Property Management Blog

I love, love, love the spring season. I love feeling the sun on my cheeks. I love that the nights still get cool enough that you can still have a bonfire. I love that the kids are in soccer and baseball. I love that all the beautiful colors come out on the trees, flowers, and everything looks so fresh and new.

One of the things that I like to do in the spring time is to take pictures. I love pictures. My house is full of pictures. My phone is full of pictures. I have pictures every where. Here is a picture of my mother with my two kids (dark blue and green shirt) with my nephews (light blue and red shirts). They love their mamaw so much. They are always fighting over who is the first to give her a hug and kiss whether she is leaving or coming. They push their way to her.

This is Ali's favorite picture. She loves that just their shirts are in color.

Here are all of them giving her a kiss. So much love. It is really amazing what photography can do. We took pictures at this same spot a few years ago and those kids have grown like weeds. I love watching each of them grow into the wonderful kids they are. Hopefully, one day they can take their kids and grandkids to this same spot to take family photos. It is such a beautiful place.

I love looking at pictures. I like to see what the world was like before I was born. My husband and I went to dinner last night and met a man that shares the same birth day as I do. Both of us are April 9th however, he was born in 1942. I was fascinated by that. Could you imagine all the wonderful, scary, beautiful things he has seen in his life. Back when everything was black and white, before facebook, emails, and computers. I would love to time travel back to live a few days in each decade just to see how it was.

Now with all of that said, remember that with sunshine and spring comes RAIN! Make sure that you have cleaned your gutters and inspected your downspouts to make sure that there isn't any blockage. The last thing you want is a clogged downspout draining into your house. Make sure you have changed your filters so that you get nice cold air when you kick on that a/c. This Saturday would be a good day to get all of your yard work done because it is only going to be 70. Sunday is suppose to be HOTTTTTTT so be sure to mow your lawn on Saturday.

Until Next Time...........

Looking for a new place to rent can be an exciting but exhausting process. You may already know what you want in an home, and you probably have your heart set on a specific area or neighborhood. However, some aspects of finding a home and renting are not exactly enjoyable. Getting approved for a rental isn’t always easy. However, there are a number of things you must keep in mind, as well as steps you must take, to help make the process simpler.

1. Some Landlords Require Good Credit History~ When looking at credit history it might now always be about the score itself. We look to see if you have left owing money to another landlord or apartment complex. We also check to see if you owe any utility companies.

2. Rent Doesn’t Help Your Credit Score~ When trying to apply for a mortgage loan remember that rental payments are not apart of your FICO Score.

3. You Can’t Always Remove a Co-Signer or Joint Applicant~ Understandably, your situation can change within a year. Your roommate can move out of the apartment. If you choose to have a joint applicant, understand that you can’t easily remove this person from the agreement. Each person that signs the lease remains responsible for the unit and the rent payments until the lease ends. To renew the lease for another term without your co-applicant, you must provide information proving you can afford the rent on your own.

4. Get renter's insurance~ It is NOT the landlord or owner's responsibility to replace any stolen or damaged items from your property.

5. Read your lease~ I know that when you move into your new property you are excited and ready to go. However, once you are moved in and settled re-read your lease. When you first move in you might be in a hurry and didn't hear something that was told to you about late fees, plumbing issues, and/or lock outs. It is better to know what is what instead of being surprised about it later.

When you begin to look for a new home be sure to have everything that you need before applying. This helps the process when applying. Call the complex or property manager beforehand to see what items you may need. Many properties need your proof of income and driver's license. Some places request your social security card as well. Remember that application fees are NOT refundable. It cost money to run your credit report. If your application is processing or processed, you will not get the application fee refunded. Some properties also allow you to place a hold fee on the property as well. Before applying for a property make sure that their isn't already a hold fee on the property and if not, see if you can place the hold fee on the property if you are really interested.

Until next time...........

There are many signs that Spring is coming. First, your plants start poking their heads out from the ground. Second, the trees and grass become greener. Three, the rain. All it seems to do is rain and rain and rain some more. Four, day light savings. The old saying Spring Forward, Fall Back. Each Spring we have to jump an hour ahead which means you lose and hour. This April is the 100^th Anniversary of the Day Light Savings Time. Day Light Savings time was invented by Benjamin Franklin but wasn’t used until George Vernon Hudson.

