ApartmentManager January-March 2010
www.ApartmentManagerSanDiego.com
Marketing BASICS FIRST Identity Theft RED FLAG RULES There is a Hole IN THE BUCKET Reaping a Multiple REWARD ERICA MURPHY Esprit Villas Apartments
New Year’s Resolution
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ApartmentManager San Diego Magazine
ISSUE 5 JAN-APR/2010
CONTENTS features 13
Manager Spotlight Erica Murphy, Esprit Villas Apartments
24
New Year’s Resolutions Setting Goals by Jim Rohn Goals-Setting for Kids and Teens by Denis Waitley
departments 8
Leasing Leading Through Follow-up by Leah Brewer
9
Maintenance Pool Light Replacement
10
Marketing Basics First, Specials Last by Tracey Hopkins
15
Health & Wellness Reclaim Your Life by Jim Donovan
18 4
Apartment Manager San Diego Magazine | January-April 2010
16
Resident Retention There is a Hole in the Bucket by Jen Piccotti
17
Affordable Housing Non-Smoking Policies in Public Housing
18
Legal Updates Identity Theft - Red Flag Rules by Nicole Ferree & Craig D. McMahon, Esq.
20
Personal Growth Be Fully Present by Brian D. Biro
22
Team Building 4 Steps For Hiring and Keeping Property Management Superstars by Ernest F. Oriente
27
Senior’s Resources
28
Time Management Reaping a Multiple Reward by Jim Rohn
30
Inspiration The Adventure Attitude by Cheryl Perlitz
31
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ApartmentManager San Diego Magazine
f rom the Editor
New Year: Dare to Dream In early January every year, I separate a special time to write down my goals for the year. It helps me to refocus and reorganize my vision and plans. I have realized that it is never too late to start something new, to make changes, or learn a new skill. By writing down my goals for the year, I challenge myself to do more, and I actually see more happening. Recently, I read about a man from India that discovered the pleasure of running at age 81, and ran his first marathon, the London Marathon, at age 89. Fauja Singh is now 98 years old and is still running marathons across the world. Most of us live under limitations that we have placed upon ourselves through words that came out of our own mouths. When we say things like “I can’t do this” or “that is out of my reach” we embrace an attitude of defeat before even trying. As we welcome 2010, let’s take every challenge as an opportunity for positive change and set goals that will take us out of our comfort zone. Instead of looking after our own needs, reach out to the needs of others. Instead of focusing on our own problems, take time to inspire and motivate others. For a new Elaine Silberberg, Editor year brings new possibilities if we only editor@apartmentmanagersandiego.com DARE TO DREAM!
Editor-in-Chief
ELAINE SILBERBERG
This Issue’s Contributors BRIAN D. BIRO CHERYL PERLITZ CRAIG D. McMAHON, ESQ. DENIS WAITLEY ERNEST F. ORIENTE JEN PICCOTTI JIM DONOVAN JIM ROHN JO IKELHEIMER LEAH BREWER NICOLE FERREE TRACEY HOPKINS
Photography
LAWRENCE BRILLON
Graphic Design
ELAINE SILBERBERG
Proof Reader
DR. KATHY KOTOWSKI Published quarterly by Clever Publishing Company 10240 Thanksgiving Lane San Diego CA 92126 Phone: 858.564.9222 Fax: 877-381-0751
For Advertising Call 619-417-0019 or email ads@apartmentmanagersandiego.com
ApartmentManager January-March 2010
www.ApartmentManagerSanDiego.com
Marketing BASICS FIRST Identity Theft RED FLAG RULES There is a Hole IN THE BUCKET Reaping a Multiple REWARD ERICA MURPHY Esprit Villas Apartments
New Year’s Resolution 6
on the cover... Our cover for this issue is Erica Murphy, Community Manager for Esprit Villas Apartments. The image of Erica was captured by photographer Lawrence Brillon. www.lawrencebrillon.com.
Apartment Manager San Diego Magazine | January-April 2010
Copyright 2009
Apartment Manager San Diego Magazine is published quarterly by Clever Publishing Co. All rights are reserved. Reproduction of this publication in whole or in part without express written consent is prohibited. Opinions expressed in articles or advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publishers or staff. Every effort has been made to ensure that all information presented in this issue is accurate and neither Apartment Manager San Diego Magazine nor Clever Publishing Co. is responsible for omissions or information that has been misrepresented to the magazine.
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leasing
Leading Through Follow Up: Change The Chore To The Choice by Leah Brewer
I
f you need to lease apartments fast to meet your
or hand deliver a larger, unique gift to the prospect’s home
goals, how do you best accomplish the task? You
or workplace such as flowers or a plant, balloons or treats.
could quickly market your residents for referrals, do
Even handwritten cards can achieve better results with a little
some fast outreach, stand on the curb and wave in traf-
extra effort: mention something personal that the prospect
fic… or you could work your follow up box for golden nug-
discussed during the tour; offer some new information about
gets waiting to be mined.
availability or features; insert a small gift, coupon or photo;
Follow up with your qualified previous visitors to solicit fast
send a photo postcard. Prepare 5-10 unique follow up ideas
applications. I have witnessed this success when my team leas-
and plan the what, when and how of your next contacts as
es up a distressed property. During the first week, the Project
soon as the prospect leaves your office.
Leasing Specialist follows up with all previous visitors and typically generates three to five new applications from follow up. Often follow up activities drop to the bottom of the task list due to time, competing activities or leasing consultants who feel it is a chore that will not produce results.To turn follow up from a chore to a choice and achieve better results, enhance your follow up quality and quantity.
Quantity follow up is simple. Plan the work and work the plan. Schedule time to work on your prepared follow up plan daily, moving this activity to the top of your task list. Remember, your marketing dollars produced leads and visits to your community, so maximize your advertising dollars through quality and quantity of follow up to turn more of those leads into leases. AM
Quality follow up includes creative and engaging communication that will continue to market your community and appeal to prospects. Generic thank you cards are neither creative nor marketing savvy. More than once I have received follow up notes without even a mention of the community’s name. Quality follow up includes diversity in method and message. Call the prospect’s home phone and leave a message they will hear when they return home. Text or send pix or flix of your community. Email a personal note, photos, links, pictures, videos or an invitation to your Facebook or MySpace pages. Mail 8
Apartment Manager San Diego Magazine | January-April 2010
About the Author Leah Brewer, the Leasing Queen, has over 23 years of hands-on leasing and marketing experience. She established Full House Marketing in 1995 serving multi-family housing with marketing consulting, training and staffing. Leah presents fun, interactive and informational workshops nationally, designed to produce and inspire immediate results. Call 1-888-FULLHSE or visit www. LeasingQueen.com.
maintenance
Pool Light Replacement in 10 Steps Swimming pool lights are fitted into housings in the sides of the pool and these housings should contain enough cable for the light unit to be brought to the pool side.
