Manage Like Michael

Designated Broker / Owner Michael Wilson gives his 2¢ on the Rental Industry.

Open Letter to Washington State Senator Kuderer

By Website Beta | Apr 11, 2019

Dear Senator Kuderer, I am writing to share concerns over SB 5600. As I read the proposed language, I am struck by the extent to which it goes beyond protection of tenants rights, and instead fundamentally infringes upon property owners rights. It seems as though the legislation’s authors envision landlords as fat-cat tycoons. […]

Spring Cleaning for your rental property: A quick guide to your Spring inspection

By Website Beta | Mar 21, 2019

Spring Cleaning your Rental Property Some things to remember for your Spring inspection of your Rental. The sun is shining a little longer after you get home these days, and you’re starting to notice those cobwebs you didn’t see all winter, and that the closet has really gotten away from you. It’s time to binge […]

Rental Maintenance: Appliance Troubleshooting

By Website Beta | Mar 7, 2019

Hopefully you’ve read our previous blog posts about maintenance and issue prevention on sinks and toilets, and the bonus on snow. If you haven’t, go ahead and check those out. We’ll wait here for ya! 😉 This week we’re covering appliances in the rental. Every rental property has a variety of different appliances, if […]

Rental Maintenance: Snow

By Website Beta | Feb 21, 2019

Rental Maintenance: Snowmaggedon 2019 What did we learn after Snowmaggedon 2019? Well, we already knew we couldn’t trust the weather predictions, and we knew we wouldn’t believe it till we saw it. Unfortunately, this year, when Seattle winter came, and it really took us by surprise. What did this mean […]

Rental Maintenance: Toilets

By Website Beta | Feb 7, 2019

You might have read our last blog about sinks and disposals. This week we’re going to cover the restroom and toilets. This was written with Jay LaBrie. Property Management isn’t glamorous. If you’ve spent even just a day working on rental maintenance, you know it’s not always pretty. Sometimes, we have to deal […]

Rental Maintenance: Drains

By Website Beta | Jan 24, 2019

Over the next few blog posts, we’re going to focus on rental maintenance issues that are preventable when the owners and tenants are on the same page regarding the proper care of the home. These suggestions are based on our experiences with owners and tenants and the common mistakes that end up costing both parties […]

2019: De-Clutter & Make More Money!

By Website Beta | Jan 10, 2019

Do you have a New Year’s Resolution to de-clutter your life? What about make more money? Complete both by cleaning out that storage unit you call your rental! Many of our owners use the garage or shed at their rental as storage for those items that are rarely used. Some owner even use it to […]

Mold in a Rental

By Website Beta | Dec 20, 2018

Seattle, and the PNW are their own little Mold Farms. You can’t go anywhere without some sort of moisture build up or something decomposing in this climate. In this environment, property owner and tenants must work together to combat mold in a rental and prevent the potential harmful health effects. Property Owners Know […]

Vacant Listings

By Website Beta | Dec 6, 2018

Vacant Listings If your rental has been sitting on the market, vacant, for what seems like forever, you’re not alone. It’s that time of year and we’re not going to see it let up until March, when the busy season starts to pick back up. So, while you’re sitting with a vacant home, it’s […]

Hosting Guests for the Holidays

By Website Beta | Nov 8, 2018

Hosting Guests for the Holidays: A Guide Maybe you have family coming into town or maybe you’re the family going to visit for the Holidays. Keep your family safe and healthy with this guide. We’re thinking outside the box for you so you can think about what really matters, the food and the beverages. If […]

Haunted Rental Stories

By Website Beta | Oct 31, 2018

Haunted Rental Stories from Our Agents. Chased Out of a U-District Home Rebecca did a move-in inspection for our agent Jay LaBrie in the U-District. She had this to say about her experience: “[It was] just a super creepy house. It’s an old farmhouse style home built in like 1901 and almost all of […]

Fall Proactive Cleaning for your Rental

By Website Beta | Oct 24, 2018

Fall Proactive Cleaning for your Rental Here are some proactive things you can do to your rental property to prepare it for the fall & winter seasons. Your rental lease with the tenants probably lays out maintenance responsibilities along the lines of ‘tenants are responsible for the furnace filter and light bulbs, and the owner […]

Market your Rental Property like a Pro

By Website Beta | Oct 11, 2018

Market your Rental Property like a Pro So, you’ve decided to rent out your home! Congratulations on this big next step in your financial plan! Owning a rental property can be a rewarding experience; a fulfilling way to earn a little passive income while providing shelter for someone, while hopefully watching your property’s value appreciate. […]

Rent Prices are Dropping: It’s that time of the year.

