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1ISSUE 1 2016 䌀吀䄀䄀吀䠀䔀䌀伀一一䔀䌀吀䤀䌀唀吀䄀倀䄀刀吀䴀䔀一吀䄀匀匀伀䌀䤀䄀吀䤀伀一

THE RIGHT START FOR THE NEW YEAR PAGE 7

SETTING PROPERTY MANAGEMENT GOALSPAGE 14

MANAGING PROPERTIES DURING THE WINTERPAGE 22

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE CONNECTICUT APARTMENT ASSOCIATION

ISSUE 1 2016

䌀吀䄀䄀吀䠀䔀䌀伀一一䔀䌀吀䤀䌀唀吀䄀倀䄀刀吀䴀䔀一吀䄀匀匀伀䌀䤀䄀吀䤀伀一

focus focus focusfocusApartment


©2016 Apartment Focus Associati on of Connecti cut | The newsLINK Group, LLC. All rights reserved. Apartment FOCUS is published six ti mes each year by The newsLINK Group, LLC for the Apartment Focus Associati on of Connecti cut and is the offi cial publicati on for this associati on. The informati on contained in this publicati on is intended to provide general informati on for review and considerati on. The contents do not consti tute legal advice and such not be relied on as such. If you need legal advice or assistance, it is strongly recommended that you contact an att orney as to your specifi c circumstances. The statements and opinions expressed in this publicati on are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of Apartment Focus Associati on of Connecti cut, its board of directors, or the publisher. Likewise, the appearance of adverti sements within this publicati on does not consti tute an endorsement or recommendati on of any product or service adverti sed. Apartment FOCUS is a collecti ve work and as such some arti cles are submitt ed by authors that are independent of Apartment Focus Associati on of Connecti cut. While Apartment Focus Associati on of Connecti cut encourages a fi rst print policy, in cases where this is not possible, every eff ort has been made to comply with any known reprint guidelines or restricti ons. Content may not be reproduced or reprinted without prior permission. For further informati on, please contact the publisher at: 855.747.4003.

focus focus focusfocusApartment


7 14

2015-2016 CTAA Board of Directors

Welcome to the First Editi on of The Connecti cut Apartment Associati on’s Industry Magazine - Apartment Focus!

Welcome new CTAA Members

2016 Calendar

The Right Start for the New Year

Congratulati ons to all our Nutmeg Award winners and Thank You to all who nominated!

45

56711

Nutmeg Awards

Setti ng Property Management Goals

Designers, Businesses Tap Energize Connecti cut Initi ati ves To Achieve Savings from the Ground Up

CTTA 2015 Trade Show

Managing Properti es During the Winter

121416

1922

4 www.ctaahq.org䌀吀䄀䄀吀䠀䔀䌀伀一一䔀䌀吀䤀䌀唀吀䄀倀䄀刀吀䴀䔀一吀䄀匀匀伀䌀䤀䄀吀䤀伀一

2015-2016 CTAABoard of Directors

PresidentKelly DeMatt eo

Regional Property ManagerTrio Properti es, LLC

2461 Main Street, 3rd FloorGlastonbury, CT 06033

860.430.1966.860.430.1965 (fax)

kdematt eo@trioproperti es.com

President ElectAndy Lund

Senior Property ManagerWinn Residenti al942 Main Street

Suite 301Hartf ord, CT 06105

860.524.5198860.524.5647 (fax)

[email protected]

Vice PresidentJusti n Gaboury

Senior Community ManagerGreystar

331 Main StreetDanbury, CT 06810

203.456.7891475.289.3239 (fax)

[email protected]

Treasurer Dragana LaCore

General ManagerBozzuto Management

360 State StreetNew Haven, CT 06510

203.672.1782203.865.3600 (fax)

[email protected]

