Sierra Vista Arizona real estate blog about homes for sale,– Brad Snyder Blog, Brad Snyder, Sierra Vista Realty

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The Benefits Of Single Family House Rentals

July 27th, 2008 7:56 AM

The Benefits Of Single Family House Rentals

Category: Property Management

His family kept telling him he should purchase a home of his own. He was a successful entrepreneur who enjoyed entertaining friends and family. He believed there are many benefits to looking into single family house rentals in his area instead of purchasing. By not purchasing he is responsible for very little maintenance and many amenities are included in a home he rents. And he is able to save money to put toward a home purchase in the future.

Rent on single family home rentals are often less expensive than a monthly mortgage on a home. Often the home is smaller than a home someone would purchase. By renting they can begin saving for the down payment on the home of their dreams.

Most house leases provide some type of maintenance on the property. The renter might be responsible for small repairs such as changing light bulbs and fixing clogged drains and maintaining the lawn while the owner is responsible for any major repairs such as broken windows, leaky roof or non running heating units.

Another benefit he sees with renting single family house rentals are the included amenities. Purchasing a home with a pool is often considered a luxury and not available in many homes. He can rent a home with a pool for a lot less. Cable television is often included in many homes that he can rent as well, sometimes included in the rent. If he purchased a home, cable would be an extra expense.

The property owner sets the price of the rent based on several factors. The first is the area the home is located and its comparable houses listed. Another thing the owner will add to the rent he charges is the included amenities. If cable, water and electricity are a part of the rent, the renter will pay a larger fee. The owner charges them a set amount for the utilities each month and the renter has the freedom of paying only one bill for living expenses.

He feels the benefits of renting a house outweigh renting an apartment as well. With single family house leasing, there is more outdoor space. Since he enjoys entertaining friends and family, having a yard and deck provides additional room. With a home, he has more control over his parking options since most homes he would consider renting have private drives. And a house lets him have a lot more privacy. He will not have to worry about neighbors on the other side of a connecting wall. A house can have several bedrooms, multiple bathrooms and a front porch as well.

The cost of single family house rentals can be offset by taking in a roommate. Rent for a house can cost between 800 dollars and 1800 dollars a month. Add to that the cost of utilities not included in the rent as well as phone and food costs. By taking in a roommate, the fees can be divided evenly so each renter saves more.

Another benefit of renting the entrepreneur sees deals with the taxes of homeownership. When purchasing a home, the owner is responsible for property tax or house taxes. You will not need to carry insurance on the property itself, although it is a good idea to have a renters policy to cover your belongings.

Renting single family house rentals is more advantageous now during the uncertain market and low job security. Money saved by not buying can be invested into other fixed investments.

Posted by Brad Snyder on July 27th, 2008 7:56 AMPost a Comment (0)

Cochise County Economic Update - July 30, 2008

July 31st, 2008 8:00 AM

Cochise County Economic Update

July 30, 2008

Below is a compilation of articles from newspapers across Cochise County. Articles are selected for inclusion based on their relevancy to the local economy. The Cochise County Economic Update is brought to you biweekly by the Cochise College Center for Economic Research.

Cochise County sees higher unemployment, more job losses

By Robert Carreira

Special to The Daily Dispatch

According to figures released by the Arizona Department of Commerce, Cochise County lost 300 nonfarm jobs in June. The county’s unemployment rate in June rose to….For more, click here

Growth stays steady in SV. City’s construction permits were up in recent fiscal year

By Laura Ory
Herald/Review

Sierra Vista’s growth has not stopped in the current economy, and the proof is in the permits. In fiscal year 2007-2008, the city issued 1,561….For more, click here

Huachuca City council tax levy fix means lower property taxes

By Julie Ann Marra
Herald/Review

Residents will pay slightly less in property taxes in the coming year after the Town Council passed a motion fixing the tax levy for fiscal year 2008-09….For more, click here

Camp gives entrepreneurial students taste of business world

By Katie Evans
Herald/Review

Buzz on Biz was all about getting a head start on owning a business for the participants. “I thought it would be a good resource for starting up….For more, click here

Sierra Vista budget approved, but large cuts loom

By Laura Ory
Herald/Review

The city’s final budget was approved but could be faced with about $500,000 or more in takes from the state. A final budget of about $87 million was….For more, click here

