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"THE AUSTIN RENTAL HOUSE SPECIALIST!"

Grant S. Pollet, Broker
"The Austin Rental House Specialist"
THE POLLET GROUP
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Austin TX 78745
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7/22/09  What is a "Passive Aggressive Personality"? How does it relate to the rental market?

Perhaps at one time or another you have heard the term "passive aggressive" used to describe an individual.  What exactly is a passive aggressive personality?  Is this just psychology mumbo jumbo that has no real application to the real world?  Or is there a certain personality trait that millions of people share?

Passive aggressive refers to an individual who has an inward aggression.  They are not the type to necessarily confront you directly in a fist fight. Rather, they are individuals that are known for "always making snide or sarcastic comments."  The goal is to shake your sense of security and mainly to intimidate you. It's classic intimidation techniques, but it's highly manipulative.  For example, I showed a client an apartment, and I failed to fulfill one detail and the "passive aggressive" leasing agent told me in front of my clients that I was "fired".  After I thought about it, I should have informed him "that I didn't work for him. Therefore, I cannot be fired." 

Everything about them is a power struggle.  They quickly advance with harsh words and then smile as if it is a joke.  When you become offended by the passive aggressive person, you are known for being "too sensitive". Well, here is a newsflash to all the passive aggressive individuals in the world.  No one is "too sensitive" when they become offended by a rude and offensive individual.  Passive aggressive people love to maintain 2 opposite positions. They can be as rude and obnoxious as a sick skunk but can always retreat to the fact that they were "just joking".  You must always pay attention to what the passive aggressive person does--not says. If he is rude, then he is rude. It doesn't matter how much talking he does to explain away a situation. (For the best examples of passive aggressive individuals, observe carefully politicians. They are the best at smiling, launching a ruthless verbal attack, and then smiling again)

How does this relate to the rental world?  Avoid passive aggressive agents, landlords, management companies, etc like the plague.  Life is simply too short to constantly having to battle in mind games.  These sort of people have a VERY poor self-esteem and have constant internal struggles. They have too many internal issues going on.  Another example that I heard about was a tenant refusing to sign a lease agreement because they said that they are "not applying to live in the White House".  Comments such as these are designed to belittle the leasing agent.  They should serve as a red flag.  Normally, if a person would physically attack you, you would fight to defend yourself as much as possible. In the same way, the passive aggressive person is literally attacking you, except that it is with his or her mind.  Passive aggressive people live in a world entirely of lies, manipulation, and deception.  A passive aggressive will NEVER back down when directly confronted.  If you wish to directly confront the passive aggressive person, have your say and end it.  They hate it when you end it because it is a lack of control.  If you truly corner the passive aggressive individual in an embarrassing situation, they will pretend to see the error of their ways and will sincerely thank you.  Finally, never divulge personal information to this sort of person. NEVER!  Anything that you say can and will be used against you.  They may pretend to "accidentally" reveal information and then profoundly apologize for their grave error.  Also, never apologize even if you get overly angry with the passive aggressive individual.  If you found that you got severely angry and don't normally, it is because they pressed all of your button and manipulated you.  Apologizing to this individual simply encourages the behavior.  They will ALWAYS be willing to accept your apology because it makes them look so honorable.  They will also mainly emphasize that they *ACCEPT* your apology.  You should thank the heavens for their acceptance...gosh...what would happen if they did not accept? Again, it is about power and control. 

I hope this helps!

5/11/09 The State of the Rental Market in Austin

It appears that the rental market is beginning to pick up steam just as the summer is approaching.  I've already seen an incredible acceleration of previously available properties being leased. So what can you do when searching for a property?  Complete your rental application BEFORE searching for properties and leave the "address" portion blank.  Also, secure the funds for your security deposit so that there will be no unnecessary delays.  Finally, use an agent that is professional and is familiar with the leasing of houses.  With such a surge in demand, the favor is leaning toward property owners.  Tenants are having less flexibility in demanding their own terms or price.  Currently, it is difficult for tenants to negotiate price unless they possess sterling credit and other strong credentials.  If you do not have great credit, be very thorough in your documentation.  Fill out ALL details on the application. Thoroughly document income through several paystubs and with perhaps bank statements.  Supply a letter of explanation for credit issues, and be honest! Hope your rental experience is a pleasant one!

