General Property Management
Leasing Issues
Move-Out & Eviction
pet deposit
pet deposit for rental property
pet deposit vs pet fees
pet fees
pet fees for rental property
pet fees vs deposit
pet rent
Spark Blog
The Landlord’s Guide to Pet Deposits vs. Pet Rent vs. Pet Fees
I love animals. I have almost always had at least one pet in my home. Pets enrich our lives and provide unmatched companionship and unconditional love. Except for my cat,…
General Property Management
Leasing Issues
Move-Out & Eviction
rent control cities
rent control in california
rent control vs. rent stabilization
rent stabilization in california
rent stabilization vs. rent control
Spark Blog
California Rent Control Laws (2023): State Rent Stabilization & Cities with Rent Control
Almost half of California’s residents live in rentals. The cost of living, especially rental rates, has risen dramatically over the last two decades, creating some of the least affordable rental…
General Property Management
Leasing Issues
real estate investing
skip tracing
skip tracing for real estate
skip tracing services
skip tracing tools
Spark Blog
Are There Free Skip Tracing Tools for Real Estate? Free & Paid Tools Compared
What is a skip tracer? It sounds like some kind of cool, futuristic sci-fi job — like a cyberpunk private eye who tracks people down through a network of intergalactic…
Advertising & Tenant Screening
calculate cash flow
cash flow calculations
cash flow calculator
General Property Management
hidden costs of rental properties
Leasing Issues
low-end rental properties
low-income rental properties
Move-Out & Eviction
real estate investing
Spark Blog
Hidden Costs of Low-End Rentals that Don’t Show Up in Cash Flow Calculations
When I first started buying rental properties, I had no idea how to calculate rental cash flow. I just assumed the cash flow was “the rent minus the mortgage payment.”…
General Property Management
lease incentives
Leasing Issues
rent concessions
rent incentives
rental incentives
Spark Blog
Rent Incentives on the Rise: 9 Ideas That Won’t Break the Bank
It’s hard to make sense of the real estate market right now. The rising interest rates that began in 2022 have made mortgages more expensive. And yet home prices in…
Tenant-Proof: 13 Rental Property Improvements to Fortify Against Damage
People are clumsy, dirty, accident-prone Tasmanian devils. That goes double for children, and says nothing of pets. Homeowners are no better, but they have so much money invested in their…
General Property Management
Leasing Issues
prevent damage
prevent property damage
renter-proof
Spark Blog
tenant-proof
Tenant-Proof: 13 Rental Property Improvements to Fortify Against Damage
People are clumsy, dirty, accident-prone Tasmanian devils. That goes double for children, and says nothing of pets. Homeowners are no better, but they have so much money invested in their…
How to Drive Up Market Rents for Your Properties
When you run the numbers for a prospective rental property and compare it to similar properties in the area you’ll find opportunities. You may be able to improve your profit…
Leasing Issues
Move-Out & Eviction
sell home with tenants in it
sell house with tenants
sell property with tenants
Spark Blog
Should You Sell a Property with Tenants Living in It?
There are no federal, state, or local regulations that prevent the owner of a rental property from selling it while renters live on the premises. However, it can present some…
Advertising & Tenant Screening
become a section 8 landlord
becoming a section 8 landlord
General Property Management
how to become a section 8 landlord
Leasing Issues
section 8
section 8 landlords
section 8 renters
section 8 tenants
Spark Blog
tips for section 8
Should You Rent to Section 8 Tenants? Pros & Cons of Section 8 for Landlords (Infographic)
Heard tales of guaranteed rent payments for landlords who rent to Section 8 tenants? Deposited by the government, and paying higher-than-market rents? If these stories perked up your ears, you’re…