County P&Z OKs permits for apple-processing operation, business in Whetstone

By Shar Porier
Herald/Review

The Cochise County Planning and Zoning Commission members had a welcomed, relatively easy agenda for their second meeting in July held Wednesday night….For more, click here

Economic Development Foundation has new executive director

By Ted Morris
Herald/Review

The local Economic Development Foundation announced Wednesday that it has hired a new executive director. The new boss is Bob Shepard, who has experience with….For more, click here

SV council to look at property tax rate. Rate declines, but assessed value rises

By Laura Ory
Herald/Review

The city has proposed a property tax rate that would decrease, but the amount property taxes bring into the city would continue increasing….For more, click here

County prescription drug card OK’d. Program to be used to lower medicine costs

By Shar Porier
Herald/Review

Cochise County residents will soon be able to use a county prescription card that allows a 15 to 35 percent savings on some drugs for themselves and even….For more, click here

Another 300 jobs could open with call center if deal goes through

By Xavier Zaragoza
The Daily Dispatch

The City of Douglas is in discussions with call center representatives to hire up to 300 more call center agents. The deal depends on….For more, click here

St. David school board adopts budget

By Adam Bernal

San Pedro Valley News-Sun
The St. David School District will see significant spending increases in special education and transportation this coming year as the district approved the adoption of the….For more, click here

City reports on financial status

By Carol Broeder

Arizona Range News

City Finance Director Ruth Graham presented fiscal year 2008 financial statements to the Willcox City Council earlier this month. She explained that the statements are….For more, click here

Not too late for retirees, veterans to file for stimulus payment

By Xavier Zaragoza
The Daily Dispatch

The IRS says that it’s still not too late for retirees and veterans to file for their economic stimulus payment.
It will soon send a second set of information packets to….For more, click here

Fort Huachuca No. 1 on state list. Post is a multi-billion dollar economic engine

By Bill Hess
Herald/Review

Arizona’s nine major military installations — active duty and National Guard — have a $9.1 billion economic impact on the state, and on the top of the list is Fort Huachuca….For more, click here

City proposes property tax increase

By Carol Broeder

Arizona Range News

If you own property in Willcox, you will be paying more property tax next year. The City of Willcox is notifying taxpayers of its intention to raise its primary property taxes over the last….For more, click here

MONEY: Local/State marketplace

Herald/Review

The Cochise College Center for Economic Research is currently conducting its annual Top 75 Employer survey. The purpose of the survey is to identify….For more, click here

April sales decline in major industries

By Robert Carreira

Special to Herald/Review

In April, sales posted inflation-adjusted declines in the retail, accommodation, and restaurant and bar industries across most of Cochise County….For more, click here

APS is Large Business winner

By Xavier Zaragoza
The Daily Dispatch

On any given day Arizona Public Service provides electrical power to about 7,500 customers in Douglas. If you include Bisbee, Hereford, Palominas and Tombstone, that figure increases….For more, click here

Bid entered for old Tombstone High School building

By Katie Evans
Herald/Review

If all goes well, the Tombstone school district could be closing on the old high school Oct. 30. During a special meeting in early July, the school board accepted an offer from partners….For more, click here

The hidden costs of not shopping locally

By Robert Carreira

Special to The Daily Dispatch

The Greater Sierra Vista Area Chamber of Commerce recently launched its campaign to encourage residents to shop locally. This gives rise to the question: What, if….For more, click here

School building projects ongoing

By Adam Bernal

San Pedro Valley News-Sun
The Benson School District has several new construction projects that will take place around different areas of the Benson campus, and they plan to break ground near the end of….For more, click here

City buys parking lot for call center, city meeting hours to change

By Xavier Zaragoza
The Daily Dispatch

As the call center continues to expand, the Douglas City Council on Wednesday passed a motion to buy a parking lot for the call center. The property is….For more, click here

Council OKs liquor license

By Thelma Grimes

San Pedro Valley News-Sun
The Benson City Council's June 23 decision to oppose transfer of a liquor license at the Arena Bar was reversed at Monday night's meeting, which featured the….For more, click here