Secretary Chasity Villanueva

Property ManagerKonover Residenti al Corporati on

Elms Common965 Elms Common Dr, Rocky Hill, CT 06067

860.727.8094elmsmgr@konoverresidenti al.com

Vice President of Associate Aff airs

Robert ChessonLandlord Law Firm215 Broad Street

Milford. CT 06460203.874.4747203.874.4701

rchesson@landlordlawfi rm.com

Director of Associate Aff airsBryan Gallino

Area Sales ManagerHD Supply

100 Meadow RoadBoston, MA 02136203.565.7142 (cell)855.244.9654 (fax)

[email protected]

Director of Associate Aff airsJim Brooks

ARS - Restorati on SpecialistsBusiness Development Manager

355 Sackett Point Road, Unit 24/29North Haven, CT 06473

203.707.3071 (cell)[email protected]

Director of Northern Connecti cut

Sarah BloodDistrict Manager

US Residenti al Group2075 Silas Deane Hwy, Suite 203

Rocky Hill, CT 06067860.563.3700

866.248.6932(fax)[email protected]

Director of Southern Connecti cutCarrie Rowley

Senior Property ManagerTrio Properti es, LLC

Meadow Ridge & Cambridge Estates Apartments

4B Plumtree DriveNorwich, CT 06360

860.889.2828860.892.1605 (fax)

crowley@trioproperti es.com

Director at LargeJeff Ferony

Executi ve Vice PresidentTRIO Properti es, LLC

2461 Main Street, Suite 2Glastonbury, CT 06033

860.430.1966860.430.1965 (fax)

jferony@trioproperti es.com

Past PresidentSara Reyes BickellBusiness Manager

Lincoln Property Co.Alvista Willow Brook211 Pomeroy AvenueMeriden, CT 06450

203.639.9988203.639.9977 (fax)

[email protected]

Associati on Management Services

Jessica OlanderAssociati on Executi ve

TCORS Capitol Group, LLC330 Main Street, 3rd Floor

Hartf ord, CT 06106860.541.6438

860.604.8688 (cell)860.541.6484 (fax)

[email protected]

CTAA Committ eesEducati on Committ ee

Chairman: Cindy Harrison, CORTLegislati ve Committ ee

Chairman: Penny Bacchiochi, Winn Residenti alEvents Committ ee

Chairman: Brenda Sandoval, Avalon Bay Communiti esMembership Committ ee

Chairman: Jessica Doll, Winn Residenti alCommunicati ons and Social Media

Committ ee: Chairman: Morgan Miller,

Trio Properti es, LLC Tradeshow Committ ee

Andrew Harrison, For Rent Media Soluti ons

Fairfi eld County Council


I am proud to o� er our members a professional, industry relevant, CTAA focused resource. Apartment Focus will be our go to guide for education, advocacy and communication. Our magazine will feature all CTAA events, current educational o� erings, committee information, Board of Directors listing, eventually a Guide to Products and Services and industry related articles from a variety of sources, including NAA.

� is magazine has been a labor of love for the Communi-cations and Social Media Committee, led by Morgan Miller of Trio Properties. I can’t thank them enough for their work on the newsletter we have emailed these past few years, and adapting content for Apartment Focus. � is magazine will be mailed on a bi monthly basis to over 1,000 CTAA members, future CTAA members, industry leaders and key housing industry legislators.

� ank you to all our Vendor Associate Members who have purchased ad space in Apartment Focus. � is will be a great investment for your company, and as always I appreciate your continued support.

� is is a work in progress! Please let me know what you like about Apartment Focus, what you think is missing, and what you think we don’t need! Want to see more pics - GREAT! More legislative issues - AWESOME!

Enjoy your CT Apartment Focus!

Sincerely,Jessica OlanderExecutive DirectorCT Apartment Association

Business PartnersCarpets Unlimited, LLCColdwell Banker Commercial AllianceDistinctive Tree CareEnviro Clean RestorationMountain View LandscapeReview TreeService Master Restoration by Wills� e HD Segur Insurance Agency

Communities� e Summer House - StamfordBedford Hall - StamfordSono Pearl - NorwalkParallel 41, StamfordStonington Estates, NorwichCrocker House, New London� e Wilcox

Management CompaniesF.D. Rich ManagementHamilton PointMichael DarcySentinel Real Estate Corporation

WELCOME TO THE FIRST EDITION OF THE CONNECTICUT APARTMENT

ASSOCIATION’S INDUSTRY MAGAZINE - APARTMENT FOCUS!

