Evictions That Are Never Allowed

As a landlord or property manager, you most likely believe that you have a right to evict any tenant who has not paid their rent or who has damaged your property.

Think again. The Fair Housing Act and the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) limit your ability to evict such wrongdoers.

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), “Landlords can often decide when it’s legitimate to try to evict someone. There are some situations, however, in which landlords do not have a legally acceptable reason to evict someone.”

Legal Reasons to Evict a Tenant

Before you know what you can’t do, it is helpful to know what you can do. Although landlord-tenant laws vary by state, there is generally some uniformity in certain areas.

As a landlord, you have the right to remove a tenant from the property for any of the following reasons:

• The tenant does not vacate the property once the lease expires.
• Your renters have caused damage to your property.
• The tenants stopped paying their rent or have otherwise violated the terms of their lease.
• You are selling the property.
• You are going to do extensive renovations to the property.
• You are denied access to the property.
• The tenant is subletting the unit when the lease or rental agreement forbids it.
• Criminal activity in the home or on the property.
• Breaking a rule in the lease.

“Just Cause” and “No Fault” Eviction

Retaliatory actions by landlords are illegal throughout the United States. This means landlords cannot increase rent, decrease services or attempt eviction in response to tenants exercising their legal rights, such as reporting housing code violations or participating in tenant organizations. 

As an example, California law restricts a landlord’s ability to terminate a residential lease, evict the tenant and retake possession of the property. When a tenant has lawfully occupied the residential property for 12 months or more, the landlord is prohibited from ending the tenancy without “just cause.”

In most California cases, “the landlord must first give the tenant written notice of the alleged violation. Then the landlord must allow the tenant three full days to correct the deficiency before terminating the lease. The landlord can proceed with repossession only if the tenant fails to correct it within the 3-day time limit.”

“Just cause” refers to situations where the tenant has failed or refused to comply with the lease or other tenant responsibilities imposed by law. For instance, HUD points out that evicting someone for failing to pay pet fees for their assistance animals is not a good cause for eviction under the Fair Housing Act.

“No fault” eviction is where the tenant has no control of the termination. No fault just cause includes the following circumstances:

• The owner is reclaiming the property as their personal residence.
• The owner is removing the property from the rental market.
• An order to vacate by a governmental authority having jurisdiction over the property.
• The owner intends to demolish or substantially renovate the premises within a short time.

In these no-fault situations, the tenant cannot stop the lease termination. However, the landlord is required to provide the tenant with relocation assistance. They must either pay the tenant a sum equal to one month of the rental price or waive the rent payment due in the final month of occupancy.

The Colorado House of Representatives recently passed HB24-1098, which would bar landlords in the state from evicting residential tenants or denying lease renewals without providing a cause. If a landlord carries out a no-cause eviction, this is considered the unlawful removal of a tenant and renters can use the landlord’s violation as a defense in eviction proceedings in court. HB24-1098 will move next to the Colorado Senate. 

Evictions That Are Never Allowed

According to HUD, landlords may not evict or threaten to evict someone based on the following grounds. Note that It does not matter that a landlord might have the right to evict a tenant for other reasons. If the eviction decision was based in part on one of these reasons, the landlord has violated the Fair Housing Act.

Landlords must comply with the Federal Fair Housing Act and additional state laws prohibiting discrimination against tenants based on the reasons listed below. It is illegal to evict or threaten to evict anyone for exercising their rights under the Fair Housing Act.

• Race
• Color
  • A landlord violates the law if they evict a Black tenant for unpaid rent, but not a White tenant who also has not paid their rent.
• Religion
• Sex (including sexual orientation or gender identity
• National origin (country of origin or ancestry)
  • Threatening to evict a tenant for not speaking English or for having an accent is typically national origin discrimination
• Disability
  • A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits an individual’s major life activity or bodily function, being regarded as having such an impairment, or having a record of such an impairment)
• Familial status
  • A landlord may not evict a family because a child joins the family through birth, adoption, a change in custody, because the tenant is pregnant or otherwise has plans to add a child to their household.
  • Landlords may not impose overly restrictive rules about what minors may or may not do in their housing and then try to evict the family for breaking those rules.

Even if someone is behind on their rent and subject to eviction, a landlord may not pick and choose which tenants to evict based on any protected characteristic. For instance, HUD points out that “if a landlord refuses to add a tenant’s domestic partner to the lease because the partner is in a protected class, this refusal and any related threat to evict is illegal.”

It doesn’t matter whether:

• The lease gives the landlord the right to determine who is in the household.
• The lease gives the landlord the right to evict for unauthorized occupants.
• There is some other reason for the refusal to add the partner allowed by the lease.

