Michele - Tuesday, August 23, 2022
Some landlords feel that self-managing will be easy! All they need to do is have tenants deposit rent into their account and put a home warranty in place. Wow! That is definitely not all there is to it!
The standard lease in our area is 14 pages long and we usually add two or three addendums and a handbook. Only 3 paragraphs in the lease are related to rent collection and late rent. Only 1 paragraph in the lease references the landlord’s responsibility for maintenance. There is so much more to the lease. On top of the lease, there is so much more to the Virginia Residential Landlord Tenant Act (VRLTA).
Yesterday, I got a call from a friend of a friend who self-manages a property outside of our area. This landlord asked about Fair Housing Laws and whether he needed to accept an application where the applicant was enrolled in the Housing Choice Voucher Program. While I could not provide him with legal advice, I sent him a link to section of the VRLTA that applied and let him know that he’d need to consult an attorney if he had any specific questions regarding the law.
As the conversation continued, I realized that there were several other Virginia requirements th...
Michele - Friday, February 4, 2022
This year I’ve been appointed to the Virginia Realtors® Property Management Council. As a member of this council, I will share my experience and expertise with those who are advising law makers on how their decisions will impact our industry. It’s important that the law makers get input from someone who understands the goals and needs of hundreds of small landlords in the Prince William County area. Over the last two years, this Council was influential in ensuring that the voices of small landlords were heard and considered as the Virginia legislature voted on many new laws regarding evictions, rent relief, and tenants’ rights. My role on this Council will also allow me to be aware of new laws and requirements ahead of their start dates. This will provide our company additional time to prepare for optimal implementation.
This year, I’m also serving on the Board of Directors for the Virginia Chapter of the National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM®). NARPM® is an organization committed to a high standard of business ethics, professionalism, and fair housing practice in the Property Management industry. Here my colleag...
Michele - Monday, July 10, 2017
One of the most important decisions that we made 5+ years ago was to become a member of NARPM. In choosing to do so, we have committed to holding ourselves to a higher standard of business ethics, professionalism and fair housing practices. We have also committed to additional education for our staff to ensure that we are providing the highest level of management service possible.
As a member of NARPM, our staff takes advantage of training, seminars, webinars, and online courses to keep up with market trends, issues, strategies and solutions. We interact with affiliate vendors to stay abreast of technology and outsourcing options. We also network with other NARPM members locally and nationally to share best practices and new ideas.
We often consider our fellow NARPM members as colleagues rather than competitors. NARPM members are truly committed to improving the property management industry, providing EXCELLENT service to our landlords and tenants, and providing support to fellow members.
