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As a landlord, you may have heard of emotional support animals and wondered what they are, how they differ from service animals, and what it means for you as a landlord.

The concept of emotional support animals can be confusing but understanding them is important for landlords. By learning the basics of emotional support animals, you can create a rental agreement that is fair for both you and your tenants.

This guide will help you understand the requirements for emotional support animals, how to determine what animals are allowed, and how to handle requests for emotional support animals. With this knowledge, you can create a rental agreement that allows for emotional support animals while still protecting your rental property from damage.

What are emotional support animals?

An emotional support animal is an animal that provides therapeutic benefits to an individual who has a mental or emotional disorder. An emotional support animal is not trained to perform tasks that assist with a physical condition.

Emotional support animals are not the same as service animals, which receive special training to help individuals with disabilities. Service animals are welcome in places that serve the public, such as restaurants, hotels, and stores, while emotional support animals are not recognized as a part of ADA law and have no special rights.

Some people who have no diagnosed mental or emotional disorders also have emotional support animals. Individuals who do not have diagnosed mental or emotional disorders may have an increased chance of being denied tenancy or having their animals removed from the property.

Persons who are diagnosed with a mental or emotional disorder and have a letter from a mental health provider confirming their need for an emotional support animal should not be denied tenancy or have their animal removed from the property.

What are the differences between support animals and service animals? 

The most important aspect to understand about the differences between emotional support animals and service animals is that only service animals are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Service animals are specially trained animals that perform tasks for individuals with disabilities.

These animals are allowed in all public places and are protected by the ADA. Emotional support animals are animals that provide therapeutic benefits to an individual with a mental or emotional disorder. There is no special training for emotional support animals, and they are not legally allowed in public places.

To understand the differences between emotional support animals and service animals, it is helpful to understand the differences between emotional support and mental health conditions. Emotional support is when someone benefits from the companionship of an animal. Mental health conditions are diagnosed disorders that affect how a person thinks, acts, or feels.

Someone with a mental health condition benefits from an emotional support animal, in the same way, someone without a mental health condition benefits from a pet. People with mental health conditions may have a pet granted an exemption under the Fair Housing Act and may live with their animal in certain places that don’t allow pets.

Legal requirements for emotional support animals

There are no legal requirements for emotional support animals. There are specific legal requirements for service animals.

The only thing that you need to verify is whether the person requesting the emotional support animal has a mental or emotional disorder. If so, you can ask for a letter from a mental health provider confirming the diagnosis and need for emotional support. One important caveat to these legal requirements is the Fair Housing Act.

This act does not have specific requirements for what animals are allowed, but it does have specific protections for service animals. This means that individuals with mental health conditions who have documentation from a mental health provider allowing them to live with an emotional support animal do not need specific legal requirements but may fall under the Fair Housing Act.

How to determine what animals are allowed 

As a landlord, you can require the same type of documentation for emotional support animals that you would require for service animals.

This means that if your rental property allows service animals, it will also allow emotional support animals. If your rental property only allows service animals, then it won’t allow emotional support animals. You can also determine what animals are allowed by following the rule of reason.

The rule of reason means that you must act reasonably given the circumstances of the rental property. For example, if you have a rental property in a suburban area, you can allow dogs but not Great Danes, since they are too large for the space. If you have a rental property in an urban area, you might want to allow cats instead of dogs since cats are quieter and pose less of a threat to neighbors.

You can also consider the breed of the animal and its temperament. If you have a rental property in an urban area where there are children playing outside, you might want to choose a breed that is less likely to accidentally hurt the kids.

How to handle requests for these support animals

If a tenant or potential tenant asks to bring an emotional support animal to the rental property, you have a few options. First, you can simply allow the animal.

If the emotional support animal is a service animal, you will need to follow the same procedures as if the tenant had a disability. Second, you can ask the tenant to get documentation from a mental health provider explaining the need for the emotional support animal. Third, you can deny the request. If you deny the request, you will need to follow the same procedures as if you denied a request for a service animal. You can only deny the request if the animal would cause damage to the rental property or if the animal would pose a risk to other tenants.

Creating a rental agreement for emotional support animals

If you allow support animals in your rental property, you may want to include specific language in your rental agreement.

The most important thing to include is language about cleaning up after the animal. The emotional support animal does not have the same responsibilities as a service animal. One way to word this in your rental agreement is to say that “Tenants with an emotional-support animals are responsible for cleaning up after their animals.”

You can also specify that tenants with support animals are not allowed to have the animals on furniture. You may also want to consider requiring tenants with ESL’s to keep their animals in a cage or on a leash. This is especially important if you have a large rental property.