If the landlord acts for a discriminatory reason, it is not allowed. It may not be obvious that a landlord is acting because of a person’s protected characteristic, but there can be clues:

• Evicting someone because a building manager believes the tenant is LGBTQI+ is discrimination because of sex.
• Evicting a tenant because other tenants or community members have discriminatory preferences or have made discriminatory statements is illegal discrimination.

Retaliating against a tenant for refusing their landlord’s sexual advances is also a violation of the Fair Housing Act. The landlord may not use eviction as a threat to get sexual favors or sexually explicit photographs from the tenant. Such actions could expose a landlord to civil penalties as well as to criminal charges because it is illegal to evict or threaten to evict anyone who is exerting their rights under the Fair Housing Act.

HUD also reports that “Under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), a landlord may not evict or otherwise penalize any tenant for seeking out law enforcement or emergency assistance on their own behalf or on behalf of another person in need of assistance. These calls for help can be for any emergency, such as needing medical assistance and do not have to involve a domestic violence or sexual assault incident.”

Illegal Ways for Landlords to Avoid Eviction

In order to avoid the aggravation and expense of going through the eviction process, some owners will use self-help eviction methods by attempting to retake possession of their rental property through other means.

The following are examples of illegal self-help evictions that could lead to your tenant rightfully suing you and damaging your business:

• Changing the locks while the tenant still lives in the property.
• Removing the tenant’s property.
• Failing to pay included utilities, such as water, and cutting them off.
• Threats of any kind.
• Direct orders to leave.

In addition to self-help evictions being illegal, landlords can be ordered to pay the tenant actual damages, court costs and attorney’s fees. In addition, statutes in many states, such as Virginia, also allow for the tenant to remain in the home.

Eviction Laws for Mobile Homes

Eviction laws do not only cover traditional multifamily and single-family rental homes, they also apply to manufactured and mobile home parks. If someone rents both the space and the mobile home, they are treated as if they were an apartment tenant.

However, the apartment tenant can be evicted without good cause. If the person is a mobile homeowner renting a space in a mobile home park, the landlord can evict them from the park only for good cause. This is true whether the rental agreement is month-to-month or a fixed term. The landlord also may not shut off the utilities to force the tenant to move. Only a sheriff with a court order can physically evict a tenant.

A landlord would have good cause to evict a tenant from their mobile home park for the following reasons:

1. A landlord can start an eviction case by giving a 30-day written notice if the rent payment was late three times or more during the past 12 months. 
2. The landlord can terminate the lease if the tenant fails to pay a late fee for past due rental payments. The landlord may only charge a late fee if it is agreed upon in the lease. 
3. A landlord can start an eviction case if the tenant has not lived up to a condition of their rental agreement, such as not maintaining their space. They can also be evicted for breaking any other law or ordinance of the mobile home park.
4. A landlord can start an eviction case if a tenant was convicted of being a predatory sex offender.
5. The landlord can start an eviction case if they believe someone in the tenant’s household, including a pet, has seriously injured someone, threatened someone with serious harm, done substantial damage to someone else’s belongings or committed an “extremely outrageous act” in or near the mobile home park. 
6. A manufactured dwelling cannot be forced out of a facility just because of its age, style or size, but a tenant whose home is deteriorated or in disrepair can be given a notice of termination that gives the tenant at least 60 days to repair the home to meet reasonable park standards. 

Conclusion

While it’s not always obvious that a tenant is going to cause their landlord trouble, it is possible to minimize the risk by carefully screening an applicant before you rent to them. An AAOA tenant background check and tenant screening will alert you to any suspicious or irresponsible activity on the part of the prospective tenant over the last seven years. You can clearly see if they have any criminal judgments against them and how responsibly they have been paying their bills or if they have declared bankruptcy during that time.

As laws become more tenant-friendly nationwide, be very careful when handing over the keys for your investment property to a new renter. And remember, AAOA is ready 24/7 to help you.

Source:

https://www.american-apartment-owners-association.org/property-management/evictions-that-are-never-allowed/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=rasa_io&utm_campaign=newsletter

7 Predictions For The 2024 Rental Market

By John Triplett  -December 12, 2023

Here are 7 predictions for where the rental market is headed in 2024 from the economists at Apartment List as the once red-hot rental market of previous years has now cooled.

Here is a key topline summary for 2024:

• 2024 will be the strongest year for new apartment construction in decades, giving renters more options and better opportunities to negotiate price and lease terms.
• “We expect that year-over-year rent growth will crawl out of negative territory next year, but that it won’t rise above the low single-digits.”
• Even though mortgage rates are expected to ease modestly, home prices will remain prohibitively high and continue to create more long-term renters.

No. 1 – 2024 will bring the most new apartments in decades

Construction data from the Census Bureau suggests that multifamily supply growth should remain strong through 2024. The number of new multifamily apartment units under construction hit one million for the first time ever in 2023, and completions are expected to peak in 2024. With so many units in the construction pipeline, 2024 should be the strongest year for new multifamily supply since the 1980s.

