Fluffy or Tiger or Fido, Oh My! (Allowing Pet)

When entering into a property management agreement with Carolinas Metro Realty, many owners struggle with the issue of allowing tenants to have pets. As someone who has pets, albeit outdoor ones, I can sympathize with their struggle. Fact of the matter is, we see very little damage caused by pets. Most tenants would no more allow their pet to damage a property than they would cause damage themselves. Although there are no guarantees, our screening of prospective tenants includes information from their prior landlords. High on the list of questions we ask the prior landlords pertains to pets.

Our rental contract with tenants requires a pet fee, determined by the number of pets. They key here is a pet FEE, not a pet deposit. The fee is non-refundable, even if there are no damages caused by the pet. Additionally, the tenant's security deposit could be used to cover the cost to repair damages, if any.

It is important for owners to realize that, by not allowing pets, we are immediately reducing the number of prospective tenants by at least 50%. i always advise owners that are hesitant to allow pets to make pets conditional, meaning that they can look at each individual situation and make a decision accordingly.

For more information on our property management services for Charlotte, Waxhaw, Fort Mill, Monroe, or other towns in the Charlotte area, or to view rental properties currently available in these areas, please visit our website, http://cmrpropertymanagement.com .

CO Detectors

To insure compliance with N.C. Gen Stat § 42-42 to 42-44 (see below) and avoid serious implications to non-compliant owners, Carolinas Metro Realty will begin inspecting all properties under our management for the CO detectors. We appreciate the cooperation of both owners and tenants in making sure that all homes are in compliance with this Statute.

N.C. Gen Stat. § 42-42 to 42-44 - Landlord and Tenant Articles - Residential Rental Agreements Requires landlords to provide one operable carbon monoxide detector per rental unit per level. A landlord that installs one carbon monoxide detector per rental unit per level shall be deemed to be in compliance with standards under this subdivision covering the location and number of detectors. The landlord shall replace or repair the carbon monoxide detectors within 15 days of receipt of notification if the landlord is notified of needed replacement or repairs in writing by the tenant. The landlord shall ensure that a carbon monoxide detector is operable and in good repair at the beginning of each tenancy. Unless the landlord and the tenant shall have a written agreement to the contrary, the landlord shall place new batteries in a battery operated carbon monoxide detector at the beginning of a tenancy, and the tenant shall replace the batteries as needed during the tenancy. Failure of the tenant to replace the batteries as needed shall not be considered as negligence on the part of the tenant or the landlord. This subdivision applies only to dwelling units having a fossil-fuel burning heater or appliance, fireplace, or an attached garage. Provides for penalties.

For more information on our property management services, or for a list of our current available properties, please visit our site at http://cmrpropertymanagement.com

Property Management Services Are Customizable

Owners have different needs in terms of the level of property management service they require. Most are looking for full service, which means that Carolinas Metro Realty, as their property management company, handle all aspects of dealing with the property, from finding a tenant, collecting rents, to directing all maintenance issues. This is an invaluable service for owners that are across the country, or in many cases, on the other side of the earth, as well as for those that are just too busy to deal with these issues any more. While we keep owners informed regarding their property, the day to day headaches are ours.

Another level of service we provide is merely finding the owner a tenant, screening applicants, entering into the lease agreement, and collecting initial money. In this case, once a tenant is in the property, the owner collects rents, directs maintenance, and handles all aspects of the property. Our efforts to find a tenant for these owners are exactly the same, in every way, as it is for those where we provide full property management services.

Somewhere in the middle is the owner that wants full property management service, but wants to be more involved in resolving maintenance issues. Many ask if we can use their maintenance person for issues that arise, and the answer is, absolutely! Because most owners have at one time lived in the homes we manage, they may have a "go to" guy for maintenance issues. We can, and do, continue to use these repairmen for maintenance. We also have owners, because they are still living in the area, that want to handle all maintenance issues themselves. This is perfectly acceptable. Keep in mind, however, that because we have both an in house maintenance person, and contractors we work with a great deal, in most cases we are able to have a repair made for less than an owner would pay for the same repair themselves.

Whatever your property management needs, give us a call at 704-405-0634, or visit us online at http://cmrpropertymanagement.com/ for more information.

What Makes a Great Rental Property?

As a Real Estate professional concentrating on property management, I have the opportunity to see properties in all sorts of condition. Most owners understand that first impressions are everything, but many, for various reasons, fail to assign the proper value to putting a property's best foot forward.

In order for an owner's property to receive a prospective tenant's attention, it is extremely important that it appear "move in" ready. While a fresh coat of paint is great, many properties only need a touch up. "Move in" ready also means clean carpets and other flooring surfaces, making a great impact for very little money.

At the risk of stating the obvious, clean cupboards, counter tops, appliances, and light fixtures in the kitchen make a huge difference to prospective tenants. This creates a clean slate, so to speak, allowing the prospective tenant to envision themselves preparing a meal or entertaining friends there.

In the bathrooms, cleanliness is of paramount importance. Think "yuck", and you get the idea. Get rid of hard water stains in the toilet bowl and tub inexpensively by using a pumice stone especially designed for that use. Available in the cleaning aisle of your grocery store for under $5, this is a great way to make the bathrooms sparkle.

Don't overlook light fixtures, corners of rooms, baseboards, window ledges, and other mouldings when preparing your house for lease. A quick dusting of these areas is a great idea to help pump up your property's "WOW" factor.

If you are interested in our property management services, visit our website at http://cmrpropertymanagement.com for more information.

Demand for Rental Continues to Increase

Although our property management team anticipated a slow down in rental traffic in November and December, this was not the case. Showings continued to be strong, and actual leases signed were in line with what we see in a typical month.

And still it continues into January. According to experts, web searches for rental housing in the first week of January, 2010, were at their highest levels since the first week of August, 2009.

Studies show that a vast majority of potential tenants, 72%, use the Internet as their first source for finding a rental property. This is why our property management team is so diligent about getting our properties on as many sites as possible, resulting in quick rentals for our owners, and helping tenants find just the right property for them.



For a list of our vacancies, visit http://cmrpropertymanagement.com/

Plunging Temperatures Continue - How to Keep Pipes From Freezing

Here in Charlotte we're accustomed to a few days of freezing temperatures, but we're in the midst of a record breaking cold snap. With freezing temperatures expected to continue into next week, it is wise to take some precautions to keep pipes from freezing.

A couple of inexpensive remedies are:

* Leave cabinet doors under the kitchen and bathroom sinks open so the room air can warm the pipes.

* Place a lamp with a 60-watt bulb under the sink to warm the pipes. Make sure there not to place the bulb too close to the wall or cabinets to prevent a possible fire.

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www.cmrpropertymanagement.com

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Record Growth Reported in 2009

Carolinas Metro Realty's property management team reports record growth in 2009. Properties managed increased by more than 300% in 2009, while the ratio of vacant properties drastically decreased, a clear indication that your property management team is doing its job!

For more information on Carolinas Metro's property management services, visit our website
http://cmrpropertymanagement.com

Carolinas Metro introduces new software - great news to Owners, existing Tenants and Applicants!

Carolinas Metro Realty has just completed transfer of all properties under their management to a new software package, Propertyware.

What this means for owners is the ability to view statements, approve expenditures, receive their proceeds electronically, and more.

Tenants can view their statement online, make payments via echeck or credit card, and submit maintenance requests.

Applicants can make application online, making the process more streamlined, resulting in quicker screening results.

For more information about our property management services, visit http://www.cmrpropertymanagement.com/

For more information about our available rental properties, visit http://search.carolinasmetro.com/idx/?op=ourlistings&proptype=rnt&officelist=3140