Michigan Landlord JulyAugust2014

MICHIGAN

LANDLORD JULY/AUGUST 2014

www.rpoaonline.org

Article on page 22

A PUBLICATION OF THE RENTAL PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION

NON-MEMBER

RPOA MEMBER

n o t I c e o F v I o l at I o n s

peace oF mInd

non-payIng

tenants

FaIR housIng vIolatIons costly

evIctIons

destRuctIve

tenants

ongoIng polIce calls otheR complaInIng tenants nasty letteRs FRom neIghboRs costly lIabIlIty laWsuIts IncoRRect

FoRms

WHERE LANDLORDS GO FOR HELP

www.rpoaonline.org

WHERE LANDLORDS GO FOR HELP

IN THIS EDITION

22

8 12 FEATURES 4

FROM THE DIRECTOR

5

NEW MEMBERS

14 MEMBER-TO-MEMBER DISCOUNT PROGRAM 29

CREDIT REPORTING PROCEDURES

30

UPCOMING SEMINARS & EVENTS

33 AD-O-GRAMS

ARTICLES

VOLUME 50, NUMBER 4

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HOME DEPOT REBATES RETURN $100’S FOR MEMBERS

www.rpoaonline.org

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SERVICE ANIMALS: YES OR NO

for real estate investment and rental property ownership

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KENTWOOD CONSIDERING CHANGES TO INSPECTION PROGRAM

and management ideas and news. Our articles,

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LEGISLATION THAT AFFECTS YOU

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HOT TIPS FOR SUCCESS

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LOWE’S AND CONTRACTORS HIT WITH LARGE FINE FOR VIOLATION OF EPA RRP RULE

18 U.S. ECONOMY MAY BE STUCK IN SLOW LANE LONG-TERM 21

USE CRITERIA FOR SCREENING TENANTS

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LOVE YOUR JOB AS A LANDLORD

MICHIGAN LANDLORD editorial goal is to provide a forum

columns, and other features should not be construed as investment advice, nor does their appearance imply an endorsement by the Rental Property Owners Association of Kent County or the Real Estate Investors of Michigan of any specific real estate investment or management strategy. An investor’s and manager’s best course of action must be based on individual circumstances.

July/August 2014 MICHIGAN LANDLORD 3

RENTAL PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION

From the desk of the Director CLAY POWELL

The economy keeps getting better…slowly but surely.

Check out the national perspective on page 18 in this issue. West Michigan is leading the recovery in Michigan. In fact, things are so good, real estate is becoming scarce for investors, homebuyers and renters. I recently heard a real estate broker tell me that there were over 15 offers for one home with two above the asking price—and this was a fixer-upper in GR. This demand is driving up real estate prices and rent, which creates a whole set of new challenges and opportunities.

There are lots of new rental housing projects on the horizon for Grand Rapids. This is an opportunity for developers but more competition for landlords. This won’t create an immediate problem as most rental units have a waiting list. Staying competitive with amenities and great management skills will ensure you are in the game. (If you don’t have a waiting list but have vacancies, you might want to consider taking one or more RPOA courses on property management.)

Another side effect: Housing assistance providers (HAP) in the West Michigan area are having a hard time finding rental units for their clients.

Vacant units are hard to find, let alone units at a price these families can afford. Most of their clients are struggling financially, have a hard time finding a job or have other tenant history issues that make them riskier tenants.

Why would a rental property owner want to rent to someone that is “at risk”? There are families that face issues beyond their control. Think of the spouse who has been a stay-at-home parent raising the kids and then the other spouse up and leaves, taking the family’s only income.

This family is at great risk for eviction. It’s tough for an adult who hasn’t worked for a while to secure a good paying job. It could easily be a year or more before this parent reenters the world of work at a livable wage for their family. How about the older person who is “teched” out of a job? Or the family evicted because an older child was dealing drugs and was hauled off to jail? How about the disabled person that can’t afford market rates? What do these families do for housing until they can resolve their immediate problems? It goes without saying that these families’ rental histories are going to look shaky. What to do?

The RPOA is meeting with HAP to discuss various ways to address this problem. One suggested solution has been to create a partnership with the community by promoting to landlords the idea of setting aside one unit at a time that would be made available to at-risk tenants at a lower than market rate. The rental rate is phased in slowly and eventually peaks at market rate. Meanwhile, tenants are provided whatever assistance and counseling are needed to get them back on their feet. The discounted rental rate is considered a charitable contribution. The program spreads the risk across the rental industry. Instead of fewer landlords renting to multiple at-risk families, each landlord takes on a small risk. This solution has been used successfully in Salt Lake City, Utah.

If you have other ideas, the RPOA would like to hear them! Shoot me an email and let me know what you think. It’s been proven that great ideas can come from a larger group of thinkers.

In the meantime, have a great summer!

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RPOA Board Appoints Two New Board Members Under recent bylaw changes, the RPOA Board of Directors appointed two new members at its last Board meeting. The appointees are: Kathy Dennison Adrianse and Keith Littlepage.

We’re excited to have these experienced landlords and investors onboard!

WELCOME, NEW MEMBERS Andrea, Laura Bajric & Teunis Real Estate LLC Baumgart, Lawrence Branscombe, George Larry Brooks Real Estate Group Clinton and Susan Tol LLC

Dempkey, Brian Eliassen, Antonietta Erb, Arnold FNG Properties LLC Hoezee, Mike

Leder, Olga Lentz, Brad C Meyers, Josh and Trisha Nowak, Wayne Page, Michelle

Righa, Matheta Sanders, Carl J Jr Scully, Jeremy Tew, Steve Woodcreek Apartments

July/August 2014 MICHIGAN LANDLORD 5

RENTAL PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION

We’ve teamed up! take your business

TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

Work with someone who does what you want to do.

We are landlords. We are investors.

• Buyer representation

• Short sales and foreclosures

• Listing services • Property tax appeals

• Exit strategies and creative investing

• Free 1 hour consultation

• Rehabs and flips

• HUD registered broker

• Land contracts and lease options

• Mentoring and consulting programs

• Partnership opportunities

Grand Valley Health Plan ranks

#4

in the Nation!

• Consumer Experience • Prevention • Treatment According to the U.S. News & World Report/NCQA America’s Best Health Plans 2008 rankings.

“America’s Best Health Plans” is a trademark of U.S. News & World Report.

Tom Koetsier 616-550-4447 tkoetsier@grar.com

Allison Koetsier 616-633-9445 akoetsier@compass101.com

www.Compass-Koetsier.com RPOA MEMBERS RECEIVE UP TO $500 OFF LISTING COMMISSIONS

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Grand Valley Health Plan is proud to be the only commercial health plan in Michigan to rank in the top 10 honor roll in the nation.

Log onto www.ncqa.org for a complete list of rankings.

WHERE LANDLORDS GO FOR HELP

Home Depot Rebates Return $100’s for Members!

