So the big question DIY or Hire a pro?

Short answer: Hire a pro
Most inexperienced home owners really get nervous when its time to hire a contractor. This is due, mostly because of the horror stories that go around about home owners getting ripped off. It not only take a special kind of person but also takes experience to deal with contractors. Now if lets look at alternatives. 

DYI:
If you go about this option you need to rent equipment. This equipment can vary from 20 to 100 dollars per day. Plus whatever chemical they can upsale you at your local store. If you would like to go this route it could work if your carpet is not too dirty. At the end of the day it will cost you about 100.00 plus how much you value your time and gas.

Carpet Cleaning Professional:
a carpet cleaning pro in the Miami metro area will charge you a min of 100.00 on average and around 50.00 extra per room. If you have 4 rooms it could be up to 250.00. However if you get a reliable and trusted contractor you will receive great service, clean it with eco-friendly products and make the problem a breeze.

When going with a pro is VERY important to do reasearch and ask them many questions. Ask them as much questions as you can.

If you need a carpet cleaning vendor do to the work always one that is willing to build a relationship with you and that he or she is not concerned strictly about the transactional value. We use they always seem to do a great job and honest job when it comes to the dirtiest carpets.

There is a large increase of investors looking to gain a higher return on their investment in the Florida real estate market. As property prices had risen exponentially in the past 4 years, the renter market had grown in its demand. Now units are being evaluated as an investment, managing their margins, taxes, and expenses. Property management companies tend to understand the core value of a “good quality tenant”, this makes remark in the importance of a smart screening. Analyzing important indicators such as credit, cash flow, previous landlord referral, work verification.

“Empty apartments make no money at all,” says Larson. “It’s better to rent the apartment at some price than to have it sitting empty, but you have to weigh that against the risk, and the possibility that demand will increase and the unit could be rented for more. A good screening solution should help you determine scientifically how much to relax standards instead of leaving your people to use their hunches.”

There is a key element of “smart screening” choosing the right tenant will make the management agile and a higher ROI. Renters tend to misinterpret that the property the rent and live in is not theirs so they upkeep maintenance and order. Good quality tenants tend to appreciate the property as their own, and seem responsive and problem solvers.

As more properties turn environmental conscious, the investment opportunity becomes more profitable and interesting. It may be that time to start taking inventory of all properties and start making the difference with new implementation of energy saving methods.  Investors tend to think in the long run investment return, so implementing this energy saving tools could save lots of money, time and help the environment.

Here are some tips that could become extremely useful:

• “Unplug unused appliances. Even if the device is turned off, it will continue to use electricity if plugged in.
• Turn off your computer at night. More than a quarter of all computers used in this country are left on overnight. Take a minute and turn it off.
• Adjust your thermostat. Just a few degrees up in the summer or down in the winter can lower your utility bills, and you’ll hardly notice the difference.
• Reduce your paperwork by implementing document management software that will allow you to scan and save paperwork in a virtual file, eliminating those endless piles of paper.
• Recycle paper and aluminum cans.
• Limit your use of paper and plastic cups and plates.
• Replace power draining devices with new energy efficient models. By updating desktop systems, laptops, and printers, you’ll save energy, and be cooler as well, since the newer devices don’t produce as much heat as their older counterparts.
• Implement an online rent payment system. Accepting electronic checks and credit cards eliminates the need to make those daily deposits when rent is due.
• Install low-flow toilets in vacant units and replace as tenants move out. The same can be done with low-flow shower devices as well.
• If you live in a semi-arid or desert environment, consider xeriscaping for your landscaping. It will save you a tremendous amount of upkeep and water.”

Some of this implementations could result useful and beneficial for investors, conserving energy, lowering bills, and cut the amount waste of energy.

The amount of construction in selected areas of south Florida is increasing the risk at the time for an investment property, and even a standard pricing for a new homebuyer. The condo development has become the most attractive and secure investment in South Florida, since the new additions of the residential towers are on the rise and contractions cranes are generating uncertainty at the analysis of fundamentals.

One of the bright sides of investing in this market is the growth is constant and distributed in selected areas. “At a submarket level, the greatest risk to apartments is in downtown Miami, primarily because that’s where condo construction has been heavily concentrated. However, apartment construction has been better distributed among South Florida submarkets. As such, the threat to apartment performance should be mitigated due to greater distribution of apartment construction within the South Florida region.”

Another important factor in the Miami development, if the foreign capital investment which influences the Real estate market. Countries such as Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, and Russia have distressed economies that keep on devaluation their currency and affecting the inner markets. “Foreign buyers view Miami’s real estate market as a more secure vehicle to park capital. And in purchasing condo units, they are able to rent these units to generate cash flow, thereby creating a shadow market. However, it is too early to determine too what degree a shadow market has materialized in South Florida as they are difficult to track.”

Property Managers understand the importance in offering a higher service in maintenance, and be constantly improving to keep the appearance and condition of their apartment or home. Knowing that maintenance plays such a critical role, for the renewal and for fluent management, here are 4 tips that could be easily applied and have beneficial outcome.

1. Identify Common Maintenance Service Requests

“As an entire team, sit together and identify the 10 most common service requests at your community. For each of those 10, identify if there is a troubleshooting tip the office can suggest to the resident to see if they can resolve it on their own (i.e., reset button on garbage disposal or outlet), and define five key questions the maintenance team would like you to ask regarding that service request to get the best detail possible.

