Deal with your demons…
I hope that everyone had a wonderful summer season surrounded by friends and family. CDARPO members traveled the world in search of the much needed rest and relaxation that will enable us to face the challenges of the Capital Region in the fall and winter. Destinations included pilgrimages to Disney to see “The Mouse”, various Caribbean islands, Europe, South America, and Sin City, also known as Las Vegas. I have been fortunate enough to see some beautiful photographs and hear of family reunions, exotic meals, great adventures and fantastic ports of call. No information was offered regarding the trips to Nevada since what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.
CDARPO Board Members and Directors have continued to move forward as the masses have recharged their mental and physical batteries. Thanks to the urgings of Maria Eastwood, Nicholas Mattiello has boldly stepped forward to take charge of our online and printed newsletter. We all thank him for answering the call to service. Joe Van Alphen and Ray Koloski have taken time out of their busy schedules to work with Nick to ensure a smooth transition. They are wise, he is smart, and we will be just fine.
Thanks to our resident internet wizard Bob Newberry, the long awaited “Tenant Directory” is here! CDARPO members will soon have the ability to list current and past tenants on our web site. This Directory should be used as one of many sources of information when evaluating the overall eligibility of your rental applicants.
Many of our more experienced landlords warned me early on that the rental market in the Capital District has peaks and valleys. As the days grow shorter and the nights colder, movement slows and the focus shiftsfrom habitation to hibernation. Before things get gloomy, deal with your demons before they deal with you. Check out gutters, drains, windows, doors, insulation and heating systems prior to them failing in the middle of the winter.
Review your paper work to ensure that your applications, notifications and leases are solid legal documents.
In our business, demons manifest themselves most often in human form. Make sure that your tenants are financially current. Have a targeted conversation with the tenant who is a little less than clean. In the winter, rodents and pests also want to be warm and cozy and a pile of junk is a welcome sign for infestation. In the end, the landlord will be stuck with a code violation as well as a hefty extermination bill.
You are aware of those things that you have let slip to the back of your priority list. If it was important enough for you, as a conscientious landlord, to take note of it in the first place then it is important enough for you to address. And, not addressing concerns will have dire consequences; a neglected heating system will fail in the middle of the winter when plumbers are in their peak season and a busy or delinquent tenant will pay your arrears to another landlord as a security deposit and leave you high and dry.
As the CDARPO Board of Directors address some long standing challenges, we invite our members to do likewise. Deal with your demons before they deal with you!
–Terrance Wansley, President