What You Will Need: Screw driver Soft cloth New lens gasket
Step 1 – Isolate the Lights Turn off the power to the pool lights.
Step 2 – Remove the Light Fixture Remove the light fixture by unscrewing the (usually) single screw that holds it and prying the fixture loose.
Step 3 – Remove the Lens Once you have the fitting out of the pool and onto a slightly padded surface carefully remove the lens from the light so that you can get at the bulb.
Step 4 – Remove the Bulb Remove the bulb, holding it with the soft cloth just in case the bulb breaks when you try to twist it.
Step 5 – Clean the Fixture Clean out the light fixture using a soft cloth to wipe all the interior surfaces.
Step 6 – Replace the Bulb Replace the bulb with one of the correct size and rating.
Step 7 – Check That the Bulb Is Working Check that the bulb is working by very briefly turning on the power. It is important to remember that these special bulbs are designed to work underwater and need the presence of water to carry away excess heat.
Step 8 – Replace the Gasket Replace the lens using a new lens gasket—the old gasket should be discarded since it will no longer work properly.
Step 9 – Test the Fixture for Leaks Submerge the fixture to ensure that the seal is sound and no water will enter it. There will be a fine stream of bubbles from any gaps in the seal.
Step 10 – Replace the Fixture Replace the fixture while carefully coiling the spare cable behind it, and replace the securing screw which should not be over-tightened. Pool bulbs last a very long time so you won’t have to replace that one again for a while. Source: doityourself.com
marketing
Basics First, Specials Last – by Tracey Hopkins
One month free! Two months free! Free DVD! Are all these concessions really necessary? Have you ever wanted to just walk out on the front lawn of your community and yell, “Stop the madness!”?
I
t’s frustrating when you are in a
Winter rye will really make your property stand out in the dreary
est concession. While it’s true that our
ter, trash and that ugly green La-Z-Boy? How about your monu-
soft or competitive market and the
best everyone can do is offer the larg-
customers have gotten in the habit of
asking, “What’s your special?” you need to realize that we have trained them to ask this.
Pick up the phone and call three of your competi-
tors. You will find they “whip out” that special before they even mention amenities or apartment features.
When the customer calls the next community to find
out price and availability, they now need to compare who has the
biggest special. The sad part is that once we all offer concessions, we all lose our competitive advantage. Sure the first guy had some advantage to knocking off a little money at move-in, but once we all jumped in, the playing field evened out.
Before you think up some clever special like “today’s weather
is your first month’s rent,” I urge you to take a step back and evaluate all of your community appeal and marketing efforts.
Let’s start with the street. Is the lawn luscious? Are your flow-
ers attracting attention or barely hanging on? Landscapers are
funny. They plant flowers 2–3 inches apart as if they will be there
for the next two years when you probably have your color chang-
es two-to-three times a year. Make them plant all flowers right next to each other for a “pop” of attention-getting color.
Now, say it with me, “No more red begonias.” Since that is what
just about every apartment community in California plants, red begonias in the summer and purple/yellow pansies in the winter,
10
go for Lantana or something equally as hearty and full of color. Apartment Manager San Diego Magazine | January-April 2010
wintertime. You just can’t help looking at beautiful green grass when all else is brown. Are all balconies and patios free from clutment sign? Does it need a fresh coat of paint? If you need to replace your monument sign, your main identification, you need to do it now rather than later. The cost of lost traffic and leases is monumental compared to the cost of a sign replacement.
If you have flags, banners or bootleg signs out front, they must
be in excellent condition. Tattered flags, sagging banners and crooked, bent bootlegs say to the customer that you have terrible management or maintenance. If you put balloons out front everyday, do you leave the dead balloons overnight or do you take
scissors out front and cut them before you leave each day? The way I look at it, your residents who leave early and come home late see nothing but dead balloons each and every day. My feelings on balloons are that they should be reserved for occasional
use. They look bad longer than they look good, especially with our hot seasons!
Now let’s evaluate your office. I am sure the physical office is
quite nice, but are your people? That’s a tough one. Obviously you and they think everything is fine, but does the person who just
came in? As an industry overall, we tend to either over-do it on the greeting or blow it badly with a distant, slightly annoyed-at-
being-interrupted style of greeting. This one is a biggie. We spend thousands of dollars creating an environment that makes people
feel welcome and yet the person who is out front rarely smiles,
rarely gets up and even worse, is rarely pleased to see someone walking in to see an apartment. That’s just astonishing to me.
“
marketing
Warm and Cozy is
It doesn’t make sense that we advertise,
literally inviting people to come see our prop-
Our Specialty!
erty and when they arrive, we act like we
Call Sam!
can’t be bothered.
”
As a marketer, I am genuinely glad a customer has arrived because that means I did my job well.
We are expected to be gracious with our visitors but so many
onsite leasing teams just are not. I ask you, do you like paperwork? Would you rather finish that report than help someone
find a home? If you answered yes, quit. Life is too short to waste it on a job you hate. Believe me, this all ties back to marketing. It
doesn’t make sense that we advertise, literally inviting people to come see our property and when they arrive, we act like we can’t
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be bothered.
Next, we need to review our marketing corridor, which is basi-
cally anything the customer sees on the way to the apartment. All areas that are common to the residents must be absolutely spotless. While you may not have a budget to replace that pool furniture or update the laundry, you have no excuse to have trash cans
overflowing, fingerprints on windows or a dirty pool. Customers
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will forgive a lot of things, but cleanliness isn’t one of them.
community finds it almost impossible to compete. Well, you can
greeting was bumpy, many are able to warm up by the time they
typically made by the female. Now let’s think about what the fe-
The apartment home is where the rubber meets the road.
Aren’t we all leasing four walls plus or minus some frills? If our get out on the tour, but it’s all for naught if the unit disappoints.
You have to begin with the outside of the door. Look for the
need to paint it, replace the doorknob, pull off the doorknob year’s worth of rubber bands and don’t forget to look at the outside light. Typically it’s full of dead bugs or at the very least
crooked. When the door opens does it squeak? Or sound like the
door of a haunted house? This is sending subliminal messages to the mind of your customer.
How does the apartment smell? Isn’t it funny that the resident
can move all their stuff out but not their smell? I strongly recom-
mend air-oxidizing machines to clean the air. Smelly apartments only lease to people with weak olfactory glands!
Now, is it clean? Really clean? Remember that you will never
get a chance to recover from showing a dirty apartment. No matter what the customer says, it’s just too gross to get over.
Maybe it’s time to update your finishes. This is where you can
really get competitive. It’s unfortunate for properties that are
usually rated “B” during these market conditions. All the “A” communities and those in lease-up create such deals that a solid “B”
if you update.