2/13/09  Leasing a property with a so-called "aggressive" breed of a dog

Today I spoke with a very nice lady who has a Rottweiler and appears to have a little difficulty in finding the right property. Her dog is considered an "aggressive breed". Whoever came up with this "aggressive" breed category anyway? Dogs of all breeds are aggressive! It's just that we don't think of killer poodles or fatal Chihuahua killing sprees.  So what can you do if you have one of this increasingly "illegal" breeds?

First, remember that's it not impossible to rent a property with an aggressive breed, but as many things, it helps to be educated.

Here is a list of things that can mitigate the shock for potential landlords.  By showing that you will be a quality tenant, it can help to instill trust and confidence that you will take care of the property and your pet.  

Advertisements that accept ALL breeds
Some landlords post ads that they accept ALL breeds. There is a growing niche for housing that accept all breeds and many landlords are catering to this need. This is a good place to start.

Credit Score
Pay close attention to your credit score.  True, the economy is tough right now, but don't be late on those payments just because you forgot. Get a free credit report and you have the right to dispute negative items on your credit! You can file a new dispute every 3 months. Plan to do this in advance (3 to 6 months) since it can take some time. A landlord may consider your credit report and/or score in his decision.

Employment
Landlords are interested in your ability to afford the property. Try to get a property that is well within your budget. The key is to make as many of the other factors as positive as possible.

Security Deposit/Pet Deposit
Be prepared to pay a pet deposit between $200 to $500 per pet.  Individual amounts can vary, but this is the typical range in the market.  Be prepared to set aside a pet deposit. If you wish to negotiate a lower pet deposit, you absolutely have that right. But it will be an uphill battle.

Motivated Landlords
You may want to seek out properties that have had extended vacancies.  The landlords may be more motivated to lease the property and less restrictive in their criteria.

Pictures
Take pictures of your lovable pet! Supply veterinarian records as a good faith effort.

Flooring
Look for properties with mainly hard tile.  The BIGGEST damage caused by dogs, and pets in generals, are the floors such as carpet stains and scratches on hardwood floors. Again, there is no hard fast rule, but there is much less apprehension if the floors are more durable.

Liability
We willing to possibly consider liability insurance for an aggressive breed and sign liability waivers.  The idea is to be creative and create solutions.

Realtors/By Owner Rentals
Using a professional leasing agent can help put your best foot forward. Prepare your lease application by placing it in a neatly, organized folder. Use clean, legible handwriting on your application and do not skip over any parts.  Some landlords do not use the services of a property management company and may have a different set of requirements.  By owner rentals may not require a credit check (if you have credit problem) or other requirements.

Conclusion: None of these are guarantees, and you may in fact find a landlord that simply desires a good tenant.  The truth is that it is more difficult with a so-called "aggressive" breeds but knowing many of these common factors can equip you with the information to be armed and prepared! I hope this helps! Again, these are general tips and may not apply in every situation. Oh yeah, this isn't legal advice either. I'm not an attorney. In other words, I don't have license to practice intimidation on innocent civilians. :>)

10/25/08 Why I enjoy specializing in Austin Rental Houses

Yesterday, I successfully signed another lease for my client, and it feels really good. Is it because I get paid a commission? Of course, that has a little to do with it, but there is more. I took plenty of time going over the lease agreement with the tenants and was extremely thorough. They felt like they were treated not only with dignity and respect but in genuine fairness.  I know that I put my heart and soul into marketing the property for my client, and it paid off.  I think often about so many property management companies that are NOT doing right by their clients. Recently, a showed someone a rental house, and dead cockroaches were everywhere! The house was extremely dirty. How on earth would they ever expect to rent out such a place? Then I think of the unfortunate property owner that may think he is receiving professional service but it is a mere illusion. If I were the Realtor for the property, I would bring a broom, mop, and vacuum and spend 30 minutes cleaning up the property. Rental houses are the product, and no decent self-respecting business professional should accept such a low standards in his product.
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10/24/08 How is the Luxury Rental House Market in Austin doing?