RPOA members are reporting that RPOA’s Home Depot rebate program was a rewarding experience. Mark Troy, an RPOA member participating in the program told the RPOA that “the Home Depot rebate program is great. At first we were a little hesitant to sign up. We were thinking, what’s the catch? Now that we’ve received $100’s back in rebates by simply shopping at The Home Depot like usual, we’re ecstatic about the program. Not only do we get the normal discounts for contractors, we also get an extra 2% rebate which adds up quicker than we thought. We’ve only been on the program for six months and our rebate check was substantial. It was simple to sign up. We just completed the application, faxed it back to the RPOA and got a call from Home Depot to set up our account.”

All members of the RPOA are eligible to be on the program —even contractor members. It’s extremely simple to sign up, just complete the application online at the RPOA website or contact the RPOA office and have them complete the form for you.

New members with the RPOA are automatically entered into the program for our member’s convenience; HOWEVER— IMPORTANT TO NOTE—members must provide The Home Depot with the account or accounts they would like attached to their RPOA National Home Depot rebate account. The Home Depot simply needs to know which credit/debit card and/or Home Depot account you’d like to have attached to the program. Once an application is submitted by the RPOA to Home Depot, a Home Depot representative will contact you to get the necessary information.

If you miss the call or have forgotten to call them back or need to make changes to your account, you can still get the program working for you by calling the Home Depot National Group at 1-866-333-3551, press 4 at the menu and then select 1 for English or 2 for Spanish. You can add cards, change cards, or make other changes to your account

such as passwords, etc. You can also access updates to your account through the Home Depot Pro Loyalty website portal at www.homedepot.com/prorewards. (Note: Local Home Depot store personnel are not up to speed on the Pro National program and don’t have access to your information.

You will likely get a blank stare from local store personnel if you inquire within the store. All communications about the program should be through the number or website provided above for the corporate office.)

Rebate checks are mailed semi-annually, usually in March and September. You will not get a 2% discount at the store.

Continued eligibility requires continued membership in the RPOA. If you haven’t applied for the program through the RPOA office or don’t think you have, contact the RPOA office at contactrpoa@rpoaonline.org or call us at 616-454-3385.

Why wait—call us now!

NEED A DISCOUNT? As a member of the RPOA you’re eligible for several discounts and rebates. Exclusive member discounts and rebates range from big box home improvement stores such as The Home Depot and Ace Hardware to lawn mowing services to snowplowing to percentages off listing services and more.

Check out all the discounts and more online here. http://rpoaonline.org/contractors-vendors/ exclusive-rpoa-member-discounts/discounts/

July/August 2014 MICHIGAN LANDLORD 7

Service Animals: Yes or No? AVOID A FAIR HOUSING VIOLATION

A lot of members are asking questions about service/assistance animals and if they can deny a tenant a unit if they have one or disallow an animal based upon an existing pet policy. The RPOA has investigated the most up to date information concerning assistance animals. There is a great risk of being in violation of federal fair housing regulations by not following the rules.

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WHERE LANDLORDS GO FOR HELP

HERE’S THE SCOOP. Liz Keegan of the Fair Housing Center of West Michigan states that “the Fair Housing Act does not place any limits on what may be considered an assistance animal. They also do not have to be trained or otherwise certified.”

An assistance animal is not a pet. It is an animal that works, provides assistance, or performs tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability, or provides emotional support that alleviates one or more identified symptoms or effects of a person’s disability. Assistance animals perform many disability-related functions, including but not limited to, guiding individuals who are blind or have low vision, alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to sounds, providing protection or rescue assistance, pulling a wheelchair, fetching items, alerting persons to impending seizures, or providing emotional support to persons with disabilities who have a disability-related need for such support.

For purposes of reasonable accommodation requests, neither the FHAct nor Section 504 requires an assistance animal to be individually trained or certified. While dogs are the most common type of assistance animal, other animals can also be assistance animals.

In all cases regarding persons with disabilities, landlords are required under law to make reasonable accommodations unless there is an undue financial burden. Keegan also stated that, for example, “if a housing provider would lose their current insurance and cannot secure comparable insurance (with evidence of seeking said insurance such as multiple quotes, etc.) because of the type of animal, then it would

not be reasonable for the housing provider to allow the accommodation because it would be an undue burden on the provider. However, we recommend that the housing provider research their own insurance policy as well as other options, and document their efforts so that they may be able to defend why the accommodation wasn’t reasonable for them if they were to be challenged.”

Also, according to HUD, breed, size, and weight limitations may not be applied to an assistance animal. …Conditions and restrictions that housing providers apply to pets may not be applied to assistance animals (such as pet deposits or fees). HUD issued new regulations concerning service animals in 2013. http://portal.hud.gov/ hudportal/HUD?src=/press/press_releases_ media_advisories/2013/HUDNo.13-060A The RPOA recommends that landlords follow the process outlined by HUD in their detailed “Statement on Reasonable Accommodation” http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/ huddoc?id=servanimals_ntcfheo2013-01.pdf.

These steps should be followed to ensure that your rental process is in compliance. It’s important to keep in mind that a landlord can’t ask if a person is handicapped or disabled, but they can ask if the animal is needed due to a physical or mental disability.

If you have additional questions, contact the RPOA office at 616-454-3385 or email us at contactrpoa@rpoaonline.org.

July/August 2014 MICHIGAN LANDLORD 9

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WHERE LANDLORDS GO FOR HELP

Kentwood Considering Changes to Inspection Program

The City of Kentwood has asked the RPOA to offer input into changes to their inspection program that would induce rental property owners to register their rental properties and otherwise bring their properties into compliance with the City’s property maintenance code. The City has complained that too many property owners are trying to “fly below the radar� which only results in increased complaints for code violations.

Some things being considered are substantial fines for those that do not register their properties. Other cities in the area charge up to $500 for not registering a rental property.

Kentwood is also considering extending times between inspections to reward those that register their properties and keep their properties in compliance with the property maintenance code.

The RPOA supports changes that reward the landlord that is in compliance and penalizes those that do not comply. The RPOA was responsible for changing the City of Grand Rapids inspection intervals from every three years to every 2, 4 or 6 years depending on compliance status. They association was also responsible for stopping the implementation of a rental registration fee in Grand Rapids. The RPOA is currently working with the City of Wyoming to improve their program by increasing the interval between inspections from every two years to every four years. Longer intervals save property owners substantial costs.

(The RPOA also worked with other associations to change the state law that enabled longer intervals between inspections and is also currently working on legislation to improve the inspection law even further.)

July/August 2014 MICHIGAN LANDLORD 11

RENTAL PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION

RPOA OF MICHIGAN FIGHTING ON MANY FRONTS In addition to the constant battles fought by the RPOA of Michigan (RPOA-M), the group is also proactively working on legislation to improve the environment for the rental and real estate investment industries. The RPOA of Kent County is a participant and supporter of the RPOA-M. Here is a short list of the bills the RPOA-M is currently working on: House Bill 4830 – The bill, sponsored by local Rep. Lisa Lyons, would allow a member, trustee, officer, or partner of a small partnership, Corporation, or LLC, who is not an attorney, to represent the entity in a summary proceeding (landlord eviction case) to regain possession of a premises or obtain a money judgment, under certain conditions.