No. 2 – Low single-digit rent growth in 2024

2023 is set to have the second slowest rent growth of any year in the history of our estimates (going back to 2017), coming ahead of only 2020. Looking ahead to 2024, “we expect demand to bounce back slightly, but remain on the soft side. The labor market remains fairly strong and there is likely some pent-up demand for new household formation. However, affordability continues to be a major concern and sentiment data shows that Americans still lack confidence in the economy. Even in the most bullish scenario, it’s unlikely that demand will be strong enough to outstrip all of the new supply that we know is coming, likely resulting in our vacancy index rising modestly from its current level in 2024. We expect that rent growth will rise out of negative territory early next year, but that it won’t get above the low single digits in 2024.”

No. 3- The changing rent vs. buy math will create more long-term renters

Many families are remaining renters longer than they may have in the past. Even those who can afford to buy in today’s market may find that renting now actually makes more financial sense. Although most Americans still aspire to own homes, more are now finding themselves renting later in life, and that trend is likely to continue. Consensus expectations are that mortgage rates will ease modestly next year, but likely not enough to significantly alter the prevailing dynamics of the for-sale market. As paths to homeownership fade for many, renting will increasingly be seen as the more practical housing option.

No. 4- Hybrid work will cement itself as the new norm for office jobs

In 2023, the remote work narrative focused on return-to-office plans, but this focus obscures the fact the pendulum will never swing fully back to the pre-pandemic norm. According to the latest estimates, 28 percent of all work days are still from home, and that figure appears to be stabilizing at that level. 42 percent of American workers currently have some form of remote work flexibility, and hybrid arrangements are much more common than fully remote ones. The data shows that hybrid work is here to stay, driving demand for rentals that provide spaces and amenities that blend work and home life for today’s flexible workforce.

No. 5- Sun Belt markets will see more renters, but not necessarily higher rents

The nation’s fastest population growth in recent years has been taking place throughout the Sun Belt. But in many cases, Sun Belt markets have also been among the most accommodating of growth, allowing for new housing development to meet the growing demand. The key takeaway: fast-growing Sun Belt markets will continue to be renter magnets, but rent growth should be kept in check thanks to lots multifamily development.

No. 6- As the economy takes center stage in the presidential election, candidates will need to speak to housing concerns

As we head into a presidential election year, the question of whether the economy is good or bad has proven to be surprisingly complicated. Most of the key indicators of economic health are looking quite strong, but economic sentiment surveys show that confidence and satisfaction in the economy remain weak. It’s likely that at least some of this disconnect is being driven by waning housing affordability. As the election cycle continues to ramp up, candidates on both sides of the aisle will need to articulate housing plans and speak to what has become one of the most pressing concerns of the American electorate. 2024 could be the year where housing rises to the forefront of the political discourse.

No. 7- More renters will use AI in their searches

“We expect 2024 to bring a new wave of AI-powered tools specifically for renters. It will soon become commonplace for renters to use AI in their apartment searches to search, compare, and coordinate actions. It will take time for these advancements to change macro market dynamics, but the next high-demand rental market cycle may look quite different with new power in renter’s pockets. And as adoption of AI-enabled rental search tools accelerates into 2024, both renters and property managers can seize opportunities from this new technological frontier.”

Conclusion

“2024 is certain to bring twists and turns no model can predict, as the new year always does. But we hope that by forewarning of what’s foreseeable—from new supply waves to persistent homeownership headwinds bolstering rental demand—we can help you prepare for what is ahead.”

About the Apartment List research team:

The Apartment List Research Team is a small group of economists and analysts dedicated to understanding the rental market as it evolves rapidly. “On our blog we publish original research reports and offer robust data products for public use.”

7 Predictions For The 2024 Rental Market

THE VALUE OF WAKE COUNTY REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS RISES SIGNIFICANTLY

 

Monday, October 8, 2018 For Immediate Release	Contact: Luther Snyder, Deputy Director​ O. 919-856-5462 M. 919-369-7045 luther.snyder@wakegov.com

Increase driven by large commercial transactions but residential properties are up as well

Raleigh, NC – For both the third quarter and full year 2018 the value of Wake County real estate transactions is substantially up even as the number of transaction in unchanged from the comparable periods of 2017.

For the first nine-months of 2018 almost $10.6 billion worth of real estate changed hands, up almost $1.3 billion from the same period in 2017.

Charles P. Gilliam, Wake County Register of Deeds stated “most of the increase is driven by large commercial transactions. So far in 2018, there have been 18 sales valued at $50 million or more. These transactions had an aggregate value of $1,370 million. This compares to only six sales with a value of $380 million in the comparable 2017 period.”

“The typical property owner is seeing an increase in valuations,” Gilliam continued, “the median value of a real estate sale so far in 2018 is $290,000, up 6.6%, or $18,000, compared to 2017.”

