The Successful Landlord Blog

Recently, in response to a request from a friend, I embarked on a search for property management software. My friend had been using a package called RentRight for many years and was now faced with replacing one of the computers attached to her in-house local area network (LAN.)

Since RentRight is such an old program and is no longer in development by its owner Domin-8, we were looking to find a package that would run on Windows 7 and would also work well with her legacy Novell Netware server.

Now, before you laugh at the fact that they are still running Novell Netware, consider the fact that I’ve seen countless Novell installations where the uptime is on the order of years, not months. This means that the server has been running continuously, without being rebooted, for YEARS. Show me ANY Microsoft server installation that can do that and I’ll shut up right now……..no takers? Ok then…. Read the rest of this entry »

On April 22, 2010 a new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule went into effect that could potentially affect landlords who own or manage properties built before 1978. Below is a quick summary of the new rule:

1. Certification and Training Requirements

Beginning in April 2010, firms working in homes built before 1978 are required to be certified. Certification requires the submittal of this application including a fee of $300 to the EPA. Along with firm certification, an employee of the firm will be required to be certified as a Certified Renovator. The certified employee will be responsible for ensuring that other employees adhere to guidelines for lead-safe work practices and cleaning. The training consists of an eight-hour class with two hours of pratical training. An EPA approved training facility can be found here. Read the rest of this entry »

I swear you’ll know by the following story that I simply can’t make this stuff up…

Recently I received a call from a tenant who let me know that while her son was mowing the lawn (and it’s about time too) he ran into a “cloud” of bees coming and going from the base of a metal storage shed in the backyard of their rental property.

Due to the well publicized bee shortage, I didn’t want to eradicate them. Also, I enjoy raw honey with my tea every morning so killing the bees would just seem counter-productive. Read the rest of this entry »