Think about the fact that 80 percent of household decisions are
male will notice—floors, cabinets, counters, plumbing and light fixtures. (Obviously storage, space and floor plan layout, but I want to focus on features you can change.)
It isn’t necessary to replace everything with new—at least
most of the time it isn’t. Let’s start with what needs attention the most out of the areas I just listed. Carpets are pretty much all beige these days and that’s what is in, stay with it. But if you
replace the carpet, increase your pad thickness by a ½ inch. It feels richer and the competition isn’t doing it. Put in wood-look
laminate flooring. It goes with everything and has proven to be quite durable for multifamily.
If you have those super dark cabinets, you might just have to
paint them. The only way to know whether or not it’s necessary is
to listen to the prospect. Here’s a telling question; “Are these the only cabinets you have?” Countertops that have been resurfaced usually have to continue to be resurfaced. If you have enough
money to resurface over and over again, then by all means, continue. But in order to get the best bang for your buck, find a com-
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11
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marketing
12
replace the counters with a durable product. Lastly, plumbing and light fixtures go a long way in updating the apartment homes. Think about what you would want if you were on a search right now. Would you want that standard brass and glass dining room chandelier or perhaps the brushed aluminum that looks cool and goes with everything? Do you like those really ugly standard faucets of the ’80s, you know the ones, or would you like something that looks new? None of what I have mentioned needs to cost a lot. It only needs to be different than what everyone else on your street offers. And you will find that owners would rather improve the real estate than give the rent away with concessions. The next time you have to replace something, tell your service technician that you want to make the choice. Just because it’s what is in all the other units in your property is absolutely no reason why you have to continue with the exact same thing. That is one area of complaint from the average renter. The moment they think they are getting something special, that is the moment they are more likely to say yes! Now isn’t that better than offering one month free or having to be the best deal on the street? Make your best deal one that is Apartment Manager San Diego Magazine | January-April 2010
called “getting the most for your money.” The community where people stay because of how they’re treated, how well we take care of the community and where it’s not all vanilla just because that’s the way we’ve always done it. Before you say “I can’t afford this, it’s not in the budget”—ask yourself, “Did I budget for this vacancy? Did I budget these concessions?” AM
About the Author Tracey Hopkins is an industry wunderkind, starting her
career at 17 as a leasing consultant and working her way up to a multi-site property supervisor by 21. She now owns
her own company, Jumpstart Marketing, and presents nationally for companies, associations and conventions. In addition to marketing, leasing and customer service presenta-
tions, she is consults nationally for companies in need of improving property performance. Contact Tracey at 972523-9154 and visit her website: JumpStartOnline.net.
 cover story
Manager Spotlight ERICA MURPHY,
Community Manager of Esprit Villas Apartments Erica started in property management as an Assistant Manager for a small apartment community in Yuma, Arizona. From there, she relocated to San Antonio, Texas (which is her hometown) and worked for Greystar Management Corp. Prior to working in property management, Erica was a civilian USMC fitness instructor. This 29 year-old, mother-of-three, was born in Wiesbaden, Germany, where her father, a retired United States Air Force, was stationed at the time.
Story: Elaine Silberberg Photos: Lawrence Brillon
cover story to unclog a toilet – it was very unpleasant!” states Erica.
Customer Satisfaction Regardless of the challenges of the job, there have been many rewarding moments that Erica treasures. “No matter what the task is, I am always very pleased to lend a helping hand.” Erica was recently promoted to be the Community Manager of a 388-units property that R&V Management is acquiring. She is excited to take on more responsibilities, which should happen by mid-January 2010. Erica and Jeremy have three children: Joshua 11, Jaelynn 6, and Kaitlynn 2. “I am fully dedicated to raise my children to become successful individuals and to support them to pursue their own dreams,” says Erica. While Erica wears many hats, as an onsite manager and mom, she is not stopping yet: “I dream to become a K-9 Handler in law enforcement,” she says, “and have plans to attend college to pursue a degree in criminal justice.”
Relocating to San Diego
Advice From Erica (on the first person):
When Erica’s husband SSgt. Jeremy Murphy was “Take your time in all you do and be sincere with transferred to the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar everyone you come in contact with. Never give up Base, Erica went to work for KM Realty, as a Book- on your dreams and treat others as you would like keeper for their HOA department. Shortly after, to be treated. Also, remember (as I do every day): she joined R&V Management and is currently the Attitude is very contagious, Community Manager of Esprit Villas Apartments, a 108-units property located in Mira Mesa. so keep the smile Property Management has been easy for Erica to going around!” AM fall into place: “I have always loved to help others no matter where I am,” says Erica. This desire to help has been put to test many times: “I remember the first time I was called for an after-hours emergency 14
Apartment Manager San Diego Magazine | January-April 2010
health & wellness
Reclaim your life Extraordinar y Self-Care Day
W
hen was the last time you took a day just for yourself? If you’re an apartment professional or anyone else for that matter, your answer is probably never. I first learned the principal of Extraordinary Self-care Day at a workshop given by my friend Terri Levine the author of Work Yourself Happy. Essentially an Extraordinary Self-care Day is taking one 24-hour period where you take care of yourself. You do no work at all. I know, I can hear your protest. I protested too when I first heard this idea: “But you don’t understand, I have to check my voicemail, I have to return phone calls, I have to answer my emails and on and on.” I protested in my very best entrepreneurial voice. The truth is any of us can take a day for ourselves without consequence. Believe it or not, the world will keep spinning. Calls will wait as will email. This is a day just for you. If you normally do the cooking on your Extraordinary Self-care Day, you will refrain from making meals. Trust me your family will not starve. Obviously, if there are small children or infants that depend on you, you would have to modify this. Overall try to do nothing that is related to your normal work. This is a pam-
− by Jim Donovan pering day just for you. The first time I did this, I discovered just how my work relates to things that I do on any given day. Most of my reading was centered on business topics. Being an entrepreneur and self-employed, I was convinced I had to be working all the time. I was wrong! Kicking and screaming, I embarked on my Extraordinary Self-care Day. I took a walk, read part of a novel, took a luxurious bath in our soaking tub (something I never used to do) and just hung out and took care of myself. What a concept! It’s been a year now and my Extraordinary Self-care Day has become an integral part of my life. I’m not only feeling better and having more fun; I have my life back! Doing this regularly has enabled me to put my work back into perspective. I no longer work seven days a week and I no longer do email throughout the day. The interesting thing is that because I have been taking this time to nurture myself, I’m actually more productive. Since I’m taking better care of myself I have more clarity and I’m able to better focus on the task at hand, and I am more creative and productive. Most of all, because I am taking
better care of myself, I feel better and have more happiness, after all isn’t that what it’s all about? Your assignment, if you choose to accept it, is to schedule one 24-hour period, sometime within the next 10 days, when you can give yourself an Extraordinary Self-care Day and then go and do it. Once you’ve done this, see how you might be able to do this weekly and when you feel really ready, schedule an Extraordinary Self-care Day for what would have been a normal work day. AM
About the Author: Jim Donovan is an international bestselling
author,
motivational
speaker and business coach. His books, include “This is Your Life, Not a Dress Rehearsal” and “Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck.” To receive a free subscription to his “Jim’s Jems” ezine and a bonus gift, visit www.JimDonovan.com.