Current negotiations are progressing and negotiations are leaning towards a bill that would enable single-member LLC’s and husband/wife two-member LLC’s to represent their LLC in a summary proceeding case without an attorney.

Full bill: http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?2013-HB-4830

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House Bill 5388 – The bill, sponsored by Rep. Marilyn Lane, would enable a summons to be served for a money judgment without personal service. Full bill: http://legislature.mi.gov/ doc.aspx?2014-HB-5388 Senate Bill 313 – This bill, sponsored by Sen. David Robertson, would make many changes to the Housing Law of Michigan which controls how cities of 10,000 or more operate their rental inspection program. The bill would, in part, do the following: • Cap the amount an enforcing agency can charge for rental registration to a maximum fee of $100 and prohibit the agency from charging a new registration fee until there was a change in ownership.

• Revise provisions regarding the frequency of inspections of a multiple dwelling or rooming house, disallowing inspections any more frequent than every three years unless there is a complaint filed.

WHERE LANDLORDS GO FOR HELP

• Revise inspection fees; and prohibit an enforcing agency from charging both a per-leasehold fee and a per-multiple-dwelling building fee for inspecting a given building, or charging an additional fee for a first re-inspection.

• Require an inspector to inform a lessee of his or her right to refuse an inspection, in addition to requesting and receiving the lessee’s permission, before entering the leasehold.

• Require an owner to notify an enforcing agency that requested an inspection within 60 days after a lessee vacated the leasehold, rather than 10 days as currently required.

• Provide that, if an occupant refused entry in an emergency or upon presentment of a warrant, the Law’s prohibition against discrimination by an owner against an occupant on the basis of the occupant’s request, permission for, or refusal of entry, would not apply.

Full bill: http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?2013-SB-0313 House Bill 5037 – The bill, sponsored by Rep. Joseph Graves, would amend the Housing Law of Michigan to specify that “occupants” take responsibility for the sanitary and safe conditions of their dwellings within the areas they occupy and control. Full bill: http://legislature.mi.gov/doc. aspx?2013-HB-5037 House Bill 5199 – The bill, sponsored by Rep. Andy Schor, would allocate responsibilities with respect to prevention and management of bedbug infestation. The RPOA-M is working diligently to place the responsibility where it clearly belongs—on the tenant. Full bill: http://legislature.mi.gov/ doc.aspx?2013-HB-5199 House Bill 5070 & 5071 - These two bills, sponsored by Rep. Kurt Heise, would amend the Michigan Penal Code to prohibit and prescribe criminal penalties for squatting and would amend the Code of Criminal Procedure to include the felony proposed by House Bill 5070 in the sentencing guidelines as a Class G property felony with a statutory maximum sentence of two years’ imprisonment. Full bills: http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?2013-HB-5071

LEGISLATION STREAMLINING THE PRE-FILING PROCESS FOR LENDERS ON FORECLOSURES ON THE MOVE With the passage of the Principal Residence Exemption (PRE) Enhancement legislation last year, lenders were able to retain the PRE on a foreclosed property, but they must still pay the 18 non-homestead mills in local school operating property taxes. There has been some concern from lenders and local governments regarding the arduous process of filing to retain the PRE on foreclosed properties and instituting the new specific tax. Many forego the cumbersome process.

House Bill 4135, sponsored by Representative Frank Foster (R-Petoskey) eliminates that requirement for the lenders to pay the 18 mils, while retaining Principal Residence status on the home. This legislation alleviates the “red tape” burden on lenders so that these properties can retain their PRE without interruption, providing quicker turnaround for these properties to get back on the market.

The bill passed the House last week, and now heads to the Senate Finance committee for consideration. We will continue to keep you updated as this bill makes it way though the legislative process.

Source: www.mirealtors.com

RPOA WORKING ON BED BUG LEGISLATION The RPOA is working with Rep. Andy Schor to modify his bill addressing problems with bed bugs. The RPOA is working to ensure that the bill places the responsibility and cost with the tenant for infestations occurring after a tenant has taken possession of the property.

Clay Powell is the Director of the RPOA-M. You can contact him at clayp@rpoaonline.org.

July/August 2014 MICHIGAN LANDLORD 13

Member-to-Member Discounts: $$$aving you dollars!

AMERA MORTGAGE

INDOOR CLIMATE SOLUTIONS

REPUBLIC WASTE REMOVAL SERVICES

Free appraisal for 1 to 4 family unit homes with closed loan application for RPOA members only.

Jim Riley, 616-292-4491.

Offering all RPOA members Grand Rapids heating inspection stickers for $40.00 each and 5% discount on repair or replacement of any HVAC equipment. Over 40 years experience servicing and installing furnaces, boilers, air conditioning.

616-891-HEAT (4328)

Exclusive RPOA discount! $11/month for 96 gal. cart. Call Roy James at 616-662-6862.

BENDER MAINTENANCE & HOME IMPROVEMENT 10% off hourly rate for RPOA members.

Property maintenance, general repairs; prepare property to rent at acquisition; inspection compliance for Section 8, City of Grand Rapids.

General Contractor, Certified Lead Renovator, RPOA Member. 616-975-0126.

CASH FLOW SOLUTIONS INC Cash Flow Solutions special rates. Collect Bad Checks with Bounce Back Check Recovery! To access this discount, contact the RPOA office.

616-454-3385.

COMPASS REALTY SERVICES RPOA exclusive discount! Up to $500 off listing services. Call Tom at 616-550-4447.

FARM BUREAU Jeff Lamborne Farm Bureau Insurance Agency offers group discounts. Call Jeff for details.

616-447-0274.

GRAND RAPIDS CARPET & FURNITURE CLEANERS RPOA Members receive 25% discount! Call Dave, 616-453-5368.

HOME DEPOT Sign up for the Home Depot rebate program through the RPOA and receive 2%* rebate on all your purchases—no matter how small or big.

Call the RPOA office to get your rebate program started now! 616-454-3385.

HUNGERFORD, NICHOLS CPA’S & ADVISORS Free initial consultation on tax, accounting, and consulting services to RPOA members. Contact Kyle Sischo at 616-949-3200.

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Check out the discounts being made to RPOA members only:

JACK’S LAWN SERVICE Jack’s Lawn Service is offering an exclusive discount to RPOA members only. Call for your exclusive discount today. 616-698-8616.

JB HARRISON INSURANCE AGENCY Independent agents representing several companies (Auto-Owners, AAA, Citizens, Hastings, Hartford, Pioneer State Mutual, Progressive).

We do the shopping for you. Group discounts available for RPOA members. Call Mike Murphy at 616-868-0050 for details.

RMS LLC Towing of abandoned and improperly parked cars on your property. Offering to RPOA members at no cost. Free signage for RPOA members if required by State of Michigan laws. Call 616--475-9836 or email impounds@ rmsonline.us.