Protecting your rental property from damage

The most important thing to do to protect your rental property from damage is to verify that the person requesting the support animal has a mental or emotional disorder. You can also follow the rule of reason when considering whether an animal poses a risk to the rental property.

For example, if a person requests to bring a boa constrictor to their rental property, you can deny the request since the snake would pose a safety risk to the property. You can also consider including specific language in your rental agreement about the type, size, and cleanliness of animals allowed on the rental property. You can also require tenants with support animals to keep the animals in a cage or on a leash when outside.

Tips for creating a fair emotional support animal policy 

If you decide to allow these animals, there are a few important things to keep in mind. First, you can allow all animals, but you must be careful to apply all other terms and conditions of your rental agreement equally across the board.

For example, if your rental agreement says that all pets must be kept indoors, you must require all tenants with these types of animals to keep their animals in the house. You cannot selectively apply different rules to different tenants. Second, you must be consistent in your enforcement. You cannot selectively enforce the terms and conditions of your rental agreement for tenants with emotional support animals.

Resources for landlords regarding support animals 

The best resource for landlords is the Fair Housing Act. This act outlines the rules and regulations for service animals and the rights of tenants with disabilities. The other resource for landlords is the American Veterinary Medical Association.

This organization has information for landlords about what animals are considered service animals and what documentation tenants with disabilities may be required to provide. They also have information for tenants about bringing a service animal to a rental property and what documentation they may be required to provide.

There are also a few websites that provide general guidelines for landlords regarding emotional support animals. One website, called the Sherpa, has a checklist with general guidelines for landlords and tenants. The National Health Law Program also has a guide for landlords regarding emotional support animals.

Final thoughts on emotional-support animals

The concept of emotional support animals can seem confusing, especially when compared with service animals.

One important thing to remember is that service animals are trained to help people with disabilities. In many cases, they are legally allowed in public places where other animals are not allowed, like restaurants and hotels. 

Contact Us

At Rent Portland Homes – Professionals, we specialize in property management for the Portland Oregon Area.

To learn more about the property management services we can offer you, contact us today by calling (503) 646-9664 or click here to connect with us online. 

Are you planning on investing in rental property? Like most investors, you’re probably interested in learning more about landlord-tenant law in Oregon for 2022-2023.

This is understandable because the rental market has changed in the last two years and landlords have fewer rights than before.

Thankfully, we’ve compiled an updated resource on landlord rights in Oregon so that you know what to expect before investing in a rental property here.

Landlord-Tenant Law 2022-2023

Under Oregon law, landlords must disclose specific information to tenants (usually in the lease or rental agreement). The list of required disclosures is long and includes information on topics such as:

• who is the owner and manager of the property, and who is authorized to receive notices such as service of process (Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 90.305)
• pending legal actions (Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 90.310)
• responsibility for paying utility bills (Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 90.315)
• recycling (Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 90.318)
• smoking policies (Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 90.220)
• carbon monoxide alarms (Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 90.316, 90.317)
• smoke alarms and detectors (Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 479.270)
• flood zones (Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 90.228)
• renters’ insurance (Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 90.367), and
• payments for homeowner assessments (Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 90.302)

Federal law might require additional landlord disclosures. Nolo’s chart of State Rules on Required Landlord Disclosures contains a complete list of each state’s landlord disclosure statutes

Oregon landlords can require tenants to pay a security deposit. Under Oregon law, a last month’s rent deposit is considered to be a security deposit. Landlords must provide tenants with a receipt when they receive the deposit. Written rental agreements must include the amount of the security deposit. A security deposit can’t be increased within the first year of the tenancy. Landlords have 31 days after the tenant delivers possession to return the deposit and provide an accounting of any amount applied towards rent or damages. See Oregon Revised Statute section 90.300 for all the rules regarding security deposits.

Small Claims Lawsuits in Oregon

Tenants can sue landlords in small claims court for the return of their deposit and other damages, up to a dollar amount of $10,000. (Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 46.405.)

Oregon Tenant Fees

Oregon landlords may not charge nonrefundable fees (Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 90.302). Oregon landlords may only charge fees for specified events as they arise. For example, landlords may charge fees for acts such as:

• paying rent late
• paying utility bills late
• bouncing checks
• failure to clean up garbage and trash, including pet waste
• violating parking and vehicle rules
• violating smoking rules
• damaging property, and
• tampering with smoke detectors.

Complete information about fees Oregon landlords can charge is found in Oregon Revised Statute section 90.302.

