Property Management Brainstorm

Our listeners have been eager to hear the latest updates on being a landlord during the COVID-19 pandemic. On this episode, Bob discusses this topic with Tracey Merrell, Managing Attorney of Education, at Kimball, Tirey & St. John (KTS), a law firm with a practice in California residential landlord/tenant law. Comments made for this broadcast are for general information purposes only and is no...

On this episode of Five Minute Friday, Bob shares the story of key decision making at North County Property Group in adapting the company to telecommuting, new workflows, technology for virtual tours, self-showings, and more during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the changes were proactively made as early as March 13, 2020, six days before California Governor Gavin Newsom issued the first statewide...

One of the most common water related incidents at rental properties is leaking or failing water heater. There has never been a time when hot water might be more essential, with all of us on stay-at-home orders, than during the COVID-19 pandemic. A failing water heater is a huge inconvenience to the homeowner or tenant who has to live without hot water for some period of time.  Scott Costa represen...

Property Management Brainstorm had temporarily paused producing the show, taking a brief hiatus, during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. There is so much to catch up on and we are pleased to let you know we are back in production!   On this episode, Bob explains the reasons for taking a break with the podcast and what changes his team has made in the meantime during the COVID-19 pandemic to stay...

We’re all feeling uncertainty around the mounting COVID-19 health crisis. And what serves as a best practice today may change tomorrow. On this episode, Bob shares his decision to temporarily suspend production of Property Management Brainstorm in light of the Coronavirus pandemic. He discusses the daily changes in processes and mindset adjustments required of landlords and property managers durin...

The Coronavirus pandemic is on everyone’s mind right now. So, what can we do as landlords to protect the health and safety of our staff, property owners, tenants and vendors? On this episode of Five Minute Friday, Bob explains how the North County Property Group team is staying on top of our job responsibilities through a remote work setup and what you can do to reach us if need be. He discusses t...

If you’re an individual, self-managing landlord or you manage a small portfolio of rentals, what is your best option when it comes to property management software? Dave Spooner is the Cofounder of Innago , a free property management software platform designed to help small, independent landlords manage their rentals. Today, Dave joins Bob to explain what differentiates Innago from other platforms...

If you enlist the help of a property management company to manage your rental, you may be curious how rent is collected from the tenant and then forwarded to your bank account. On this episode of Five Minute Friday, Bob walks us through North County Property Group’s best practices around the flow of funds in a rental property. He explains when rent is due and where it’s deposited, discussing how N...

Placing a new tenant in a rental property seems simple enough. But the fact is, there are A LOT of moving parts at play from the time a property is listed until the tenant moves in and starts paying rent. So, what does the tenant placement process look like?  On this episode of Five Minute Friday, Bob walks us through North County Property Group’s proven tenant placement process. He discusses the...

What could you accomplish if you never had to take another maintenance call? Ethan Lieber is the CEO of Latchel , a real estate platform that helps property managers streamline their maintenance workflow. Today, Ethan joins Bob to explain how Latchel leverages the Amazon model of crafting measurable, transparent Service Level Agreements (SLAs) to ensure customer satisfaction and discuss the common...

Are you struggling to find a property manager you can trust? Perhaps the best way to find a reliable team that provides top-notch service is to look for a property management company that provides its clients with certain guarantees. On this episode of Five Minute Friday, Bob walks us through the guarantees North County Property Group offers all its clients, including a Satisfaction, Pet and Perfo...

The security deposit disposition, if not documented properly, has the potential to be highly contentious. So, what can we do to make the process run smoothly? And who, exactly, is responsible for performing the move-in/move-out inspections, itemizing necessary deductions, and returning the tenant’s remaining funds? On this episode of Five Minute Friday, Bob discusses who facilitates the security d...

Being a landlord may sound simple, but there is more to it than just running an ad, getting a great tenant and collecting a monthly check. So, what are the financial, legal and ethical obligations around managing a rental property? And how can you avoid the most common mistakes landlords make? Today on Property Management Brainstorm, Bob is flying solo to walk us through the top ten mistakes made...

The prevailing attitude among real estate investors is that all property management companies are much the same, so potential clients often ask, “What makes North County Property Group different?” or, “Why should we hire you?” On this episode of Five Minute Friday, Bob discusses some of NCPG’s differentiators, including their expertise in the high-end rental market and dedication to thorough tenan...

At North County Property Group, about 25% of our portfolio are furnished short-term rental (STR) units. Clients with vacation homes in the San Diego area enjoy the cashflow that comes from renting out their furnished property when they aren’t using it, but we encourage owners to think carefully about what personal belongings to remove from the unit when guests are using the space. On this episode...

It’s easy for business owners to get caught up in the day-to-day and forget the visionary aspect of their job as leaders. But how do you build in time to work ON, not IN your business? Terry Ogburn is the founder of Ogburn’s Business Solutions , a consultancy that helps small businesses improve the bottom line. Today, he joins Bob to explain how he supports business owners in developing a vision f...

What happens if a tenant stops paying rent? The headache of dealing with a renter who defaults on their lease agreement keeps some investors out of the real estate rental market altogether. So, what can property owners do to manage the risk of tenant default? On this edition of Five Minute Friday, Bob explains what happens when a tenant defaults on their lease agreement and how a professional prop...

Most real estate investors don’t realize that they can sell a property even when it is occupied by a tenant. In the state of California, this is known as selling with Tenants in Possession, or TIP. On this edition of Five Minute Friday, Bob shares North County Property Group’s expertise in TIP, explaining how to keep tenants and buyers informed throughout the process and document the tenant’s righ...

How do property owners know they’re hiring a qualified property management company that operates within a clear set of standards? The best way is to look for members of the National Association of Residential Property Managers , or NARPM. Eric Wetherington served as the 2019 National President of NARPM. Today, he joins Bob to discuss the educational opportunities available to members of the organi...

Most business owners and entrepreneurs want to build a best-in-class company. But in the daily grind of running a business, it’s easy to lose sight of the vision you’re trying to achieve. At North County Property Group, we leverage the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) to facilitate continuous improvement and become a better organization—each and every day. On this edition of Five Minute Frid...

Different generations of people have distinct values, lifestyles and communication preferences. And as property managers, we need to understand the perspectives of each group and adapt accordingly to best serve the tenants in our rental properties. On this edition of Five Minute Friday, Bob walks us through the five generations a landlord or property manager might interact with, from Traditionalis...

Because the landlord verification process is so cumbersome, a surprising number of landlords and property managers take it lightly—or don’t bother with it at all! But what if there was a quick and easy way to verify a prospective tenant’s rental history? Sherry McKillop is the Chief Operating Officer at LandLord Verification Online . Today, she joins Bob to explain why it’s crucial to complete a t...

As with any earnings, the rental income a property owner brings in must be reported to the IRS. So, what do property managers and homeowners need to know about reporting rental income and expenses on their federal and state tax returns? On this edition of Five Minute Friday, Bob offers an overview of the tax implications of owning a rental property. He describes the landlord or property manager’s...

So, you’ve shown a property and collected applications from prospective tenants. Though you may have a gut instinct around who is the best fit, it’s critical that you put ALL potential renters through a consistent screening process. What does that look like?  On this edition of Five Minute Friday, Bob walks us through the process of establishing a set of criteria for screening prospective tenants....

As part of our commitment to give back to the community, North County Property Group has forged a partnership with the local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity to provide safe, affordable housing for hardworking families in San Diego County. Bridget Strickland is the Corporate Partnership Manager for San Diego Habitat for Humanity . Today, she joins Bob to explain how the organization provides home...