This year has served as a good reminder. 2019 has been one of high tenant turnover, and managing rental properties has been time-consuming. Almost every rental property we manage has had a transition from one tenant to the next, which reminded me of just how …
Dealing With Entrepreneurial Self-Doubt
What a week! Flew back from Vancouver and arrived home to a complete gong show… Prior to leaving for Vancouver, I made sure everything was in place to renovate my family home as we are preparing to sell it. All the trades were lined up …
A Valuable Lesson on Home Inspections
A mixture of rain and hail was pelting the ground as Calgary was hit with the worst summer storm I’ve ever seen. It had been raining hard for a week, and this storm was the climax of it all. Thankfully, the family and I planned …
How to Avoid the Tenant from Hell
Ah, the tenant selection process… it’s where you are made or played as a landlord. Almost your entire success as a landlord hinges upon selecting the right tenant for your rental property. I just went through the process again this July for one of my …
Why Tenants Should Live Better than Landlords
Ask the kitchen staff of a fine restaurant who eats better, them or the patrons… same goes for car dealers; often the clients drive better cars than the sales staff. Hotels too – guests sleep in nicer suites than the workers live. At the end …
Landlord Etiquette - How to Build Rapport with Tenants
A tenant is a landlord’s business partner, and they should be treated accordingly. This means they should be shown respect, but also held accountable. Essentially, they are watching over one of your most expensive assets – therefor it is imperative your relationship with them is …
Property Managers Take Landlords’ Money and Provide No Value
Thinking about hiring a property manager for your rental property? I have a comparable idea: Take 10% of your rental income and light it on fire… Unless you live in a different city than your rental property, or you’re just so busy you can’t take …
How to Get Great Tenants in a Bad Rental Market
From the luxury condo rental market in Manhattan to townhouses in the oil town of Calgary, cities which not too long ago gave landlords a rental shortage with heavy demand from tenants are seeing the tide turn. Landlords are now having to compete for the …
Should Landlords Allow Dogs in Rental Properties?
I got a call on Sunday from my favourite tenant. She’s been living in one of my investment properties for nearly four years, and has been nothing but a pleasure to deal with. However, the only time she calls me, which is rare, is when …