apartmentmanager sandi e g o . c o m
15
resident retention
There is a Hole in the Bucket by Jen Piccotti
Service requests, maintenance requests, work orders, maintenance work orders, MSR’s - whatever you call them, they arrive in abundance each and every day on site. It’s one of the benefits our residents have: to not worry about repairs and maintenance. That’s our job. However, a slow or ineffective service request process can have one of the greatest negative impacts on a resident’s experience at our community. It may be time to step back and take a look at what we do and how we do it when it comes to service request resolution. The first step is to ensure the entire team realizes they are a critical part of the service request process, not just the maintenance team. Here’s why: 1. Detailed Service Requests - Often, it is the leasing team who is receiving calls and emails for service request submission. Have your maintenance supervisor conduct a 10-15 minute overview for the entire team of all the information they need for a service request every single time. If a toilet is having a problem - which bathroom (if there is more than one)? What part of the toilet is having problems? These types of questions help eliminate the time maintenance will have to spend playing ‘detective’ when they get to the home. 2. Requests are Immediately Entered into the System - Leasing offices are busy places. There is no denying this truth. So 16
most of us can relate to a hectic day when residents are throwing questions and requests at us and we are frantically taking notes down on post-it notes with the intention of typing them up or filing them appropriately when things calm down. The problem? This can lead to a service request laying on someone’s desk for days, with a chance that it never gets entered in the system at all. Service requests should not go anywhere except straight into the system. Do not pass go. Go directly to the system. This allows maintenance to get to work immediately. 3. Maintenance has the Tools, Training and Materials Needed to Address the Most Common Issues - You know what your most common requests are. But do you have what you need to get the job done? Or are you like Henry in the video clip who seems to be running in circles, accomplishing nothing? 4. Work Area Clean - This should go without saying. The work area should always be left as clean or cleaner than the way you found it. The request could be resolved perfectly, but if the resident walks into a mess of your creation, it won’t matter how ‘complete’ the work order is. From all appearances, there is still a problem. 5. Follow Up - We don’t pay much attention to this opportunity in our industry, and that is a major oversight. By leaving a follow-up voice mail or email asking,
Apartment Manager San Diego Magazine | January-April 2010
“Was everything completed to your satisfaction? And is there anything else we can do for you?” you are accomplishing two key things: a) If it wasn’t completed properly, you have a greater likelihood of finding out and will be able to perform a remarkable recovery. b) If there are any other outstanding issues, this will job their memory and you can get it taken care of. Why is this important? On average, 29% of all residents say they have a maintenance issue that still exists at any given time. More than onequarter! This is your chance to uncover some of those issues. By evaluating your service request process, you will reduce the wait time your residents have before an issue is resolved, increase resident satisfaction in service request resolution, and decrease the frustration of your maintenance team who would be happy to take care of all of these issues, if only there was not a hole in the
bucket!
AM
About the Author Jen Piccotti, VP Consulting Services for SatisFacts Research. Jen has over a decade of resident loyalty and process efficiency experience, and is a multifamily industry veteran since 2000. www. SatisFacts.com.
Keeping Your Residents Pest-Free
affordable housing
Non-Smoking Policies in Public Housing
H
UD has issued a Notice strongly encouraging Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) to implement non-smoking policies in some or all of their public housing units. According to the American Lung Association, cigarette smoking is the number one cause of preventable disease in the United States. This concern was recently addressed by the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, P.L. 111-31, signed by the President on June 22, 2009. Because Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) can migrate between units in multifamily housing, causing respiratory illness, heart disease, cancer, and other adverse health effects in neighboring families, the Department is encouraging PHAs to adopt non-smoking policies.
Background
Secondhand smoke is the smoke that comes from the burning end of a cigarette, pipe or cigar, and the smoke exhaled from the lungs of smokers. Secondhand smoke lingers in the air hours after cigarettes have been extinguished and can migrate between units in multifamily buildings. Currently in California, more that 86% of adults do not smoke. A statewide survey commissioned by the American Lung Association of California in 2004 showed that approximately 82% of California apartment residents prefer to live in a totally non-smoking apartment building, or at least in the non-smoking section.
Maintenance
It is well known that turnover costs are increased when apartments are vacated by smokers. Additional paint to cover smoke stains, cleaning of the ducts, replacing stained window blinds, or replacing carpets that have been damaged by cigarettes can increase the cost to make a unit occupant ready.
Policy Discretion & PHA Plans
PHAs are permitted and strongly encouraged to implement a nonsmoking policy at their discretion, subject to state and local law. Before opting to implement a non-smoking policy PHA’s should update their plans to include their statement of operation and management
s e t o N
Bill To Allow More Military Personnel To Qualify For LIHTC Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., introduced the Military Families Affordable Homes Act of 2009. Most enlisted military personnel have total annual pay that is below the cutoff for LIHTC housing. Despite this, when military personnel apply for LIHTC housing, their Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is added to their total annual pay for the purposes of calculating income – and as a result, nearly all military families are excluded. A 2008 policy
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Pest Eradication and Prevention Environmentally Friendly Chemicals Ants, Bedbugs, Roaches, and Rodents and the rules and standards that will apply to their projects, as well as update lease agreements to include the non-smoking provisions.
Smoking Cessation National Support Because tobacco smoking is an addictive behavior, PHAs that implement non-smoking policies should provide residents with information on local smoking cessation resources and programs. Local and state health departments are sources of information on smoking cessation. AM
passed by Congress in the Housing and Economic Recovery Act (HERA) allows the exception for personnel stationed at nine select installations; Schumer’s bill would extend the policy to personnel stationed at any U.S. military installation. “Providing greater access to affordable housing for our soldiers is critical,” said Schumer.
Physical Inspection Scores For HUD-Assisted Housing The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) announced December 22, 2009 that HUD recently added to the HUD USER web site the overall scores of
the physical inspections that HUD’s Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC) completes of HUD-assisted and subsidized properties each year, including housing owned by public housing authorities and by private housing providers. HUD reports that approximately 20,000 such inspections are conducted annually to ensure that assisted families have housing that is decent, safe, sanitary and in good repair. The HUD USER web site provides a full historical view of the results of those inspections and separate datasets are available for public housing and for multifamily assisted properties. The results represent the inspections conducted from 2001 through September 2009.
♦ Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). ♦ Disclaimer: This article is for general purpose only. Before acting consult your Compliance Department and visit www.hud.gov for additional information.
legal updates
Red Flag Rules - It’s Time to Act by Nicole Ferree and Craig D. McMahon, Esq.
