Note:  On the Spot Rentals partners with What a Great Event! on a number of projects (we’re a husband & wife team).  The Sign Shack of Auburn is a new venture; the owner – Nancy Brown – is a long term acquaintance through organizations like Rotary.  We are pleased to work with her to offer our clients excellent products and services!

We recently had great fun in the WLOB radio studio in Portland being interviewed for the Mind Your Own Business show with Debi Davis.  The focus was on our upcoming Greater Androscoggin Landlord & Real Estate Investors Conference and Trade Show.

John Snyder, President of On the Spot Rentals, and Linda Snyder, President of What a Great Event, have an easy bantering but professional style that came across well in the interview (we were very happy about it!).  Check it out at Mind Your Own Business Radio dot com, or click on the link here.

Professionals in the real estate industry – whether REALTORs, investors, landlords, or any of the other support services – have been watching the market very closely, and especially so in the past few months. Interest rates are GREAT. So, is this a good time to buy? To sell? Should you invest in 2-4 units? Commercial or office buildings? Single family homes for rentals?

As a real estate investor and former REALTOR, I’m very happy to see the market finally seems to be stabilizing – and I’m really excited about producing the Greater Androscoggin Landlords & Real Estate Investors Conference and Trade Show to be held May 9-10 at the Ramada Inn & Convention Center in Lewiston.

Attending the Conference will give you two days of the most up-to-date information that any landlord or investor needs to be successful at your business. You’ll be able to choose from nearly two dozen seminars and workshops – many with professional CEUs.

The Trade Show will be a great opportunity for sponsors, exhibitors and advertisers to promote your business to the many professionals already working in the exciting world of real estate, as well as those who are just waiting for the right timing to start their own real estate-related business.

Who are all those real estate and affiliated industry professionals?

…mortgage brokers, appraisers, bankers, title attorneys, housing inspectors, insurance agents, REALTORs
…plumbers, electricians, kitchen & bath contractors, pest control agents, movers, flooring & window treatment professionals, landscapers, accountants, lawyers
…property managers, real estate investment groups
…community development programs, abatement & code enforcement professionals, and more!

The event is being produced by What a Great Event! (an events planning & management firm) in tandem with On the Spot Rentals (a property management company). The owners of these two companies (my husband John and I) have extensive experience as residential & commercial landlords and property managers, and are excited to offer this great event!

As with all What a Great Event! shows, the Greater Androscoggin Landlords & Real Estate Investors Conference and Trade Show will offer many opportunities for non-profit organizations to fund-raise via ticket sales, volunteering (we donate $10 per approved volunteer hour to the exhibiting non-profit organization of the volunteer’s choice), and through other means.

Please feel free to join our group on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/AndroRealEstateLandlordExpo/ or contact us directly as follows:

Sponsorships, Exhibits, Advertising in the Show Program, Invoicing and General Information:
Linda Snyder: call 207 740 2247 or send an email to LSnyder@regroupbiz.com.

Workshops, Activities and Volunteering:
John Snyder: call 207 713 0674 or send an email to JSnyder@regroupbiz.com.

The Sign Shack of Auburn is offering up to 25% off banners, business cards, promotional items and so forth for products you will need at the trade show. Please call Linda Snyder at 207 740 2247 for more information, or contact Nancy Brown at 207 333 6333 and mention the Greater Androscoggin Landlord Show.

The Conference Manual is available as a PDF, and can be found at https://www.facebook.com/groups/AndroRealEstateLandlordExpo/ or by contacting Linda Snyder at LSnyder@regroupbiz.com or John Snyder at JSnyder@regroupbiz.com.

Enjoy the show! It will be a Great Event!

We recently had great fun in the WLOB radio studio in Portland being interviewed for the Mind Your Own Business show with Debi Davis.  The focus was on our upcoming Greater Androscoggin Landlord & Real Estate Investors Conference and Trade Show.

John Snyder, President of On the Spot Rentals, and Linda Snyder, President of What a Great Event, have an easy and bantering but professional style that came across well in the interview (we were very happy about it!).  Check it out at Mind Your Own Business Radio dot com, or click on the link here.