WUSD seeks override continuation

By Ainslee S. Wittig

Arizona Range News

The Willcox School District will seek a continuation of the budget override in an election on Nov. 4. The override would "prevent a budget reduction of about $221,190 for each….For more, click here

Buy-in waiver for supplemental agricultural disaster assistance programs underway in new farm bill

Arizona Range News

Alan Nulliner, Executive Director for USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Arizona announced July 11 that the Agency will allow producers who would otherwise be ineligible….For more, click here

Dealerships file for bankruptcy. Chapter 11 reorganization is sought; businesses still off limits to local troops

By Bill Hess
Herald/Review

Less than two months after Fort Huachuca’s leadership put a number of car dealerships in Sierra Vista and Tucson off limits to soldiers, Johnston Shield Inc. filed for….For more, click here

Voters to decide whether to unify Palominas school district System could be K-12

By Katie Evans
Herald/Review

As it stands, about 500 high school students from the Palominas Elementary School District go to either Bisbee High School, Tombstone High School or Buena High School to get….For more, click here

Justice Complex construction continues

By Carol Broeder

Arizona Range News

A contract for more than $70,000 was awarded last month to Bates Paving and Sealing for the City of Willcox parking lot paving project….For more, click here

Counterfeit $50 and $100 bills being circulated in Willcox: Learn to detect them

Arizona Range News

The Willcox Police Department has received reports of counterfeit $50 and $100 bills being used in our community. These bills are decent copies and can be difficult….For more, click here

Many benefits in shopping locally

By Julie Ann Marra
Herald/Review

If you spend $100 in Cochise County, is there a difference from spending $100 in Tucson? The answer might surprise you….For more, click here

New tax ruling affects Arizona business people personally

By Scott H. Gan and J. Emery Barker for Wick News Service

Herald/Review

On April 9, the Arizona Supreme Court made a ruling that personally impacts every corporate officer and director in the state. In a 3-2 decision, the court said….For more, click here

Local/state business news

Herald/Review

Team Women, a national networking organization, has opened a chapter in Sierra Vista. Established in January 2005, Team Women is one of the fastest-growing….For more, click here

Posted by Brad Snyder on July 31st, 2008 8:00 AMPost a Comment (0)

Sierra Vista Property Management

July 27th, 2008 8:32 AM

You may be asking yourself..... "Why do I need a Property Manager?" Investors rely on us to provide expert advise about which homes attract the best renters and which areas are likely to remain desirable long term. Landlords depend on our Property Management services to care for and maintain their rental property and tenant relationships.

Hello! I am a Sierra Vista Property Manager and Realtor. I offer a comprehensive property management solution for investment owners of single family homes. If you own a single family home in Sierra Vista, Bisbee, Tombstone, Hereford, Whetstone, Huachuca City, or Cochise County, I may be the property manager for you.

You may be asking, what do I do?

I get the property ready to be placed on the rental market. If repairs and/or cleanup is needed, before a tenant can move in, I coordinate those activities.
I find you a tenant. That’s the #1 most important thing, and I'm good at it. To find you a tenant, I have a marketing plan that I have found is extremely successful in acquiring a qualified tenant in the shortest possible time. I will execute this marketing plan diligently, leaving no stone unturned. Since you are reading this on my blog, you can assume correctly that I use the blog to promote your rental listing. I also use cragislist, MLS, and our real estate sign in front of the property. For many properties, I also include a flyer box. I've used additional marketing vehicles with varying (often low) levels of success, so I focus on what works well, and skip the rest.
I qualify the tenant. A background check is performed of the tenant prospects previous rental (when one exists), along with a credit history. Due to credit reporting laws, I cannot share the tenant’s rental history with a landlord, but we will share the existance of red flags (e.g. evictions).
I perform a move-in inspection with the tenant. Upon move-in, I'll be there to gather the remaining funds and hand over the keys. At that time, we’ll walk through the property, making note of any blemishes that the tenant observes, and more importantly, making note of the proper condition of the property.
I collect the rent. An obvious need, but one that can take managing from time to time. I gather the rent from the tenant, process it through our broker’s trust account, and disburse the proceeds to the landlord each month. In the event that rent is late or missing, appropriate action begins no later than the 5th of the month.
I support the repairs to the property. If you own an investment property, the two likely things you dislike about it are dealing with tenants, and dealing with the repairs. For small repairs, I encourage an agreement that allows us to make the appropriate repair, and then deduct the cost of that repair from the next rent disbursement. We do not charge any repair management fees whatsoever. Only the actual cost of the repairs will be forwarded to you, the landlord. For larger repairs, we will consult with you and gather multiple estimates for the repair. And in all cases, if you choose to use a home warranty company, we’ll route our repair requests through the home warranty company, if the repair is covered under the warranty.
I perform a move-out inspection with the tenant. When the tenant moves out, I'll be there again to walk through the property, and take note of the move-out condition.