P
rompted by the nearly 10 million Americans that have fallen victim to identity theft, the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (FACTA) amended the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and mandated that financial institutions and creditors develop and implement a comprehensive, written identity theft program aimed to protect businesses and consumers from identity theft. The FACTA establishes new rules referred to as “Red Flags” that require financial institutions and creditors to develop policies and procedures for identifying, detecting, and responding to any practice or activity that may indicate potential identity theft. The compliance date for these Red Flag rules is November 1, 2009. While in 1999, the Federal Trade Commission determined that the landlord-tenant relationship was not a creditor relationship under the FCRA, we are concerned that future interpretations of the legislation may broaden its scope to include property managers and owners as creditors. Prudent property managers and owners should voluntarily comply with the regulations not only to protect themselves and tenants (current, potential, and former) from the harms of identify theft but also to protect themselves from potential future civil liability. Property managers and owners often have access to personally identifying information
18
including names, addresses, telephone numbers, social security numbers, and income and credit histories. A successful, written identity theft program will ensure that this information is handled efficiently and securely. While FACTA provides businesses with a great deal of flexibility in developing their identity theft programs to accommodate the specific needs and potential risks that present themselves to each unique business, every plan must: Identify and assess relevant “red flags” in each area of operation. “Red flags” are warning signs that may indicate possible identity theft. Develop and implement a safeguard program to detect red flags. Develop an appropriate response plan for each applicable red flag to prevent and mitigate identity theft. Include a plan to update the program. Before developing a written identity theft prevention program, determine what personally identifying information is currently being collected and stored, and decide whether there is a legitimate business need to do so. Minimizing the amount of unnecessary information collected reduces an unnecessary risk. Establish a time limit for retention of records consistent with your legal obligations and your business needs. Do not retain information that is unnecessary to the operation of your business after the established time period has expired.
Apartment Manager San Diego Magazine | January-April 2010
Information which you deem unnecessary should be destroyed appropriately. Once it has been determined what information is relevant, a comprehensive identity theft prevention program will need to be devised in order to establish policies and procedures to safeguard that information. Identify red flags that may be indications of possible identity theft. These red flags may include address discrepancies, suspicious documents, or any other unusual activity. A successful identity theft program should detail how to detect these red flags as well as how to appropriately respond to them. There are other components of this current legislation that apply to property managers and owners. For example, the new law also requires users of consumer reports to develop reasonable policies and procedures to utilize when reviewing a notice of address discrepancy from a consumer reporting agency. Additionally, if the user reports information to a consumer reporting agency, the user must develop and implement reasonable policies and procedures for furnishing an address regarding the consumer. An identity theft prevention program will prepare you for any future interpretations of the law which may make compliance mandatory and it makes good business sense. Individuals are more likely to do business with trusted property managers and owners who they believe will keep their information confidential and secure. If you are interested in obtaining legal services in order to better understand these new requirements or for assistance with the development of your written identity theft prevention program, please contact Susan Aguilar at (800) 575-1770. AM
About the Authors:
Nicole Ferree is a graduate from the University of California at Irvine, and is currently a second year law student at the University of San Diego School of Law. Craig D. McMahon is a partner at Kimball, Tirey & St. John LLP, and consults on ADA and fair housing issues throughout California. Kimball, Tirey & St. John LLP is a full service real estate law firm representing residential and commercial property owners & managers. This article is for general information purposes only. Before acting, be sure to receive legal advice from our office. If you have questions, please contact KTS at (800) 338-6039 or visit www.ktslaw.com.
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If your credit or debit card is stolen, you can replace it, but what happens when non-changing information like your Social Security number is stolen? The fact is, once it’s out, it’s out. Identity thieves buy, sell and trade stolen information, using it over and over again for years. Is your Social Security number really secure?
Anyone Can Be A Target. Recent news reports revealed that even the chairman of the Federal Reserve1 was one of the 9.9 million Americans who were victims of identity theft in 2008.2 Other reports describe how one identity theft ring was responsible for two of the largest thefts in history, resulting in the theft of more than 130 million credit and debit card numbers.3 Think you could be at risk? (See #1.)
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Source: Isikoff, Michael. “Bernanke Victimized by Identity Fraud Ring.” Newsweek. 25 August 2009. Web. 20 September 2009. 2Source: Javelin Strategy & Research. “2009 Identity Fraud Survey Report.” February 2009. 3Source: Wallack, Todd. “Hacker Pleads Guilty in Data Theft.” The Boston Globe. 12 September 2009. Web. 20 September 2009.
1
personal growth
BE FULLY PRESENT
In Every Precious Moment!
by Brian D. Biro
The ultimate secret to balance, connection, and peace of mind is also the most important key to building trust instantly with everyone you touch.This is HUGE in network marketing. The secret centers around a simple, yet immeasurably profound principle called being fully present. Perhaps the most powerful way to understand this principle of being present is to look clearly at what it is not. Several years ago when I was the vice-president of a large training company, I became painfully aware of what it means to not be present. At that time we were a family of three with my wife Carole and me, and our oldest daughter, Kelsey who was five years old. Our second child, Jenna had not yet been born. Driven by an unrelenting, nearly suffocating feeling of overwhelm, I had fallen into the habit of reaching the office by 5:00 a.m. and not returning home until well after 6:00 in the evening. Many weekends I was away, teaching seminars around the country. Not once did I see my daughter get ready for kindergarten. Not once did I surprise her by picking her up from school to spend some special, unexpected moments together. I mistakenly convinced myself that I didn’t have time. I had to be at the office first and to put more hours in than anyone else. After all, I was driving myself for my family, wasn’t I? 20
Apartment Manager San Diego Magazine | January-April 2010
personal growth When I trudged wearily through the door at 6:30 or a quarter-to-seven each night, Kelsey ran to me the instant I appeared in the house. She threw her arms around me and told me how much she loved and missed me as she looked into my eyes with pure joy. She then began to tell me all about the wonderful things that happened to her all day, special, magical things that only happen when you are five years old. And, I missed it. I didn’t hear a word she said.You see, when I walked in that door, my body showed up. But, my mind, my heart, and my spirit were still back at the office. The most important people in my life were right there, at home, waiting for me and I never really saw them or heard them when they most needed me because I was not present.
sense of whether the person on the other end of the line is right there with us, giving full concentration or drifting off and not truly connected. When we make the conscious and consistent decision to be fully present to the very best of our ability, we open ourselves to more joy than we’ve ever imagined and create the possibility to make the difference for which we were put on this earth.
“What you do screams so loudly I can’t hear a word you’re saying.”
