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Over 65% of American families have at least one animals they keep as a pet. Over a third of these families are headed by Millennials who are getting dogs rather than having children. Millennials are the prime rental market; however, property managers are not lifting their bans on pets. If you are a property manager who is debating on whether to allow residents to have dogs, here are 5 things you should consider.

1. Who is Your Target Renter?Depending on your target market, you may not have much demand for a pet friendly property. Many mid-life residents won’t have or want pets because of active and busy lifestyles. Seniors are usually more prone to want limited maintenance pets such as cats or birds rather than dogs that must be walked; however, Millennials and families with children are often more attracted to properties that allow dogs and other animals.
2. Pets Can Bring Extra Revenue-Pet owners are often willing to pay more rent, an additional pet rent, or a pet deposit to have their pet live with them. In fact, pet owners usually expect this extra expense. Consider whether the extra revenue can offset the potential cost of turning the unit when vacant.
3. Resident Retention-When a property manager allows pets the resident retention rates increase. Because many properties don’t allow pets when a renter finds a place that does, they are more likely to continue renewing their lease. If a property manager doesn’t allow pets, but the renter wants one, they may look somewhere else for their renting needs.
4. Check your insurance-Your property insurance may not allow dogs, certain breeds, or have restrictions on the number of pets in a unit. Residents don’t always realize that it is not always up to the property manager whether they can have a dog, insurance has the final say on the matter.
5. Requiring Renter’s Insurance-Many property managers require tenants to obtain renters insurance, especially if they have a dog. Requiring this and maintaining the records in the resident file can ease your mind for the liability you as a property manager may face.

Pets are part of many people’s family; however, they can be a huge liability or risk for property managers. Weigh the pros and cons of allowing pets in your properties before making a final decision on your pet policy.

A property manager’s main function is to relieve the property owner of the stress that comes with managing their property and tenants. If you own a few homes but are ready to retire, are starting another business venture, or simply don’t have the time or enthusiasm to keep running a rental business as a private landlord, a property manager is someone that can help you achieve your dreams while still making a profit. This person needs to be qualified and trustworthy obviously, so while you are interviewing potential property managers, make sure to ask these questions as a good base for determination.

1. How have you been able to adapt to new and changing business trends?If your interviewee has been in the property management business more than a few years, they have seen several shifts in the industry and understand there will be more in the future. Getting a grasp on their ability to change and adapt while effectively manage your property is key.
2. What Services Do You Offer? There are many different services that property managers offer, and many will custom tailor their offerings to fit your needs.
3. What are Your Marketing Strategies? If your property manager is going to be managing multiple homes or a multi-family property, you need to know how they plan to handle and fill vacancies and what strategies they have for resident retention. You also need to know if these marketing services are an extra charge or if you can establish a marketing budget that the property manager then utilizes.
4. What About Your Team?Are you hiring a single property manager or a property management company to manage your investment? If you are hiring a company, you need to know what the qualifications of their team members are and how they go about their own hiring and training.
5. Contract specifics are another conversation you should have at the time of the interview with a potential property manager. You need to know how and when you can break contracts and what your duties as the property owner will be. You should make sure that every detail of the arrangement, including updates and financial data is transparent.

Owning a property and taking a hands-off approach to renters can be difficult to navigate, but with a qualified property manager, such as Scott Properties, you can trust you are in qualified hands.

Analyzing the cost of living in Charleston shows that it cost significantly more on average to live in this historic city than most other places in the United States. One-bedroom apartments cost over $1,000 per month on average and rental homes are averaging more than $1,900 per month. Millennials that are living with roommates and families that need multiple bedrooms are often seeking out rental homes in Charleston rather than apartments.

People choose to live in homes in Charleston because of the aesthetic appeal also. Charleston is full of cobblestone streets, colonial architecture, and remnants of the plantation area and thriving agricultural businesses. Homes in Charleston are expected to live up to the beauty that surrounds them which also creates a demand for higher rent rates. Many rental homes are professionally landscaped and maintained by the property owner or property management company to ensure that the home retains its value during and after the tenants.