Oregon Rent Rules

Oregon has a statewide rent control law that limits the amount of rent increases, bars landlords from raising rent more than once in any 12-month period, and requires landlords to give tenants proper notice before raising rent.

During any 12-month period, landlords cannot raise the rent more than 7% plus the consumer price index above the existing rent—no matter how long the tenancy. Every September 30, the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis will publish the maximum annual rent increase percentage for the following year.

For week-to-week tenancies, landlords can raise the rent after giving seven days’ written notice. For all other tenancies, landlords cannot raise rent within the first year of a tenancy. After the first year of a tenancy, landlords must give 90 days’ written notice before raising the rent.

Landlords who illegally increase rent must pay tenants an amount equal to three months’ rent, plus any damages the tenants suffered from the increase (such as interest on money they borrowed to cover rent). (Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 90.323.)

Tenant Rights to Withhold Rent in Oregon

When landlords fail to comply with a term of the lease or rental agreement, or fail to maintain the premises in a habitable condition, tenants may notify their landlord of the breach and give a 30-day notice to terminate if the landlord doesn’t fix the condition within a certain amount of time. (Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 90.360.) Tenants also may withhold rent for some minor defects that can be reasonably repaired for not more than $300—but must follow the statute’s rules regarding notice (Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 90.368).

Oregon Termination and Eviction Rules

The rules on how and when landlords can terminate depend on the type of tenancy. Oregon’s laws address week-to-week, month-to-month, and fixed-term tenancies (as well as tenancies located within a landlord’s primary residence). To learn the rules that apply to your tenancy, review the full text of Oregon Revised Statute section 90.427.

Month-to-Month Tenancies

Landlords may terminate a tenancy without cause for month-to-month tenants, but only during the first year of occupancy. After that, landlords must have a reason, or “just cause,” as enumerated in the law (such as demolishing the building, moving immediate family members into the unit, or the tenant’s violation of a lease term).

Tenants With Leases

Tenants with a one-year (or shorter) lease may not have their tenancies terminated during the first year of occupancy unless the tenant has failed to pay the rent or violated another material term of the tenancy (such as having a pet in violation of a no-pet rule). Landlords may decide to not renew or extend a one-year tenant’s (or shorter) lease by giving a 30-day “termination” notice prior to the lease’s expiration date. If the landlord does not terminate and the tenant stays, the tenant has become a month-to-month tenant, but one who has the protections of “just cause” eviction rules on account of the tenant’s occupancy for more than one year (see above).

Landlord Access to Rental Property, Tenant Protection Against Retaliation, and Other State Laws in Oregon

Several other landlord-tenant laws in Oregon affect both property owners and renters, including:

• restrictions on landlord’s right to access rental property (Oregon landlords must provide 24 hours’ notice of entry in non-emergency situations) (Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 90.322)
• tenant protections against landlord retaliation for tenant exercising a legal right, such as complaining about an unsafe living condition (Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 90.385)
• special protections for tenants who are victims of domestic violence (Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 90.449, 90.453, 90.456, and 90.459)
• procedures for how landlords must handle abandoned property left behind by tenants (Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 90.425, 105.165) , and
• fair housing rights (discrimination is also prohibited by federal and, often, local law—see the Housing Discrimination section of the Nolo site for details).

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Contact Rent Portland Homes – Professionals

At Rent Portland Homes – Professionals, our team specializes in Oregon property management. This means you can count on us to be on top of the latest landlord-tenant laws so you don’t have to.

If you’re ready to invest in a rental property in Beaverton, Portland or the surrounding area, but you don’t want to manage that property yourself, contact us today by calling (503) 447-7735 or click here to connect with us online.

With the slowdown of home sales in the real estate market, more homeowners are stuck with homes that they thought would sell and they are now considering renting those homes to tenants.

This is to be expected because many homeowners have already moved on to bigger and better properties even though their first homes didn’t sell.

Thankfully, even though the real estate market has slowed, the good news is that homeowners work through this difficult situation by renting out their properties until the real estate market picks up again.

Keep It Simple

You might think that renting your property to tenants is risky and stressful. But if done right, it can be a source of additional income as well to filter out the right tenants without being directly responsible for maintenance and repairs.

You may not want to hear it, but being a landlord isn’t easy. It involves taking on responsibilities that you probably don’t want or expect to deal with. However, with the right preparation and management, you can do so while avoiding some of the risks inherent in renting your home to strangers. With this guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about renting your home as an investor and what you need to consider before signing on the dotted line.

