Property Management Kit for Dummies

Conquer the real estate market!
Buying, maintaining, and managing a rental property isn't easy, but the rewards can be through the roof when you do it right! So get yourself a head start with the Property Management Kit For Dummies and learn to turn your square footage into piles of cash. In this book, you'll learn the ins and outs of finding properties and tenants, keeping your books, paying taxes, maintaining insurance, and staying up to date on regulations. With this one-stop reference, you'll be a property management expert in no time! Inside. . .

• Evaluate property options
• Maximize curb appeal and rent
• Deal with good and bad tenants
• Figure out insurance and taxes
• Learn relevant regulations
• Turn over your property
• Manage your cash flow
• Grow your rental portfolio

Introduction   1
Part 1: So You Want to Be a Landlord?   5
Chapter 1: Residential Property Management 101 7
Chapter 2: Do You Have What It Takes to Manage Your Own Rental Property?   19
Chapter 3: Managing Your Residential Property Yourself or Hiring a Pro   35
Chapter 4: Taking Over the Property 53
Part 2: Renting Your Property   65
Chapter 5: Getting Your Residential Rental Property Ready for Prospective Tenants   67
Chapter 6: The Big Three of Property Management: Rent, Security Deposits, and Rental Contracts   85
Chapter 7: Formulating a Marketing Plan 107
Chapter 8: FOR RENT: Effectively Using Advertising to Generate Interest   117
Chapter 9: Handling Prospects When They Come A-Calling   141
Chapter 10: Strutting Your Stuff: Making Your Property Memorable   167
Chapter 11: Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Mo: Selecting Your Tenants   189
Part 3: The Brass Tacks of Managing Rentals   219
Chapter 12: Moving In the Tenants   221
Chapter 13: Collecting and Increasing Rent   243
Chapter 14: Keeping the Good Tenants (And Your Sanity)   261
Chapter 15: Dealing with Problem Tenants   273
Chapter 16: Moving Out the Tenants 291
Part 4: Techniques and Tools for Managing Your Residential Property   307
Chapter 17: Working with Employees and Contractors   309
Chapter 18: Maintaining the Property   325
Chapter 19: Keeping Safety and Crime Prevention in Mind   341
Part 5: Money, Money, Money!   365
Chapter 20: Two Necessities of Property Management: Insurance and Taxes   367
Chapter 21: Financial Management and Record-Keeping   389
Chapter 22: Finding New Ways to Increase Your Cash Flow   403
Part 6: The Part of Tens   425
Chapter 23: Ten Reasons to Become a Residential Rental Property Owner 427
Chapter 24: Ten Ways to Rent Your Vacant Rental Unit   433
Appendix: About the Online Kit Materials   439
Index   443