Charleston has a very low unemployment rate at less than 5% which is a remarkable thing for property owners of rental homes in Charleston. When people keep their jobs, they are more likely to remain living in their home. If you are interested in renting your property to a business class professional, you will have low turnover and amazing retention for your home. Scott Properties can help you navigate the path to turning the properties you own into rental homes in Charleston.

Property management professionals are learning more about marketing to the Millennial generation and have started using digital platforms to reach these renters. Almost 9 out of 10 Millennials owns and operates a smart device regularly so enabling online rent payments, maintenance requests, and email communication will always attract a Millennial.

Another thing that property management companies can do to get more millennial renters is offering high speed internet options. Large apartment communities will always be more desirable if there are high speed internet options available. IF you really want to attract Millennials, include highspeed or broadband internet in the rental agreement.

Eco-friendly properties will also be sure to attract the millennial generation. Whether a large community or single-family home, property management companies are making their homes more environmentally friendly by providing recycling service, offering community garden plots, using solar heating and energy efficient appliances in the homes. Millennials are also looking for property management companies that aren’t discriminatory towards pets. A third of all pets in the United States are owned by Millennials. Making your properties pet friendly can increase your attractiveness to this generation.

Managing and marketing your property can be difficult. Knowing your target market is crucial for having low vacancy and turnover. A property management firm can help build your properties reputation and find the renters you desire most!

We’ve all been to a relatives house who keeps everything from trinkets and figurines to old newspapers and TV Guides. As the years go by and the “stuff” starts to accumulate, it is clear that person is surely becoming a hoarder. When the property isn’t yours, you may not put too much thought into all the stuff inside, but when a property management company has to deal with residents who are hoarding, there are many things, including fair housing laws, that come into play. Hoarders can have an impact as small as making a nuisance to creating health and safety issues for the property and other residents.

If your property management company is dealing with a hoarder there are a few tips to make the situation easier:

1. Understand the Behavior: Hoarding is not just a bad habit, the behavior is obsessive compulsive and is a treatable mental disorder. This means they are protected under fair housing laws. Property management companies cannot discriminate against tenants with mental illness or disability and must make reasonable accommodations before threatening eviction.
   
2. Messy vs. Hoarding: The difference between messy and hoarding is that hoarding can cause safety issues within a unit such as blocking exits, interfering with the sprinkler system, attracting pests, or creating health or safety hazards for other residents. While someone may be unclean and messy, these traits don’t always cause safety issues for the resident or others.
   
3. Document Everything: Property Management companies have a duty to provide habitable and safe dwellings for their residents. If you suspect a resident of hoarding, you must document every instance of contact with the resident and both their own willingness to uphold their end of the lease as well as your attempts to make accommodations for the person such as offering to lease them additional storage space.

Hoarders can wreak havoc on a property and can be troublesome for private landlords to manage. To avoid these costly and complicated legal matters, hiring a property management company to manage the home you own is always a smart choice!

Charleston South Carolina is one of the most historic places in the United States of America. The city is a modern-day representation of Southern charm and sophistication while still transporting visitors back in time to the Antebellum South. With vacation rental sites such as Airbnb helping vacationers find houses for rent in Charleston, South Carolina, it is more popular than ever for home owners to rent their properties, especially during peak travel and tourism seasons.

Houses for rent in Charleston are not hard to find. Many vacation home owners are renting their properties when they are not there to make back some of their home owners association fees, keep the property maintained, and/or make some cash back on their investment. If you are a home ownerlooking to move away from Charleston, it might be worth your while to turn your home into rental property rather than sell it.

When vacationers are looking for houses to rent in Charleston, they are usually looking for a property that they can live in for 3 days or longer. Houses are perfect for longer vacations away from home because they provide a comfortable atmosphere that can meet the needs of your home, even while you are away. For many vacationers, a renting a house in Charleston for short term is often much cheaper than a hotel or resort.

If you own property near the French Quarter, Battery, Waterfront Park, Middleton Place, “Haunted’ Parts of Charleston, or near any other major landmarks that are iconic to Charleston, South Carolina, using your property as a house for rent in Charleston could boost your recurring income or give you a residual income that you can use for your own vacation needs.

One of the best parts about owning a home that you will rent is that you don’t have to be a landlord. You can hire professionals like Scott Properties to handle all your property management needs.