There has been much written on BiggerPockets recently about property management – Do you use a professional property manager? Should you use a professional property manager? What do they do? Are they worth it? I’d like to discuss who we are as property managers, what property managers should offer, and why I think property management services can be of huge benefit to real…
Conducting an Energy Audit On Your Investment Property
28 NovVery often, people purchase vacation rental properties because they want to have a vacation home for their family to enjoy. And, by turning the property into a rental investment, they can cover the costs of maintaining the house throughout the year. In many cases, if the property is in regular use, it means the owner can enjoy the property at…
Designing Your Airbnb for Repeat Guests
11 NovEveryone knows that you can use Airbnb to rent out your vacation property. That you can earn money from your primary residence while you’re out of town. Or even that you could make a side income by letting out an extra room in your home to budget-conscious travellers. The system has become so ubiquitous that many people talk about booking…
Whistler’s Best 20 Fall Activities
31 OctLong gone are the days when Whistler was just a winter destination. Every year the other three seasons, once referred to as the “off-season,” have been attracting more and more tourists to the area. And, while we can’t say for sure which came first the activities or the tourists, we can say for sure that Autumn in Whistler has a…
The Biggest Problems With Renting Your Property on AirBnB and How to Solve Them
21 OctWhen you think of how Airbnb has turned an entire industry on its head, it’s pretty amazing. Just 11 years ago, it was two roommates in San Francisco looking to help pay their rent by offering short-term rentals of their air mattress. The company that was initially called Airbedandbreakfast.com, today has more than 4 million active listings in almost 200…
How to Get Started as a Real Estate Investor in Vancouver & Whistler
02 OctSometimes it seems like the Vancouver and Whistler real estate markets are so far-saturated that they won’t make suitable investments. For anyone just now considering their first rental property(s), there is a real fear that the moment may have passed. Even buyers looking to invest in vacation properties have had concerns that it’s not the opportunity it once was. However,…
The Best Smart Home Devices to Install in Your Investment Property
17 SepThey’ve long been telling us that one-day smart devices would solve all of our problems. Articles going back 15 years were talking about refrigerators that would give you health tips and reorder your favourite foods before you ever run out. The future was going to be a technological marvel. Well, the future is now. While 5G and the “Internet of…
2020 Residential Rent Increase Allowance Rate
12 SepIf you operate a rental property in British Columbia, you will want to be regularly following the Provincial Government’s annual rental increase allowance rate. For 2020, the rental increase allowance is 2.6%. As a landlord, rental increases are what allows you to make proper capital expenditures to maintain your property in a state of good repair. A failure to keep…
The State of the Short-Term / Vacation Rental Market in Whistler, BC
04 SepIn April of 2018, investors were caught a little by surprise when Whistler overtook Vancouver as Canada’s hottest housing market. A detached house in Whistler was going for about 4% more than a home in Vancouver. And, it’s safe to say that the trend has continued through 2019. Of course, numbers like this make investors stand up and take…
The Top 30 Summer Whistler Activities
01 AugIt used to be that people came to Whistler for the snow. The 5,000 plus vertical feet provided one of the best downhill winter adventures anywhere in the world. When Vancouver hosted the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, it was Whistler that hosted most of the downhill events and for perfectly good reasons. Winter sports are fantastic at Whistler. However, in…
Maximizing Your Short Term Rental Profits in Whistler, BC
17 JulA short-term rental has always been a great way to earn some extra dollars on your vacation property when it’s not in use by your family. However, in the past, it’s been time-consuming to manage and something that most property owners did very occasionally. With the rise of sites like Airbnb and HomeAway, many people who had been merely dabbling…
HOW TO AVOID DISPUTES WITH TENANTS
01 MayBeing a landlord is not a very easy job. This can be proven by a lot of landlords who manage a lot of properties. You might see on televisions and magazines that being a landlord is an easy life but this is not always the case. You have to dedicate every hour of the day to your tenants’ needs. It…
5 TIPS TO SUCCEED AS A NEW LANDLORD
17 AprHaving your own property for rent can bring you an indefinite stream of income that many people want. However, if you are new to the game, it takes some time, patience, and capital in order to succeed. If you are not a well-organized landlord, you might not be able to find trustworthy tenants that will take care of your property…
How to Pack Lighter And Smarter
12 AprIn this modern era of constant security checks when flying anywhere, although it may not be true that there are only two types of baggage, carry-on and lost, it certainly is true that more baggage you do travel with, the more troublesome your baggage becomes. It is certainly possible your baggage could be lost. Therefore it is always advisable to…
How to Find a Right Vacation Rental Property Manager
05 AprOwning more than one property can be a struggle for most people. It should be a joy, getting financial freedom or having a place that you can enjoy on your own vacations. There will likely come a time where you realize that a property manager can be exactly what you need. However, you need to be sure that you pick…
5 Reasons Why You Should Not Manage a Lot of Properties on Your Own
03 AprBeing a landlord can be a dream come true for many people. However, many landlords will tell you that their lives are not always full of roses. Sometimes, there are thorns that they have to deal with and they found out that the property that they have is not so profitable as what they have originally thought. Some of the…
How To Get More Rental Booking During Off Season
29 MarAre you always busy during peak season? Getting lots of calls, reservations, and requests but find yourself worried when offseason arrives? This is a common problem that some owners like you have with certain properties in tourist areas like Whistler. You may be making a significant amount of money for the rest of the year, but then lose out when…
HOW TO PROFIT FROM YOUR VACATION RENTAL
22 MarHaving a vacation home is not only a way for you to enjoy your favorite vacation spot on your own terms, but it is also an opportunity for you to make money when you’re not using the property. You will get an excellent return on your property, especially if you have chosen a popular vacation location. These are some expert…
THE MISTAKE SMART LANDLORD NEVER MAKES
13 MarMany landlords myself included, make one mistake that is not an uncommon one, but you might do not think about it as much as other mistakes. The mistake I’m talking about isn’t property inspections, the property insurance, or even screening new tenants, it’s trying to self-manage your properties by yourself. Here is why this can be a very bad problem. Managing…
HOW TO MEASURE ROI ON YOUR VACATION RENTAL
08 MarWhile managing properties can be a lot of fun, you should remember that you are running a business. One of the most important factors for any business owner is Return on Investment (ROI). This allows you to see what aspects of the business are performing well and which need to be improved. This article will give you some ways of…