 18:18:12 GMT

Property managers and landlords might be wondering what their responsibilities are when it comes to maintenance during COVID-19. You should communicate with your tenants how you are preventing the spread of COVID-19 at your properties and share best practices for maintaining a safe and healthy environment. Your tenants will be looking to you for information on how to submit maintenance requests, how common areas are being managed and cleaned, how to pay rent, and other important property information. Be proactive with your outreach and COVID-19 outbreak prevention and management.

Consider these actions for your property and tenants:

Post your updated cleaning policies in common areas.
Provide up-to-date contact information and inform tenants where they can find the most up-to-date information. (Social media is a great tool for this.)
Follow CDC cleaning recommendations and social distancing guidelines.
Make sure your property is taking steps to follow your local Stay at Home or Shelter in Place orders.
Routinely clean surfaces, especially high-touch areas.
Consider increasing your janitorial or cleaning schedule.
Offer hand sanitizer and additional cleaning supplies, if available, especially at multifamily properties.

RESOURCES FOR LANDLORDS AND PROPERTY MANAGERS

Top Real Estate COVID-19 Resources: Updated for Landlords and Property Managers

The Ultimate State Guide to Coronavirus Information

PROPERTY MAINTENANCE DURING COVID-19

Property managers and landlords are tasked with addressing maintenance issues at their properties, to protect the property, prevent damage, and keep tenants safe. You must follow your state and local laws in regards to habitability at your properties.

In light of social distancing requirements, however, you might need to change how you prioritize maintenance requests and how your vendors handle entering tenants’ homes. Look to your state and local laws about required property maintenance and how to maintain the implied warranty of habitability at your properties.

Consider the following when updating your maintenance policies during COVID-19:

Online maintenance requests
Prioritize maintenance requests
Essential vs non-essential repairs
Social distancing during repairs

ONLINE MAINTENANCE REQUESTS

The easiest way to safely collect and review maintenance requests is by offering your tenants a way to submit maintenance requests online . Online maintenance requests give your renters an easy way to communicate maintenance issues by submitting a request and uploading a photo of the problem area.

With an online maintenance request system in place, you can evaluate maintenance issues and determine how they will be handled, without needing to first see the issue in person. You can review requests, assign requests to vendors, and track the request while keeping your tenant informed of its progress.

PRIORITIZE MAINTENANCE REQUESTS

Try to prioritize your maintenance requests and address emergency maintenance right away. Follow your state and local laws about what essential services need to be fixed right away. This often includes safe access to water, heat, and plumbing.

ESSENTIAL REPAIRS

Work with your tenants to determine what maintenance needs to be addressed right away and how it can be safely handled to keep your residents and maintenance personnel safe. You will also want to keep the safety of the property mind; for example, a leak that could create unsafe and expensive damage.

SOCIAL DISTANCING DURING REPAIRS

Create a maintenance plan for your team to safely enter your tenants’ homes to perform necessary repairs. You should communicate this plan to your residents and your maintenance team.

Consider the following precautionary measures:

Ask tenants to keep the required distance, per CDC guidelines, from any personnel while entering the home.
Have your maintenance team keep the same required distance from any tenants
If possible, ask if tenants would be willing to stay in another room while repair work is being completed.
Provide protective gear for your maintenance team, including:

Gloves
Face covering or protective mask
Booties to cover shoes

Consider asking anyone who enters your tenants’ homes to take off shoes before entering the property, if the work or job allows them to do so safely.

ADDITIONAL SAFETY MEASURES FOR PROPERTY MANAGERS AND LANDLORDS

Review CDC guidelines and OSHA requirements to ensure a safe and healthy work environment for you and your team.
Check-in with your insurance company to see if there are extra precautions or actions they are recommending at this time.
Speak with your attorney for further guidance on what is considered essential maintenance and how best to provide services to your renters in light of any Stay at Home or Shelter in Place orders. You need to understand your requirements as a housing provider to provide a safe and habitable home for your renters while also preventing the spread of COVID-19 and keeping your residents safe.

FINAL THOUGHTS

During these challenging times, it is crucial to ensure that you have a plan in place before a major repair needs to be addressed. Proper planning and a full understanding of CDC recommendations, combined with excellent communication, will allow you to care for your property and your tenants while maintaining a safe and healthy environment for everyone involved.

