Realty Information Systems

One of the most controversial aspects of this election year has to do with individuals who are not living in the United States legally. As a landlord, you may be wondering if you can refuse to rent to someone who is not in the United States legally. There may be several reasons why you may want to refuse to rent to tenants that are not in the U.S. legally including fear they may get deported, and you will lose out on rent. According to the Federal Fair Housing Act; a landlo

Tenants around the country may be surprised when they move into a new rental and find out that they have to pay the monthly water bill. The reality is that unless otherwise stated in the lease, the water bill and or sewage bill counts as a utility meaning the tenant is responsible for paying it. As utility costs rise across America, more landlords and property managers are not including water and sewage use as part of the rent. While landlords may be happy to pass on rising w

Rental properties with pools come with advantages and disadvantages. Some landlords may view a pool as a great amenity that can attract potential renters. However, if you are considering purchasing or renting out a property with a pool you need to consider some important issues. Liability: When you have a pool on your rental property you can be liable if someone injures themselves or drowns. In order to avoid potential liability you need to ensure that there is a fence around

Bed bugs are small brownish insects that feed on the blood of animals or humans. Their flat bodies are the size of an apple seed and they swell after feeding. While bed bugs do not fly, they can travel fast and can lay hundreds of dust size eggs. They can be a real nuisance to any landlord as they are extremely hard to completely remove from an apartment or house. Bedbugs can enter your rental property in several ways, including through clothing, luggage, couches and other it

A landlord is someone that owns property that they lease or rent for a fee to another person, generally known as a tenant. A landlord can also be a corporate entity that owns the rental property. A property manager is a person or firm that is in charge of operating the real estate property. A landlord can also be the property manager if he or she is responsible for operating and managing their own rental property. Property manager’s duties generally include finding and evicti

According to Nolo.com mold is becoming a growing concern for landlords and tenants around the country. In fact, tenants have won multimillion dollar lawsuits against landlords due to health problems caused by mold. These tenants claimed to have been exposed to toxic mold which can cause rashes chronic fatigue, nausea, cognitive loss, hemorrhaging and asthma. As a landlord, it is important to be able to teach tenants to prevent, identify and notify you of mold so that you can

With the start of your new year you may be looking to expand your rental property portfolio. You may think more rental properties mean more income. However rental properties can quickly turn into massive money pits if you fail to get the right property. Below is a list of aspects you need to consider when purchasing a rental property. Neighborhood: Understanding the neighborhood that the potential property you’re looking at is in is essential for determining whether you will

Roofs are one of the most important parts of your rental property. Roofing keeps your apartment from getting damaged from outside wind, rain, snow and other weather hazards. Roofs take a lot of damage overtime and like any other aspect of your rental apartment they need to be properly maintained and eventually replaced. One mistake that can lead roofing to become ineffective overtime is when Landlords use the wrong roofing material. In order to save money, landlords or proper

CNN recently reported that in 2016 apartments entering the rental market are 8% smaller than they were 10 years ago. Currently the average square footage for all new apartments in the United States is 934 square feet compared to 1,015 square feet 10 years ago. Studio apartments have seen the largest drop in square footage.Studio apartments have decreased in size by 18% since 2006 while one bedroom apartments have shrunk by 5% over the same period. While apartments entering t

There has been recent widespread publicity about the dangers of lead as a result of the Flint Water crisis. One of the reasons why the Flint Water Crisis has led to so much publicity is because it is extremely dangerous for children under 6 to be exposed to lead. Children that are exposed to lead can develop developmental delays, Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) and even death. However, the biggest potential lead threat to children is not the water they drink but