For more information on the show, check out our Events section.

Rentals Needed!

For the past 17 months, much of our attention has been focused on a 32-unit boarding facility that required far more of our attention than we’d realized it would when we first accepted the contract.

Because of a property dispute between two parties that had been going on for several years, the court system had become involved.  Both parties were asked to submit the names and credentials of several property management companies, and On the Spot Rentals was chosen to manage the properties until the dispute was resolved… which initially we were told would take about 3 months.  The judge also set the reimbursement fee, which was somewhat lower than our standard for such a comprehensive contract.

As the legalities of it all dragged on and on, we found this was a much bigger and more complicated job than we’d thought it would be.  It was time-consuming and emotionally draining – and certainly didn’t reimburse us for nearly as much time as we had to put into the contract, since there was a need to be responsive to the disputing parties, their legal teams and the courts, in addition to the transient tenant population that a boarding facility typically has.

While that contract was in force, we were able to work with a few other owners in getting their properties rented and maintained, but we really didn’t get out there to market ourselves.  As a result, our inventory is very low, for which we apologize to the many potential tenants who contact us every week.

So… referrals are needed!  Give John a call at 207 713 0674, and work with a property manager with an engineer’s mindset and a compulsive attention to detail!

Maine Real Estate Listings – Percent Under Contract & Sold as of 02 12 2013

Have you heard that the real estate market is beginning to pick up finally? It’s true!

One problem we’ve had in the past few years is a glut of properties on the market and too few qualified buyers. I’m not sure I remember the figures correctly, but I think that at the height of the recession, Maine had something like 30,000 properties on the market, or about 12,000 more than is good for a healthy economy.

According to MaineListings.com, we now have only about 24,000 active listings, or nearly a 20% drop. This is GOOD for the market!

I’ve created a chart using the Maine Listings data, adding two categories: percentages of Active Listings Under Contract, and Active Listings Sold in 2013.

As expected, Cumberland County (our next door neighbor) is the hottest real estate market in Maine. Somewhat surprisingly – but exciting for us – Androscoggin County is holding its own in 2nd place, tied with York County, in terms of percentages. (In terms of total numbers, York County has a population of about 187,000 while Androscoggin is about 104,000.)

Maine Listings – Percent Under Contract & Sold 02 12 2013

Help Us Help the Good Shepherd Food-Bank Feed the Hungry

Class #6 of a 6-Part Series

Saturday, February 25th, 8:30-11:00

Registration: 8:00-8:30.  Class begins promptly at 8:30!

Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce

415 Lisbon Street, Lewiston ME 04240

If you’re a new landlord, or just thinking of investing in rental property, this class will give you the confidence that comes with knowing the basics!

Class 6: Are You Getting the Best from Your Management Company?
A good property management firm can make all the difference when investing in real estate.

A good property management firm can make all the difference when investing in real estate… they can handle the day to day tasks, stay on top of laws & regulations for you, and allow you to concentrate on bigger issues (and perhaps even more investments).

Have you considered hiring a property management company, but don’t know what to look for?  Should you go with the company that promises you can charge far more rent per month than you’d hoped?  What about a company that says they’ll keep the number of tenants per unit very low, to minimize wear and tear on your property?

Or perhaps you already have a management company, but don’t really know if they’re on top of the laws and regulations the way they should be.  Have you felt uncomfortable with what seems to be an anti-tenant bias, or do they seem to gloss over the paperwork portions, leaving you to wonder if they take the job seriously?  Are you getting as much income from your units as you had expected, or are your property managers telling you the tenants aren’t paying, or that consistently there are more vacant units than you’d expected?

Topics: What to Expect From a Property Manager;  The Types of Files a Property Management Company Should Keep; The Reports You Should Receive from Your Property Management Company; Red Flags; and Hiring a Property Management Evaluation Team.

Instructor:  John Snyder, A.S.
JSnyder@regroupbiz.com
www.onthespotrentals.com

Find us on Facebook & Twitter!