About the author:
This went on for months until one morning as I drove into work I suddenly realized what my lack of presence was communicating to my wife and child. In that excruciating moment it felt as if someone had bashed me full-force in the stomach with a sledgehammer. Emerson once said “What you do screams so loudly I can’t hear a word you’re saying.” Nothing screams so loudly as our presence or lack of presence. Every evening when I marched blankly through my front door, my thoughts still focused on the day’s events or worried about tomorrow’s, I expressed to Carole and Kelsey much more clearly than through words that they were not as important as all those other matters. As I continued to drive that morning, all I could see in my mind was Kelsey’s shining eyes so filled with love. I was overcome with suffocating feelings of remorse and loss. Sobbing uncontrollably I finally recognized how many precious moments of connection I had lost with her and with Carole by not being present. In that instant I understood for the first time that there was nothing more important to me than becoming a master of being fully present for those I love. It was time to make the choice to come home. By being present we let others know at a heart level how important they truly are. This is our greatest opportunity as parents, friends, professionals and caring human beings. When others feel important they begin to live up to their potential. Our presence breathes faith, belief, and positive expectation into their souls. Without this presence, we cannot truly give. Like becoming a true network marketing professional, being present is not something you can fake. It is not a technique. It is a decision. Do you know whether or not someone is actually fully with you in mind, body, and spirit? When I ask the participants in my seminars this question they reply with an immediate and emphatic “Yes!” Can you even tell over the phone? Once again the answer is clear. We have a definite
Remember:The past is history The future a mystery The gift is now That’s why we call it the PRESENT!
AM
Brian Biro is one of the nation’s foremost speakers and teachers of Leadership, Possibility Thinking, Thriving on Change, and Team-Building. A major client described Brian best when he said, “Brian Biro has the energy of a ten-year-old, the enthusiasm of a twenty-year-old, and the wisdom of a seventy-five-year-old.” A former vice-president of a major transportation corporation and the author of 7 books including bestseller, Beyond Success! which reached #71 on the Amazon.com top 100 — from over 2 million titles, Brian was rated #1 from over 40 Speakers at 4 consecutive INC. Magazine International Conferences.
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21
team building
4 Steps For Hiring & Keeping Property Management SuperStars
“W
by Ernest F. Oriente hen you hire the
tailed presentation of compensation, how to do reference checks and any final hiring details (i.e. company benefits, policy and procedures, etc.).
many times, but how
to-date and reflect your expectations. This is an important step, as it ensures consistency in your hiring practices and says your property management company is well run.
do we put this concept into action?
Tip From The Coach: During the
We know that hiring the best people
initial interview, be certain to present the job description, so the applicant will have a clear picture of your expectations if your property management company does hire them. This also helps to generate a more comprehensive conversation regarding the position being offered.
the in-person interview, consider the use of written tests and/or assessments to aid in your hiring process. This is key for hiring property management superstars and will help to establish performance standards when hiring new employees.
best, easy!”
heard
the
rest
is
We have this
phrase
is vital to the success of our business, especially in property management. And certainly, the residents who live in the apartments you manage have high service expectations. So… how do you hire and keep property management superstars? Let’s start from the beginning.
The Job Description Often overlooked, the job description sets the tone for success when hiring new people for your property management. Start by making certain your job descriptions are accurate, up22
The Interview Game Plan Prepare a detailed interview game plan, to be used by each person doing the interviewing for your property management company. This game plan must include: how to evaluate a resume, sample questions to be asked during the interview process, a de-
Apartment Manager San Diego Magazine | January-April 2010
Tip From The Coach: In addition to
Fast-Track Training Develop a detailed training checklist for all newly-hired team members. This should include: an orientation for the first day, a plan for their first week, an outline for their first month, and a recap of the first 90 days that includes expectations for their performance on your property management team.
Tip From The Coach: By building a
Tip From The Coach: Done prop-
thorough and consistent training program, you will quickly develop top performers for your property management company, a “win-win” for all.
erly, you will always have a “farmteam” of quality individuals ready and able to assume more responsibility with your property management company. Now, that’s managing for success! So, follow these four steps and see how easy it is to hire and keep property management superstars! The Coach says so! AM
Grow And Groom To hire and keep property management superstars, you must provide a career path to help your best people grow and to be groomed for additional responsibility. This starts in the hiring process, so consider if the person you are hiring has the skills for their current position and might also have the skills for a next level promotion. Then, identify your top candidates for promotion, and build additional training to keep their learning curve on the fast-track.
Author’s Note Ernest F. Oriente, a business coach since 1995 (24,560 hours), the author of SmartMatch Alliances, and the founder of PowerHour, has a passion for coaching his clients on executive leadership, hiring and motivating property management SuperStars, traditional and Internet SEO/SEM marketing, competitive sales strategies,
Want to hear more about this im-
and high leverage alliances for property
portant topic or ask some addi-
management teams and their leaders.
tional questions? Send an E-mail to
To subscribe to his free property manage-
ernest@powerhour.com and The
ment newsletter go to www.powerhour.
Coach will E-mail back to you a free
com. Contact Ernest by E-mail ernest@
invitation to be a participant on a
powerhour.com or visit their website:
PowerHour conference call.
www.powerhour.com.
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and to spend the last half of his life giving it all away. And he did! Some people are disturbed by those tough days because all they have is the days.They haven’t designed or described or defined the future. Goals. There’s no telling what you can do when you get inspired by them. There’s no telling what you can do when you believe in them. And there’s no telling what will happen when you act upon them.
Setting Goals By Jim Rohn The major reason for setting a goal is for what it makes of you to accomplish it.What it makes of you will always be the far greater value than what you get. When Andrew Carnegie died, they discovered a sheet of paper upon which he had written one of the major goals of his life: to spend the first half of his life accumulating money 24
Apartment Manager San Diego Magazine | January-April 2010
We all need lots of powerful long-range goals to help us past the short-term obstacles. The ultimate reason for setting goals is to entice you to become the person it takes to achieve them. Don’t set your goals too low. If you don’t need much, you won’t become much. If you go to work on your goals, your goals will go to work on you. If you go to work on your plan, your plan will go to work on you.Whatever good things we build end up building us. We all have two choices: we can make a living or we can design a life. (Excerpted from The Treasury of Quotes by Jim Rohn.)