Find The Right Tenants 

After deciding what type of tenant, you’re looking for, you should do some research on the local rental market.

This will help you to create a profile of the kind of tenant you want to attract and give you a better idea of what your rental property will be worth in the open market. – Where to look for information. The best way to research the rental market in your area is to get your hands dirty. This means looking at rental listings on websites like Craigslist, Zillow, and Trulia.

You should also attend local real estate investor clubs, visit rental property management companies, and talk to property managers in your area. – What to look for. When researching the rental market, you should pay special attention to the following factors: – The average rent in your area. – The average vacancy rates. – The average length of time that a unit is on the market. – The average cost of repairs. – The average rental yield in your area.

Step 2: Know Your Rights as a Landlord

When renting out your property, you are essentially putting your money into a partnership with your tenants.

But the law doesn’t treat you as a partner—instead, you get almost none of the benefits of a partnership. So, before you even sign a rental contract, you should know what your rights are as a landlord and what your tenants’ rights are as renters. – Liability for injuries and damage. As a landlord, you are liable for injuries that your tenants sustain on your property, and you are responsible for all damage. This applies whether the tenant is at fault or not. If a tenant breaks something, you are responsible for repairing or replacing it. If someone gets hurt on your property, you are responsible for their medical bills. This can lead to lawsuits, fines, and even imprisonment. – Your right to enter the property.

As a landlord, you have the right to enter your property to conduct repairs, inspect the property, and/or show it to prospective buyers. However, you must let your tenants know that you’re coming and provide them with a reasonable amount of time to get their things out of the way. You can’t enter a rental property without a legitimate reason or without the tenant’s consent.

Step 3: Advertise Your Property and Select Tenants

You have done the legwork to find a great tenant and are now ready to start looking for a place to rent. But before you sign a lease, you need to put yourself in your prospective tenant’s shoes. What kinds of questions will they have?

What do they need to know before committing to rent your property? – The right way to advertise your property. The best way to advertise your property is by posting an online listing on a site like Craigslist or Zillow, and then following up with phone calls and emails to interested parties. You should include the following in your listing: – When you’re ready to sign a lease.

When you’re ready to sign a lease, you should meet with your prospective tenants and hammer out all the important details so that everyone is on the same page. You should discuss the following: – Written rental agreement. You should sign a written rental agreement with each tenant. Your rental agreement should include:

Step 4: Set the Right Terms for Your Contract

You’ve found the tenant of your dreams and have signed a rental agreement. But you aren’t quite done yet. You need to make sure that you have everything covered in the rental agreement so that nothing goes wrong, and your tenant is happy.

Security deposit – A security deposit serves two functions: it’s a partial payment of the final rent and its insurance for you (the landlord). A security deposit is a money that you take from a tenant at the beginning of a rental agreement. If your tenant breaks their contract (for example, they don’t pay the rent) then you can keep their security deposit. At the same time, you must deposit 10% of the security deposit in a state-approved escrow account.

The terms of the lease – The terms of the lease are especially important because they set the stage for the relationship between you and your tenant.

Your lease should also include terms for when rent is due, how it should be paid and when it’s considered to be late. This is by far one of the most important parts of your lease because tenants must know that they are expected to pay rent on time each month.

Step 5: After Finding Excellent Tenants

Congratulations! You’ve found wonderful tenants who have agreed to rent your property and you have signed the lease.

Now it’s time to kick back and relax, right? Nah. You still have a lot of work to do.

Stay in contact – While you don’t want to be a nagging landlord, you want to stay in contact with your tenants so that you can look out for their best interests and vice versa.

Send them a friendly text or email every few months to check in and let them know that you’re available if they need anything.

Be a good landlord – Being a landlord isn’t easy. But it is rewarding when you find good tenants and they treat your property with respect.

Step 6: Hire A Property Manager

If your goal is to keep living your life without the hassle of owning a rental property, then the best decision you can make is to hire a property management company like Rent Portland Homes – Professionals.

Our property management team will save you the time and money of managing your property yourself so you can continue living your life while leaving the property management to us.

To learn more about the property management services we can offer you, contact us today by calling (503) 447-735 or click here to connect with us online.

Real estate investing can be a great way to build wealth over time. When you invest in real estate, you don’t just get a second home that you can visit on the weekends or a beautiful space to throw parties; you also get an asset that can generate cash flow.

If your goal is to build long-term wealth through real estate investing, buying properties that will generate income from rent is essential.

In this article, we’ll explain what it means to buy a property that will earn you rent and give you pointers on where to find properties like these and how much you should pay for them. Let’s dive in!