RPOA IS NOW A MEMBER OF PROSOURCE WHOLESALE FLOORCOVERING! Come to Prosource at 1575 Gezon Parkway, Suite A in Wyoming, and receive 50% off carpet, pad and sheet vinyl and 30% off all hard surface. Show us your membership card! Call Peggy, 616-257-3200.

JEFF LAMBORNE AGENCY

RYLEE’S ACE HARDWARE

We represent several companies. We shop them for you. Group discounts available. Call Jeff Lamborne for details. 616-447-0274.

10% discount on cash purchases. Some restrictions apply. Offer valid at Grand Rapids & Walker locations.

MLIVE MEDIA GROUP

SHERWIN WILLIAMS

A special exclusive offer just for RPOA members. $35 for 30 days print and online! Grand Rapids Press, Kalamazoo Gazette, Muskegon Chronicle.

Includes a 5 line print ad for a single rental unit as well as appearing with expanded text and up to 8 photos on mlive.com. Call the Classified Sales Supervisor at the Grand Rapids Press.

616-254-0612.

Sherwin Williams offers a 30% discount on paint products and also offers a 30% discount on paint sundries. Applicators are discounted 35%. Other pricing is very competitive within the local market. A special discount card must be obtained from the RPOA. 616-454-3385.

OFFICE MAX OfficeMax offers special discounts on expensive supplies like ink cartridges. More than a vendor or a supplier…they’re your strategic partner, your ally, your advocate. To access this discount, contact the RPOA office. 616-454-3385.

PAWLOWSKI & REENS, PLC, ATTORNEYS AT LAW Discounted fees and free limited phone consultation on any legal issue. 616-458-7800.

Associate members who would like to participate in the discount program should call Kathy Rozenek at 616-454-3385.

Patronize one of our Associate members participating in the Member-toMember Discount Program!

SUN RENTALS Pay cash and receive 15% off any rental, any time. 616-454-7982.

USA-MLS Advertise your properties on over 40 of the most popular Real Estate sites. RPOA Members $30 per month, unlimited listings. Free custom website with listings displayed, plus many more benefits. USA-mls.com. Call 1-800-206-0080.

WEST MICHIGAN PRO CLEAN WMPC is ready to handle your cleaning needs by offering move-in/move-out, carpet, postconstruction, and general commercial cleaning.

RPOA members receive a 20% discount on their first cleaning. Call 616-299-1757 or email wmproclean@yahoo.com for FREE estimate.

WHERE LANDLORDS GO FOR HELP

HOT Tips for SUCCESS BE VIGILANT WITH DUE DILIGENCE WHEN BUYING PROPERTIES The RPOA has recently learned that some sellers are listing properties that have huge IRS or other liens against them, making the buyer potentially subject to problems with clear title or losing the property to the IRS. Buyers need to be particularly vigilant and do the proper due diligence when buying a property by checking the record themselves or hiring a title company to research the property before proceeding to close or making the offer contingent upon the findings of the title company. If you’re buying a property and the seller insist on closing at a particular closing agent other than the one you normally use, consider this a red flag.

This all goes doubly true for buying on land contract which is often—wrongly—treated differently than buying through conventional financing.

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT TIP: Choose and supervise your property manager or management company carefully. If a manager commits a crime or is incompetent, you may be held financially responsible. Do a thorough background check and clearly spell out the manager’s duties to help prevent problems down the road. And, check to make sure the manager is licensed under Michigan real estate salesperson and broker licensure law.

SCREEN TENANTS: Screening for tenants is one of the most important things a landlord can do to achieve success. Without good screening practices, making a profit and avoiding headaches is almost impossible. Utilizing the Tenant History Website and other free online screening services is a great start.

You can learn more at the upcoming course on Marketing & Screening for Good Tenants coming on Tuesday, May 20.

You can register online here. http://rpoaonline.org/events/ marketing-screening-for-good-tenants/

July/August 2014 MICHIGAN LANDLORD 15

RENTAL PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION

RPOA WEBSITE LAUNCHED! The new website has been launched. Come take a look…we think you’ll like it!

In order to access the member-only side of the site the first time, you’ll need to use the email you previously registered with the old site and the password. (You will no longer need to enter your member number.) Once in the site, we encourage you to change your password through “My Profile.” New passwords are encrypted.

If you have problems with logging in, give us a call and we’ll help you through it! www.rpoaonline.org

R.K. MECHANICAL Heating • Cooling • Gas Fireplaces Sales, Service, Installation Roy Kline Phone: (616) 677-3975 Cell: (616) 292-0462

(616) 532-3626 or (888) 821-8846 Gerritsappliances.com

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0-1580 Fox Ct. Grand Rapids, MI 49534

Licensed Insured

WHERE LANDLORDS GO FOR HELP

LOWE’S AND CONTRACTORS HIT WITH LARGE FINE FOR VIOLATION OF EPA RRP RULE

By Doreen Cantor Paster US Environmental Protection Agency Today, April 17th, EPA and the Department of Justice announced that Lowe’s Home Centers, one of the nation’s largest home improvement retailers, agreed to implement a comprehensive, corporate-wide compliance program at its over 1,700 stores nationwide to ensure that the contractors it hires to perform work minimize lead dust from home renovation activities, as required by the federal Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule. The company will also pay a $500,000 civil penalty, which is the largest ever for violations of the RRP Rule.

Earlier this year, on February 18th, EPA announced additional enforcement actions that will require 35 home renovation contractors and training providers to take additional steps to protect communities by minimizing harmful lead dust from home renovation activities, as required by the EPA’s Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Standards.

These standards provide important, front-line protection for children and others vulnerable to exposure to lead dust that can cause lead poisoning. The enforcement actions, which all require contractors to certify compliance with the RRP standards, led to more than $274,000 in civil penalties.

A Special Offer for KARHA, MARA and RPOA MEMBERS

$35 for 30 days print and online!* Kalamazoo Gazette, Muskegon Chronicle and/or Grand Rapids Press.

Fill your vacancies with Mlive Media Group print and online solutions! *Includes a 5 line print ad for a single rental unit as well as appearing with expanded text and up to 8 photos on mlive.com Properties with more than 10 units are not eligible for this offer.

CARS • FURNITURE • ORIENTAL & AREA RUGS

STEAM ONE Carpet & Upholstery Cleaners

Lead-Safe Class Still Important!

Any landlord that hasn’t completed their course in lead-safe work practices required by the EPA still has the opportunity to do so.

Check out the listing of upcoming courses at www.rpoaonline.org.

Carpet Area Rugs

No. 1 Your e for Sourc ar pet er C Clean

Furniture Koolaid stains removed

*6 Rooms for the Price of 5*

(616) 682-1944 or (616) 304-2603 Serving all of Greater Grand Rapids

FULLY INSURED • FREE ESTIMATES • FAST DRYING

July/August 2014 MICHIGAN LANDLORD 17

RENTAL PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION

FORECASTS & TRENDS

U.S. Economy May be Stuck in Slow Lane Long-Term

BY GARY D. HALBERT

In the 4½ years since the Great Recession ended, millions of Americans who have gone without jobs or raises in this slow growth economy are asking, “Is this as good as it gets?” It increasingly looks that way.

might be in a semi-permanent funk. In November, Summers warned in a speech that the economy is trapped by “secular stagnation.” By that, he meant a prolonged period of weak demand and slow growth.

