Asking for a helping hand from an expert does not make you weak. It was Socrates that said, “The more I learn, the more I learn how little I know”. This is never more evident than in the world of property management. It is in one’s nature to want to be a property owner. For some it is their home whether an apartment or in the suburbs. While for others it is to be part of something larger. A community or an association. After you have become a property owner you now must protect your valuable asset.

A property manager’s responsibilities include financial (treasury and account management), compliance (due diligence), maintenance (experienced operation staff), Resident relations (personality management), Emergency preparedness (24 hour on call), contract negotiator (language protection), and so much more. When reviewing financials a property manager should be aware not only of the budget in comparison to actual expenses, but also the experience of similar properties. The Institute for Real Estate Management publishes an annual income and expense analysis. The Institute compiles information submitted by property management companies from around the nation. These reports will tell a property manager; are we spending more than other buildings on wages, custodial expenses, repairs, insurance, supplies, utilities and other budgeted expenses.

The ever changing building codes require property managers to continually be up to date on compliance. An example of a new compliance can be found in the New York City building code that now requires building owners to adopt a building smoking disclosure as of August 2018. All residents must be made aware of the building smoking policy as of this date. This must also become part of the property’s applications for potential purchasers or renters. Those not in compliance will be subject to a fine.
Protecting your asset is a priority. Finding a property manager that has the knowledge is a must.

Whether it’s maintaining the value of your property, or the return of your security deposit-damage on your floor and counter tops can be irreparable.

The most effective way to clean hardwood floors is to remove all dust particles with a soft broom or dust mop.   Next you should us either a hardwood floor cleaner or a neutral cleanser.  Apply the cleaner with a damp mop.  If there are worn patches on the floor, using water can penetrate and cause warping.

Most counter tops can get by with simple basic care.  Some require specific care and maintenance.  Here are some helpful tips to follow.  1.  Basic wipe downs with soft cloth.  2.  Wipe up spills as soon as they happen to protect the counter. 3.  Watch out for heat.  Use pot holders to avoid damaging counters.

In this article, I wanted to provide readers with a brief summary pertaining to Employee Drug Testing Laws in New Jersey.  For starters, New Jersey has no general or comprehensive law concerning drug testing of employees.  The state generally follows the federal guidelines on when drug tests can be conducted, although a New Jersey court ruling emphasized that drug testing in the workplace can only be conducted when there is reasonable suspicion of an individual (1988).

In speaking from experience, unfortunately we’ve dealt with drug testing first hand. A drug test was required for an in-house staff member with no prior history who showed signs of impaired work performance. This was not only a safety issue but a liability concern. Falling asleep on the job and walking unsteadily raised suspicions. Normally we wouldn’t have performed a drug test on an employee, but in the safety of the residents it was our concern to move forward. It was time for this person to be drug tested. The employee was required to go to a drug testing facility and within two weeks unfortunately, our suspicions were confirmed.

As office manger it’s my responsibility to make sure all in-house staffing follows company policy and safety procedures. It’s this type of policy for almost ten years, that has left us incident free with resident safety- our number one concern.