Century 21 Haggerty Property Management

www.c21rentals.com

11400 Sean Haggerty Suite 202B

El Paso, TX 79934

915.757.3445

8 Benefits of Using a Property Management Company

Wed, 15 Apr 2020 20:46:09 GMT

Owning a rental property can be a great source of additional income. However, it also comes with the added responsibilities of property management, including upkeep, repairs and marketing. If you’re asking yourself “do I need a property manager?” — consider these eight benefits of using a property management company. A property manager will:

1. Screen out problem tenants

One of the biggest benefits of property management is that the property manager will handle tenant screening. Experienced property managers see hundreds (or thousands) of applications, so their trained eyes are more likely to notice potential red flags when reviewing an applicant’s paperwork. They’re quickly able to spot good tenant qualities, such as paying rent on time, taking care of the property and more. Letting them manage the tenant screening process can improve your chances of landing a reliable renter.

2. Act as the point of contact for tenant concerns

If something breaks at your property, it’s not always convenient or possible to drive over to the unit to inspect it yourself (especially if it’s in another town or state). A property manager can address problems at all hours of the day and arrange for a service provider to repair or replace the item. Or, if you have a tenant who always seems to have a complaint — be it the noisy neighbors or the dog who relieves itself on the front lawn — you can breathe easy knowing that the property manager is the point of contact for those types of calls.

3. Market your rental

Property managers are skilled at rental marketing, including writing rental ads, taking high-quality photos and hosting open houses. They also have local real estate knowledge and will be able to help you set a competitive rent price. Hiring a property manager with marketing experience can help fill your property sooner and reduce the time it sits vacant. If you plan to market your property yourself, Zillow Rental Manager offers a hassle-free way to list your rental on multiple high-traffic websites. In fact, according to the Zillow Group Consumer Housing Trends Report 2019, 84% of renters use online resources when shopping or searching for a home — so it’s a good idea to list your rental on the right sites to attract those potential tenants.

4. Decrease tenant turnover

Good property management companies know how to keep their renters happy. They are responsive and available, and they take care of problems when they arise. Happy renters are also less likely to look for another place to live and more willing to accept reasonable rent increases. Of tenants who choose to stay in their current lease, 50% think their home is a good value for the price and 40% say they love the place they rent.

5. Ensure rent is paid on time

Because property management companies deduct their fees from the monthly rent, they are motivated to keep those payments flowing in. Consistent rent collection is key to receiving rent payments on time, and using a property management company will help enforce lease policies if payments aren’t received. If tenants are consistently failing to pay their rent on time (or at all), the property manager will know how to deal with the situation, including issuing an eviction notice if necessary. Payment collection can be a common issue — the typical renter spends 29% of their income on rent, and a significant share of rental households are one large expense away from being unable to pay.

6. Avoid potential legal issues

Property managers understand landlord-tenant laws and fair housing laws, which can help you avoid potential lawsuits and save time, money and energy in the long run. They will also typically take care of any lawyer fees associated with evictions or property damage issues. If you’re not comfortable handling things like evictions, signing and terminating leases and handling rent and security deposits, you may need property management company expertise.

7. Save you money on maintenance and repair costs

Using a property management company may also come with discounts for maintenance services if the property managers work with a regular service provider or employ an in-house maintenance staff. They can perform regular inspections and find issues before they turn into bigger problems, which will reduce the number of emergency repair bills.

8. Reduce your rental headaches

If someone else is handling the daily management of your rental property and tenants, you’ll have fewer complications and commitments to worry about. If more time and less stress are key to your quality of life, using a property management company can be a great asset.

These are the benefits of property management. Investing in a rental property can contribute to your monthly cash flow and build long-term wealth — but day-to-day property management isn’t for everyone. If you just want additional income from rent and don’t want to be responsible for the details of your rental investment, consider all the property management benefits that you’ll receive for a percentage of your rental income.

Century 21 Haggerty Property Management

www.c21rentals.com

11400 Sean Haggerty Suite 202B

El Paso, TX 79934

915.757.3445

Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Hire a Property Manager

Mon, 13 Apr 2020 21:32:42 GMT

It’s the new American Dream. Earning wealth through passive income from one or more rental properties. Of course, if you manage this real estate on your own, then you already know there’s nothing passive about it.

From water leaks to post-rental clean-ups, communicating with renters to advertising the property, rentals can quickly eat up your precious time. Of course, if you don’t keep on top of these responsibilities, you stand to lose money.

That’s some catch-22, right? Fortunately, hiring a property manager can revolutionize your life.

But what does a property manager do? Read on for five reasons you should hire a property manager and how they work.

1. Get Help with Maintenance

DIY projects may sound fun at first, but when you’ve got emergency plumbing or electrical issues going on, it’s a whole different situation.

Add to this 3 am calls to your house line to complain about these problems, and you’ve got the makings of a nightmare. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

When you hire a property management company, they’ll take care of all property repairs. And they’ll do it in a timely fashion so that you avoid rental downtime.

In fact, a good property management company will have a dedicated service crew as well as numerous contacts for extra big jobs. Providing solid, consistent maintenance for your tenants is a win-win for you and them.