The Register of Deeds Office measures the value of real estate transactions by the amount of excise taxes collected on deeds. For the August – September 2018 three-month period the excise tax on the real estate sold was up a substantial 24% compared to 2017. This continues the trend seen in the first half of 2018, and nine-month 2018 real estate transaction values are now up 14% as compared to 2017.

For the August – September 2018 three-month period deed volume (property sales) was unchanged compared to the same three months in 2017. Deed volume is also unchanged for the 2018 nine-month year-to-date period as compared to 2017.

Excise taxes are based on the purchase price of a real estate and reflect the value of transactions. The number of deeds recorded reflects the number of real estate transfers without regard to value.

Deeds of Trust, better known as mortgages on real estate, for the third quarter of 2018 were down 9% compared to the third quarter of 2017. For the 2018 nine-month period they are down 8% compared to 2017. Deed of Trust volume reflects the number of lending transactions without regard to the dollar amount of the loans.

 

Source: wakegov.com

Why are Certified Funds required in Real Estate transactions?

What are certified funds?  I’m buying/renting real estate and the company wants me to bring “cash or equivalent” or “certified funds.” Why can’t I just write a personal check?  The money is there!

Relax! The purpose of this blog post is meant to give a simple explanation of why “certified funds” are required in your real estate transaction and how to acquire and present them to the real estate office.

Certified funds are just that. They are a form of payment that is guaranteed (or certified) to clear, be valid, and are non-revocable.  When making certain types of transactions, such as real estate transactions, it’s required that the payment method used will satisfy the contractual obligations. To do this, certified funds will be required, usually in the form of:

• cash
• cashier’s check
• money order

Specifically, personal checks are NOT allowed, as the account may not have sufficient funds or they can be canceled. Credit cards are NOT allowed, as the transaction may later be disputed or reversed. Checks sent by a bank bill payment service are NOT allowed, as they are the same as personal checks.

Simply put, once certified funds are issued, they cannot be recalled or canceled by the bank.  The bank that wrote the cashier’s check or money order must by law, honor and pay the amount due in the document.  Therefore, it is the same as handing a person the equivalent amount of funds in cash.

Cash is, well, cash. It is absolute funds, and value has is transferred immediately to the holder.  There is no issuing bank to recall the funds.  It is the absolute transfer of value when given by one person to another.

Personal checks, on the other hand, must “clear” the issuing bank before the payment is deemed absolute.  This could take as long as a week or more.

Certified funds are required because it assures that the funds are good, valid and present at the closing of the transaction and release of keys.  A closing is set for a certain day and if, for example, a personal check is presented, the company will have to wait at least 10 business days before giving the seller or landlord their proceeds.  If the seller or landlord does not receive their proceeds for weeks past the closing date, well, the parties have not really closed on the agreed upon date, right?  Therefore, keys cannot be released to the buyer or tenant. In order to ease this issue, certified funds are required so that proceeds may be disbursed to the seller/landlord, commissions to agents, etc. Real estate is a major investment worth hundreds of thousands of dollars and can potentially cause all parties stress; however, certified funds give the assurance that funds are good and will clear to let money and keys go to the various parties entitled.

Where can I get certified funds?

Here are some of the top places to get certified funds, beginning with the cheaper options, that you may use as a guide.

• Walmart: The big-box store offers money orders from MoneyGram, a money order provider, at a cost of 70 cents each for values up to $1,000.
• Money transfer agents: You can buy money orders from companies such as Western Union and MoneyGram at convenience stores, drugstores, supermarkets, check-cashing outlets and elsewhere. The Western Union money order fee, as an example, is around 99 cents; charges vary by location. Single money orders are usually limited to less than $1,000.
• U.S. Postal Service: Money orders to be sent within the United States are $1.20 for up to $500; $1.60 for amounts over $500 up to $1,000. There’s one exception: Military money orders, issued by postal military facilities, are 40 cents. An international money order with a value of up to $700 costs $8.25.
• Banks and credit unions: Financial institutions sell money orders for around $5 each, with values typically up to $1,000. They often waive fees for customers with premium accounts.

5 Things Successful Landlords Do That Help Them Sleep Easy

Being a real estate investor and landlord has its pros, but there are times when it can be stressful, even overwhelming. And it’s in those moments that you have a decision to make: Let the stress eat away at you, or grab control of the situation.

Five Ways to Lower Your Stress and Get More Sleep

Sleep is an odd thing. We need it to function properly and feel good. But in order to get the sleep we need, we have to make healthy lifestyle choices.

According to a survey of more than 2,000 Americans, Amerisleep found a direct correlation between average sleep per night and average overall happiness. As the article explains, “The time difference is a relatively small one, with perfectly happy people getting only about 24 minutes more sleep per night than completely unhappy people, but even that little bit of extra sleep seems to make a big difference.”