Two straight weak job reports for December and January have raised doubts about economists’ predictions of breakout growth in 2014. The global economy is showing signs of slowing—again. Manufacturing has slumped recently. Fewer people are signing contracts to buy homes. Global stock markets have sunk as anxiety has gripped developing nations.

Some long-term trends are equally troubling.

If the United States hasn’t already slipped into that period, the CBO predicts it could over the next four years. Again, that’s when the retirements of baby boomers would accelerate and start to restrain growth even more.

In an earlier article, I wrote about the latest Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report which concluded that Obamacare will result in the loss of 2.5 million workers over the next decade, as more and more people elect to simply drop out of the workforce rather than lose their healthcare subsidies.

Yet there was other alarming news in the latest CBO report that bears discussing. The Congressional Budget Office foresees economic growth picking up only mildly through 2016, and then weakening starting in 2017 and beyond.

By the CBO’s reckoning, the economy will soon slam into a demographic wall: The vast baby boom generation will retire. Their exodus—in addition to the loss of 2.5 million workers due to Obamacare—will significantly shrink the share of Americans who are working, which will hamper the economy’s ability to accelerate.

At the same time, the government will almost certainly have to borrow more, raise taxes or cut spending (or all three) to support Social Security and Medicare for those retirees.

Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and other noted economists have suggested recently that the economy

18

The CBO estimates that the economy will expand by only 2.7% in 2017 before declining to an average of 2.2% annual growth through 2024. That’s even slower than the current anemic recovery has been, on average, so far.

There are no documented examples of an economy that had to emerge from a financial crisis while simultaneously absorbing the effects of an aging population, noted Harvard University economist Carmen Reinhart, who has researched eight centuries of crises with her colleague Ken Rogoff.

“These things are new” she said.

Many Americans who endured the worst of the downturn remain wary, sensing that the recession caused an enduring economic downshift. Some businesses are still reluctant to hire despite higher revenue. And they’re wondering, when will we get back to normal? Historically, “normal” has been when GDP averages 3% or better.

Yet according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the U.S. economy is likely to remain in the slow lane for another decade through 2024. That is as far out as their projections go.

Finally, I have yet to see anyone in the mainstream media touch any of these troubling long-term projections from the CBO. Certainly no politician is going to bring this up. Yet

WHERE LANDLORDS GO FOR HELP

I believe that my clients and readers want to know these facts, troubling as they are.

91 MILLION

AMERICANS AREN’T LOOKING FOR WORK The official unemployment rate isn’t always the best measure of the job market, because it only includes people who have actively searched for work within the last four weeks. Many Americans just aren’t looking for jobs.

New facts from the Labor Department show that about 91 million adult Americans don’t work, and aren’t looking for jobs. They make up 37% of the population—the highest level on record since 1978. Some of them are workers who’ve been out of a job for so long that they’ve given up entirely.

But it’s not quite as bad as it looks. In addition to discouraged workers, this group also includes people who are retired, enrolled in high school or college and those staying at home to take care of young children or elderly relatives.

Here is a complete view of the U.S. working-age population, including everyone over age 16. (*Note: “Unemployed” includes out of work people who looked for a job in the last four weeks. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.)

Full-time workers, at 118 million, still make up almost half of the population. About 48% of working-age Americans have full-time jobs, and another 11% work part-time.

Historically, those numbers have been considerably higher.

Gary D. Halbert is the president and chairman of Profutures, Inc. Reprinted from AOA News and Buyers Guide, May 2014 issue.

July/August 2014 MICHIGAN LANDLORD 19

RENTAL PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION

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WHERE LANDLORDS GO FOR HELP

USE CRITERIA FOR SCREENING TENANTS Do you screen prospective tenant applications before entering a lease with them? If you answered yes, the second question would be, do you establish a set of specific screening criteria you use for each property to help you determine which applicant to choose as a tenant? In other words, do you make sure that every tenant meets a certain set of criteria, e.g. no smokers, no one with past due utility bills, no one with more than one credit card past due, no felons, no previous evictions in the last five years, previous landlord’s experience, etc.? These criteria could be placed into categories, say tenant history, financial ability to pay, financial responsibility, criminal history, etc.

We are hopeful that you answered yes to the last question above.

Establishing set screening criteria is part of a successful property management system. Screening criteria that is applied equally to all prospective tenants for a particular property ensures equal and fair treatment of all applicants, helping the landlord avoid fair housing lawsuits and make better judgments based upon a thoughtful process done in advance of making a unit available for rent. Furthermore, good screening policies ensure that a landlord is doing everything they can do to find the most qualified and best tenant possible from a group of prospective tenants.

The RPOA provides Decision Reports obtained through CBC AmRent. Call the office to obtain a report on a prospective tenant or simply complete the request form online and submit if via email. Go here to get the form: http://www. rpoaonline.org/pdf/DecisionReportRequestForm.pdf.

July/August 2014 MICHIGAN LANDLORD 21

RENTAL PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION

By Katie Poole-Hussa

22

WHERE LANDLORDS GO FOR HELP

I’m going to bet that you probably haven’t heard many peple say that they love being a landlord. If anything, you’ve heard the cons, hatred

and horrific stories of doing such. But, in a world where there is so much emphasis on negativity, I’d like to bring our attention for a second to some of the positives of the property management industry. So, whether you’ve chosen to be a landlord as a career or have been lucky enough to have inherited the job of managing rentals, there are many benefits that go along with being in this business.

First and probably most obvious, being a property manager creates wealth. There is no denying that owning and managing property over the long term is a great money earner. There will always be a demand for housing. However, the earning potential will fluctuate with the state of the economy and various conditions within the housing market. In good credit conditions there will be a higher rate of owner occupation and increasing capital values. In more constrained times, there will be more renters with higher rents. Real estate investments are arguably the most stable and secure types of investments you can make.

As property owners, you are able to use tenants’ money to pay your mortgage and build your equity, so that you can increase the cash flow to buy greater properties and/or create a stream of retirement income. As a property manager, you can increase rents regularly to match current market rent rates and your management fee based on gross rents will increase simultaneously with your client’s income. It really can be a win-win situation.

Secondly, real estate is real. Managing rentals forces you to become more knowledgeable about property upkeep and home repairs. No matter how involved you may be in caring for the actual residence, you will have to understand something about repairs and maintenance, even if you hire out the work to be done by others. So, whether you’re lining up the contractors or putting in your own elbow grease, you’ll notice that you are more diligent about ensuring quality work.

Fixing up an older property or turning over a rental that had been trashed or damaged by past tenants can instill a true sense of accomplishment.