Goal-Setting For Kids and Teens by Denis Waitley An Indian guide who displayed uncanny skills in navigating the rugged regions of the Southwest was asked how he did it. “What is your secret of being an expert tracker and trail-blazer?” a visitor asked him. The guide answered: “There is no secret. One must only possess the far vision and the near look. The first step is to determine where you want to go. Then you must be sure that each step you take is a step in that direction.” A dream is what you would like for life to be. A goal is what you intend to make happen. A goal is the near look; what, specifically, you intend to do on a daily basis to get there. No matter what their current ages, try to determine the sensory learning style of each of your children: visual, auditory or kinesthetic. Visual learners understand and remember best what they see. Auditory learners prefer to hear and verbalize in order to comprehend. Kinesthetic learners need to
involve touch and movement into the processing of new concepts, and to learn by doing. All of these styles have some overlap because we all use hearing, seeing and doing. But keep these styles in mind when you stimulate your children’s creative and goal setting activities. Keeping Them Interested To build a pattern of positive expectations for your children, they need a way to keep score. Children know they are doing well when the task or project is well defined and the goals are clearly stated. How can a child experience the thrill of hitting the bull’s eye when he or she doesn’t know what the target is? Kids need to see the end before they begin a task or they will lose interest. When you are giving your child a task, such as cleaning her room, be specific in telling her what you want her to do and when you want it
done and stick to it. By providing a clear and specific ending, your child can look forward to enjoying time with her friends when the task is completed. Goals are the target of success! Who you see is who you’ll be. What you set is what you get. Help your kids get the far vision, the dream. Help them get the near look, the steps and action plans that pave the road to their dreams. Participate in your children’s games, problem-solving exercises, field trips and creative projects. Instead of telling them how things work, help them learn to discover the “hows” and “whys.”
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cards. Post the cards in their bedroom or on a board where they can see and review their goals daily. Help your kids prioritize their goals. Have them consider their goals in the order of their importance. Place beside each written goal a proposed target date for the attainment of that goal. Help your child make plans. Unfortunately, many kids view problems as insurmountable mountains. Your role as parents is to help them view problems as opportunities. Teach them to go over, around, under or to bore a hole right through their roadblocks. Show children how to prepare a daily “to do” list. In the evening,
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help prepare a list of a few important things to do the following day. At the end of the day, help them review their progress. By using index cards, you can use a file box to store daily activity cards. Monthly, quarterly and yearly, let them go through the cards in the box to see all they have accomplished through step-by-step actions. Help your kids to visualize, in advance, what the accomplishment of their goals looks and feels like. Bedtime is an ideal setting, where you can see in their imaginations where they want to be, what they want to do, and things they will have to work and save for to get. Rewarding Your Kids Build goals and evaluations around the school year. When you go over your child’s report card, discuss the goals that he set for himself and how he is doing toward achieving those goals. Share with your child any comments teachers might have regarding his grades. Kids need rewards, and behavior that gets rewarded gets repeated, especially if they understand that the reward is coming when the goal is accomplished. Rewards do not have to be strictly financial, but can be going out for ice cream or whatever your child enjoys doing. By rewarding goal-directed behavior, you are providing additional incentive to achieve almost any goal. AM
About the author: Denis Waitley is one of America’s most respected authors, keynote lecturers and productivity consultants on high performance human achievement. He has inspired, informed, challenged and entertained audiences for over 25 years from the board rooms of multi-national corporations to the control rooms of NASA’s space program; from the locker rooms of world-class athletes to the meeting rooms of thousands of conventioneers throughout the world. To subscribe to Denis Waitley’s Weekly Ezine, go to www.deniswaitley.com or send an email with Join in the subject to subscribe@deniswaitley.com.
26
Apartment Manager San Diego Magazine | January-April 2010
Senior’s Resources
Whether your property is dedicated to seniors or you have seniors living in your family site, we hope you’ll find the following information helpful. (To share of other organizations or programs available to seniors, email us at editor@apartmentmanagersandiego.com).
In-Home Supportive Service (IHSS) provides homemaker and personal care assistance to persons receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or who have a low income and need aid in the home to remain independent. To apply call 800-510-2020. OASIS is a national educational program for adult volunteers 55 and older. Oasis provides classes and special events. There also is training for seniors to be tutors in local schools, plus training as counselors to help their peers. For more information, call 800510-2020. Project CARE is a community network program that provides an early warning of distress for frail, ill or disabled persons living at home. Services include daily “Are you
OK?” phone checks, Postal Alert, Gatekeeper, minor home repairs and more. Call 800510-2020. Adult Day Care offers non-medical services to adults 60 and older who are in need of some supervision and assistance. Day care activities are held at senior centers and include music, exercise, arts and crafts, discussion groups and outings. Some centers provide transportation, if necessary. Call 800-510-2020. Public Administrator/Public Guardian acts as conservator of estates for those in danger of losing assets. The office also handles estates of deceased persons and arranges for the final disposition of deceased indigents. Call 858-694-3500.
Books-By-Mail/San Diego County Library: Sends countywide, free library books to homebound seniors & the disabled, who lack transportation or ready access to the library or bookmobiles. Call 866-279-9629, or online www.sdcl.org. ElderHelp of San Diego: Services include case management, home sharing, shopping for homebound, project CARE daily calls, caregiver education, legal, tax, health insurance counseling, advocacy, information, referrals and home repairs. 619-284-9281, visit online at www.elderhelpofsandiego.org. Transportation Program makes transportation more accessible and affordable for persons with specialized needs. For transportation assistance, please visit www. stridesd.org.
time management
Reaping a Multiple Reward by Jim Rohn
behaviors, but this may well be the major law we need to understand: for every disciplined effort, there are multiple rewards. What a concept! If you render unique service, your reward will be multiplied. If you’re fair and honest and patient with others, your reward will be multiplied. If you give more than you expect to receive, your reward is more than you expect. But remember: the key word here, as you might well imagine, is discipline. Everything of value requires care, attention, and discipline. Our thoughts require discipline. We must consistently determine our inner boundaries and our codes of conduct, or our thoughts will be confused. And if our thoughts are confused, we will
28
F
become hopelessly lost in the maze of life. Confused thoughts produce confused results. Remember the law: “For every disciplined
or every disciplined effort, there
effort, there are multiple rewards.” Learn
are multiple rewards. That’s one of life’s
the discipline of writing a card or a letter
great arrangements. In fact, it’s an exten-
to a friend. Learn the discipline of paying
sion of the Biblical law that says that if you
your bills on time, arriving to appointments
sow well, you will reap well.
on time, or using your time more effectively.
Here’s a unique part of the Law of Sow-
Learn the discipline of paying attention, or
ing and Reaping. Not only does it suggest
paying your taxes or paying yourself. Learn
that we’ll all reap what we’ve sown, it also
the discipline of having regular meetings
suggests that we’ll reap much more. Life
with your associates, or your spouse, or
is full of laws that both govern and explain
your child, or your parent.
Apartment Manager San Diego Magazine | January-April 2010
time management
Learn the discipline of learning all you can learn, of teaching all you can teach, of reading all you can read.
cess go to someone else who cared more about themselves. Your life, my life, the life of each one of us is going to serve as
For each discipline, multiple rewards. For each book, new
either a warning or an example. A warning of the consequences
knowledge. For each success, new ambition. For each chal-
of neglect, self-pity, lack of direction and ambition... or an ex-
lenge, new understanding. For each failure, new determination.
ample of talent put to use, of discipline self-imposed, and of
Life is like that. Even the bad experiences of life provide their
objectives clearly perceived and intensely pursued. AM
own special contribution. But a word of caution here for those who neglect the need for care and attention to life’s disciplines: everything has its price. Everything affects everything else. Ne-
About the Author:
glect discipline, and there will be a price to pay. All things of
Jim Rohn has passed away December 5, 2009. He left a
value can be taken for granted with the passing of time.
legacy of material that can be acquired online at jimrohn.