Unfortunately, the stress of being a landlord can keep you up at night and prevent you from getting the sleep you require for health and happiness. You can get caught in a vicious cycle that will eventually wear you down.

If you wish to get more sleep at night – and enjoy the benefits that accompany it – you must lower your stress levels so you’ll have an easier time falling asleep and staying there. Here are five practical ways to do this:

1. Get Organized 

It’s amazing what a little organization can do for you, mentally and practically. Every property you own should have a folder in a filing cabinet and/or your computer.

In these folders, keep titles, financing documents, loan applications, tenant applications, HVAC warranties, service agreements, receipts, copies of rent checks, etc. When all that is readily accessible, you don’t have to waste time tracking down lost documents.

2. Take Preventive Measures

It’s much better to spend a little extra money on preventive measures than to be constantly stressed out over what could happen in an undesirable scenario. The best preventive measure you can take is to invest in adequate insurance.

If you’re renting out a property long term, you need to have a landlord-specific policy. You may also want to look at an umbrella policy to protect yourself personally in the event of specific calamities.

3. Carefully Screen Tenants

You have to be careful about the tenant screening process, and make sure you adhere to the proper laws, but being selective on the front end will save you a lot of trouble later on. Good tenant screening involves more than a background check.

You should meet the prospective renters in person, ask the right questions, consult their references, and request a substantial deposit to ensure they’re serious.

4. Automate Rent Collection

One of the worst parts about being a landlord is waiting on the rent checks to roll in. There always seem to be one or two problem tenants who don’t pay on time and come up with imaginative (or worse, repetitive) excuses for why the check is late. The best trick is to automate rent collection, so there’s less room for such problems.

5. Hire a Property Manager

The more you remove yourself from the dirty, mundane, and monotonous tasks of being a landlord, the less stressed you’re apt to be. It’ll cost you a percentage of your monthly rent but hiring a property manager can be one of the best investments you’ll make – particularly if you have multiple units.

Say Goodbye to Restless Nights

When you’re stressed about your properties, tenants, and income, you may lie awake at night and fail to get adequate sleep. If you don’t get enough sleep, you’ll be unhappy.

When you’re unhappy, you’re more susceptible to stress and making unhealthy decisions. The easiest way to break this cycle is to gain control of your investments.

By staying organized, implementing smart preventive measures, carefully screening tenants, automating rent collection, and hiring a property manager, you can take charge and sleep well. Don’t put it off!

Source: nuwireinvestor.com

Landlords: These Are the 4 Types of Insurance You May Need

The basics of becoming a landlord are straightforward: Buy a property in a promising neighborhood, fix it up, find tenants, and start charging slightly more than you’re paying in regular costs. But if you want to protect your assets and ensure you’re following every applicable law, things get more complicated.

Consider insurance. The right insurance policy should be able to cover any unexpected financial losses or massive expenses, protecting the profitability of your operation. It can also protect you from legal trouble. But what types of policies do you really need as a landlord?

Legal Requirements

Technically, landlords aren’t legally required to have any type of insurance. However, if you’ve taken out a loan on the home, you may be required by the lender that you have a basic homeowner’s insurance policy. Just note that a conventional homeowner’s policy may not protect you if you’re renting out the property to other tenants.

4 Types of Insurance to Consider

There are many types of insurance that you should consider:

1. Building and property insurance. First, you’ll want a policy that protects your building and property from unexpected damage. Your building is the most significant portion of your investment, and therefore, your biggest financial liability. If something happens to it — such as a roof caving in or a destructive event from a tenant who lives there — you’ll want a comfortable policy that can cover the damages. Otherwise, you’ll end up paying tens of thousands of dollars, possibly compromising your profitability.
2. Liability insurance. You should also have some type of liability insurance in place. Landlord liability varies depending on where you live, but for the most part, you’re responsible for keeping your property in a safe, livable condition. If one of your tenants trips and falls or hurts themselves while living in the property, they may have grounds to file suit against you. Liability insurance protects you from these events, covering your defense costs and compensating victims.
3. Loss of income and business interruption insurance. Landlords may also be able to get a form of business interruption insurance, protecting them from possible interruptions to their stream of rental income. For example, if you’re injured and unable to fulfill your responsibilities as a landlord, you may earn compensation that allows you to keep things running. This type of insurance may also help you secure rental income from tenants who are unable to pay.
4. Protection from specific threats. Property insurance doesn’t cover anything. You’ll want to read your policy closely and get coverage for other specific threats. For example, you might need a separate policy to protect your building from natural disasters like floods, hurricanes or earthquakes.

Landlord Insurance

If you’re looking for a comprehensive policy, you may be able to find a provider who offers collective “landlord insurance,” which offers coverage in several areas, including the four listed above. For the most part, these insurance policies are flexible; you’ll be able to pick the types of coverage and extent of coverage you need, so you can protect yourself from the majority of threats and still stay within your budget. If you’re interested in this type of insurance, it’s advisable to talk to an insurance agent, who will have more insight into the types of policies you need (and the total costs you might face).