Day light savings for this Spring starts on Sunday, March 13, 2016 and will end on Sunday, November 6, 2016. Most people will wake up tired or even “jet lagged”. It takes several days and some people months to get use to the time difference.

The first day of Spring doesn’t actually arrive until Sunday, March 20, 2016. Spring normally last 92 days, 18 Hours and 32 minutes.

I have a lot of cool things to write about this year. 1) 100^th anniversary of the Indy 500 2) Election year 3) Indiana turns 100.

Few things you need to do to get ready for Spring

1)       Clean your gutters and down spouts.

2)       Clear the weeds from around your house

3)       Sweep around your front porch frame to remove all cobwebs

4)       Inspect your air conditioning unit

5)       Check your outdoor faucet

6)       Clean your filter

7)       Check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors

8)       Check your dryer vent line

9)       If you have a fireplace, have it inspected and clean

For me, spring just means BBQs, soccer and baseball games. I love spring. I love the colors. I am hoping to get my spring cleaning done early so that I can enjoy the rest of the season.

Until Next Time…….

Ever wonder how we founded upon looking forward to a groundhog to predict whether or not winter would end early or stay around a little longer? Me too.

Groundhogs day use to be called Candlemas Day. Candlemas day is a Catholic holiday which corresponds to the presentation of Jesus at the temple. It is celebrated on February 2, which is exactly 40 days after Christmas. This was mostly celebrated in Germany however, in Morgantown, Pennsylvania a storekeeper by the name of James Morris shared in his diary some of what was going on during this time. The diary was dated February 4, 1841.

Last Tuesday, the 2nd, was Candlemas day, the day on which, according to the Germans,[10] the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks nap, but if the day be cloudy he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate

There is a poem from England that helps you remember whether or not the groundhog seeing his shadow is good or bad.

If Candlemas be fair and bright,

 Winter has another flight.

 If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,

 Winter will not come again

Did you know that there is more than one groundhog that is to predict whether or not spring will come early or stay late? I didn’t know that we had Woodstock Willie, Stormy Marmot, Buckeye Chuck, Chesapeake Chuck, and so many others.

The one we are all familiar with is Punxsutawney Phil. It might just be from the movie starring Andie MacDowell and Bill Murray or it could be from the actual groundhog.  Punxsutawney Phil and his family are taken care of by a group of Inner Circle people. They take care of Phil and his family year round. The Inner Circle provides a week worth of fun activities to do for the town. The inner circle are a group of 16 gentlemen that dress in Top Hats and Tuxedos.

February 2, 2016, Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow which means we should have an early spring. If you live in Indiana, it doesn’t feel like we have had much of a winter anyways. Luckily for us, the groundhog has predicted more right than wrong. The paid meteorologist stated that with El Nino carrying warmer weather to much of the United States, they are most certain spring will arrive early.

Until Next Time........

Happy New Year.

I hope that everyone has had a good start to the New Year. Mine has been good so far. Busy, busy, busy. Sometimes I feel like I do too much and other times I feel like I don’t do enough.

So we have had a few changes here at TBH Management. We have officially moved. We are now located at 6028 N. Keystone Ave. We are just north of Kessler on the west side of the road.  We really love our new accommodations and would love for you to come and visit us.

We have a beautiful new waiting area for you to enjoy while filling out your application.

Also, we have a new employee. Meet Amanda. She will be helping us out part time, Monday thru Friday.

We have had some weird weather here in Indiana this week. One day it is some cold you can't breathe and the next day you are running around in a light sweater. It is getting ready to get super cold again today so TBH Management wants to make sure that you are aware of so MUST DOS to prepare for the colder weather.

1) When it is below freezing make sure all your faucets are at a drip. This will keep your pipes from freezing and leaving you with no water.

2) Make sure you leave the cabinets underneath your sinks open at night as well. This allows the heat to get to the pipes keeping them warm.

3) If you have a space heater make sure that it is placed in an area that is not near any fabric or on carpet.

