Beware Toledo's slumlords! They're out there.

Every city of a certain size has them: Slumlords. Toledo's no exception.

WTOL-11 earlier this month recounted the story of one East Toledo man who encountered a slumlord when he rented an apartment on Greenwood in a story here. The piece also advised apartment hunters on how to inspect an apartment before you sign a lease and move in.

It's a short read, so give it a click.



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Denied an apartment due to poor credit?

If you've recently applied to rent an apartment but were turned down due to blemishes on your credit report, here are some tips on what you should fix first: Denied an Apartment Due to Poor Credit? Best Credit Fixes for Renters.

Some fixes can get you back on track so you'll qualify for an apartment in as little as 30 to 60 days. Priority No. 1? Check your credit report for errors. Some creditors are lightning-quick to report late payments or unpaid bills to the credit reporting agencies but notoriously slow -- or even negligent -- about reporting that the debts finally did, in fact, get paid. Get those old, erroneous debts off your credit report and you'll have much better success getting approved for an apartment.

For more tips and info, read the article here.




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This one's for harassed on-site apartment managers!

Sure, you're SUPPOSED to be off-duty but that never seems to stop tenants from knocking on your door, does it?

I battled for my off-duty time a lot when I worked as an on-site apartment manager. An emergency? OK, no problem. That's why I was there. That was part of my job.

But a drippy bathroom faucet is not an emergency. Call me about it tomorrow during office hours.

You suspect your neighbor is violating her lease because her boyfriend has moved in and now your favorite parking spot is always taken? Not an emergency. Stop by tomorrow during office hours.

You are bothered by the cigarette butts and beer cans in the courtyard? So am I. But I'm not dealing with it at 9 p.m. because I already worked a 10-hour day today and I will deal with it tomorrow.

If you're an on-site, live-in apartment manager who is often bothered by tenants during your scheduled off hours, you might find my advice helpful. Read it here: Apartment Managers - Live On Site? You Can Still Go Off Duty. It's all about the strategies I successfully used to train my tenants to respect my free time. A worthwhile read!




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Spring Apartment Hunting Advice

Spring has sprung! And although my sinuses protest (yours, too?), spring is a time of action for many of us, including those who are in search of a new apartment.

Many apartment leases end in spring and early summer, so right now is when a lot of tenants are choosing whether to renew their leases or find new digs. If you choose the latter, you may want to read Spring Apartment Hunting Reveals an Apartment's Secrets: Beware the Subtle Signs of a Bad Apartment, published just this week.

You'll discover how to assess an apartment's landscaping, how to look at the gutters for signs of poor building maintenance and how to survey the common areas for signs of inconsiderate neighbors. Don't view any apartments this spring until you've read this article and learned how to sleuth out the secrets of your prospective new place.




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