To ensure we have sufficient enrollment, pre-registration is requested.

FMI & to register:  Linda Snyder
Mobile: 207.740.2247
LSnyder@regroupbiz.com

Class #5 of a 6-Part Series

Saturday, February 18th, 8:30-11:00

Registration: 8:00-8:30.  Class begins promptly at 8:30!

Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce

415 Lisbon Street, Lewiston ME 04240

If you’re a new landlord, or just thinking of investing in rental property,this class will give you the confidence that comes with knowing the basics!

Class 5: Electricity Basics for Homeowners & Landlords.
Understanding Where Your Electrical Dollars Are Going, and How to Shave Those Costs.

This course will not qualify you as an electrician but it will take the mystery out of those watts, volts and amps.

Electrical safety issues will be a priority. Simple math skills are all that is required. Calculators are not mandatory but are encouraged.

Topics: How Your Home Electrical System Works; The Principles Behind GFI’s, Circuit Breakers, and Low Voltage Systems; How to Calculate Costs Before You Buy an Appliance—or For the Ones You Already Have.
Instructor:  John Snyder, A.S.
JSnyder@regroupbiz.com
www.onthespotrentals.com

Find us on Facebook & Twitter!

To ensure we have sufficient enrollment, pre-registration is requested.

FMI & to register:  Linda Snyder
Mobile: 207.740.2247
LSnyder@regroupbiz.com

Class #4 of a 6-Part Series

Saturday, February 11th, 8:30-11:00

Registration: 8:00-8:30.  Class begins promptly at 8:30!

Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce

415 Lisbon Street, Lewiston ME 04240

If you’re a new landlord, or just thinking of investing in rental property, this class will give you the confidence that comes with knowing the basics!

Class 4: Rules & Regulations Landlords Must Be Aware Of.

Lead paint, CO, Sect 8, GA, non-discrimination/civil rights, evictions, bedbugs & other codes….

Our government operates under the presumption that housing is a right, not a privilege—and as such, has implemented a vast array of laws and regulations to support the safety, comfort and “quiet enjoyment” of tenants.  Landlords who are not aware of these rules, or who disregard them, can face serious penalties.

This workshop will help explain federal, state, and local laws & codes of which any landlord should be aware; we will also discuss working with a representative payee, Section 8 and General Assistance vouchers.

Topics: Carbon monoxide, lead paint, non-discrimination & civil rights, bedbugs, heat requirements, and other codes; Section 8, general assistance, and rep payees; evictions (with & without a lease), monitoring legislative bills, and more.

Instructor:  John Snyder, A.S.
JSnyder@regroupbiz.com
www.onthespotrentals.com

Find us on Facebook & Twitter!

To ensure we have sufficient enrollment, pre-registration is requested.

FMI & to register:  Linda Snyder
Mobile: 207.740.2247
LSnyder@regroupbiz.com

Class #3 of a 6-Part Series

Saturday, February 4th, 8:30-11:00

Registration: 8:00-8:30.  Class begins promptly at 8:30!

Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce

415 Lisbon Street, Lewiston ME 04240

If you’re a new landlord, or just thinking of investing in rental property, this class will give you the confidence that comes with knowing the basics!

Class 3: Elements of a Good Lease.
Protecting Yourself and Your Tenants.

If you’re going to have your tenants sign a lease, then it is in your best interest to have one that represents both the best practices of the rental industry, and the most up-to-date information available on federal, state and local laws.

We will go through a state of the art residential lease paragraph by paragraph just as we do with new tenants.  If there’s time, we’ll discuss some of the differences between residential and commercial leases.

Topics:  Describing the Rental Unit and Lease Specifics, Security Deposits, Spelling out the Services Provided by the Landlord, and Those Expected to be Paid For/Handled by the Tenant (including what the law says), Circumstances Under Which a Tenant Can be Evicted, Sublets, Listed Occupants (and why this is critical), Condition of the Unit, Pet Policies and much more.

Instructor:  John Snyder, A.S.
JSnyder@regroupbiz.com
www.onthespotrentals.com
Find us on Facebook & Twitter!