Renter’s Insurance

It’s also important to note that your property insurance policy and liability insurance policy won’t protect any of your tenant’s possessions. For example, if leaky plumbing causes water damage to a tenant’s television, your insurance policy may not cover the damages (though it may cover you, if it offers liability coverage). For that, your tenants will need to get a renter’s insurance policy.

Conclusion

As a landlord, you aren’t required to have insurance, but it’s well worth the investment. At a minimum, make sure you have property insurance to protect your house and a liability policy to protect yourself in the event of tenant-related damage. Each new policy will only marginally increase your monthly premiums but may offer substantial additional coverage. So plan conservatively, and protect your investments as comprehensively as you can afford to. One enormous loss could be enough to negate any profit you’d otherwise stand to make.

 

Source: biggerpockets.com

Popularity of pet-friendly rentals sparks growth in dubious online services

The popularity of pet-friendly apartments has led to development of dubious services on the Internet designed to get owners out of paying high pet fees. The services allow people to obtain phony dog service certification deeming the animal an “emotional support pet,” a designation that not only exempts owners from pet fees but often grants the animal access to rentals that are not pet friendly.

The problem with such efforts is they are sparking more scrutiny from landlords and more calls for increased regulation on issuing emotional support pet certification, which ultimately may make it difficult for people who legitimately need it.

Many of the dubious services have online “therapists” who provide documentation that an emotional support pet is needed. Many provide the “doctor’s note” within 24 hours. As I was looking at some of these websites, one was summoning me to register a pet with them via a pop up. They are very persistent. These services provide a method for people to avoid pet fees and a way to have a pet in a residence that does not allow pets. Pet rents range from $25 to $75 monthly and up front pet fees range from $250 to $1,000 on average per pet.

Emotional support pets are companion animals that provide a therapeutic benefit to individuals with a verifiable mental or psychiatric disability. Emotional support pets are one type of assistance animal, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. An emotional support pet can be any type of animal and is allowed as a reasonable accommodation in a residence that does not otherwise allow pets. This allows dogs, cats, alligators, any type of pet at all with no restriction. You do not have to pay pet fees to a landlord for an emotional support pet.

The difference between an emotional support animal and a service animal is a service animal is trained to perform certain tasks to help people with disabilities, while an emotional support pet is not trained. Unlike service animals, an emotional support pet is not granted access to public places such as movie theaters and hospitals.

HUD does not require a tenant to disclose their disability to a prospective landlord, but they will need to provide documentation from a doctor or other health care professional that the assistance animal lessens one or more of the identified symptoms or effects of an existing disability.

A companion animal can also travel with their person in the cabin of a plane, as allowed by the Air Carrier Access Act, without fees. Typically, the fee to have a pet fly is about $125.

The Transportation Department formed a panel of advisers to look into the issue. Airlines are concerned about the safety of the passengers around the untrained animals and want to know whether their owners legitimately need them for emotional support or are just trying to avoid a fee. The panel was disbanded without a solution, experts say, but with the increase of animals on flights this is bound to come up again.

There is no standardized form that can be used to prove an emotional support pet’s status.  The increase in people fraudulently identifying their pets as assistance animals has led to a consideration of  more regulations for identifying an assistance animal.

An online petition being circulated through Change.org is asking Anna Maria Farias, HUD’s assistant secretary for fair housing and equal opportunity, to reform laws surrounding emotional support animals. While supporting people who legitimately need comfort animals, the petition wants the government to stop allowing owners to get doctors’ notes for emotional support pets online for a fee. The petition asserts these online methods are not credible.

More regulation is needed to prevent people from falsely claiming their pets as companion animals. Let’s hope the regulations will not hinder the process for people who have a legitimate need for an emotional support pet.

 

Source: washingtonpost.com

We’ve Launched Our New Website & Video!

WE’VE JUST LAUNCHED OUR NEW WEBSITE!

Here at Bev Roberts Rentals we are always looking to improve the services we offer. In an exciting step towards enhancing your experience, we have launched a brand new website. With a fresh look, feel and a new intuitive design, our new website is designed with you in mind. We are now mobile optimized! We understand your needs and how we can help you with a variety of leasing and management challenges. Fully optimized for mobile devices, our new site will allow you to access the information and services you need whether you’re at your desk or on the move.

 

WE’VE JUST LAUNCHED OUR NEW VIDEO!

For us, family-owned and operated means a family feeling with a professional approach. When you call on us, you’re not calling upon strangers for assistance, you’re working with our family. Serving customers directly is a primary part of our business model. We’re a family with values, beliefs and traditions, much like yours. That’s why we care on a personal level, not because it’s our business, but because it’s our way of life. As a family-owned and operated company, we take pride in providing you with more personalized services. Get to know our family better by pressing play below…

Trulia’s Hottest Real Estate Markets to Watch in ’18

See which cities are making the cut this year.