What Does It Mean to Buy a Property That Will Earn You Rent?

If you buy a property that you can rent out, you’re essentially operating as a landlord. If you’ve ever been a landlord, you know it can be a full-time job, but it’s worth it if you can find the right tenants and charge a fair price for the rent.

And if you’re buying a property that will be rented out and generating your income, you want to make sure to buy a property that will give you a good chance of having great tenants, paying rent reliably on time, and having a low vacancy rate.

How to Find Properties That Earn You Rent

Before you start looking for properties that will earn you rent, you need to have a specific type of property in mind.

If you don’t know what kind of property you’re looking for, you’ll have a much harder time finding the right one. Here are a few things to think about when choosing a property:

Location – This may sound obvious, but it’s one of the most important factors when picking a property to buy.

You want to make sure your property is in a neighborhood that will appeal to tenants.

When picking a neighborhood, consider factors like crime rates, local schools, job growth, public transportation, and walkability.

You should also make sure the neighborhood has a below-average vacancy rate.

Property type – You’ll want to choose a tenant-friendly property type, such as a single-family home, a duplex, or an apartment building.

Property condition – You’ll want to make sure the property you buy is in good condition. If repairs need to be made, make sure to factor that into the price you pay for the property.

Real Estate Investing Tips for Finding a Property to Buy that Will Earn You Rent

Start looking for properties that earn you rent sooner rather than later – The earlier you start looking, the more time you’ll have to find the right deal, which will make your investing process easier.

Be open to different neighborhoods – Be sure to look in all different kinds of neighborhoods because you might find a great deal in a neighborhood that isn’t super desirable right now. Be flexible with your budget – You might find a great deal on a property that’s outside your budget. It’s important to be flexible with your budget because you don’t want to pass up a great deal just because it’s out of your price range.

Find a great realtor – A great realtor can help you find properties that earn you rent, walk you through the process of buying a property, and help you get a good price for the property you’re selling. A realtor can be an invaluable resource for any real estate investor.

3 Types of Properties that Will Earn You Cash Flow

When you buy a property that will earn you rent, you want to make sure it’ll give you a steady stream of income over time. If you buy a property that only brings in a few thousand dollars in rent, you may not have enough income to make the investment worth it.

To make sure you buy a property that will earn you cash flow over time, you’ll want to choose a rental property that has a high rental yield, below-average vacancy rates, and low maintenance costs.

These three factors help ensure that your rental property will continue to be a reliable source of income for years to come.

Apartment building – An apartment building is a great property to buy if you want to earn cash flow from the get-go. It’s one of the most expensive properties to buy, but it’s also one of the most reliable sources of income since you’ll have a long-term tenant at one location.

Single-family home – A single-family home is a great property to buy if you want a blend of both long-term and short-term tenants. It generally takes longer to find tenants for a single-family home than for an apartment building, but once you do, the tenants tend to stay for a long time.

Duplex – A duplex is a good choice if you’re looking for a lower-maintenance property and you don’t mind doing some work to keep both halves of the building in good condition. The lower maintenance costs are one of the biggest advantages of buying a duplex, but they also come with the disadvantage of a smaller profit margin compared to a single-family home or apartment building.

Wrapping up

Buying a property that will earn you rent is a great way to start your real estate investing journey. When you buy a property that will earn you rent, you’re buying an asset that will continue to bring in steady income for years to come.

When you’re picking a property to buy, be sure to find one that is in good condition, in a desirable neighborhood, costs less than $350,000, and has a high rental yield. Once you’ve found the right property, make sure to put in the work to make sure it stays in good condition, and you’ll have a reliable source of income for years to come.

Contact Us

At Rent Portland Homes – Professionals, we specialize in local property management for Beaverton and surrounding areas.

Our team has decades of combined property management experience and looks forward to the opportunity of earning your business.

Contact us today for a quote at (503) 447-7735 or click here to connect with us online.

As the United States enters a recession, the U.S. housing market is officially in a downturn that could potentially last for 12 months or longer.

The big question that most investors want to know is if a housing market downturn will help the rental market, or hurt it.

Thankfully, whenever the housing market faces a downturn, real estate investors can look for opportunities where economists expect defeat because real estate investors typically benefit the most when home prices fall.

Fewer People Buying, More People Selling

The housing market has been a nonstop boom for the last five to 10 years, especially in Portland Oregon, where home prices have gone through the roof, and in many cases, it’s made it next to impossible for people who earn under $100,000 a year to buy homes.