2. Representation When You Live Out of Town

Dealing with renters proves a particular challenge when you live far away from your property. Scheduling basics such as rent collection, property inspections, and basic maintenance can take on unnecessarily complicated proportions.

But when you have a property management company close by, they’ll handle all of these details for you. Not only does this arrangement make life easier for you, but your renters will appreciate having someone close at hand, too.

3. Keep Renters Happy

Creating long-term relationships with tenants is one of the best ways to ensure a steady income from a rental property. When you work with a professional property management company, you gain the key to customer satisfaction.

Property management companies specialize in dealing with renters. They excel at customer service and bring the highest levels of professionalism to the table. They show your renters that you mean business in a good way.

4. Stay Legal

Landlords face costly legal battles every single day. Why? Because they show a lack of professionalism and legal knowledge when it matters most.

When it comes to proper notices, eviction procedures, and lead and mold disclosures, do you know the law backward and forward? What about for fair housing regulations or housing and building codes?

There’s no shame in answering no to these questions. But do yourself a favor and hire a property management company to handle the legal side of real estate for you. That way, you can avoid lost money and time in court.

Remember, ignorance is not an alibi. Instead, get the right team on your side. Then, start enjoying your newfound peace of mind.

5. More Business

Whether you own a beach condo, urban flat, or boutique apartments, your worst enemy as a landlord is a vacancy.

Fortunately, you can kiss vacancy goodbye with a property management company. Why? They have a wide range of resources to ensure your next renter shows up tomorrow rather than next month or next year.

From highly visible listings on Zillow and Trulia to internet advertising and property showings, they’ll help you keep your property occupied and your pocketbook full.

Why You Should Hire a Property Manager

When you hire a property manager, you take the guesswork out of making your rental property profitable. You also provide your tenants with better customer service and a higher level of professionalism.

Century 21 Haggerty Property Management

www.c21rentals.com

11400 Sean Haggerty Suite 202B

El Paso, TX 79934

915-757-3445

Assistance and At Home Resources for El Paso Tenants

Wed, 08 Apr 2020 18:36:06 GMT

Many people are experiencing unexpected difficulties during the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Century 21 Haggerty Property Management has compiled a list of some of the available assistance programs and resources below.

To learn more and stay up to date about the steps you can take to keep safe and healthy during the coronavirus outbreak, refer to Coronavirus.gov, offered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the White House. You can also visit USA.gov to learn more about the government's response to the outbreak.

Assistance

1. Texas Workforce Commission

To apply visit twc.texas.gov or call 800‐939‐6631.

Anyone who has been separated from their job or their normal work hours have been reduced.
Benefit amounts are based on past wages and can range anywhere from $69 to $600 weekly.
Benefits available to self-employed and "gig" workers as well.
Resources for child care for Essential Workers.

2. The Salvation Army

Apply by calling 211 to create a case.

Only Veterans at this time are eligible to apply
Will be open to help fund the public once the COVID‐19 situation calms down a bit.
Funds are dispersed approximately within 15 days
Documents needed DD214, current lease, SSC, NTV

3. El Paso County GeneralAssistance Socorro Rd.

https://www.epcounty.com/famcom/generalassistance.htm https://www.epcounty.com/famcom/documents/GA_Applicati on.pdf

https://www.epcounty.com/famcom/documents/reg‐en.pdf

Anyone is eligible to apply
Funds are dispersed approximately within 30 days

4. Project Bravo community ActionProgram

https://www.projectbravo.org/ , https://www.facebook.com/ProjectBravoEP/

Central 2000 Texas Ave, El Paso TX 79901 T: (915) 307‐4951 F: (915) 307‐5109

Westside 7000 5th St, Canutillo TX 79835 T: (915) 877‐7694 F: (915) 877‐7695

Northeast 8815 Dyer St, El Paso TX 79904 T: (915) 757‐0199 F: (915) 751‐1844

Eastside 14901 Whitetail Deer, El Paso TX 79938 T: (915) 565‐1377 F: (915) 225‐5187

Ysleta 8908 Old County Dr, El Paso TX 79907 T: (915) 629‐7664 F: (915) 591‐1264

Lower Valley 13680 Socorro Rd, San Elizario TX 79849 T: (915) 872‐3915F: (915) 225‐5187

Assistance available for low income families.
Funds will be available beginning April 2020
All claims will be processed in order of date received.

5. Veterans Assistance Office

4641 Cohen Ave. 915‐759‐7990 ext 1

Please call, offices are currently closed.
An emergency case can get started with the county by emailing efmontelongo@epcounty.com.