4) Make sure you change your furnace filter. Proper air flow is key when getting your heat to flow throughout your home.

Until Next Time.........

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite Holiday. It is all about family, food, and fun. We start by going to my sister in laws house where my daughter, my niece and my mother in law make a family favorite recipe of Sweet Potato Casserole. This year they were joined by Jack. The day and night is filled with laughter and fun.

Then we get to do Thanksgiving with my family on the Friday after Thanksgiving. We love to play games with the kids and watch them all smile and laugh together. They are so close that they even take each other's punishments together. My son, the handful that he is, got into trouble. He was jumping in front of the camera while people were trying to take pictures. I very strongly demanded that he take a seat. Next thing I know all of his third cousins are sitting next to him. I couldn't help but laugh. One of the best stories of Thanksgiving was meeting my new 28 year old cousin. She is the daughter of my Uncle Greg. He passed away 25 years ago. Anyways, his daughter found our family and was lucky enough to come to Indiana and meet almost the whole family. It was so much fun getting to know someone who just FIT IN. We laughed, talked, and ate until all of our little hearts were content. We watched the kids do the limbo, play freeze dance, pin the nose on the reindeer, and laugh. It was probably the most wonderful Thanksgiving my family has had in a long time.

Now that Thanksgiving is over it is time for CHRISTMAS. The most expensive Holiday ever. I am not a fan of people who put their tree or lights up before Thanksgiving. I mean, let us celebrate one holiday at a time. Now, the day after Thanksgiving I am ready for the Tree. Nothing smells better than a Christmas Tree in my house. We decorate our tree with blue and white lights and many, many, many, many ornaments. My mother has given the children a Christmas ornament every year since they were born. My husband's mother has given him all of his ornaments that he has made throughout the year. After my husband puts the lights on the tree the first ornaments hung are our very first ornaments. Unfortunately, for me, I don't have one. I don't know if I have never had one or if it was lost in one of our hundred moves, or if it was lost in the fire that we had when we lived out in Arizona (along with the majority of my baby pictures).

On Christmas Eve my husband will read the T'was the Night Before Christmas to our children. A tradition that was apart of his family for as long as he could remember. His dad's side of the family would gather together and have dinner. After dinner, starting with the oldest and going to the youngest, they would take turns reading passages from the Bible. After everyone was finished reading the grandkids and great grandkids would cuddle up on his lap and in his amazing voice he would read the story. He did it with so much Jolly and Joy.

Now that I have wiped the tears from my eyes I wanted to let you know that we are MOVING OFFICES. Our new office is located at 6028 N. Keystone Ave. It is on the West Side of Keystone just North of Kessler. We are next to Jacob's Law.

Until Next Time...............

Well it has been awhile since I had a chance to blog. I started real estate school. I would go to school for 4 hours in the morning and work for 3 hours in the afternoon. I would have to rush home to pick my son up from football and start dinner, help the kids with their homework, do my own homework and work on stuff for soccer. If it wasn’t one thing it was another. I was obviously too busy to do anything, including getting sick which is exactly what happened as soon as football, soccer, and my school ended. I have had a runny/stuffy nose, my head has been clogged, a horrible dry cough, and sometimes it feels like someone is sitting on my chest for like 6 days now.

Enough about me and all my whining (as my friend Julie would say). Let’s talk about something else. What should we talk about? (I am looking around my office for inspiration). My office is filled with beautiful pictures of my family and letters from my kids but we always talk about my kids. So……………well that is just sad. Unless I am talking about my kids I have nothing to talk about.

I was talking with my sister in law Amy yesterday as I drove home and I was explaining to her how much I love driving up College Ave in the fall. The leaves are such beautiful colors. I love the burnt orange and the reds.

I was on facebook the other day and I was looking at my feeds and seeing my friends update their status. I loved seeing that a few of the girls that I hung out with in high school are all Moms now and are about to be again. I love seeing that they are making Apple Pies from scratch and helping build houses with Habitat for Humanity. Makes me realize that I hung out with some pretty awesome people.

I have a new friendship brewing with another old high classmate, Lauren. We have been helping each other out with the real estate class. She just passed her state exam and is on the road to being an Indiana Licensee/Broker. I am so proud of her!!! Those test are HARD!!! I have passed my class but have to now past the State Exam.