When it comes to investors, with fewer people buying, and more people selling, this means more properties are available than ever on the market for them to choose from.

Opportunities like this don’t come around very often, the last time that we saw market conditions like this was after the 2008 “Great Recession” when home prices tanked and stayed at record lows for several years.

The current recession is only just beginning, and even though some economists are saying that it’s not going to last very long, it’s likely that we could see this recession last for 12 months or longer.

Is A Housing Crash Coming?

Housing recession usually stems from “speculations.” What does speculation entail? This activity occurs when investors buy houses to make huge profits from them when they make a sale in the future. Speculation creates high demand, invariably skyrocketing the prices of homes. 

With more speculators joining in on the party, an ultimate crash is imminent. When there’s a downturn in the economy, those who took mortgages and loans will find it difficult to clear their debts as interest rates increase. Most investors will seek to sell their properties for lower rates to stay afloat, giving room for lower prices.  

Although a housing recession can negatively impact a country regardless of its economic prowess, it’s vital to understand that these events are usually short-term, meaning that economic recovery is achievable within a short period. Nonetheless, select occurrences can make this recession form last for long periods.

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Ultimately, many economists have said that the state of the 2022 housing market is a lot different than what we saw in 2008 because the lending fundamentals are different than back then.

With the market built on stronger fundamentals, it’s likely that the current housing market downturn may not last for as long, or have as great an impact on the economy as some have predicted.

While investors wait for the housing market downturn to end, there’s still going to be a fair number of deals out there including multifamily and single-family homes for sale in Portland, and the greater PDX area.

Also, A Great Opportunity for First Time Investors

Besides being a great opportunity for longtime real estate investors, the current real estate market is also presenting ample opportunities for new real estate investors who are moving from stocks to real estate

Rental real estate presents a “steady Oasis” in any recession because of the simple fact that rental properties continue to earn passive monthly cash flow while most other well-known investments are tanking.

Once they add rental properties to their investment portfolios, some new real estate investors may choose to manage their rental properties themselves, getting first-hand experience in working with tenants, plus overall property management.

Yes, rental properties can be managed by any DIY investor, but the reality is that for passive income, it’s always a better decision for an investor to choose an experienced property manager like rent Portland Homes – Professionals.

When investors choose property managers to manage their rental they could have peace of mind in knowing that all aspects of property management will be handled from start to finish including property marketing, tenant selection, rent collection, maintenance, customer service and so much more.

Besides the ease and convenience of working with a property management company, another benefit is that owners can live anywhere in the United States while having confidence that their rental property is effectively being cared for and maintained by a company property manager.

New investors can take heart that rental real estate will continue to be a steady source of cash flow for them for years to come including good real estate markets, and bad.

What’s also most important to know about the state of the rental market is that with homes still out of reach for many buyers nationwide, rental real estate will continue to be in high demand in the years to come.

Why? People will always need a place to live and search for rental properties in Portland or surrounding areas nationwide.

Contact Rent Portland Homes – Professionals

At Rent Portland Homes – Professionals/4RentLocal.com, we specialize in property management for Beaverton, Portland, and surrounding areas.

Founded by Fred Marlow, our company has decades of combined property management experience in the PDX area. This means that regardless of if you are a new or inexperienced investor, you can have Peace of Mind in knowing that the best property management team in Portland is managing your rental property.

For a property management quote, or to learn more about the services that we can offer you, contact us today by calling or clicking here to connect with us online.

Are you planning on renting your Beaverton home for the first time? If so, there are a variety of questions that you should ask applicants that will help you to choose the most qualified tenant for your rental property.

Asking the right questions during tenant screening is important because an applicant’s answers to those questions will offer you insight into the type of tenant that they could become.

In this article, we will offer you the top 10 questions that you should ask during the tenant screening process.

When do you plan on moving in?

A good first question for a potential renter is knowing when they plan to move. Maybe they have time left on their current lease and can’t move immediately. In this case, it may be best to find a tenant who can move in immediately to reduce vacancy time.

On the other hand, suppose the current tenant has given two months’ notice, and you have started advertising early. In that case, someone who wants to move immediately wouldn’t be a good match.

How long have you lived at your current address?

A basic tenant screening question is knowing how long they’ve lived at their current place. Their answer can give an idea of their stability as a long-term tenant. For example, have they lived there for less than a year? In that case, it’s good to find out why. It may be because of relocating with work or another legitimate reason. 

A tenant who is constantly on the move may be a sign of a problem tenant, and there’s a risk they won’t stay for the entire lease agreement term. 

Why are you moving?