6. General Assistance Info

https://www.needhelppayingbills.com/html/el_paso_county_assistance_prog.html
United Way 866-211-9966

Free Services

Free Internet Access

Spectrum Cable Provider, 1‐844‐579‐3743

In an effort to ensure Americans have necessary access to online resources, qualifying households with students can get 60 days of FREE access with a Spectrum Internet account. Available for households with K‐12 or college students. Limited to new accounts who do not already have a Spectrum Internet subscription. Installation fees will be waived
In addition, Spectrum WiFi hotspots will be open for public use.

Local Food Pantries

North East

Katie’s Pantry

4801 Sun Valley

Mon‐Fri ‐ 10am‐2pm

Central

Kelly Center For Hunger Relief

915 N.Florence

Tues‐Fri ‐ 10am‐2pm

Lower Valley

Camino De Vida

7822 San Jose Rd.

Mon‐Fri ‐ 10am‐2pm

Socorro/Clint/San Elizario

El Pasoans Fighting Hunger

9541 Plaza Circle

from 9am‐3pm

West

Abundant Living Faith Center West

7100 N.Desert Blvd

Mon‐Fri ‐ 10am‐2pm

At Home Resources For Parents

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/reviewedcom/2020/03/18/free-educational-classes-and-programs-kids-home/5064311002/

https://www.weareteachers.com/free-online-learning-resources/

Utilities

Many utility service providers may be suspending disconnections or offering special allowances or programs at this time. We recommend that you check directly with your service provider if you have concerns about your service.

Restaurant Workers

Grants for restaurant workers who have been impacted by COVID-19: The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation has information on grants available for restaurant industry workers affected by coronavirus. There are some qualifications for the grant based on time worked in the industry. More info at https://rerf.us/

Century 21 Haggerty Property Management

11400 Sean Haggerty Suite 202B

El Paso, TX 79934

915-433-4457

www.c21rentals.com

Property Managers Needed Now More Than Ever

Tue, 31 Mar 2020 21:52:03 GMT

With the havoc that the Covid-19 virus has released upon the world, we have seen that now more than ever professional Property Management companies are needed in El Paso. In the time of "social distancing", "stay at home mandates", "shelter in place orders" and quarantines in general, owners need Property Management companies like Century 21 Haggerty that have been embracing advanced management technologies for years now. We are uniquely positioned to be able to execute beyond what many other Property Management companies and self-managing owners can.

Being licensed realtors, we are considered an "Essential Service" and can operate during Shelter in Place mandates where others can not.
Our property management systems and files are cloud based meaning we have access to them from wherever we are. Even from our phones.
Management and staff communications can be performed remotely. We even currently utilize virtual assistants within our staff model.
Rents can be paid multiple ways. Along with the ability to pay at our office tenants can also pay by: phone app, website and we even offer them the option to pay their rent at their closest CVS Pharmacy and Ace Cash Express.
We can offer tenants Virtual 3D viewings of the homes, they need not even step into the home should they choose not to.
Leasing documents can be emailed and signed electronically. No need to sign paper documents.
On move-in day tenants can gain access directly at the home. Digital lockboxes hold keys eliminating the need to go to an office to pick up keys.
Maintenance work orders can be placed online or through their phone app which also includes the ability for the tenant to submit a photo which can be very beneficial to help determine the severity of the issue. Should they decide to call, Maintenance lines are answered by a live person 24/7 with the help of a dedicated call center.

While we still maintain a "brick and mortar" office, we have the capability to function at a 100% as a Virtual Property Management company without missing a step on offering quality customer service for both tenant and owner. Our fees are based on our ability to close on your rental property instead of charging costly upfront fees before your property has even hit the market like most property management companies do. We Don't Get Paid Until You Do!

Century 21 Haggerty can not only protect your investment, but can also help to add significant value to your investment. Contact us today so we can have a discussion on the benefits we bring to the table. Let us demonstrate the many tools we have at our disposal that will help to eliminate obstacles and headaches.

Robert Carrillo

Property Manager

915.433.4457

rob@elpasocentury21.com

www.c21rentals.com

The Experienced Property Manager Gets The Worm

Thu, 05 Mar 2020 22:59:38 GMT

What A Proactive Property Manager Does For An Owner

Experience Matters

Meet with a new owner that wants to list their home for rent and they mention "but my home wont be vacant until 5 months down the road." What do you think most Property Managers will say? I bet one of two things. "Well, come back when you're about 6 weeks away from vacancy" or "Sign the Property Management agreement now, but we wont start marketing until you are about 6 weeks away from your vacancy". Why? The easy answer is laziness, but the overwhelming reason would be that quite simply most El Paso Property Managers just don't understand the El Paso rental market. Century 21 Haggerty Property Management prides ourselves on our understanding as well as our experience with the El Paso rental market. Where some Property Managers might see a house that will sit on the market for months, we see an opportunity. What opportunity? We know that there are military families located at other duty stations throughout the U.S. as well as soldiers deployed that are getting their orders to PCS to El Paso 5 months down the road. What happens once they get those orders? They jump online to find out where they are going to be living in 5 months down the road. If they can lock something down early, well then, that's a big headache that they just got out of the way that they won't have to be dealing with when they make their move. Century 21 Haggerty Property Management knows this because 1) We are a Veteran owned company and 2) We've positioned ourself to be the most experienced Property Management company in El Paso and Las Cruces.