The third reason why I love what I do is the people. I like my tenants. I would be lying if I said that I’ve liked every resident I’ve ever rented to, but if you can hit it off initially, working with them during their tenancy can be quite a pleasure. Some of my tenants have even become friends as well as business acquaintances.

Providing nice, well-kept homes at affordable rates is powerful. I’ve had the pleasure of supplying homes to some who otherwise wouldn’t be able to rent anywhere else based on their circumstances.

Experiencing their joy of having a place to call home fueled by my passion and purpose of being a landlord, I have been able to enjoy watching many families grow together through marriage, children and other life accomplishments. And let’s not forget the hundreds of encounters with some very interesting people who have either inquired about a property, or the many contractors that I employed to perform maintenance duties—many of whom I would have never met if I were not a property manager.

These are only a few reasons why I love being a landlord. I encourage you all to take the time to step back from the weight of the job and ask yourself, “Why am I in rental housing?” We all know that being a landlord is complex, but I believe that I you’re able to outline the positives of the industry for yourself, then when the unavoidable negatives arise, you will be able to make decisions based on love and not hate.

Katie Poole-Hussa is a licensed property manager, continuing education provider and principal at Smart Property Management in Portland, Oregon.

Reprinted with permission of the Arizona Real Estate Investors Association.

Reprinted from AOA News and Buyers Guide, May 2014 issue.

Advertise in Michigan Landlord!

Contact RPOA Ad Salesperson, Tom Koetsier at 616-550-4447 to reserve your ad space today!

July/August 2014 MICHIGAN LANDLORD 23

Join Us!

RENTAL PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION

BREAKFAST NETWORKING

Real Estate Investors (REI) Breakfast Networing Every Friday morning, dozens of real estate investors, landlords and vendors participate in the RPOA’s free breakfast networking event. Share deals with other investors; learn what’s happening now in the local real estate market; share your haves and wants; learn from other investors; hear short informational presentations on relevant topics.

The event is free except for the cost of breakfast. No registration necessary!

When

Every Friday (except holidays) 8 a.m. – 9 a.m.

24

Where

Cheshire Grill 2162 Plainfield NE Grand Rapids, MI

WHERE LANDLORDS GO FOR HELP

July/August 2014 MICHIGAN LANDLORD 25

RENTAL PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION

Start Earning Your Rebate!

RPOA Snags National Discount with Home Depot RPOA members can start receiving a 2% rebate* on all purchases made through Home Depot!

This rebate is on top of any other discount or sale price, including contractor rates. It’s simple to get started. Use the form inserted into this issue of the Michigan Landlord to sign up, and fax it to the RPOA office at 616-454-6163. After we process the form, a person from Home Depot will contact you to obtain additional account information.

To ensure that you are credited for all purchases, a Home Depot account number, debit card or credit card number (or all three) will be attached to your rebate account. Every time you use one of these payment methods, you will earn a 2%

rebate*.

Rebate checks are mailed every six months.

If you have any questions, contact a staff member at the RPOA office at 616-454-3385.

*2% rebate is earned on annual purchases of $1,250 or more.

September/October 2013 MICHIGAN LANDLORD 26 26

WHERE LANDLORDS GO FOR HELP

David H. Bigelow RPOA Member

Bus: 616-453-5368 Cell: 616-822-4710

Grand Rapids Carpet & Furniture Cleaners since 1944 We use

RPOA members receive a 25% Discount

Advertisers: The deadline for submission of and payment for ads is noon on the 15th day of the month for the following month’s newsletter. Contact RPOA Ad Salesperson, Tom Koetsier, at 616-550-4447 to reserve your Ad space today!

July/August 2014 MICHIGAN LANDLORD 27

RENTAL PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION

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28

WHERE LANDLORDS GO FOR HELP

procedures & prices RPOA & REI DECISION REPORT REQUEST

PLEASE FOLLOW THE PROCEDURES BELOW WHEN REQUESTING DECISION REPORTS FROM THE RPOA: ❑❑ When possible, please use the RPOA Decision Report Request Form and fax it to the RPOA office at 616-454-6163 OR send us an e-mail with the same information to: contactrpoa@rpoaonline.org. (DO NOT fax applications to us.) ❑❑ You must have the following minimum information to run a report: • First and last name of prospective tenant(s).

• Current address of the prospective tenant, including street with number, city, state and zip code.

• Social Security Number.

• Date of Birth • Your RPOA member #, name of membership, and an indication on how you would like the completed reports handled, i.e. faxed back to you (if so, provide the fax number), or you will call the office for the report, or you will pick up the report in person. ❑❑ WAIT AT LEAST THREE (3) HOURS before contacting the RPOA office for your reports. Though we can sometimes get reports done quicker, there are many things out of our control that can interfere with this process, including but not limited to credit reporting agency computer problems.

• Contact us for your decision report results promptly. For reasons of confidentiality we shred all reports after 3 days.

OTHER GUIDELINES FOR DECISION REPORTS: • You cannot run a decision report on yourself.

• You can only run a decision report on another family member if you are doing a business transaction with that person that is related to real estate or rental property.

• You cannot run a decision report for another business person, real estate agent or landlord. Your credit reporting privileges through RPOA extend only to your personal business.

• You can only run a decision report for a legitimate business transaction where credit is required. These transactions include owner financed real estate, leasing, collections and land contracts.

• You must follow all the rules and regulations of the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act. A copy of this Act is available at the RPOA. • You must give a person denied housing or financing because of information contained in a credit report a notice to that effect.

Examples of notices that you can use and what needs to be included in the notice can be found in the RPOA office; or log on to the RPOA website (www.rpoaonline.org) and go to Tenant Screening.

REPORT PRICES (AS OF JANUARY 15, 2014) Single: $14.95 Double: $24.95 Criminal Report: $7.00 each

July/August 2014 MICHIGAN LANDLORD 29

Upcoming Seminars and Events HELPING REAL ESTATE INVESTORS BECOME MORE SUCCESSFUL July 10, 2014 • 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Aug. 14, 2014 • 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

FOUNDATIONS OF BUYING, LEASING AND SELLING RENTAL PROPERTY - CE

CREATING WEALTH WITH SELLER FINANCE - CE

Con-Ed Approved Class for Realtors. Earn 2 hours credit!

Presented by Clay Powell, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson & RPOA Director The class will provide a complete overview of the entire rental business—from buying a property through management and selling. Some of the points to be covered in the course include: • Proper due diligence before buying or turning your existing home into a rental property.

• Federal, state and local regulations regarding rental property ownrship and management.

• Methods for effective management, including tenant screening, dealing with problem tenants, evictions and more.

• Setting rental rates and effectively advertising rental property.

• Proper forms to use for leasing.

• What to do before selling a rental property.

July 15, 2014 • 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE NUMBERS: APOD 101 - CE Con-Ed approved Class for Realtors. Earn 2 hours!

Presented by Russ VandenToorn, Realtor, Property Manager & Investor Do you know all the different kinds of returns from investment in real estate and how they are calculated? This course will help both realtors and investors to understand, analyze, and complete the key elements of the Annual Property Operating Data form.