Moving can be expensive, not to mention stressful. So, it’s worth asking a prospective tenant their reasons for moving. Maybe their current place no longer matches their needs. Or, they may need to live closer to work or family. Was it an increase in rent prices? Regardless of their reason, always do your due diligence during the screening process. 

It’s always a red flag if the tenant lies about their reason for moving. For instance, they say they need to downsize, but you learn from references that they are getting evicted or regularly miss rent payments.

Do you have pets?

If you don’t allow pets in your rental unit, then you must find out about any animals they have. However, even if you have a pet policy allowing animals, you may have restrictions on the size and breed. So, it’s best to find out before signing the rental agreement. Additionally, you can discuss your policy on paying a pet deposit and any additional fees. 

If you allow pet owners to rent, always carry out pet screening beforehand. 

Pro tip: Remember that a service animal isn’t classified as a pet, and you can’t deny housing to someone who has one. You should also check that the emotional support animal letter is genuine.

How many people will be living with you?

Rental laws restrict the number of people per bedroom in a rental unit. If you have a multi-tenancy unit, asking this simple question is essential. In any case, anyone living in the apartment permanently should be named on the lease agreement. 

Are you or anyone who will be living in the apartment smokers?

A vital rental screening question to ask a tenant is if they smoke. Typically, a rental agreement should state your smoking policy and outline the consequences for violating the lease. However, asking if they smoke allows you to assess their reaction. 

What’s your current income?

It’s not impolite to ask a straightforward question about how much a prospective tenant earns. After all, you must know if they can afford the monthly rent or not. Typically, a tenant can afford rent if they spend no more than 30% of their income on housing. According to a Harvard study, the 30% rule “remains a reliable indicator of affordability both over time and across markets.”

If their pay stubs or bank statements reveal a lower amount, you should be extra cautious about renting.

It’s worth noting that reports indicate that nonpayment of rent is the most common reason for evictions. 

Have you ever been evicted?

Asking about previous evictions may reveal why they were forcibly removed from a previous rental unit. Of course, if they were evicted, it’s good to be cautious. But were there extenuating circumstances? Or has enough time passed, and the tenant now has a good credit history for a previous eviction not to be an issue? Again, it’s good to find out. 

Do you have current or previous convictions?

Before asking about a criminal record, it’s crucial to know if any local laws prevent you from inquiring too deeply into this. There’s also grey area surrounding the Fair Housing Act, and if it’s truly legal to ask this question, as it may turn out to be discriminatory. However, if you can inquire about convictions, it’s good to do so. In addition, their criminal history and type of punishment could indicate if they are a suitable candidate for renting. 

Be very careful not to ask about arrests. It’s generally illegal to ask about previous arrests when conducting a screening interview. Arrests don’t always lead to convictions. 

Can you pay the security deposit and one month’s rent at the lease signing?

The last question is to ensure that the tenant can pay the upfront costs of renting. At the same time, you can ask if the potential tenant has any questions for you.

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At Rent Portland Homes – Professionals, we specialize in property management for Beaverton and the surrounding area.

Our company saves owners the time, money, and hassle of managing their rental properties themselves.

To learn more about the property management services we can offer you, contact us today by calling (503) 646-9664 or clicking here to connect with us online.

Since the end of the pandemic, evictions have been on the rise in Portland, and across the entire state of Oregon.

Even though eviction is something that every landlord must deal with at some point, the reality is that it’s entirely possible for landlords to avoid evicting tenants if they use the right strategies to help avoid eviction.

In this article, we will share with you several strategies that landlords can use to help the costly eviction process.

Steps For Avoiding Eviction

One of the best ways you can avoid the eviction process with a tenant is to make sure that your lease is very clear about rent, and the consequences for paying rent late.

Some key points that your lease should include area:

• When rent is due
• What your grace period is
• When rent is considered late
• Late fees
• When the eviction process starts

Having clear language in the lease regarding rent is not enough, you must also be willing to enforce the rules because, if you let your tenant get by with paying the rent late, that tenant will take advantage of your generosity and be willing to do that again anytime in the future.

Worse yet, tenants who pay their rent late won’t hesitate to tell their friends, family members, or other renters that they’ve paid rent late and that those tenants can do the same should they encounter similar circumstances where they must pay late in the future if they are renting from you.

Encourage Communication When If Your Tenant Has Financial Problems

Another important thing that you can do to help avoid the eviction process with your tenant is to be willing to communicate with them when they experience financial problems.