By Website Beta | Sep 26, 2018

Rent Prices are Dropping: It’s that time of the year. It’s always the same, around this time of year all the news articles will exclaim that rent prices are dropping! They will fail to explain, however, that this is typical for this time of the year. We already touched on the best time to rent […]

By Website Beta | Sep 13, 2018

You work hard to manage your property well in order to avoid litigation and the stress of going to court. That said, if you manage rental properties for long enough, chances are that disputes will arise. Going to court is typically a last resort, but there are times when Landlords and Tenants should recognize that they’re simply […]

By Website Beta | Aug 30, 2018

Grilling: A Cautionary Tale Tenants and homeowners alike will likely fire up the grill this weekend for Labor Day. This week we wanted to cover some safety regarding your BBQ party, especially when you’re hosting at your rental home. It’s something you’ll see in the newspaper and everyone thinks the same two things; First, “They […]

Avoiding Fraudulent Rental Listings

By Website Beta | Aug 16, 2018

This linked survey is worthwhile reading for both renters and landlords. It points out various types of scams prevalent in the rental market, and ways renters can combat them. Avoiding Fraudulent Rental Listings With every great new tool available to the public, there’s always someone out there who takes advantage of it. While looking for […]

By Website Beta | Aug 2, 2018

Meet our newest agent, Ann Lopez. With almost 30 years in property management, Ann joined us about a year ago. She’s hit the ground running – operating out of Kirkland, she’s already found her niche in North Seattle. I wanted to know how it was going since she began at Windermere, here’s the Q&A: What’s […]

More Families Renting Rather than Buying

By Website Beta | Jul 19, 2018

More families than ever are renting instead of buying. Between 2006 and 2016, 1.9 million more families* in the U.S. were renting their home at the time of the census, a 16% increase in just 10 years. In that same 10-year time frame, Seattle saw 40,000 more households with minor children renting, and a decrease […]

By Website Beta | Jul 5, 2018

Preparing to rent a home: So, you’ve graduated, or you’re moving from your parent’s place for the first time. Here’s what you need to get in shape before you go apartment hunting: Your credit score(s). Use a free credit company to check your credit score. If it’s in the poor range, these sites often have […]

What to Consider When You're Considering a Micro-Unit

By Website Beta | Jun 21, 2018

Considering a Micro-Unit? The price of a micro-unit will definitely peak your interest. But, is it a good fit for you? It’s important to consider the pros and cons before you make the move to a micro-unit since they come with a specific set of unique attributes. Let’s dive into the pros and cons and […]

By Website Beta | Jun 7, 2018

Need a good handyman or Sub-contractor? Use these questions to start your interview with a potential vendor. They will help you protect your investment property, both structurally and financially. Having a vendor list you can trust is crucial for maintaining your investment property while staying within your budget. If you know they’re going to get […]

By Website Beta | May 24, 2018

Looking for a Property Manager to manage your investment property? Here are some tips: Carefully selecting the right property manager is one of (if not) THE most important step(s) of owning investment properties. Having the right property manager will impact profitability, risk, and enjoyment of the venture like few other decisions an owner will make. […]

By Website Beta | May 10, 2018

Is it a pet or service animal? There’s a difference! Service animals and Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) are not pets. Tenants who have them are protected by HUD laws. Much like you wouldn’t ask someone what their prescription is for, you can’t ask the tenant what they suffer from that requires an animal. Here’s how […]

Rent Prices Have Failed to Keep Up with Surging Property Values

By Website Beta | Apr 19, 2018

Rental prices are not keeping up with home sale values. Taking into consideration the current market and recent property tax increases in our area, it’s not hard to see that these two linked industries depend on each other more than people tend to realize. When Landlords sell, they will sell at a market price. This […]

Spring Cleaning for your Rental Property

By Website Beta | Apr 5, 2018

Proactive spring cleaning for your rental property: A quick guide to a spring inspection of your property investment. It’s time to clean out your home for spring. The sun is out later in the evening, and we’re able to assess the damage of winter. But don’t forget about your rental property, because your tenants might […]

Three Rookie Mistakes to Avoid

By Website Beta | Mar 22, 2018

Don’t make these rookie mistakes! Avoid a sticky situation with your tenants by following these three rules to property management. Make sure you are following the laws of your location, renting your house out isn’t easy, but don’t make it harder on yourself than it needs to be. Rookie Mistake: Not making tenants formally apply. […]

By Website Beta | Mar 8, 2018

Knowing when to market your property is half the battle. Profitably managing a rental property depends in large part on timing. First off – a landlord’s potentially largest variable expense is vacancy. I say ‘potential’ because the goal is to therefore have a vacancy rate approach zero. This is achievable by pricing a property correctly and […]

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