Owners: Let’s talk about utilities, amenities, and incentives

Pacific Crest Real Estate • Apr 29, 2015

 

power billUtilities: What’s included?

One of the first questions prospective residents ask is, “What utilities are included?” In our experience, the average resident expects owners and tenants to share utility expenses, and some expect all of them to be covered. If you’re wondering what the right answer is, it’s whatever is best-suited for your property … and there are many things to consider. For example, if you provide a utility you may need to install meters and establish a billing system – both of which are things we can assist you with.

What’s in it for you?

Protection against the few tenants who fail to pay their bills, more control over your building’s expenses, and the ability to track utility usage rates by unit. 

Green incentives

Residents like green incentives. Offer rewards to residents who are energy efficient, who consume less water, or who recycle more than other tenants on your property. If you’re providing utilities and are able to monitor usage, then it should be easy to spot which units are energy or water hogs and which aren’t. Perhaps your recycling contest pits one building’s tenants against another’s, with a party honoring the group of residents who recycle the most. Invite all of your tenants to the celebration, then begin planning your next contest to keep the momentum going.

What’s in it for you?

Community engagement, an opportunity to demonstrate that you care about your tenants and the planet, and a chance to reward tenants who conserve energy, reduce water consumption, or divert trash from landfills. And perhaps you’ll save a few bucks on the month’s utility bills, too.

How do your property’s amenities rate?

Apartment shoppers care about amenities, and you can bet they’re comparing yours to the Joneses. Make sure you’re offering something more than your competition, and don’t let your property’s limitations stop you. Remember: you can always include utilities — like the water bill or the power bill or both — as amenities.

What’s in it for you?

A building full of happy tenants and more control over your property’s utilities.

 

Contact us today. We’ll help you decide what utilities you can offer your residents, build a utility billing system that’s tailored to your property, and we can discuss how to encourage your tenants to be more energy- and water efficient and to recycle more.

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things to do

A favorite Seattle Blog – A Million Cool Things to do in Seattle

By Pacific Crest Real Estate • 16 Mar, 2016
There are a Million Cool Things to do in Seattle! We love Seattle, we really do, but we’re not the only ones. The blog “A Million Cool Things to do in Seattle” is one of our favorite when scoping out fun activities for the weekend whether for families, couples, or out-of-town guests. It’s sponsored by Findwell, a fellow real estate company based right here in the Emerald City. In addition to sharing information about upcoming events, the blog also includes a Seattle guide and neighborhood guides and a frequently updated events page. And you can search for things to do in Seattle by category — the site lists everything from scenic viewpoints to sporting events and hiking opportunities. Stay in touch with what’s happening by signing up for the “A Million Cool Things to do in Seattle” email newsletter and by following the blog’s social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. On a Similar Mission As you can tell, we’re big fans of the “A Million Cool Things to do in Seattle” blog. That’s in large part because we feel they’re on the same mission as us, so we feel good about encouraging you to tune into what they’re up to because, like us, they are aiming to build strong and vibrant communities … like yours! Share your ideas! If you’ve got some more ideas about cool things to see or do in Seattle, we’d love to hear from you. You can reach us via social media, too. Connect with us on Facebook, Google Plus, Twitter, and Instagram. We’ll be on the look out for your suggestions and will happily re-share your suggestions with our followers. In the meantime, have fun in this beautiful city we call home! Seattle rocks … but you already knew that.
success

How to Succeed as a Property Manager

By Pacific Crest Real Estate • 17 Feb, 2016
Whether you’re changing careers and are new to property management or you’re looking to sharpen your skills, we thought you might appreciate a few tips and resources to help you succeed as a property manager.
thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

By Pacific Crest Real Estate • 18 Nov, 2015
Wishing you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving Wow, what a year! And what a great time to pause and reflect on all that we’re thankful for, a list that begins with you. Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Pacific Crest Real Estate. We hope you have nothing but luck and safety during your holiday travels, that your cornucopia is indeed full, that you have a time and place to relax and enjoy the holiday, and that you, too, have a lot of things and people to be thankful for this year. We Can’t Do it Without You We don’t need a special time of year to be thankful for all of the hard work our office staff and asset managers put in every day, for the dedication and consistent efforts exhibited our property and resident managers, for the stellar collaborations between our investors and developers, and the loyalty our residents offer, many of whom have called our properties home for years. We know it’s all of you who truly make us a successful company, able to live our mission: We have a dual mission at Pacific Crest Real Estate. We endeavor to provide valuable, expert guidance for property owners to help them reach their goals. We also aim to build strong and vibrant communities by providing quality living space for residents and supporting the community they live in. Thank you today, and every day, for being part of our team. Holiday Hours Our offices will be closed on Thursday, November 26, and Friday, November 27, so our staff can spend the holidays with their families. Office hours at our 80+ properties in the Puget Sound area may vary, so check with your property manager. You can still access our online services to view your account via our Tenant Portal, pay your rent, or submit a maintenance request. And, you can always send us a non-urgent message via email.
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