BDF Realty’s Blog

“Let my people go.” (Moses to Pharaoh) Happiness. Everybody wants it. That goes for tenants, property managers, puppies, you name it. To accomplish it, sometimes a change of scenery is necessary. I mean, you want to go where everybody knows your name. And they’re always glad you came. Right? Occasionally, we have tenants who are not happy with their home. They want to break their lease and...

“You want me to lock into a price today on a house that could be worth $30K less in two years? You’re crazy!” (Potential rent-to-own tenant) Human nature is a funny thing. There is a herd mentality that seems to be so tough to break. If everyone is buying, then it is the time to buy. When everyone is selling, it is time to sell. When everyone is doing nothing, it is time to do nothing. And so...

“You know you have a good compromise when both sides are slightly unhappy.” (Many Authors Credited) As a Charlotte property manager, my least favorite part of the job are the end-of-lease walk-throughs; that is, when the tenant moves out, and we visit the property to check out its condition. If there are damages, we need to decide whether they are “normal wear and tear” (no charge to the...

As a Charlotte-area property manager, we get contacted (usually via e-mail) by prospective tenants asking us if the owner is willing to accept less than the listed rental rate. This question gets asked before the tenant even looks at the rental home. I guess with the “new normal”, Group-On world we are living in, some might assume that consumers are not willing to look at something that isn’t...

“There are only two directions; you’re either growing or you’re dying. There ain’t no third direction.” (Tommy Callaghan, Sr. in “Tommy Boy”) Business is a funny thing; one is never allowed to be satisfied. If you start a company, grow it, and begin to cash flow it, then that’s good, right? Isn’t that the idea? I thought it was, at least. However, it really isn’t if you read the news, watch...

Question from client: “How long will it take for you to fill my home with a tenant?” Answer from property manager: “It should be in the next month or two, but I obviously can’t guarantee that.” Comment from client: “Okay, I completely understand. I wouldn’t want you to speculate about the result of an action that you do for a living and your company has executed repeatedly well for the past...

“Wow! How disingenuous! Could you think that because you create rent-to-sell transactions for living? Isn’t that like asking a barber if you need a haircut?” At least that’s what I’d be asking as a reader. We live in a skeptical age, and that’s okay. Let’s start with a story: An average man meets a beautiful, energetic woman. He is taken. “If I could spend the rest of my life with her,” he...

There are many sayings that become axioms as their wisdom becomes evident over time: “Don’t throw good money after bad” “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach” “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend” In real estate, the wisdom for real estate agents was “list to last”; this means that the agents who want to last in the business should take a lot of sales listings (aka put houses on the...

Most of the calls for our rent-to-sell program (rent-to-own tenant placement into vacant homes for sale) are about addressing one primary need; unfortunately, that need is not for our rent-to-sell program (per se)! The need they are addressing is selling their home as quickly (and for as much money) as possible. If a company existed that could do this consistently, they would be inundated...

I was asked recently if our property management company provided monthly rental home inspections for houses under management. I assume what was meant was the kind of inspection where we go into the property, check everything out, eat dinner with the tenants, and then help any young children with their homework. Then we’d set a time to visit again the next month before hugging goodbye. Smiles...