The end of the year is prime time for planning. As you review 2014 and make plans for 2015, consider some ways that you can improve your efficiency and boost your profit margins. Combine these tips for a winning strategy in 2015: 1. Make a resolution to always speak...

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the agency tasked with enforcing discrimination laws, recently issued a statement announcing that a number of landlords across the country have been penalized for discrimination against tenants with...

January 1st is an important date, especially for landlords. Not only does it mark the beginning of a new year, but it's also a common time for new rental laws to go into effect. These new rules can touch on every aspect of the rental process, from tenant screening to...

Do you have a nagging feeling that you're getting older? Don't worry, it's not you. The number of young renters is increasing -- and that has some landlords feeling outdated. Millennials -- 30-year-olds, give or take five years -- are quickly becoming a significant...

As you take a step back and make plans for 2015, try out some of these top strategies utilized by the most successful landlords and property managers. Each strategy alone is a money-saver, but incorporating them all is your best bet for a prosperous 2015: 1. If you do...

Nearly one-half of British Columbia renters pay more than 30 per cent of gross income on rent, the threshold deemed unaffordable by Statistics Canada. What's more, 25 percent of tenants in the province currently pay more than 50 percent of gross income on rent,...

How do you avoid rental losses? Most landlords will answer, "Ask for a security deposit." Having the right to deduct repair costs or unpaid rent directly from a tenant's funds is an efficient way to restore a rental property and quickly get it back on the market....

This week the U.S. Justice Department announced it had settled a long-standing dispute between a tenant and her landlords over pet policies. As a result of the settlement, the landlords will pay $25,000 to end a dispute over a $1,000 pet deposit requirement. The...

Landlords in King County, Washington have been bending the rules. But, it's for a good cause: reducing the number of homeless in the area. Homelessness has climbed recently throughout the Northwest as vacancy rates dropped. The problem has prompted lawmakers into...

Vacancies cost money, and that financial pressure can cause landlords to make a serious mistake: choosing the wrong tenant. Nothing is more expensive than a bad renter. Not even a vacancy. So it pays to hone in on what you need in a tenant. That means rejecting the...

Q: Do we have the right to screen a “Proposed Occupant” as well as an Applicant? The Applicant’s screen may come back “Approved/Clear" of credit and background check, but what about the rest of the family members that may be living in your property? One of them may...

Ask any landlord in Ontario and they'll likely say they'd love the opportunity to collect security deposits to hedge the risk of income loss. Unfortunately, it would take a change in the law to make that happen. Surprisingly, in provinces that allow for security...

Screening tenants is critical to maintaining profit margins because just one mistake means lost income. There's a lot that goes into developing a solid tenant screening policy that will cover all the bases, but  it's important to build on the basics: 1. You Need a...

Did you know that your property management style can determine whether you find the right tenants? Your reputation as a landlord has more to do with tenant screening than you might realize. Some landlords get into the business by accident, or have managed one property...

Finding a new tenant is always something of a gamble. One bad tenant can become a nightmare for a rental property owner. That's why it's important to be picky. The role of tenant screening is to increase the odds that only qualified tenants wind up in your rental...