The Example

We just recently had a Ft. Bliss soldier visit us and inform us that he received his orders to PCS in 5 months(true story, pic of the house above). He wanted to meet now to find out what he needed to do to get his house rented. One of the things we tell him is that we need to get his house on the market ASAP to take advantage of the PCS waive that will be hitting in El Paso during the summer. He was surprised that we would want to list it so early. We tell him not only do we want to list it early, but we want to list it at a higher rental rate than the market is showing. His question, "Why". Our answer, "You have 5 months on market to work with, so why not try to get top dollar." So luckily he trusts us and what happens? The home is only on the market for 1 week...yup...1 WEEK! So now we have an owner that has just removed his own big headache of trying to find a renter PLUS he is getting his house rented at a higher price than the market is dictating!

Our Mindset

This is what happens when you work with an experienced Property Management company like Century 21 Haggerty. We think proactively and we think three dimensionally to position your home to get rented as quickly as possible and at the best rate as possible. Not to mention we run an extensive background check on potential tenants to ensure you are getting a quality tenant. We embrace innovation and technology within our field to make sure that we evolve ahead of the curve and don't get left behind.

10 Benefits Century 21 Haggerty Property Management Offers Las Cruces Homeowners

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 18:36:54 GMT

Property Management companies work directly with prospects and tenants to save you time and worry over marketing your rentals, collecting the rent, coordinating maintenance and repair issues, answering tenant complaints and even handling evictions. A good Property Manager brings their know-how and experience to your property, giving you the peace of mind that comes with knowing your investment is in good hands. Below we will go over some of the major benefits that Century 21 Haggerty Property Management can offer Las Cruces homeowners.

Avoiding legal issues and following applicable federal laws

Century 21 Haggerty understands landlord/resident laws governing resident rights, eviction procedures and safety. There are many Fair Housing federal laws and state property codes that must be navigated with tenants during the application process, while they are in the home and at their move out. It is very important all federal guidelines and property codes are properly followed to avoid any potential risk towards violating any laws and/or exposure to possible lawsuits. Some examples of potential legal issues include:

Discrimination
Leasing disclosures
Rent collection and late fees
Notification and access for inspection
Deposit disbursements
Licenses and permits

Century 21 Haggerty also offers eviction protection which means our owners don't pay for court costs, we provide court representation and facilitate the judgment and turnaround.

Increase revenue with screening for quality residents

Screening residents preserves the revenue stream and the property. Experienced property managers know how to spot red flags on applications and identify those applicants most likely to pay on time and take good care of the property. We utilize advanced screening tools that allow leasing managers to evaluate applicants thoroughly and quickly for a fast turnaround to get that tenant moved into your property quickly. No longer are tenants having to wait days for an answer, now the screening process can be completed within a matter of minutes.

Rent Collection

Efficient rent collection ensures financial success for property owners and managers. Century 21 Haggerty assumes responsibility for establishing and enforcing strict payment guidelines. That means homeowners don’t have to spend time and money chasing down the rent every month. Also ease of use for the tenant provides for a higher rate of timely rent collection. Examples would be our use of online payments, ability to download an app on their phones to make payments, they can pay rent at CVS Pharmacy locations and of course make in-person payments at our office.

Boosting occupancy

A veteran property manager understands the importance of short vacancy periods. We can offer owners access to proven marketing strategies and rate comparison tools to help price their home at max value while creating a fast turnover rate between vacant to rented. Century 21 Haggerty regularly averages between 8-12 day turnover rates which exceeds industry standards.

Higher retention rates

One of the best ways to improve occupancy rates is keeping your tenants happy. Century 21 Haggerty is constantly looking for ways to enhance and simplify the customer experience. That means renters have access to resident portals that make paying rent efficient and convenient. Offering tenants the ability to submit maintenance work orders online, through their phone app or by phone 24/7. And inspections that are designed to not only ensure the property is being taken care of, but to also open a line of direct communication with the tenants on their satisfaction with the home and our service. Maintaining a positive relationship with tenants is a great way to curtail frequent turnover.