WELCOME NEW CTAA MEMBERS


Getting the New Year o� to a great start takes more than just hard work (although hard work certainly helps). Strategy helps, too. If you want 2016 to be a better year than 2015, there are a few things you can do that will help you get o� to the right start. � e following ideas can help you prepare for a fabulous year.

Analyze the Past Make a list of your successes and failures, and then take

some time to understand what happened. If something was a success, then you want to do more of the same next year. If something didn’t work, now is the time to acknowledge that and move on.

Are there any tools available that would improve your work environment, make your job easier, and help you to be more e� ective and e� cient? Now is also a good time to look at your internal policies and practices. If you are using project management software, you might want to think about whether it is doing the job you need it to do, or if it is time for an upgrade.

� e key to any marketing plan is making sure you are reaching the right people. Now is a good time to take a look at any marketing campaigns you are currently using and see whether it really measures up. If not, January is the right time for a new beginning.

The Right Start | Continued on page 8

THE RIGHT START FOR THE NEW YEAR


Study the CompetitionIf you want to be competitive, you also need to know what

other people are doing.

• List your competitors. • What are they doing that seems to be successful? Is

there something you could do that would improve your own business practices?

• Did they make any mistakes that you know about? Maybe you can prevent your own mistakes by learning from theirs.

Use the Internet� e Internet has become an indispensable tool for all

businesses.

• Websites are great for marketing and for communicating with residents.

• Getting involved with social media can also be an easy way for you to increase your online presence.

• Collect, manipulate, and store property-management data.

• Use the Internet for electronic money exchanges as much as possible.

Flexibility and convenience will be reason enough for many people to take advantage of electronic payments, but since seniors are a growing market segment and are sometimes less comfortable with the necessary technology, you will want to consider what you can do to make the process easier for people who are unfamiliar with electronic payments.

Prevent FiresApartment � res are expensive, with a price-tag of between

$1.1 and $1.6 billion annually. Most of those � res can be prevented by communicating with residents and planning ahead. Approximately 27 percent of winter structural � res are caused because of heaters and take place during the winter months, with

the highest concentration taking place between December and February.

What can you do to prevent � res?

• Communicate with residents. � e National Fire Prevention Association has � yers that can help. You could also put information about � re prevention on your website. Make sure residents know space heaters have to be kept at least three feet away from anything � ammable and should never be left on when no one is around. Ask residents to unplug small appliances when they aren’t using them.

• Ask residents to communicate with you when breakers trip, since that can be an indication that there is a serious problem electrically.

• Inspect laundry rooms, furnaces, and HVAC units on a regular basis. Have a certi� ed contractor inspect any chimneys. Although the best time to inspect chimneys and heating equipment is in the fall, you could put it on the calendar now and follow up with it later.

• Ask the local � re marshal to do a courtesy inspection of common areas and as many units as possible. � e � re marshal will look for hazards such as overloaded outlets and circuits, hazardous materials and improper storage, and obstructions. Check whether there is a fee for the visit (sometimes there is). If you correct anything that is found in a timely way, there generally won’t be any � nes for code violations or other issues.

• Consider making renter’s insurance mandatory for all residents. One way to approach doing this is to make lease renewals contingent on it.

• Have an emergency plan in place for events such as � res, and hold a � re drill periodically. Make sure � re� ghters have the access they need to electrical rooms, storage areas, and utility rooms. � ey also might need to shut o� elevators or electricity.