July 23, 2014 • 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 8-Hour Class

RENOVATION, REPAIR & PAINTING 8 Hour CE; 8 Hour Construction Credit Limit: 6. Call RPOA for pricing.

Richard TenHoor, Certified Lead Safe Work Practices Trainer, Landlord and RPOA Member, will teach lead-safe work practices in a comprehensive session. Not knowing how to work in a leadsafe manner can expose your rental business to liability. The EPA now requires all landlords to use lead-safe work practices and be certified under the new RRP rules.

Future date:

August 21, 2014

Con-Ed Approved Class for Realtors. Earn 4 hours credit.

Presented by Brian Zeemering, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson, Mortgage Broker & Investor If you’re in real estate—whether a licensed real estate professional, real estate investor or landlord—understanding seller financing is huge. Brian Zeemering will share his wealth of knowledge on putting together land contracts, leases with options, and more.

Aug. 19, 2014 • 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

APPRAISING: THE INSIDE SCOOP - CE, PHP Con-Ed Approved Class for Realtors. Earn 2 hours!

Presented by Kim Post, Licensed Appraiser & Investor Learn how the professionals like Appraiser and real estate investor, Kim Post, determine value. Knowing how a property is valued is important for buying and selling. Learning the process will make you a smarter buyer and seller.

Sept. 11, 2014 • 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

MARKETING & SCREENING FOR PAYING TENANTS - CE, PHP Con-Ed Approved Class for Realtors. Earn 2 hours!

Presented by Clay Powell, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson & RPOA Director Clay presents a thorough look into getting your apartments rented by using different marketing strategies. This course covers the essentials needed to find and attract the best possible tenants.

The participants will learn a wide variety of marketing strategies and methods for screening tenants to obtain the greatest profit.

Sept. 18, 2014 • 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

RETIRING FROM YOUR REAL ESTATE CAREER IN STYLE: EXIT STRATEGIES FOR THE REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY Con-Ed Approved Class for Realtors. Earn 2 hours!

Presented by Mark Andresky, CExP, ABI, CBI The Rental Property Owners Association (RPOA) is proud to host Mark Andresky, Certified Exit Planner, Real Estate Broker and Investor, who will share proven strategies to turn your real estate investments and business into a reliable stream of income that will last a lifetime. It’s never too early or too late to think about how you’re going to build wealth and plan for retirement. Real

All events are held at the RPOA office unless otherwise noted.

Cost: $25 Gold members, $35 Silver members and non-members unless otherwise noted.

30

CE = CERTIFIED COURSE FOR REAL ESTATE CONTINUING EDUCATION PHP = PROFESSIONAL HOUSING PROVIDER CREDIT

continued

! s u n i o J

REAL ESTATE INVESTORS (REI) FRIDAY MORNING BREAKFAST ROUNDTABLE Held every Friday, 8–9 a.m.

Cheshire Grill / 2162 Plainfield NE, Grand Rapids, MI

REGISTER BY CALLING 800.701.7762 OR EMAIL CONTACTRPOA@RPOAONLINE.ORG estate professionals can benefit immensely by understanding how their clients can best benefit from different real estate investment and exit strategies. Starting early and developing the right plan can produce the results you or your clients need to retire in style!

The course will include, but not be limited to: • Determining when and how much you’ll need to retire • Maximizing your wealth from your real estate business and investments • Reinvesting real estate profits to increase wealth • Choosing the best transition option(s) • Reducing or eliminating taxes and expenses • Avoiding costly mistakes and leaving money on the table • Protecting your assets and minimizing risk • Passing on your wealth and leaving a legacy • Building a roadmap to success & security.

To be held at: RPOA Office, 1459 Michigan St. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 Cost: $49/$69

Sept. 23, 2014 • 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

FOUNDATIONS OF BUYING, LEASING AND SELLING RENTAL PROPERTY - CE Con-Ed Approved Class for Realtors. Earn 2 hours credit!

Presented by Clay Powell, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson & RPOA Director The class will provide a complete overview of the entire rental business—from buying a property through management and selling. Some of the points to be covered in the course include: • Proper due diligence before buying or turning your existing home into a rental property.

• Federal, state and local regulations regarding rental property ownrship and management.

• Methods for effective management, including tenant screening, dealing with problem tenants, evictions and more.

• Setting rental rates and effectively advertising rental property.

• Proper forms to use for leasing.

• What to do before selling a rental property.

Sept. 30, 2014 • 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

PROTECTING YOUR ASSETS - CE, PHP Con-Ed Approved Class for Realtors. Earn 2 hours!

Presented by Bill Reens, Attorney at Law As a landlord, do you know if you’re protected from vandalism, damage from burst pipes, or injuries resulting from environmental

sources such as mold? Will your personal assets be protected from claims and creditors in a financial crisis? If you would like to know the answers to these questions, or have other questions about your legal rights and responsibilities as a landlord, this course is for you!

Join Bill as he explains how to best protect your valuable assets from claims, lawsuits, and other un-doings.

Oct. 2, 2014 • 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

MANAGING YOUR BOTTOM LINE - CE, PHP Con-Ed Approved Class for Realtors. Earn 2 hours credit!

Presented by Duane Culver, Certified Public Accountant Getting into real estate investment can be easy…keeping the financial records necessary to manage expenses, cash flow, rent collection and tax preparation for that investment can be challenging. Duane will teach the fundamentals of financial recordkeeping, cash vs. accrual, and a lot more.

Oct. 9, 2014 • TBA

CREATING WEALTH WITH SELLER FINANCE - CE Con-Ed Approved Class for Realtors. Earn 4 hours credit.

Presented by Brian Zeemering, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson, Mortgage Broker & Investor If you’re in real estate—whether a licensed real estate professional, real estate investor or landlord—understanding seller financing is huge. Brian Zeemering will share his wealth of knowledge on putting together land contracts, leases with options, and more.

continued on page 32

Upcoming Seminars and Events CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31 Oct. 16, 2014 • 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

TAX STRATEGIES FOR MAXIMUM PROFIT - CE, PHP

All events are held at the RPOA office unless otherwise noted.

Cost: $25 Gold members, $35 Silver members and non-members unless otherwise noted. both realtors and investors to understand, analyze, and complete the key elements of the Annual Property Operating Data form.

Nov. 13, 2014 • 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Con-Ed Approved Class for Realtors. Earn 2 hours!

Presented by Duane Culver, CPA & Investor

UNDERSTANDING LEASES & CONTRACT LAW

Duane discusses the insight and techniques needed to reduce and potentially eliminate real estate investment taxes.

Con-Ed Approved Class for Realtors. Earn 2 Hours!

Presented by Bill Reens, Attorney at Law

Oct. 23, 2014 • Time TBA

BUILDING WEALTH WITH SELF-DIRECTED IRA’S AND REAL ESTATE - CE Con-Ed Approved Class for Realtors. Earn 2 hours!