Easy accounting and tax oversight

While Century 21 Haggerty doesn't help owners prepare tax returns, that’s better left for CPAs and tax professionals, we do provide tools like owner portals that include owners’ statements and reports to keep owners informed about the income, expenses and maintenance requests. Downloadable reports that will also assist with tax deductions.

Increase Property Value

Century 21 Haggerty performs preventative maintenance inspections and will provide feedback on suggested repairs or upgrades to help stay competitive, protect assets and increase value. We stay in constant communication with owners about steps they can take to protect and preserve their investment which is extremely helpful for owners that do not live in the same city where their property is located.

Contractor relationships

Century 21 Haggerty vets contractors and negotiates for the best pricing from technicians who are licensed, bonded, and insured for our owners' benefit. Outside services, combined with an in-house maintenance management staff to monitor routine inspections and spot issues before they turn into major problems. This means happier tenants and fewer costly emergency repair bills.

Enjoying the benefits of being an investor

Some people invest in real estate as a means of funding for retirement. With a reputable property management team minding the fort, owners have more free time to spend with family or explore hobbies and interests without worrying about their property. Century 21 Haggerty can also share information on investment opportunities with owners that are looking to add to their portfolio.

Reduce Stress

All these benefits serve to reduce the stress of property ownership. It’s not easy to put a price tag on living a life free from the hassles of being a landlord, but most would agree that less stress is definitely a valuable benefit. Contact Century 21 Haggerty to learn how we can reduce the stress of being a landlord and discuss the tools and experience we can offer to help you get the most return on your investment home.

10 Benefits Century 21 Haggerty Property Management Offers El Paso Homeowners

Thu, 06 Feb 2020 20:27:19 GMT

Avoiding legal issues and following applicable federal laws

Discrimination
Leasing disclosures
Rent collection and late fees
Notification and access for inspection
Deposit disbursements
Licenses and permits

Century 21 Haggerty also offers eviction protection which means our owners don't pay for court costs, we provide court representation and facilitate the judgment and turnaround.

Increase revenue with screening for quality residents

Rent Collection

Boosting occupancy

Higher retention rates

Easy accounting and tax oversight

Increase Property Value

Contractor relationships

Enjoying the benefits of being an investor

Reduce Stress

How To Shut Off Water When You Find A Leak

Fri, 17 Jan 2020 19:30:45 GMT

Shutting off water when you find a leak in the home.

Join Nick Haggerty of Century 21 Haggerty Property Management as he walks you through what to do when you find a leak in your home. He will show you where to locate the shut off valve of the main water line so that you can shut off water to the whole house. Typically the valve will be located at the beginning of your water main, at the boundary line of your property and the street or sidewalk. Find the ground-level metal or plastic utility box trap door (looks like a small manhole cover) located at ground level. This is necessary when there is a leak that you cannot find, cannot access or cannot stop.

In some instances, you might have a leak that you can isolate at the source. Nick will show you how to go to that source and find the shut off valve, this will allow you to stop the leak there while having water still running throughout the house. For example you might have a leak in the bathroom sink, watch as you are shown how to just shut off that bathroom sink water line.

Water gushing uncontrollably through your house is hazardous, unsafe, and will quickly cause major flood damage to your home's interior. As long as that water is coming from your home's own water supply, and not from outside sources, you can and should shut it down very fast..

Breaker Box Panels and GFCI Outlet in Century 21 Haggerty Property Management Homes

rob@elpasocentury21.com (Rob Carrillo) — Wed, 11 Dec 2019 19:01:37 GMT

Locating and resetting breakers and info on GFCI Outlets

Join Nick Haggerty of Century 21 Haggerty Property Management as he walks you through where you can find the breaker box panel in your home. Should you ever experience a power outage in your home or a specific room due to a tripped breaker, Nick explains what you need to do to reset those breakers and restore power. Most times these breakers can either be located in the garage or bedroom for older homes, or outside next to your gas meter for newer homes.

Nick will also go over GFCI outlets which are typically located in the kitchen and bathrooms where there is higher risk for outlets to get splashed with water. These outlets are designed to protect and shut off when hit with water or overloaded. Nick will show you what to do in these instances to restore those outlets back to working condition.

As a professional El Paso Property Management Company, we at Century 21 Haggerty feel a tenant that is armed with as much info as possible is beneficial to all. After reviewing this video should you feel you need additional info, please do not hesitate to call us at 915-757-3445.

Pride In Business Is Pride In Service

Fri, 22 Nov 2019 21:43:19 GMT

What is 121%?

As you can see from the video above, at Century 21 Haggerty Property Management, a lot of care goes into each sign that is put up on your property. From the transport to the touch up paint, our sign guys take a lot of pride in what they do. This is the type of pride all of our staff utilizes to care for your home and your tenant. We take pride in the smallest of details as we believe this leads to a culture that breeds excellent customer service. Embracing 121% in all that we do is why we are the leading El Paso Property Management company.