• Schedule times to check the � re sprinkler, carbon monoxide detectors, and smoke alarm systems. Replace batteries regularly. It’s important to document your work

The Right Start | Continued from page 7

Are there any tools available that would improve your work environment, make your job easier, and help you to be more

effective and effi cient? Now is also a good time to look at your internal policies and practices. If you are using project man-

agement software, you might want to think about whether it is doing the job you need it to do, or if it is time for an upgrade.


for everything you check. • Make sure � re trucks have access throughout your

properties, especially next to � re hydrants, and enforce no-parking and no-stopping areas. Keep driveways and building approaches clear of debris, too.

Get Ready for Tax Season� e IRS uses the 1099-MISC tax form as a way for

contractors and freelancers to report income earned during the previous year. In property management, you can use the 1099-MISC form to report income earned from contracted work and leased property. You need to send this form to any owner or vendor who has earned $600 or more from your business during the last tax year. For example, if you work with a plumber or you have someone doing yard work during the spring, summer, and fall, those people would need to receive a 1099-MISC tax form.

In addition to the 1099-MISC forms, you should also make sure you have a current W-9 on � le for independent contractors or employees.

Some of the 2016 deadlines fall on weekends; in addition, 2016 is a leap year. Here are some deadlines to keep in mind:

• Monday, February 1, 2016: � is is the deadline for sending forms to owners and vendors so they can review them.

• Monday, February 29, 2016: � is is the deadline for

manually � ling paper 1099-MISC and 1096 forms with the IRS. � e 1096 form is a one-page summary sheet that shows the IRS what you are physically mailing. You don’t have to � le it if you � le the 1099s electronically. Keep in mind that no matter how many 1099-MISC forms you are mailing, the IRS prefers electronic � ling. However, if you are � ling more than 250 of the 1099-MISC forms, you have to � le electronically.

• � ursday, March 31, 2016: � is is the deadline for electronically � ling 1099-MISC forms.

You should either keep copies of the 1099 forms you � le, or be able to reconstruct them, for a minimum of three years after the due date. If backup withholding has been imposed, however, then you have to keep them for four years.

What are the consequences for not � ling? � e penalty is between $50 and $500 per form, which adds up fast. In addition to that, the IRS can disallow deductions. Why is that a problem for you? Any owners who work for you might not be able to claim property expenses as tax deductions … just because you didn’t � le the 1099-MISC.

If you don’t want to � le the 1099-MISC forms yourself, you can hire an accountant, a CPA, or a provider such as Buildium to take care of it for you.

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Advertising in your association’s trade journal is a solid approach to business development. In fact, a recent survey done via the PPA called The Essential Medium, found B2B publications - such as Apartment Focus, to be the number one information source within any given industry when compared to other media. In the survey, respondents were asked whether they agreed or disagreed with a series of attitude statements and the PPA compiled the data, resulting in the percentages. Verbatim responses were collected by the survey, which are added to exemplify the points. Here are a few excerpts:• Business publication are rated the first choice for staying in touch with what’s going on in their sector by 61% percent of

decision makers.• 83% of managers would recommend to people starting a career in their sector to read the business publications.• “If I didn’t read them I wouldn’t know what’s going on.”• 71% of decision makers believe that B2B magazines are essential reading.• “I would be lost without my business publications.”• “With the information we gather from the publications, we can determine if we are on the right track or if we need• to change direction.”


Above and Beyond AwardFenn-Woode Development

Best Curb Appeal

Continental Properties - Alterra Rocky Hill

Best Innovative IdeaContinental Properties - Alterra Rocky Hill

Community of the Year/10+ Years OldWinn Residential - Mill Pond Village

Community of the Year / 1 to 10 Years Old

Laramar ApartmentsEast Pointe at Dorset Crossing

Overall Community of the YearTrio Properties, LLC - Knoll Crest

Leasing Professional of the Year Lincoln Properties - Colleen Donahue

Leasing Team of the Year

Bozzuto Management - Team 360

Maintenance Professional of the YearWinn Residential - Warren Gonyea

Maintenance Team of the Year Trio Properties, LLC - � e Ledges

Property Manager of the Year

Bozzuto Management - 360 State StreetDragana LaCore

Vendor Member Professional of the Year

Steve WeirAmerican Integrity Restoration

Vendor Member Company of the Year

American Safe Wash

New Member of the YearTorrco

Management Company of the Year

Trio Properties, LLC

Regional Manager of the Year Andy Lund

Winn Residential

Assistant Property Manager of the YearWinn Residential / � e Wauregan

Melissa Desjardins

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR NUTMEG AWARD WINNERS

AND THANK YOU TO ALL WHO NOMINATED!