Presented by Joedy Patrick, Real Estate Broker, Real Estate Investor, Executive VP of Qwest IRA, Inc. Learn how to use self-directed IRA’s to finance real estate deals while increasing profits and avoiding taxes.

Oct. 30, 2014 • 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

EVICTIONS MADE SIMPLE - CE, PHP Con-Ed Approved Class for Realtors. Earn 2 hours legal!

Presented by Clay Powell, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson & RPOA Director

Thinking of writing your own lease? Confused about the terminology used on a lease? Bill Reens will provide a foundation of the requirements for leases in the State of Michigan.

Participants learn about what can and can’t be in a lease, how tenants can walk away from a lease, and more.

Dec. 9, 2014 • 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

BUYING & SELLING REAL ESTATE FOR PROFIT Con-Ed Approved Class for Realtors. Earn 2 hours!

Presented by Tom Koetsier, Real Estate Investor & Broker It is important to understand the rules and laws of real estate investment, whether you are a current owner or considering entering the market! There are many pitfalls and problems that can arise in real estate investment: learn how to avoid complications and difficulties while saving money in the process.

Nov. 4, 2014 • 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Join Tom Koetsier, RPOA Board President and experienced real estate investor and broker, as he eliminates the mystery from purchasing real estate. Through his class you will learn how to KEEP IT LEGAL AND PROFITABLE as you negotiate inspections, title work, transfer taxes, and other important real estate transactions.

FINANCING 101: THE BASICS - CE, PHP

Don’t lose time or money by not being properly educated about investing!

Ready to pull your hair out with a difficult or non-paying tenant?

Clay will show you how to quickly (and legally) evict troublesome tenants.

Con-Ed Approved Class for Realtors. Earn 2 hours!

Presented by Brian Zeemering, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson, Mortgage Broker & Investor There is a lot of lingo in the financing business. Brian Zeemering helps you understand what it means and how to secure and manage financing.

Nov. 6, 2014 • 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT ANALYSIS - CE

Dec. 11, 2014 • 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

LANDLORD-TENANT LAW: AVOIDING FINES & PENALTIES Con-Ed Approved Class for Realtors. Earn 2 Hours!

Presented by Bill Reens, Attorney at Law There’s more to managing rental property than meets the eye.

Bill Reens, Attorney at Law, will present Michigan landlord-tenant laws in an easy-to-understand session.

Con-Ed approved Class for Realtors. Earn 2 hours!

Presented by Russ VandenToorn, Realtor, Property Manager & Investor Do you know all the different kinds of returns from investment in real estate and how they are calculated? This course will help

32

CE = CERTIFIED COURSE FOR REAL ESTATE CONTINUING EDUCATION PHP = PROFESSIONAL HOUSING PROVIDER CREDIT

WHERE LANDLORDS GO FOR HELP

Ad-o-Grams APPLIANCE SALE Refrigerators, ranges, washers & dryers. Nice selection, all guaranteed, and delivery service.

Modern Appliance, 809 College NE, 616-4567039.

CARPET CLEANING RPOA members receive 25% discount. Premium carpet care at affordable prices. Call RPOA member Dave Bigelow at 616-822-4710 or Grand Rapids Carpet and Furniture Cleaners at 616-453-5368.

EVICTION CLEAN-UP AND DUMPSTER RENTALS

Full service plumbing and drain cleaning

BEST

Plumbing and Drain Cleaning

616.212.7907 24 hour service available Licensed and insured Free estimates

Never have stolen tags again! Clean-ups starting at $35. Or rent one of our 10-, 15-, or 20-yard dumpsters for your remodel or clean-ups. Starting at $175 including dump fees! Call Executive containers at 616-862-5246.

FOR SALE BY OWNER: Rental Property near GVSU downtown. 3 bdrm, 2 Story Front Apt and 1 bdrm Back Apt. $85,000.

Substantial improvements. For details, pictures, finances go to: http://andyatwood.com/214gold.html.

SOS HOME REHAB LLC Repair/remodeling for management companies/ homeowners. Inspections to evictions to move-in ready apartments. Certified in HVAC, lead and mold.

Call Shane Sarver, 616-446-4899; email: ssarver@ soshomerehab.com. Licensed, insured, efficient.

July/August 2014 MICHIGAN LANDLORD 33

RENTAL PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION

BOARD OF DIRECTORS President: Bert Heyboer (616) 719-0819 E-mail: bertheyboer@gmail.com President Elect: Tom Koetsier (616) 550-4447 E-mail: tkoetsier@grar.com Secretary: Mark Troy (616) 452-4200 Email: mtroy@compass101.com

1459 Michigan St. NE / Grand Rapids, MI 49503 Phone:

(616) 454-3385 / Fax: (616) 454-6163

E-mail:

contactrpoa@rpoaonline.org

Web Sites:

http://www.rpoaonline.org

www.MIrentalguide.com

Office Hours:

Mon 8:30 AM-5:30 PM

Tue–Thu 9:00 AM-5:30 PM

Fri 9:00 AM-5:00 PM

The Rental Property Owners Association/Real Estate Investors (REI) is a nonprofit business association whose mission is to support and facilitate its members’ success in real estate investment and management.

Treasurer: Mark Andresky (616) 855-1979 E-mail: mark@performanceba.com

OTHER BOARD MEMBERS: Kathy Dennison Adrianse (616) 257-9577 E-mail: kdennison@grar.com Steve DeKoster (616) 776-0572

E-mail: sdeko@aol.com

Allison Koetsier (616) 633-9445

E-mail: akoetsier@compass101.com

Keith Littlepage (616) 669-8809

E-mail: successinvests@att.net

Phil Mol (616) 458-8200

E-mail: philmol@grar.com

David Phillips (616) 745-6683

E-mail: davidrphillips@charter.net

Kim Post (616) 891-0500

E-mail: kim@postandassociates.com

John Potter (616) 318-1549

E-mail: jpotter@grar.com

Russ VandenToorn (616) 965-2300

E-mail: russ@rentupm.com

Brian Zeemering (616) 608-0940

Email: bzeemering@gmail.com

Past President: Ann Siebelink-Finkler (616) 437-2164 E-mail: annfinkler@gmail.com

RPOA STAFF: (616) 454-3385 Clay Powell, Director Ava Grover E-mail: avag@rpoaonline.org Kathy Rozenek E-mail: kathyr1@rpoaonline.org Heather Vandenbos E-mail: heatherv@rpoaonline.org

Republic Services has announced a new contact person for RPOA: Roy James will be the initial point of contact for all RPOA members and staff. His direct line is 616662-6862 and his cell is 616-437-8391. He has been our Lead Salesperson for HOA’s and residential sales for several years and will be a great fit for the RPOA.

RPOA DIRECTOR & MAGAZINE EDITOR: Clay Powell (616) 454-3385

AD SALES: Tom Koetsier (616) 550-4447

RPOA ATTORNEY: William Reens (616) 458-7800 34

E-mail: clayp@rpoaonline.org

E-mail: tkoetsier@grar.com

MICHIGAN

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