I am super excited because my best friend in the whole entire world, Erin is moving back state side. She currently lives in Hawaii and even though I am upset that I don’t get to visit Hawaii (plane tickets are crazy expensive) I am happy to have her state side. She will be coming home for a few days as I get to soak up some of her time.

Well….......I finally found something to talk about (besides friends) today is National Back to the Future Day. Back in 1985, Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale wrote a movie about a boy who used a DeLorean to travel back and forth in time. The movie starred Michael J. Fox which was almost NOT the case. Michael was approached for the part and had to turn it down because of the show Family Ties. Michael J. Fox had to turn down the role as Marty McFly. Eric Stoltz took the role as Marty McFly however, after 4 weeks of shooting, the directors decided that Stoltz wasn’t right for the part and they turned back to Michael J. Fox. His schedule had opened up some but was told he could only do the movie if he made sure that Family Ties wouldn’t suffer.

The Character of Doc was played by Christopher Lloyd however, the directors originally wanted John Lithgow. Christopher Lloyd then turned down the role but then changed his mind after reading the script with his wife and they let him change some of the scenes.

Lea Thompson was cast as Lorraine McFly because she had worked with the 1^st Marty McFly, Eric Sholtz but they liked her in the part and decided not to recast her once Sholtz left.

Claudia Wells, who plays Marty’s girlfriend Jennifer was also a recast after Scholtz left. The original Jennifer was played by Melora Hardin but once Michael J. Fox signed on as Marty they felt that she was too tall for him and let her go. She never got to film one scene.

Back to the Future opened on July 3^rd, 1985 on 1,200 screens in North America. It spent 11 weeks at #1 at the Box Office. The film grossed $210.61 million in North America and $173.2 million in other countries.

Well that is all for now. I will send you off with these important dates

~10 days until Halloween

~11 days until Day Light Saving Time Ends

~36 days until Thanksgiving (My favorite Holiday)

~62 days until Winter

~65 days until Christmas

Isn’t it amazing how one day can change everything? Labor Day was on Monday and it was so hot. I was hosting a BBQ at my house. We had invited some friends and family over to eat a lot of good food and play corn-hole and euchre. We all sat around talking and having so much fun. It was a really beautiful day. Fast Forward one day and the weather is cloudy and the wind has a certain chill in the air. You can tell Fall is approaching fast. I couldn’t be happier. I love Fall almost as much as I love Spring. Fall has some of the most beautiful colors. I love watching the leaves change from green to orange and red. Driving down the road it seems almost peaceful. Like you are in a painting.

With the Fall like weather comes FOOOOOOOOOTBALL!!!! My favorite sport. I love my Indianapolis Colts. They are my team!!!! I turn into a total dude (minus the beer part). I love when my husband makes good food and we get to sit around and scream at our T.V. My poor husband, God love him, definitely drew the short in of the stick when he married me. That poor man cooks and cooks and cooks some more. Not only does he cook full time for his job but he got a second part time job as a private chef for a wonderful couple in Zionsville area. The husband was on dialyses because he was in kidney failure but because of an angel was able to receive a kidney this past Friday. He is now on the fast track to healing and is so happy to have mashed potatoes. Isn’t that funny? This man just went through hours of surgery to get a new kidney and he was super satisfied just having mashed potatoes. Makes you think about what is really important in life. NOW on top of all that cooking my husband makes a meal once a week for 25 hungry 8^th grade football players. I signed up for the job thinking I could be able to handle it when in fact I couldn’t and it got placed on my husband’s lap. Luckily for me, he has been a true sport about it all. Now for the real kicker…..he even cooks us dinner (including my mother) almost every night of the week. I definitely feel like I am the winner between the two of us.

Another one of my favorite things about Fall is bonfires. I love sitting in my back yard with a pair of sweats, a hoodie, and a glass of wine. It is serene listening to the wood crackle under the heat of the flames, the music lightly playing in the background, the fact that it gets darker sooner so I have to fight less with my kids about going to bed. Fall is calm to me.