NUTMEG AWARDS


SETTING PROPERTY MANAG EMENT If you set important property management goals, you don’t

want to mess them up. � e fact that they are important means they give you an opportunity to showcase your abilities as a property manager; if you fail, however, the failure is also more signi� cant than it would be for a less-important goal.

� ere are two keys to achieving big goals during the coming year:

• Break your goal down into smaller parts. � e smaller a task is, the more likely it is that you will be able to accomplish it.

• Delegate at least some of those parts to members of your sta� . � ey want to showcase their abilities every bit as much as you do. Give them that chance — that’s what good managers do. � ey make sure the people who work for them have opportunities to grow and have a signi� cant impact.

By breaking down goals into smaller parts and then delegating some or all of those parts, you reduce the risk of failure because you have created a way to monitor progress and guarantee success.

Some businesses set three to seven quarterly goals for each department. Each goal should be speci� c, not general; there ought to be a way to know whether you are succeeding or failing; and � nally, it has to be something you can reasonably and realistically do within the next 90 days.

Some people use the SMART acronym to help them determine whether they are setting appropriate goals. � e acronym means that the goal is speci� c, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. For example, if you decide to lease 20 apartments during the next month, that goal is both speci� c and timely. “Lease more apartments,” on the other hand, is just a general wish. For something to be attainable and realistic, select a goal that is challenging but that everyone wants to accomplish; it should also be something your company reasonably has the resources to do and that makes sense given the current business environment.

Once you know what each department is working toward, you can go a little further and specify that three to seven of all the goals are also going to be company goals. Always pick reasonably di� cult goals that are de� nitely possible but that will


The next step is to meet on a weekly basis and review the

goals. You just want one question answered for each goal: is it on

track or off track?

also be a challenge to accomplish. � is is true whether it is for a department or for the entire company.

� e next step is to meet on a weekly basis and review the goals. You just want one question answered for each goal: is it on track or o� track? If it’s on track, then the person responsible for that goal thinks it is still possible to achieve the goal. If it’s o� track, then that means the person needs some help. Dedicate another meeting to solving the problems that are preventing any goal from being on track.

Whatever else you choose to do, make sure you set some goals to forward your own career. � e idea should be to advance professionally so that you can start your own property management business someday.

• Look for new ways to gain experience. Maybe you are a property management assistant or an on-site property manager at an apartment building, a community association, or an o� ce complex. Now might be the time to look for more responsibility. For example, you might want to apply for an o� -site property manager

job. If you get it, you would then be able to manage multiple communities and large properties.

• Go after advanced education for yourself or for members of your sta� . Although it is possible to get a property-management job with a high school diploma or a bachelor’s degree, doing graduate work can make it possible to qualify for a better job. Consider focusing on business administration, property or real estate management, public administration, or real estate.

• � ink about selling real estate as well as renting and managing properties. If you are a licensed real-estate agent, that could translate into being a better job candidate in the future, or being able to qualify for more responsibility from your current boss. It also opens up the chance to sell properties on the side or to change careers and sell real-estate fulltime. Check for the requirements where you live. Each state has its own rules, but generally you will need to take classes about selling real estate and then achieve a passing score on an exam.

• Get professional certi� cations. � ese are optional, but they show that you are competent and can help you move forward in your career. Certi� cation usually involves taking classes and passing exams.

What are some certi� cations you could think about getting?