What are our fees?

We have a simple monthly management fee.

The monthly management fee is 10% of the rent. This fee covers all of the month-to-month management necessary, including the management of repairs and rent collection.

Where do we service?

Our offices are located at 301 N. Garden Ave right outside the main gate of Fort Huachuca. To provide the best possible customer service, we limit the area that we provide property management services to within 30 minutes of our office. Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis, particularly for past clients.

The reason we limit our service area, is because a significant number of tenant prospects call us while standing in front of the property, due to the sign. Often we will ask them to wait there, and come right over. A person will often agree to wait half an hour…but ask them to wait longer, and they’re likely to go to the next property down the street.

Thanks for reading this blog!!

Posted by Brad Snyder on July 27th, 2008 8:32 AMPost a Comment (0)

Real Estate Investment Property

July 27th, 2008 7:54 AM

Real Estate Investment Property

Category: Property Management

There are many ways to build your fortune in the world today. One of the most common, and often the easiest to begin, even for the common entrepreneur, is purchasing investment property . In fact, you will often hear many rags to riches stories about the unemployed worker down on his luck that became a millionaire by investing in the realty market in one form or another.

There are many different types of methods for investing in this risky yet profitable venue. Realty is a great line of attack for anyone who is willing to take the time to learn the risks, options, and possible rewards for this type of investment process. Some of the more common ways of obtaining investment property are following.

The first way is called the Pre-construction investment. This is a highly speculative and very risky sort of investment that booms or busts with the times. The risks involved in this type of investment should not cover up the fact that many millionaires have been fashioned through this type of investing. And many more will be created in the future. Pre-construction investing is a type of investment where the investor purchases options on the property before any ground is broken for building. This type is more popular in high demand areas that experience housing shortages. These shortages often cause prices to rise quickly and the units are quickly sold before they are completed or any actual money changes hands.

The second type of purchasing investment property is through rental property. Property normally gains value over time. One problem investors have is the ability to hold onto and afford to maintain multiple properties over an indefinite period of time while waiting for house values to rise. One way to overcome this is by renting the properties to tenants while the property values are increasing. The tenant covers the cost of the note on the property making the venture less risky. There will still be the risks of dealing with tenants, such as property damage, failure to pay the rent, and possible legal problems of poor tenants.

Another option is the lease options. There are few people who never experience financial rough spots. Often these people are denied traditional home loans because of their poor management of debts in the past. For this reason they may be willing to pay for the opportunity of rebuilding their credit while working towards home ownership. For these people, a lease option presents a workable and often valued solution. Those investors who are willing to take the risks often find the rewards are well worth those risks.

We have all heard the stories of the investors who make millions by flipping houses. This type of purchasing of investment property has grown tremendously in the last few years due to the popularity of home improvement and house flipping shows on television in the last several years. More and more people have decided to pursue this sort of investment hoping to create big profits in a short period of time and with a small investment. The problem, of course, is that it looks much easier on television than actually doing it. Add to that the fact many people have unrealistic expectations when it comes to costs and their abilities. There are plenty of risks involved with this type of investment too. Successful flippers however see potential for great profit in a relatively short amount of time.

The final type of investment property is the buy and hold. As mentioned above, realty normally gains value over time. Even buildings in total disrepair are worth something just for the land they sit on. Purchasing several houses or large lots of land and holding on to them for as long as necessary before selling can often lead to financial gains. The longer these properties are held the better, providing a greater opportunity for the value property to increase.

These are only some of the investment property opportunities that exist for those who are interested in investing in realty. Other options include commercial and development properties. Needless to say realty investing offers many opportunities to the confident investor.

Posted by Brad Snyder on July 27th, 2008 7:54 AMPost a Comment (0)