Now with Fall fast approaching it is time to do some Fall cleaning. Time to get the jeans, sweatshirts, and warm blankets out and get them washed. It is time to open those windows that have been shut all summer long so you can let the cool Fall air in and rejuvenate you. It is time to wash walls, windows, clean carpets, and get ready to bunker down for the winter. Enjoy your last few weeks of being outside without seeing your breath.

Here are somethings to look forward to:

~Tonight starts off FOOTBALL SEASON

~3 days until the Colts start their season

~11 days until Fall actually starts

~50 days until Halloween

~51 days until Day Light Saving Time Ends

~76 days until Thanksgiving (My favorite Holiday)

~102 days until Winter

~105 days until Christmas

~112 days until the New Year

Until Next Time………….

Sooner or later it we all knew it would come. Those big Yellow School buses would begin to flood our streets, children standing on the corner waiting for it to come and pick them up, and parents rejoicing that they finally it to go back to a little bit of a normal routine. The last two weeks have been extremely busy with getting my kids registered for school, getting their school supplies, new clothes, doctor appointments, football practice for the boy and soccer practice for the girl. Tomorrow is the day. The BIG DAY. It is my daughter's first year in Middle School and it is my son's last year. Bittersweet in some ways

.

Luckily for me, both my kids are very athletic, outgoing, and outstanding kids. They should be able to make friends fast.

Some say summer came and went too fast but not me. We took our vacation and the beginning of Summer and ever since I have been waiting for the kids to go back to school. Ali, my daughter, loves school. She is ready to go back as well. My son, Julian, not so much. He likes to hang with his friends and play sports but homework and teachers are not his thing. Luckily, the two go hand in hand. If he wants to play sports he has to get good grades.

Now, we have had an interesting summer this year. We took the kids to California and they rode on a plane for the first time. The kids got to go to the Monon Center and go swimming. They played baseball and soccer. Ali went to Kings Island a couple of times. The coolest thing was when my dad took Ali to the Indianapolis Colt practice on Tuesday of last week. They got really close. So close that Ali's phone with flying out of her hands and landing on Pat McAfee. He picks up the phone and starts taking selfies with her. She was on cloud 9. She would stop talking about it for days.

Afterwards he signed her hat. He is such a great trooper. He made Ali's day. She got a autograph from Matt Overton and Jack Dole.

A few years ago, right before school started I wrote and open letter and put it on Facebook. No matter how excited I am to put my kids on the bus that first day of school it is always scary. You don't know what will happen to them after those doors close. I wanted to share it with you:

There is nothing better than Family, Friends, Fun and of course FOOD! The best part of summers are spending it with the ones you love, doing awesome things, and eating great food. Every 4th of July we do just that. Our friend Stephanie and her husband Craig host an awesome 4th of July party. We all pitch in and bring food, the kids swim and we all sit around by the pool drink and get splashed by the kids. We always bring my husband's homemade guacamole and salsa. Everyone loves it. They are just so yummy.

Family: I love getting dressed up in our red white and blue as we show support for this great country. My nephews and children are just as much into the Holiday as we are. They always look so cute. Ali and JJ are two peas in a pod. They are the best of friends and love doing everything together. Julian and Jacob, well, they are more of the crazy bunch. They make you want to pull out your hair but when they are good they are soooooo good.

Friends and Fun: I love hanging out with Friends. They always make things more fun. Whether it is hanging by the pool, drinking at a bar, or standing across the street from each other talking on the phone because it is way easier than actually crossing the street and talking to them face to face.

Food: You can never have enough food and with the group of friends that I have you will never starve. They are all awesome cooks. We grill out, have all sorts of dips, a variety of fruits, cheese, and veggie trays, a wonderful amount of sweet sweet desserts. I made a red and blue velvet cake with cream cheese frosting!! There wasn't a piece left.

Last but definitely not least FIREWORKS: I love watching the fireworks soar into the sky and then explode into something so beautiful and magical. Sometimes they make me jump and other times I am just so enchanted with them it doesn't phase me. You can be like my nephew and be so extremely tired from the day filled of food and fun that you bundle yourself up and fall asleep before the fireworks even start and continue to sleep right through them. Sweet little boy.

Until Next Time...........