Certi� cation Awarding Organization

Certi� ed property manager

Institute of Real Estate Management

Certi� ed manager of community associations

Community Association Managers International Certi� cation Board

Residential management professional

National Association of Residential Property Managers

Certi� ed Apartment Manager

National Property Association

EMENT GOALS


With approximately 10.6% of Connecticut residents living in multifamily housing, the potential savings from energy e� ciency measures in construction and design of these buildings is signi� cant. However, according to the US Green Building Council, baseline and benchmarking of residential multifamily buildings is well behind that of non-residential structures. Programs under the Energize Connecticut initiative umbrella are working to turn that around by helping designers and builders focus future e� orts on energy e� cient models for their clients.

� e United Illuminating Company (UI), a partner with the Energize Connecticut initiative, o� ers a unique program to determine if commercial customers are eligible for several design and construction grants and incentives available through the Energy E� ciency Fund to help o� set costs of investing in e� cient design.

Identifying energy e� ciency solutions and technologies to reduce energy costs, UI collaborates with businesses and their design teams to integrate smart building practices from the

project onset. � e team working on � e Novella, a New Haven, CT, multifamily new construction, understood the importance but needed the support.

� e 6-story, 122,095 square foot building features 136 residential units and commercial space. To ensure seamless integration of the energy-e� ciency blueprint, real estate � rm RMS Companies, along with design consultant Sustainable Comfort Inc., worked with UI at the start of the project. Utilizing software to evaluate the building for future energy performance, the design � rm analyzed energy usage and provided custom e� ciency solutions throughout the design process. A $6,000 building modeling design grant payment was made available through the Energize Connecticut initiative.

Supported by the state’s Energy Conscious Blueprint program, � e Novella was constructed in high performance envelope design and a variety of energy-e� ciency practices were implemented. ENERGY STAR appliances, high e� ciency hot water production and HVAC systems, low-e (low emissivity) windows and interior and exterior LED lighting were installed

DESIGNERS, BUSINESSES TAP ENERGIZE CONNECTICUT INITIATIVES TO ACHIEVE SAVINGS FROM THE GROUND UP


to maximize e� ciency and cost savings. A premier line of high performance heating and air-conditioning equipment in each unit and retail space resulted in the greatest source of energy savings over the baseline model. To help o� set costs, � e Novella received a $159,983 whole building performance incentive payment through the programs.

“As design consultants on the project, we worked closely to implement a smart and completely energy e� cient commercial and residential complex,” said Benjamin Rivest, project manager with Sustainable Comfort Inc. “We were at the site regularly utilizing advanced modeling software combined with on-site quality inspections and modeling veri� cation to gain real-time feedback, proving the e� ectiveness of the energy savings measures in the works.”

� e electric and thermal upgrades exceed code energy performance requirements by a combined 38%. � ey also generate an estimated $80,118 savings on energy costs annually.

“We want all parties coming to the table on energy e� cient design from project onset, and we have unique expertise and resources to help designers help customers looking to achieve optimal e� ciency and � nancial savings,” said Donna Wells, director of commercial and industrial energy services at � e United Illuminating Company. “Our hands-on approach puts us on the frontline, working altogether to determine how to best improve energy performance.”

“Builders can be hesitant to implement an energy e� ciency plan during the building process when cash � ow is a concern. For � e Novella project, builders envisioned the blueprint and we worked with UI to implement the Energize Connecticut programs to help o� -set costs at the start and achieve savings for years to come,” said Rivest.

Information on Connecticut's energy e� ciency programs can be found at EnergizeCT.com or by calling 1.877.WISE.USE.

Reach your target audience a�ordably.

advertise get results

MICKY CASPER Advertising Sales 855.747.4003 [email protected]

To ensure seamless integration of the energy-effi ciency blueprint, real estate fi rm RMS Companies, along with design consultant Sus-

tainable Comfort Inc., worked with UI at the start of the project.