     I sometimes see advertisements for houses over $5,000...it makes me wonder who is actually paying these prices? Obviously, the term "luxury rental house" is somewhat subjective, but for the sake of clarity, this is how I am defining the term in the context of this article.
     I would imagine potential tenants may include someone who has a high income but recently lost a home to a short sale or foreclosure.  They may not qualify to purchase a home due to credit issues, but their income allows them to lease properties in this price range.
     So I was curious to see how the Rental House market was doing in Austin for Luxury Homes. Currently, on the MLS, there are 44 houses that list for $5,000/month or more.  No homes in this price range are currently pending a lease. In the last 6 months (since April 1, 2008), only 12 homes have leased. That is approximately a rate of 2 rental houses per month. At the current rate, that is over 22 months of inventory! At this rate, it will take nearly 2 years for these houses to lease.  This is being reflected in much of the Days on Market data that shows many of these houses have been trying to lease for 6 months. Of these 44 houses, 19 indicate that they are currently occupied by either a tenant or landlord.
     The higher end market for sales is not performing quite so well because of continuing issues in the mortgage industry.  As a result, many owners may be willing to rent their properties in order to find something more affordable for themselves or they may simply need to relocate and need a means to cover the monthly mortgage.  In summary, the high inventory of houses for lease do not necessarily indicate distressed properties but may be a symptom of pressures on the housing market.
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Comment from Seth with Realty World:
We are seeing the same thing in other parts of the country.  As the market for sales declines, the leasing market is picking up. People have to have somewhere to live! But I hear a lot of great things about Austin, and I saw the recent reports on MSN that ranks Austin in the top 10. I'll have to go check it out over there in the near future. 
Peace,
Seth

10/23/08  Interesting Statistics about South Austin Rental Houses

I thought that you may be interested to know how Rental Houses are doing in South Austin. So I compiled some statistics from the Austin MLS and considered areas SWW, SWE, 10N, and 10S. This is what I will be referring to as "South Austin." (I only included houses and excluded duplexes, condos, etc.)

For South Austin, from July 22, 2008 to October 22, 2008, a total of 263 houses were leased. This is an average of about 88 houses per month that are leasing. We can refer to this as the absorption rate. Current inventory on the MLS shows that South Austin has 151 houses available for lease on the market.  So if we take the absorption rate of 88 houses per month and apply that to the 151 houses available for lease, there is currently 1.7 months of inventory. This means that these Rental Houses on average will take about 51 days to rent house.

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"Grant is quick, efficient, and delivers on his promise.  He gave me an accurate estimate of what I would get for rent, and in less than a month got both sides of my duplex rented.  He did all the background checks on the renters and found me good tenants that pay on time." 
Ronak, Austin TX

"You have proven invaluable to me in my efforts to rent my Leander property. I was first impressed with your professionalism and later impressed by your attention to detail and strong sense of  integrity. When I wanted to act quickly and rent to some tenants who later proved to have criminal intent, you went above and beyond the call of duty in saving me thousands of dollars in unpaid rent and untold damage to my property. You researched the market and helped me obtain the best rental rate in today's marketplace. You worked tirelessly searching for proper tenants who have worked out well.  I would have no qualms recommending you to my friends and actually have given your name to several people already."
Bob, California

"Grant is very personable, professional and thorough.  I hired Grant to help located a suitable tenant for my investment property. He worked hard to ensure we located just the right tenant.  While doing so, he was professional and considerate, keeping the interests of all parties in mind.  Grant was also quick to offer creative suggestions on how to structure the lease agreement and improve the profitability of my investment.  It has been a pleasure working with someone of his stature and would recommend him without hesitation whatsoever.”  
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Strishak Realty Partners
San Francisco, CA

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