If you’re thinking about where to move next, you’re probably considering a wide array of factors like work, family, and the start of a new chapter. Every home purchase is also a huge investment—possibly the biggest you’ll make in your life. Looking at the markets poised for growth can ensure your new home is also a good investment. To help, Trulia looked at the 100 most populated metros in the country, then used five key metrics to determine the 10 real estate markets with the highest growth potential in 2018: strong job growth, affordability, low vacancy rates, home search rates on Trulia.com, and a high population of young households (you can find our full methodology below). It may surprise you—it did us—to learn that Texas and Ohio are home to more than one fast-growing city. See where else made the cut below

1. Grand Rapids, MI

On the mighty banks of the Grand River, Michigan’s second-largest city is at the top of our list largely due to its strong employment growth, which is up 2.5 percent year-over-year. Grand Rapids also has a relatively low vacancy rate (ranked 16th overall) and a high share of households with residents 35 years and under (22 percent). A full two-thirds of Grand Rapids’ residents own homes, and the median home sale price is a friendly $163,750. Living here means enjoying the waterfront, the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, and the Grand Rapids Art Museum, which spotlights Michigan’s artists. A bubbling brew scene doesn’t hurt either.

2. Nashville, TN

Next on our list is Nashville, also known as Music City. But you don’t have to be in the band to love it here. Home of the famous “Grand Ole Opry,” residents in Nashville are always down for a good time. Need more evidence? Just walk through The Gulch, a trendy Art Deco-inspired neighborhood. Not surprisingly, Tennessee’s capital has a high share of households under 35 years old (23 percent) and the strongest job growth in the country (3.1 percent year-over-year), luring people from all corners of the nation to relocate. But taking the top spot in job growth may come at a price: affordability, where Nashville is ranked 58th overall.

3. Raleigh, NC

North Carolina’s capital, Raleigh, is known for the bright minds of North Carolina State University and the Research Triangle (together with Durham and Chapel Hill). But it’s also beloved for its wealth of culinary and cultural cornerstones, like the Oakwood historic district, designated on the National Register of Historic Places, where homes date back to the 1800s. This City of Oaks made our list due to its strength in two categories: job growth (ranked 3rd overall) and low vacancy rate (ranked 15th overall). Its popularity, though, leaves the city lagging in affordability—the median sales price in North Carolina’s second most popular city is $250,000—where it ranks 43rd overall.

4. El Paso, TX

This Southwestern city on the Rio Grande is loved for its incredible Tex-Mex cuisine, a wealth of locations for outdoors lovers to explore, and a rich downtown artist community and farmers market. Major employers in El Paso range from the US military to the University of Texas at El Paso, healthcare corporations to major retailers. The average price of a home here is just $186,611, and it’s a hot market for the social young and single set: the median age is 33, and 24 percent of residents are single. You’ll find many of them moving to the up-and-coming Mission Hills neighborhood. “The fantastic weather, developing downtown area, and affordable price range of housing speak to younger buyers as well as just about everyone,” says Laura Baca, an area real estate agent.

5. San Antonio, TX

San Antonio is known for its River Walk, an oasis of cypress-lined paved paths and lush landscapes where locals and visitors alike go to relax. But the city is bustling, too. In 2017, job growth rose 2.2 percent, and the national homeownership rate increased significantly for the first time in more than 10 years. In fact, homeowners make up two-thirds of the city’s population, at 65 percent. San Antonio’s top employers are a mix of military, city, and school districts, as well as private and public businesses, making this 300-year-old city flush with new job opportunities. These trends are expected to continue into 2018, with homeownership outpacing renting for the indefinite future.

6. Fort Worth, TX

This city of cowboys and culture is a hot destination in the Lone Star state, welcoming 8.8 million visitors annually. Fort Worth is comprised of seven primary entertainment districts, each offering dining, shopping, entertainment, and cultural amenities—offering mass appeal for a new generation of residents, allowing the city to lay claim to the youngest population of any major metro in Texas. It’s only 17 miles from the DFW International Airport, ensuring personal and business travel is extremely convenient. The city also has an impressive percentage of homeowners (68 percent), and with popular employers such as Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, American Airlines, the Naval Air Station, and city and school district offices, it’s a solid place to set down roots.

7. Austin, TX

Capital city Austin, with its legendary live music, burgeoning restaurant scene, cool culture, and vibrant community is a draw for everyone—even those who aren’t coming to listen to tunes in the Live Music Capital of the World. Austin’s also a university town, and many folks stay on after school. The national homeownership rate ticked up both for households under 35, as well as those aged 35-44, with the former showing a substantial increase from 34 percent in 2016 to 35 percent in the second quarter of 2017. Though home buying among millennials is likely to be sluggish in the short-run, the long-run potential for this generation to support housing consumption in the United States is big.