CALLING ALL CTAA VENDOR MEMBERS

“Promotion of Associate

Member trainings and

product demonstrations

are a terrific CTAA

member benefit. It

saves me time and

money and gets my

product directly in the

hands of my target

audience - property

managers and owners.”

Charlie Dammling,

Advanced Alarms

Have a space that CTAA could use to run educational sessions or host a happy hour…..

Let us know!

860.722.9922

[email protected]

YOUR TRAINING PROMOTED THROUGH CTAA

CTAA offers a NEW member benefit Do you offer training at your location? Do you present product demonstrations? Do you already invite members of the industry to your place of business for these sessions? CTAA wants to promote YOUR training to the CTAA membership.

CTAA will include your training information on our new Calendar of Events (www.ctaahq.org/calendar), via Facebook and other social media outlets as well as in the quarterly newsletter.

HOW TO PROMOTE YOUR TRAINING

Q: What do I need to submit? R: A simple word document with date, time, location, topic, speaker information,

photos, company logo, and any other details you would like included should be

emailed to [email protected].

Q. Is there a cost associated with this? R. The first two sessions are promoted FREE OF CHARGE. Any additional, are promoted at the cost of $25 per event.

Add Value to Your Membership

2015


CTTA 2015 TRADE SHOW


MORE TRADE SHOW


Why does something like snow removal matter? High-qual-ity residents won’t tolerate living somewhere that isn’t safe. Not keeping up with snow removal can create just that, however: an unsafe environment. Worse, you don’t want to be in a situation where residents are falling and getting hurt. � ink of money spent on winter maintenance as money you won’t have to pay lawyers. You can safely assume that the lawyers would be a lot more expensive than preventing safety problems in the � rst place.

Not only are there liability issues, but if you low-ball winter maintenance, you are also canceling out any bene� ts you might be gaining from advertising. Sales and marketing e� orts are undermined when you tolerate an unsafe environment in an apartment community just because you didn’t put enough money or e� ort into snow removal.

If you hire someone to remove snow, create an agreement or a contract before the snow season begins. Figure out how you will communicate with each other, and how frequently. Talk

MANAGING PROPERTIES DURING THE WINTER

Winter weather is hard on management properties. The problem becomes more complicated the more properties you are handling. Consider hiring winter maintenance services to help out with the load, even if the only task you delegate is snow removal.


about keeping records, and expect a site visit so the provider can become familiar with the community, identify problem areas that need to be � xed, and determine where snow is to be placed so it doesn’t create a safety hazard for residentcompls. Realize that you have to give the provider choices as well as responsi-bility and risk when it comes to snow removal. It’s not fair to short a provider on what is to be done and then expect that same provider to be responsible when someone gets hurt because what you authorized wasn’t adequate.

In a situation where you hire a reputable service provider to remove snow, remember that timing matters. If you have a large bank of snow, for example, you might want to have the service provider dump some ice melt on it. However, the ice melt won’t work on snow; you have to have the area ploughed � rst before putting down the ice melt.

Snow removal is not the only issue to consider. To keep renters happy, prevent wear and tear, and avoid having to pay for emergency repairs and litigation, the best way to do that is through preventive maintenance. Here are some areas to focus

on year-round: • Keep green areas pruned and clean. Trim trees before

winter. • Inspect the roof. You do not want to deal with leaking

or collapsing ceilings. • Clean the gutters so they are not clogged with debris. • Have chimneys inspected. • Look for peeling paint on exterior walls. Peeling and

blistering is a sign that the paint is failing and that it is no longer protecting the siding on the building.

• Take care of air conditioners. Vacuum internal parts. Outside boxes should be wrapped with a tarp or a cover. Window units should be removed.

• Have oil or gas heaters serviced on a regular schedule (frequency will depend on what you have) and make sure HVAC � lters get swapped out every 30 to 60 days.

• Replace old water heaters and � ush the ones that are staying. Flush out water heaters every couple of years. � e cost is about $30, and it prevents mineral deposits from building up too much.

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