Homeowners today are more and more often making the choice to rent their home rather than sell due to the decreasing property values in today’s economy.  As a result, it is becoming more and more important to find quality, efficient property management services. But unlike the past where homeowners were most concerned with property maintenance, rent collection and vendor management, they now also look to their property manager to find qualified, reliable tenants quickly. Especially in the case of higher end homes, this can be difficult.

The increasing concern of homeowners to find solid and qualified tenants stems from the fact that many are now considering long term leases or lease with option to buy scenarios rather than just short term or vacation situations.  The financial and emotional risk to a homeowner is greater when market conditions force them to rent instead of sell their home. 

Homeowners or prospective tenants should consider the following factors when selecting their property management company:

1.   Licensing. Many property management companies in Colorado are not licensed with the Colorado Real Estate Commission, because it’s not required unless the company manages a certain number of properties. A licensed property manager is bound by the laws of the real estate commission, and has legal obligations through the commission to both the landlord and the tenant. . It is easy for unscrupulous management companies to commit fraud against a customer or even identity theft and the home owner or tenant have very little remedy.

2.Tenant Review. A critical component in the process is to pre-screen all potential tenants by conducting a thorough credit, rental, and criminal background check. This goes a long way to minimizing the homeowner’s risk as well as saving time and energy up front for all parties.

3.   Real Estate Experience. It’s important to have experience in today’s marketplace. A property manager with a full menu of experience in all management areas will understand the needs of buyers and sellers and help them to create a win win situation for all.

4.Collaboration in the Local Area. It’s important that the company has established positive relationships within the real estate community. Many for-sale properties are turning into rentals and a solid network of brokers means a bigger inventory of homes as well as real time insight into various neighborhoods and the market as a whole.

Our Denver Based property management company, Denver Rent a Home has focused on streamlining the tenant placement process and taking the hassle out of the hands of the homeowners. The use of online tenant screenings has helped find quality tenants quickly and efficiently. There is also a thorough background check conducted on every prospective tenant, and we pride ourselves on learning what is important to our clients very early in the process.

For homeowners and tenants alike, the bottom line is be careful when choosing your property management company.If a company you are considering isn’t licensed, or doesn’t convey solid processes and experience, be wary. This may seem elementary, but licensing requirements can be confusing, and people often take short cuts because they are unaware of the risks this type of transaction can pose without proper representation by a quality manager. It is also a great idea to ask to speak to references who have used the property management company’s services for a similar transaction.

A great property management company really wants to make sure they understand their clients and know the properties as if they were their own. They appreciate the fact that their customers are trusting them to place the right tenants in their home, and take the responsibility very seriously.

DenverRentAHome.com can help those in the Denver, Colorado and surrounding areas with over 75 years of combined expertise in the residential rental and property management fields.  As Colorado natives, they will be able to help you find the ideal lease option situation in any price range.  Homeowners can now post their properties online for FREE for two weeks, followed by a low monthly fee. And prospective tenants can now get pre-qualified online! Visit www.DenverRentAHome.com for more information or call 303.681.6767.

I recently saw a report on MSNBC that more than half of potential homebuyers say they’re still not ready to enter the housing market, according to a poll conducted by Realtor.com. Their biggest concern was that they would lose their job and be unable to support the new home. Other worries include fear of not selling their current home and that home prices will keep falling.

In dealing with my customers and clients, I too have found that tight credit restrictions are keeping many would-be buyers out, but even those who can qualify are skeptical that prices will continue to drop. Furthermore, as many of the best deals in the marketplace are foreclosed properties, new homebuyers are constantly reminded that purchasing a home is a big risk financially in these troubling times.  Additionally, many perceive purchasing a foreclosed property as a lot more complex than other transactions.

The poll by Realtor.com also found that Americans generally are skeptical about Obama’s plan to alleviate the foreclosure crisis by giving the lending industry $50 billion in incentives to lower borrowers’ monthly payments. While about 27% of those polled did feel the plan was working, the remaining people did not believe it was working, or didn’t know if it was working.

What is the end result of all this? In my business , I am seeing an increased interest from both potential sellers and buyers in home rental rather than traditional sales and purchase.   

Renting gives those relocating an option to test out the market and find the right fit, and allows those needing to upgrade a chance to do so much sooner than they might be able to in these current conditions.Home owners are also finding rental over selling attractive, as it allows the real estate market to rebound and their property values to increase.I foresee that, until consumer confidence increases for the home buying market, renting will continue to be a favored option for home buyers and sellers alike.   

 DenverRentAHome.com can help those in the Denver, Colorado and surrounding areas with over 75 years of combined expertise in the residential rental and property management fields.  Homeowners can now post their properties online for FREE for two weeks, followed by a low monthly fee. And prospective tenants can now get pre-qualified online! Visit www.DenverRentaHome.com for more information or call 303.681.6767.

Homeowners wanting to sell their home are in for some good news as many real estate markets are showing signs of rebound.Denver, Colorado is one such market, and homes in the $100,000-$300,000 price range are selling fast and for more than the experts predicted.  However, despite these positive trends, sellers remain cautious and competition is tough, especially since foreclosed properties continue to saturate most markets.   

One way to maintain the competitive edge, increase the desirability of your home and set it up for a quick sale is to have your home professionally staged.The goal of professional staging is to take away the personal touches in your home that may not appeal to a wide range of buyers, and set it up to look appealing to the most buyers possible.  You want a prospective buyer to picture himself living in the home.

Although there is no guarantee, history has shown that staged homes spend less time on the market and sell for far more than non-staged homes.  And yet, many homeowners are reluctant to take advantage of this proven sales strategy, for several reasons. 

1.It is too expensive.The cost to professionally stage a home can fluctuate.As the objective of home staging is to emphasize its positive features and downplay the negatives, a house that is already in terrific condition will have a lower bill to professionally stage it.Most professional stagers will meet with you and provide a cost estimate, and many are even allowing creative payment options to meet your particular needs.

2.It will be too big a bother.The truth is that staging your home can be as easy as getting rid of all your clutter or rearranging furniture.On the other hand, it might demand a complete overhaul of every room in the house.The good news is that drastic of a tactic is rarely necessary, and focusing on a few main rooms such as the kitchen, baths and master bedroom will often give outstanding results.It is critical to get rid of all the clutter in order to feature all of the best qualities of your home. 

3.  It will take too much time.The truth is that even the most complicated staging projects rarely takes more than a week, and the average time spent is one to three days. 

The housing market continues to be tough, and houses competing with bargain priced bank owned properties need as much help as they can get.Having your home professionally staged may be just what you need to give you that competitive edge and to sell your home fast and for a great price. 

DenverRentAHome.com can help those in the Denver, Colorado and surrounding areas with over 75 years of combined expertise in the residential rental and property management fields.  Visit today to find out how DenverRentaHome.com can help you find or fill your home today.