Many rental property owners are experienced in real estate and maintenance, and they are comfortable managing their own properties. Not every owner wants to hire a professional property manager.  However, managing properties in Seattle on your own can be challenging. Hence, we almost always recommend that investors and landlords work with a professional management company. Our clients enjoy the many benefits of professional management. If you’ve effectively managed a rental on your own but you think it might be time to turn it over to a professional, you’re probably right. Here are five ..read more

The City of Seattle has implemented limits on the amount landlords can charge residential tenants at the time that they move into their new home. If you’re renting out a property in areas like Tacoma, Burien, Normandy Park, Des Moines, and Federal Way, these rules may not apply directly to you…yet. However, as you likely know as Seattle goes, our region and sometimes eventually the entire State goes, so learning about these restrictions and regulations may be a good idea. For rental properties within Seattle’s city limits, the total move-in charges, including the security deposit and all non ..read more

Seattle landlords have a lot to manage. There’s the leasing process and tenant screening and rent collection and maintenance. There are move-in and move-out inspections and compliance with the ever-changing rental laws and rules in Seattle and neighboring communities like Tacoma, Burien, Normandy Park, Des Moines, and Federal Way. In addition, landlords also need to factor in the matter of accounting. While a  CPA or a tax advisor is great for helping to maximize the tax benefits of your rental property, they may not be fully up-to-date with the rules and regulations related to Property ..read more

Budgeting for standard monthly and/semi-annual maintenance and repairs are two aspects of rental property management that Seattle landlords cannot ignore. Having a regular and consistent budget for ongoing preventative maintenance and savings for larger capital expenses may seem expensive. However, failing to account for maintenance will undoubtedly cost you more with exorbitant rates for emergency repairs and vendor scheduling when systems fail. A reasonable monthly amount can extend the life of the major systems (and most expensive to replace) by years, which in the long run will substantia ..read more

As an investor, you are probably constantly thinking about ways to improve the Return on Investment (ROI) on your Seattle rental. One of the ways many investors use to upgrade to a newer and better property is using the 1031 Exchange. A 1031 Exchange allows you to sell your existing investment property and buy a like-kind property while deferring the capital gains taxes you would have to pay on profits while selling your existing property. This is a good option for the Seattle market, which is expensive and competitive to enter. Protecting your wealth is an important part of investing in Seat ..read more

In Seattle, winters are wet and cold. The city gets 37 inches of rain on average every year, which can cause water damage and lead to expensive repairs. When you’re renting out property in Seattle or other western Washington areas like Tacoma, Burien, Normandy Park, Des Moines, and Federal Way, you want to focus on keeping your property dry and free from leaks with the help of an organized preventative maintenance plan. Here are some tips for rental property maintenance in Seattle. Check Your Roof and Gutters Seattle’s winter weather is conducive to the growth of moss, which can cause cracks ..read more

To prepare your property for the Seattle rental market, you need to be aware of what the market demands in terms of pricing and attracting tenants. There are a few to-do items that are critical to take care of before you list your home and schedule showings. For starters, make sure the property is priced competitively. The Seattle rental market is changing almost daily. You need good data that tells you what similar homes in your neighborhood are renting for. Every investor wants to earn as much as possible in rent every month, but you don’t want to extend your vacancy period or chase away go ..read more

Anyone renting out a property in Seattle needs to understand the laws and regulations to which they are bound. We see a lot of landlords make mistakes because they don’t know the law. Unfortunately, not knowing about laws and regulations isn’t a defense if a complaint gets filed with the city and these mistakes can be expensive.  Before you begin looking for a tenant and collecting rent checks, make sure you’re familiar with these laws and requirements. Seattle is one of the most restrictive cities in the U.S. when it comes to landlord regulations. While the high rents and rapid apprecia ..read more

The Seattle eviction process is complex, costly, and wrought with difficulties for landlords, can easily require 2 or more months under normal circumstances, however, this process has been stalled even further, due to the COVID pandemic and multiple eviction bans that are in place by city municipal ordinances, state executive orders, and federal law. Working with an experienced Seattle Property Management firm and landlord/tenant attorney is highly advised. We are experts who only work with top Seattle law firms and are happy to assist landlords in regaining possession of their properties and ..read more

Screening tenants in Seattle and some surrounding cities is a bit different than screening tenants in other parts of Washington State or the nation. The city has some laws and requirements that are stricter than the regulations in place statewide. There are some best practices to follow when you’re screening tenants in any Washington community such as Tacoma, Burien, Normandy Park, Des Moines, Federal Way, and the surrounding area. When you work with ACRES Property Management as part of our onboarding and education process we’ll talk about what you should do to find a high-quality renter. The ..read more