2. Follow Up on Every Maintenance Service Request

Follow-up on every completed service request, whether by phone or email. Be sure to ask, “Did we complete everything to your expectation?” and “Is there anything else we can do for you?”

3. Introduce Maintenance Service Team Members by Name

During tours, if you see a maintenance team member, introduce them by name to the prospect and give some highlights about them such as, “Joe’s been taking care of this community for nine years now” or “Jackie and her team are usually able to resolve any service request within 24 hours.”

4. Nurture Communication between Maintenance and Office Teams

Nurture constant communication between the maintenance team and the property management team. The better the communication and respect within the entire team, the more comfortable and secure the residents feel about the service they are receiving. There’s not room here for Us vs. Them. We’re all on the same team!”

Going green will not only benefit the environment but also it going to save lots of money in energy bills making the investment more profitable in the long run.

Investors, developers and management companies started realizing the importance of making their properties environmental efficient.  Fannie Mae announced that will give discounts on interest rates in buildings that have energy stamp approval.

After this implementations were approved in February 2015, companies started being more conscious about this matter, “0-basis-point reduction in the interest rate of a multifamily refinance, acquisition or supplemental mortgage loan will be automatic for an energy efficient-certified property, according to Fannie Mae. That means, for example, that interest on a market rate loan of 4 percent will drop to 3.9 percent. On a $10 million loan amortized over 30 years, that’s a savings of $95,000, says Fannie Mae.”

These resolution makes a winning-winning situation to all parties, the environment and the business. Not only new buildings are being qualified to a stamp approve, also old buildings are bringing solutions to become green and get the certification ““Older buildings are just as likely to be energy efficient and be among the top performers and attain an ENERGY STAR certification as newer buildings are. In fact, a number of cities that have benchmarking laws have done their own studies of all the buildings reporting data. Pretty much across the board what they’ve found is that the age of the building is not correlated with their energy performance at all, meaning older buildings are just as likely to be good performers.”

The older generation could become the horizon for the multifamily business. There are several reasons that make an elder crowd better tenants, and a better investment opportunity for property owners.

“The last thing any apartment owner wants to see inside a unit is a Hangover sequel produced by irresponsible renters. Let’s face it, some people who rent don’t treat their homes like they would want to be treated.”

The is a winning-winning situation for all parties renting the multifamily properties to elder crowds, they are smarter with their expenses, they realize their financial situation and they are have the capability to have more interest in taking care of their home as if it was theirs.

“The multifamily rental industry has charge led by baby boomers perhaps opens opportunities for landlords to have their rent and eat it, too. These are presumably a more responsible lot – they’ve raised their children, achieved their corporate standing and climbed their social ladders – and are less likely to head-butt walls. They’ll probably leave the place much like they found it.

It only supports why apartment industry executives have another reason to embrace the evolving aging of population. Baby boomers are entering their golden years and appear to be hanging around longer than previous generations. The rate of people over 65 and 75 is growing, and becoming a desirable demographic for the apartment industry.”

As a property manager, it is never too early to be thinking about pest prevention methods. Many of these pests are not only a pain for communities, but some can even be trasmitters for disease, according to the Center for Disease Control.  Rodents, bed bugs, and mosquitoes are just some of the major pests that can appear during the warmer months of the year and terrorize residents.

Property owners can safeguard against pest infestations by following these recommended tips by Orkin and the NPMA:

Moving from one home to another can be a tedious job. Before you start thinking about making the move, there are three things that you might want to consider:

I. Budget

The financial burden can be pretty large, and can grow depending on the place you’re moving to; be it a move within the same city, between states, or to a different country.

II. Number of People

Whether you’re single or moving with your family, the total cost to move will vary depending on the cubic feet of items being moved; which directly impacts the size of the moving truck you use or the amount of movers you may need. It might be helpful to write down the number of items being moved, along with their weight and size before moving onto getting an estimate.

III. Time

The next thing to focus your attention on should be the time it takes to actually make the move. If the move is not properly planned, it can become a stressful production. One way to plan for the amount of time it will take for the move is to consider how long it will take to move large items, time spent loading everything onto the truck, time spent moving all of your items to your new location, and time and effort unloading the truck.

Consider these factors when budgeting your move:

• Mortgage
• Gas
• Deposits
• Utilities
• Basic expenses/Groceries
• Moving Estimate

To use moving calculator: http://www.movingguru.com/movingcostcalculator

There is a huge impact in the environmental footprint in the real estate industry, there are lots of ways to improve your home planning remodeling and renovation projects to make your living space more environmentally conscious.

Insulate Your Walls
Insulate your home and use less energy to heat and cool it. Newer homes tend to come with insulation, but they might benefit from more. Older homes tend to have less insulation. The Department of Energy recommends a home inspection to learn the R-value of the insulation before you add more. R-value is the resistance to heat; the job of insulation is to keep heat on the correct side of the wall (out in summer, in during winter).

Add Window Treatments
Window treatments can also help you reduce your heating and cooling costs, while making your home look a bit more stylish. Hang roman blinds or a pair of thick curtains in your windows to block the heat in the summer and keep cold air from seeping in through the windows in winter.

Choose Better Materials
Cabinets made from particle board might be held together with a formaldehyde-based glue, which is a carcinogen and pollutant that contributes to smog and reduces indoor air quality.

Dispose of Appliances Properly
Upgrading the older appliances found in your new home is a simple way to improve your home’s interior and cut the amount of energy it uses. Look for new appliances that have the Energy Star label, because they use around 15 percent less energy than non-labeled appliances.