How To Shut Off A/C Water Line On Evap Coolers To Avoid Freezing

Thu, 14 Nov 2019 23:42:17 GMT

Baby It's Cold Outside!

Don’t forget to turn off the water to your evaporative air conditioners to avoid bursting water lines. In the event that your line freezes here are some tips from Nick Haggerty and his lovely assistant Richard from Century 21 Haggerty on how to turn the water off at the source!

HOW CAN MILITARY FAMILIES KEEP THEIR EL PASO HOME SAFE WHEN SHIPPING OUT?

Fri, 14 Jun 2019 07:00:00 GMT

Military families frequently move and therefore switch homes all the time. Although it would be easiest to just buy and sell properties every time orders arrive to ship out, that’s not always possible. You may not have enough equity built up in your El Paso home to sell it for the price you want. So, you may want to rent it out to tenants. If you’re worried about the security of your property while you’re gone, we have some solutions.

Renting Over Selling

Renting is often a wiser decision for the military property owner. Although selling the house will get immediate money for you, there’s a long-term return to be earned when you hold onto the asset and rent it out. Renting allows the owner to get the mortgage paid by the tenant. You can earn passive income each month in addition to increasing equity. Until you are ready to sell, you’re building your investment.

Property Management and Technology

Communication is crucial for owners who live far away. It’s important to be assured that the home is still secure and nothing has happened to it. The best way to protect and preserve your home is with the help of a professional El Paso property management company .

Most management companies use software to streamline and protect your home. We use Appfolio, which automates almost everything. You’ll have all the information you need right at your fingertips, no matter where in the world you are. We can help you market your rental home , screen tenants, collect lease signatures, and pay you rent with this technology.

Keeping Your Rental Home Safe and Maintained

With only one click, your listing shows up on dozens of websites, allowing for greater exposure and therefore attracting more potential renters. It makes pre-screening potential renters easy, as all the applications can be processed online, including the applicant’s rental history. Payments and late fees can be handled electronically, and all finances and accounting actions are also online. You’ll be able to see your monthly financial statements and run accounting reports whenever you need them. It helps us to communicate better with our owners, and owners who are out of the area definitely appreciate the efficiency of our online portals and software.

HOW TO BE A GOOD RESIDENT OF AN EL PASO RENTAL PROPERTY

Fri, 07 Jun 2019 07:00:00 GMT

At Century 21 Haggerty Property Management , we love working with tenants who are reliable, responsible, and willing to communicate with us to ensure everyone has a positive and productive rental experience. If you’re moving into one of our properties, we have some advice on how to work with us and maintain your rental property.

Be Timely with Rental Payments

Paying the rent on time is important! It creates less stress for both the resident and the owner. It avoids the drama and confusion of evictions. When you pay rent on time, you set a good precedent for your tenancy and it allows us to tell future landlords and property managers that you’re a great tenant. Being proactive now leads to a better rental future for you and a more positive relationship with us. We make it easy for you with online rental payments.

Report Maintenance Issues Promptly

Report any rental property maintenance issues as soon as they arise. This will fix the problems as quickly as possible and prevent further damage from occurring. The sooner an issue is reported, the less chance that it will get worse. Over time, wear and tear issues occur. People make mistakes and cause problems to arise. Whatever the cause of the problem, it’s important to alert us as soon as possible so we can make the necessary repairs.

Utilize Your Online Portal

We make it easy for you to complete tasks online. Rent may be paid online, which is quicker and more convenient for you and for us. Not only can you pay rent every month; you can also schedule future or recurring payments. You can also request maintenance and submit work orders online. You’ll be able to see that a contractor has been contacted, and you can follow the progression of the repair. Tenants appreciate that they can even see contact information for the vendors and contractors who are sent out to make the repair. This allows you to schedule times and coordinate directly with our third-party contractors. It allows the work to happen faster and with minimal disruption to your schedule.

Your tenant portal is an efficient and secure way to share information with your El Paso property management team. Use it to send us messages or view documents such as your lease agreement.

Keep Your Home Clean

WHO’S RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS IN AN EL PASO RENTAL PROPERTY?

Fri, 31 May 2019 07:00:00 GMT

Your rental property will eventually need maintenance, even if it’s brand new and even if it’s in excellent condition. Many tenants will be confused about what they’re responsible for maintaining and what you’re responsible for, as the property owner and landlord. Make sure all of the expectations and responsibilities are clearly spelled out in the lease agreement. And, make sure you’re prepared to cover things like emergency and routine maintenance as well as general wear and tear.