That’s what we call the Law of Familiarity. Without the dis-
com. Jim addressed more than 6,000 audiences and 4 mil-
cipline of paying constant, daily attention, we take things for
lion people worldwide, on a span of over 46 years. He
granted. Be serious. Life’s not a practice session.
authored more than 17 books, audio and video programs,
If you’re often inclined to toss your clothes onto the chair rath-
and helped to motivate and train an entire generation of
er than hanging them in the closet, be careful. It could suggest a
personal development trainers as well as hundreds of ex-
lack of discipline. And remember, a lack of discipline in the small
ecutives from America’s top corporations.
areas of life can cost you heavily in the more important areas of life. You cannot clean up your company until you learn the discipline of cleaning your own garage. You cannot be impatient with your children and be patient with your distributors or your employees. You cannot inspire others to sell more when that goal is inconsistent with your own conduct. You cannot admonish others to read good books when you don’t have a library card. Think about your life at this moment. What areas need attention right now? Perhaps you’ve had a disagreement with someone you love or someone who loves you, and your anger won’t allow you to speak to that person. Wouldn’t this be an ideal time to examine your need for a new discipline? Perhaps you’re on the brink of giving up, or starting over, or starting out. And the only missing ingredient to your incredible success story in the future is a new and self-imposed discipline that will make you try harder and work more intensely than you ever thought you could. The most valuable form of discipline is the one that you im-
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29
inspiration
O
The Adventure Attitude
f the 60,000 people who lived to be over 100 in the United States in 2002, the single most important characteristic they had in common was their ability to be positive in the face of change. They were able to look at things objectively, put them in perspective and move on. They didn’t try to control the uncontrollable. Surviving, thriving and living a long happy healthy life may just depend on your ability to develop the Adventure Attitude. The adventure attitude is about taking the challenges in your life and making the choice to look at them as an adventure. As a mountain climber, I see mountains as powerful, awesome, and majestic wonders of nature, that beckon us to accept the challenge of the climb. Climbing the mountain is about trying new things, seeking new adventure, and expanding your life. The adventure attitude allows us to climb our personal mountains with positive attitude, energy and creativity. It allows us to see possibilities in the impossible, find solutions to problems, and send us in a new direction.
The Adventure Attitude is: Being positive in the face of the negative. We can choose to see our glass half
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empty or half full. We can look at setbacks with a sense of wonder instead of a sense of scorn and try to see where the new path will lead us. Living in the Moment with Passion and Energy. In mountain climbing focusing on the path we are taking step by step allows us to notice all the small things we encounter along the way. If we slow down and appreciate each moment, each moment has more meaning. It allows us to live life to the fullest. Always being open to learning new things. The more we learn, the more we seek to learn. The world opens up when we are learning. Curiosity that leads to new learning awakens the passion in your life. Accepting the mountain and the challenge as an opportunity for positive change. Stretching yourself out of the comfort zone mentally and physically, makes the comfort zone that much larger and allows you to stretch even more. The world outside the comfort zone is a world of immense possibilities that opens little by little as you challenge your personal boundaries. Thinking like a child. The adventure attitude is about looking at life much like a child looks at it. As a child reaches for something he wants, he is excited and positive; rarely discouraged by defeat. He is flexible enough
Apartment Manager San Diego Magazine | January-April 2010
by Cheryl Perlitz
to change focus and sees possibilities in every direction. His options are open. He isn’t afraid to make mistakes or concerned about pleasing someone else. The fire in his eyes and energy in his step tell it all. Life is a fun game, and anything in his path can become part of it. Having faith that you will get the support that you need when you need it. And you will, from friends, family, and God. All you have to do is trust, let go of control, and ask for help when you need it. The result of living with the adventure attitude is personal balance, joy and a life of possibilities. Harness the power of positive thinking by approaching life’s challenges with the “Adventure Attitude.” AM
About the Author Cheryl Perlitz is a mountain climber, survival expert, and author of inspirational books like “Soaring Through Setbacks - Rise above adversity - Reclaim your life” and “Soaring through Setbacks - Survival Tips Handbook.” As a dynamic speaker and facilitator, her inspiring, fun and motivational stories help listeners and readers to “Transform their mountains into opportunities for adventure and positive change.” www.soarwithme.com.
Products & Services Guide Products & Services Guide
A/C & HEATING
CLEANING SERVICES
PEST CONTROL
Sam’s Heating and Air Conditioning www.heatingandairsandiego.com (see ad page 11) 619-697-9824
Elite Cleaning (see ad page 21) 858-602-6701
Aztec Pest Control (see ad page 17) 619-286-7373
COMPUTER SERVICES
PHONE REPAIR
Advanced Cable Systems (see ad page 29) 619-582-3476
Advanced Cable Systems (see ad page 29) 619-582-3476
ELECTRICIAN
PLUMBING/DRAIN SERVICE
Zed Electric Inc. www.zedelectric.com (see ad page 9) 619-224-2748
Bill Howe Plumbing, Heating & A/C www.billhowe.com (see ad page 25) 1-800-BILLHOWE
Bill Howe Plumbing, Heating & A/C www.billhowe.com (see ad page 25) 1-800-BILLHOWE
ALARM SERVICES Advanced Cable Systems (see ad page 29) 619-582-3476
APPLIANCES (REPAIR) Maxima Appliance Repair www.maximaappliancerepair.com (see ad page 26) 619-206-3390
BATHTUB REFINISHING American Bathtub Refinishers (see ad page 23) 619-265-9200
CABINET MAKERS/CABINETRY Borden and Erickson www.bordenanderickson.com (see ad page 7) 858-566-1366
FLOWERS Proflowers www.proflowers.com/dream (see ad page 5)
GUTTERS & DOWNSPOUTS Golden State Rain Gutters www.raingutterpro.com (see ad page 12) 1-866-625-7187
POOL MAINTENANCE P&P Pools www.pppools.com (see ad back cover) 858-229-8535
ROOF REPAIR/INSTALL RSI Roofing www.ThinkRSI.com (see ad inside front cover) 858-278-7200
SECURITY PATROL Summit Security www.summitpatrol.com (see ad page 3) 619-294-3200
CARPET CLEANING/FLOOD
TOWING SERVICES
Elite Cleaning (see ad page 21) 858-602-6701
Paxton Towing (see ad page 26) 619-423-7331
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