To ensure we have sufficient enrollment, pre-registration is requested.

FMI & to register:  Linda Snyder
Mobile: 207.740.2247
LSnyder@regroupbiz.com

Class #2 of a 6-Part Series

Saturday, January 28th, 8:30-11:00

Registration: 8:00-8:30.  Class begins promptly at 8:30!

Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce

415 Lisbon Street, Lewiston ME 04240

If you’re a new landlord, or just thinking of investing in rental property,this class will give you the confidence that comes with knowing the basics!

Class 2:  Recordkeeping & Accounting.
Income, Expenses, Depreciation & Appreciation.

While Linda Snyder isn’t trained as an accountant, or even as a bookkeeper, she has been a landlord of both residential and commercial properties for nearly 30 years, and can give you the basics when it comes to rental properties.  Co-instructor John Snyder has seen all sorts of iffy recordkeeping in his years as a property manager for other landlords.

Further, Linda & John ran educational real estate investor classes for nearly a year, and continue to field calls from people who’ve been led to believe they can make a quick and easy killing in the real estate industry.  This class will help to debunk some of those myths, and will give you a more realistic understanding of what owning investment real estate can do for your bottom line.

Topics:

Income: Incoming Rents, Storage, Coin Op Laundry.
Expenses: What You Can—and Cannot—Deduct.
Depreciation: Making Money Even When the Income & Expenses are About Even.
Appreciation: Yes, Property Will Go Up In Value Again Someday!

Instructors:  John Snyder, A.S. & Linda Snyder, M.S.
JSnyder@regroupbiz.com
www.onthespotrentals.com

Find us on Facebook & Twitter!

To ensure we have sufficient enrollment, pre-registration is requested.

FMI & to register:  Linda Snyder
Mobile: 207.740.2247
LSnyder@regroupbiz.com

Class #1 of a 6-Part Series

Saturday, January 21st, 8:30-11:00

Registration: 8:00-8:30.  Class begins promptly at 8:30!

Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce

415 Lisbon Street, Lewiston ME 04240

If you’re a new landlord, or just thinking of investing in rental property, this class will give you the confidence that comes with knowing the basics!

Class 1:  So You Want to Be a Landlord?
Pitfalls & Landmines Both Before and After a Tenant Signs a Lease.

Most people think the hard part of landlording comes after the lease is signed & the tenant moves in – and that may be true, as evidenced by the accompanying picture. If you look closely, you’ll see John Snyder, property/manager landlord extraordinaire, where we found him literally up a tree trying to remove mountains of trash from said tree. The source? It was thrown off a 3rd story porch by a less than illustrious tenant – and got stuck long before hitting the ground.

However this workshop isn’t about the “garbage bombardier” (although you might be treated to the tale if there’s time).  It’s about the pre-tenancy basics that any landlord must address, as well as the everyday realities of having tenants —and the many frustrations and occasional heart-warming stories that are part and parcel of the process.

Topics:

Before the Lease Is Signed: Pre-Screening Tenants Before the Appointment, Scheduling Appointments & Handling Multiple No-Shows, and Managing Background Checks, including whether to charge prospective tenants for those checks, and how to assess a prospective tenant with poor or no credit.

After the Lease is Signed:  Rent Collections, Maintenance, Emergency vs Non-Emergency Calls, LockOuts, Tenant Issues (Noise, Visitors, Garbage, Damage), Tenants are Not Your Friends (Especially the Minute Something Goes Wrong), Maintaining a Good Landlord Tenant Relationship; Renting Out a House vs Renting Out an Apartment; and What to Do When You Have to Get Tough.

Instructor:  John Snyder, A.S.
JSnyder@regroupbiz.com
www.onthespotrentals.com
Find us on Facebook & Twitter!

To ensure we have sufficient enrollment, pre-registration is requested.

FMI & to register:  Linda Snyder
Mobile: 207.740.2247
LSnyder@regroupbiz.com

$14 per session or $66 for all six (if paid in advance or at the first class). We can invoice your employer if needed.