8. Columbus, OH

Big things are happening in Columbus, Ohio’s capital and most populous city. It’s booming, and not just in population. There are 33 acres of new riverfront parkland in downtown, cultural institutions are adding to their offerings, neighborhoods are bursting with new places to eat and shop, and the innovative food scene gives residents plenty of options. Trends in Columbus show a 12 percent year-over-year rise in median home sales price, and even with the upward trajectory, the average home comes in at just $159,900. “Our urban areas are booming with renovation and new build projects, and our suburbs maintain their investment values very well,” says Cheryl Chapin, an area real estate agent. “We have a lot of areas across the city that are walkable, have great dining and shopping, yet they’re close to downtown amenities.”

9. Madison, WI

Madison is Wisconsin’s second-largest city and state capital. It’s also home to the state government and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the city’s largest employers. The town’s amassed a treasure chest of kudos, from most-walkable and best road-biking city, to most vegetarian-friendly, LGBTQ-friendly, and environmentally friendly city, too. Of the places on this list, Madison has the highest percentage of college-educated residents (60 percent). The up-and-coming Tenney-Lapham neighborhood houses lots of young families and hosts a popular annual art walk.

10. Cincinnati, OH

Resting along the banks of the Ohio River, the vibrant Cincinnati region spans portions of three states: Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. The third-largest city in Ohio has dedicated homeowners, with 63 percent of the population owning homes and its home sales price slowly growing, up 4 percent year-over-year. Cincinnati’s popular Over-the-Rhine district, which includes Findlay Market and food and craft vendors, is a favorite place for locals to spent the weekend, as is Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garde.

Source: trulia.com

Tenant Hurricane Procedures

Please only call Bev Roberts Rentals when absolutely necessary, so that we may keep our lines open for emergency concerns. Please refrain from calling to get storm updates. Our team is currently getting inundated with phone calls and emails. It’s not that we don’t want to hear from you, we appreciate the concern and covet your thoughts and prayers right now. We understand that everyone is worried about Hurricane Irma, but per the North Carolina governor, Roy Cooper, “It’s too soon to know how North Carolina will be impacted.” Please keep in mind that this is our home too – so our team takes this very seriously! Many of us have lived here though numerous storms and hurricanes, so understand there is a “wait and see” period with hurricanes requiring patience. Do not panic when you see headlines declaring a state of emergency. The state of emergency allows us to get a plan activated and the teams and equipment in place in case the hurricane makes landfall in North Carolina.

Instead of calling, please use the links below for Bev Roberts Rentals information updates. Bev Roberts Rentals works hard to keep tenants and landlords informed – prior, during and post storm. We recommend everyone monitor Bev Roberts Rentals here:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bevrobertsrentals/

Tenant Preparation Procedures:

Stay tuned to the local news media and follow all recommended precautions and instructions. We would like you to take a few minutes to review the hurricane plan we utilize.

1. Log into your Tenant Portal and review your contact information. Please inform us if any of this information needs updating. Each manager utilizes this information to notify tenants of important changes, problems and/or issues.
2. Take photos of the home and your contents at their current state for insurance purposes. After the storm, inspect the home for damage, take photos, and report damage to Bev Roberts Rentals. If possible, submit photos via the online Maintenance Request system.
3. Please write down the below contact information for your property manager, and keep it in a safe place: Bev Roberts: (919) 630-3882 or bev@robertsrentals.net, Craig Brockman: (919) 609-3131 or craig@robertsrentals.net, and Nick Roberts: (919) 244-1649 or nick@robertsrentals.net
4. Turn off main water to house if a pipe leak is noticed. If you smell gas, turn off main gas valve.
5. Anchor or shelter outdoor potted plans, awnings, patio and lawn furniture, grills, and trash and recycling receptacles.
6. Turn off propane tanks.
7. Close all windows.
8. Do not open refrigerator unless necessary. In case of lengthy power outages, remove food from refrigerator prior to spoiling to prevent odor damage. Empty ice bucket to prevent damage to floor from melting ice.
9. Insert wedges in sliding patio doors; if not protected, damaging winds will lift them off their tracks and blow them into the house.
10. Lower radio and television antennas, protect satellite dishes.
11. Close all outdoor electrical outlets.
12. Secure garage, porch doors, and storm doors.
13. Purchase a flashlight (do NOT use candles) and extra batteries.
14. Charge all cell phones.
15. Unplug electrical equipment.
16. Do NOT tape or board up windows. This can actually cause more damage to the windows or siding of the house.
17. If you are instructed to evacuate the home by local authorities: If possible, please notify Bev Roberts Rentals, lock all doors, turn off main breaker, turn off main gas line, turn off main water supply to the home.