Several Months ago a young man came into our office looking for a new rental. He said the place he was renting had given him a rash and bed bugs were found in the mattress and room. After he told the Landlord he was given an alcohol spray bottle. This is an inadequate move as a Property Manager as It is our responsibility to provide a clean and habitable place as a dwelling. In New Hampshire (and every other state) we have the Law of Warranty of Habitability. This means the Landlord/Owner/Property Manager must provide the following:

So here’s something no one wants to talk about, - ever. Not in Property Management, not at a family dinner, and definitely not on a first date. Creepy crawlers in the night that bite!

It’s a common trait to itch with all bugs and mites. Some leave rashes. Most are very common; I remember getting lice in 5^th grade from my cousin at our family camp because we used the same pillows and didn’t wash the pillow cases between stays. Most bugs and mites need a human host to survive and only live 36-72 hours on their own.

Whether you're considering listing your home for sale or plan to hold on to it through your retirement years; keeping your home maintained and updated will increase its value. The best plan of action is to focus your time and resources on one room at a time.  Begin by making a list of all the things in each room you want to fix or upgrade and calculate the hard costs plus your time for each project. Knowing these two things will help you plan which room to begin with.  In addition to having a plan for each room, you should equally put together a plan for the exterior of your home. 

You learn an awful lot in high school and even more if you go on to college or a trade school; all this knowledge is important and will help you get a job and begin life as an adult. But, during all those years of education did anyone ever teach you how to create a household budget, manage your money and establish credit? Some folks are lucky enough to have parents that taught them these skills, but most people simply learn as they go – and make mistakes. Now imagine the time has come to purchase your first home – who taught you how that process works or even where to begin?  Jumping into the process by looking at homes first is usually the first move, but a wrong one.