Since the start of the pandemic, it’s not uncommon for many tenants to have lost jobs, changed jobs, or industries, so it’s best to encourage your tenants to be very upfront and communicate with you if they are experiencing financial problems.

It’s always best to be willing to work out payment arrangements with tenants, especially if you know the money is coming because good tenants are worth their weight in gold.

It’s better to work with them rather than just take that tenant through the eviction process and start all over again with finding a new tenant for your property.

Connect Tenants with Local Social Support Services

Another important thing to do once your tenant reaches out to you regarding a job loss that will cause them to be late paying their rent is for you to connect them with local social support services.

Tenants must be made aware that help is available to them if they’re unable to pay their rent on time or if there’s faced with not being able to buy food for the month, they should know that support programs are out there that they can tap into to help cover the gaps until they get back on track financially.

Offer Them Cash for Keys

Let’s be clear, the absolute last thing that a tenant wants is to have been an eviction on their rental record, the same is true for the landlord, every landlord wants to avoid eviction with their tenant, therefore offering them an arrangement like cash for keys is ideal.

Cash for keys is one of the most time-tested ways to avoid eviction because, instead of taking the delinquent tenant through the eviction process, the landlord offers them a viable cash payment for them to move out within a set period.

Even though cash for keys is an ideal way to avoid eviction, this agreement must also be in writing and the tenant must be made aware that if they violate the agreement, they will immediately face eviction.

Inform Your Tenants That You Will Report the Eviction to The Credit Bureaus

Last of all, but most important, if an eviction with a tenant is moving forward, you should also inform the tenant that you will be reporting the eviction to the credit bureaus.

This is important to mention because, in today’s world a credit score is priceless, and nobody wants to have an eviction on their Portland credit report which could hinder their ability to successfully apply for a mortgage loan.

It’s best to lay out all the consequences of the eviction to the tenant right from the very beginning so that they’re aware that there’s more than one consequence that could affect them financially in the years to come.

Contact Rent Portland Homes – Professionals

At 4RentLocal.com/Rent Portland Homes – Professionals, we specialize in local property management services for the Portland Oregon area.

Our property management team saves owners the time, money, and hassle of managing their rental properties themselves so that they could focus on earning passive income and passive cash flow from those rental properties.

If you need help with property management services, including evictions, contact us today by calling (503) 447-7735 or clicking here to connect with us online.

Welcome to 4RentLocal.com, your source for rental market news and information for Portland Oregon landlords, and tenants in the Portland metro area.

Our team has over 10 years of local property management experience and we will provide you with the best news information regardless of if you’re a local landlord who is looking for tips on how to get the best return on investment from their rental property or a tenant who is looking for their next rental property in the Portland area.

The rental market has changed over the last two years and more renters are moving out of Portland to surrounding communities like Beaverton, Hillsboro, and other local areas so that they could still be close to Portland, but not live in the big city.

Investors know this, and along with out-of-state investors, they are now searching for investment properties in the greater Portland metro area because they know that tenants want more flexibility regarding where they live, and they want to have a lifestyle instead of just having a life.

As the rental market has changed in Portland, you can count on our property management team to provide you with the most useful news information that you can use to get the best return on investment from your local rental property.

4rentlocal Helps You Stay Up To Date With Local Rental Market News And Information 

In the 2020s, it’s more critical than ever before for investors, and landlords, to be up to date with what’s happening in the local rental market because, not being up to speed with the latest laws, rules, and regulations affecting Portland landlords can cost the landlord thousands of dollars.

The same is true for tenants, tenants now have more rights in the state of Oregon than ever but, they must be aware of those rights to have stability and Peace of Mind at their rental properties.

This blog will share with you the most useful information that you can use as a tenant which will help you to find the right rental property and start a great relationship with a landlord that will last for 12 months or longer.

Regardless of if you rent or own a rental property in Portland, you need an excellent resource of local knowledge, fed by property managers who understand the market including the latest trends, changes, and news that affects the Portland rental market on a day-to-day basis.

We Know The Portland Oregon Rental Market 

Our team is based in Beaverton OR, and for more than 10 years, we’ve provided excellent property management service to local landlords regardless of if they own single-family or multifamily properties in Portland, or surrounding areas. 

As the rental market has changed, our property management company has only continued to grow because more landlords are choosing our services than ever before instead of continuing to manage the rental properties themselves.

If you like the articles that you find on this blog, we invite you to comment and share them with your social media networks, friends, and followers.

We invite you to explore our site, connect with us on Facebook by clicking here or call us at (503) 447-7735 to learn more about the services and solutions that we can offer you.