Emergency and Routine Maintenance

Emergency maintenance and repairs are necessary immediately after damage is caused. Perhaps a major storm knocked over a tree, which shattered a window. That window would need to be repaired and cleaned up right away. A leaking water heater or a lack of air conditioning in the summer are also emergencies. These call for immediate action because ignoring the problem could threaten the safety of the property and your tenant.

Regular maintenance might be a running toilet or a garbage disposal that won’t work. While you still need to respond with a sense of urgency in order to keep the tenant happy and to protect your property, no immediate habitability standards are in peril.

Understanding Wear and Tear

Owners are responsible for general wear and tear. Your property will become worn over time, no matter who is living in it. That’s a natural occurrence that your tenant can’t do much to avoid. For example, outside paint is eventually going to wear from sun and rain. You’ll notice most of the wear on your property during turnovers.

Who Pays for Maintenance?

Owners are responsible for paying to keep the home in a safe, habitable, and functioning condition. You’ll need to repair plumbing and you’ll need to replace appliances. It is the responsibility of the tenant to pay for the repairs that result in damage. When tenants or their guests break something or neglect something and it needs maintenance, you can charge them for that work.

Good communication with your tenants will ensure the property is well-cared for and maintained. You don’t want your tenants to be worried about reporting maintenance. Make sure they know you want to hear about it as soon as work is needed.

Coordinating Costs of Repairs

TOP 5 WAYS TO MARKET YOUR EL PASO RENTAL PROPERTY

Fri, 24 May 2019 07:00:00 GMT

It’s important to market your property, otherwise nobody will know that the home is on the rental market. Once you have started a marketing campaign, it’s important that you cast a wide net towards potential tenants. You want to maximize the number of people who see the property. This allows for a greater number of people to select from when you’re choosing the next tenant.

Greater exposure is always best.

Online Rental Listings: Photos and Description

It’s essential to take and post photos of the property, or people won’t be interested in your listing. They need to be able to see the home and its features. Good, high-quality photos displaying what the property offers will leave potential tenants wanting to know more. It’s also crucial to include a description of the property. Include whether it’s a single-family home and how many bedrooms and bathrooms it has. If it’s an apartment, make sure your ad mentions what floor it’s on.

This will make the property interesting to others. Make sure to include the terms and conditions of the rental, such as occupancy rules, term of the lease, move-in date, whether pets are allowed, etc. You also want your listing to reflect the amount of rent and the security deposit. Making this clear ahead of time will lead to less confusion later.

Make sure to list the property online and make a splash. Research must be done to find where the best place to post the listing is, depending upon the type of property, its location, and the goal of the owner. Make sure to include the photos of the property, as well as the description and terms, in the post on the Internet.

Professional Signage at the Property

Signage at house advertises that the home is available to rent for anybody that passes by. Most of the people who spot the sign while they drive or walk by will be people already in the area or interested in the area. Perhaps your sign will get the attention of a neighbor who knows someone looking for a home.

Century 21 Haggerty Website

All of the properties we manage that are ready for rental are promoted on our website. It’s easy to navigate and all the available rental properties are right on one page, with additional information to consider. Working with a professional El Paso property management company gives you many additional resources during the marketing of your home, including a stronger online presence.

Renting to Military Members

HOW TECHNOLOGY MAKES EL PASO PROPERTY MANAGEMENT EASIER AND BETTER

Tue, 18 Sep 2018 07:00:00 GMT

To be a successful landlord, it’s important to have access to the right technology. Having the right technology when managing your El Paso home provides ease of mind and confidence knowing that your investment is in the right hands and remaining profitable.

Property Management Technology and Software

At Century 21 Haggerty, we use a state-of-the-art property management technology that offers our owners 24/7 online access and complete transparency with how their homes are managed. As a landlord, you have access to an owner portal, which basically acts as your account manager for all things involving your investment property.

Benefits of Up-to-Date Technology

As soon as your listing is on our website, it’s then uploaded to over 30 of the most popular rental websites. Our built-in rental comparison tool allows us to compare properties in the area that are similar to yours. This insight allows us to fill your vacancy efficiently and quickly.

We also have built-in tenant background screening , which we can complete in minutes. We can deposit funds directly into your bank account. There’s no more waiting for checks to come in the mail. You’ll have access to your statements, and you can download them with a detailed ledger of your property’s accounting.

We use electronic work orders when maintenance is needed on your home. We communicate with vendors to quickly resolve issues, and we’ll email you an invoice if you want, as well as any pertinent information in real time.

You can expect to receive a breakdown on the move-out process, including notes and photos from the inspector. You’ll have access to your signed property management agreement and other important documentation. It’s all in your owner portal .

Technology Benefits for Tenants