We are very excited about pairing up with AppFolio for our property rental software.
They have helped us create a beautiful webpage. Take a look


http://www.mgt.properties/

New online rental application!

MHM

Mountain Home Management LLC

Property Managers

Hey, check out our new online rental application. Why not use technology to assist both applicant and landlord? That's what we asked ourselves and the answer was, "Yes"! Here's how it works:

1. You find out about a property you like that is for rent that is managed by Mt. Home Managment (which is good because we care about our tenants and want them to love where they live). You take a look at it, continue to step 2.

2. Follow the link on Craigslist or the one a nice person at Mt. Home Management shares with you.

 3. You fill out the online application.

4. Your application automatically gets sent to us: Mt. Home  Mgt. plus you get a copy if you want. In the future you can use this application information. It's a convenient.

click here to see our online rental application

Some Rental Opportunities Right Now

RENTED! We have a few of rental opportunities rent right now. This is a unique country style home on a 1/2 acre, yet it's in a neighborhood and close to schools and town. If you like some "space" but still want to be "close" and convenient, consider this home.








RENTED! http://corvallis.craigslist.org/apa/3988769179.html. This house has rooms for rent in Coos Bay Oregon. A single room is $375 a month which is nice because you don't have to pay utilities, it's all included. It's furnished, has a washer and dryer and is located right off of HWY 101 in Coos Bay. The ideal tenant who likes a clean bedroom but also is able to share a bathroom, kitchen and living-room with other tenants. http://oregoncoast.craigslist.org/roo/3988927093.html

Clay, Terracotta Pipes. Map all Utilities!

Clay pipes have been used for 1,000's of years! Pipes were not only made of terracotta, lead, stone, and clay, but also of wood.

Many people still use them today.

The clay pipes that were used on our property were not that old, but they were broken and needed to be dug out and replaced. It's easy to break a pipe that you don't know is there, especially when using heavy equipment.

A few years ago, when a hole and drainage field were being dug for a new septic system, unknown to the operator of the equipment, there were clay drainage pipes underground. These pipes got broken, but that fact wasn't reveled until a very heavy rain occurred.

It's so important to map out and record every pipe on a property, along with other utilities such as electric and gas.

It may seem like busy work, but it's valuable work and worth doing! Someone, someday, will thank you!

Here's a video of the broken clay pipe being removed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bX3iJyFlPk&feature=g-upl

Real Estate Information: Landlord & Tenants Beware; Pre-Judgement Interest,...

Real Estate Information: Landlord & Tenants Beware; Pre-Judgement Interest,...: John says to tenants, "You're better off paying what you owe". He says to landlords, "It's usually worth filing a claim in court to get wha...

Landlord & Tenants Beware; Pre-Judgement Interest, Post Judgment Interest, Court Costs and Other Fees Can Add Up to A Lot of Money $$$!

John says to tenants,

"You're better off paying what you owe".

He says to landlords, "It's usually worth filing a claim in court to get what is owed you."

Little is known by many about the pre-judgement interest and post judgement interest. This is money in the form of interest that is added to a claim, it adds up during the time it takes to process the claim. Post-judgement interest is what adds up after the claim has been awarded but hasn't been paid off. It's important that rental applications and contracts spell these fees out clearly. In the unfortunate event that a landlord has to take a tenant to court, these fees can make a big difference.

This is what the form looks like that a person uses that is owed money in Linn County in the State of Oregon.

A person can go on line to

www.courts.oregon.gov\linn

to get copies of forms for court for Linn County, Oregon.

Most tenants want to be good tenants and most landlords want to be good landlords. Sometimes financial matters can't be resolved and the court has to help with resolution.

When this happens, it's always best for both parties to be prepared ahead of time with a detailed, signed rental application and rental agreement.

Real Estate Information: Does Someone Owe You Money? Landlords and others, ...

Real Estate Information: Does Someone Owe You Money? Landlords and others, ...: At a young age, John Holbrook was taught the lumber business by his mother and father, Lucile and Burnell Holbrook, who owned lumber yards i...

Does Someone Owe You Money? Landlords and others, PROMISSORY NOTE, One of your most important tools!

At a young age, John Holbrook was taught the lumber business by his mother and father, Lucile and Burnell Holbrook, who owned lumber yards in Oregon. When a customer wasn't able to pay their bill at the lumber yard, Lucile would prepare a promissory note for the balance due, the terms to pay it (the amount of the weekly or monthly payments plus the date it was due) and have the customer sign it and date it.

This technique translates to landlords and tenants.

A tenant may get a month behind in rent or owe money for something that occurred while they rented. (Maybe a bad check).Most people are willing to sign a promissory note for what they owe, especially if they agree to the terms of payment, which should be discussed with them before they are asked to sign the note. A landlord, or for that matter anyone who may need to collect money, should sit down with the person who owes and discuss what they can realistically pay each month to pay off the debt.

Even if it's only $10 a month.

That would be written into the note. If the person with the debt does not make a payment as they agreed, the landlord goes to the court house and files a claim against them. This is done because by this point, it becomes clear that the person with the debt is not planning to pay.

With the signed promissory note in hand, the landlord shows up for court.

It becomes clear very quickly to a judge that the signed note is good and the tenant definitely agreed that they owe the money, so if they argue they don't; the note pretty much proves they do. Wages can be garnished and eventually the landlord will usually get the debt paid.

Hopefully, you never get to the point where someone owes you money, but if you do, keep the promissory note in mind.

What Does Clean Mean?

John walked through a unit that the tenant moved out and "cleaned". Walking through he noticed the refrigerator, stove, carpet, walls and yard were dirty. Has the definition for clean changed in the last few years?

Attended Robert Allen Seminar ... Amazing!

Amazing! That is how John and Laura Holbrook would describe the four days spent at the Robert Allen Multiple Steams of Millions. Not only was it great networking with people who are excited about writing books, creating seminars and other forms of income, but learning at the feet of one of the greatest wealth builders was an honor. Both John and Laura came home with new visions of their next projects, including writing a book and preparing to share it with others.

FOR RENT 1230 47th St. Sweet Home Oregon

This our current Craigslist ad: $750 / 3br - 1000ft² - House For Rent (1230 47th St. Sweet Home Oregon) 3 bedroom, 1 bath, with attached garage on fenced 1/2 acre, country setting in Sweet Home Oregon. Pets upon approval. $750 month, deposit $750 (plus pet deposit). 541-466-5150 or 800-400-3082.

Post Advertisement With or Without a Photo

Without a photo? Post an ad or not, with or without a photo. After searching high and low for a photo of a property that needed to be advertised for rent, realization hit that a photo was not going to be found in the files in the next 10 years of looking. With that conclusion and not having the time to go out and take a new photo of the vacant property, a craigslist ad was creatively written and posted, minus a photo. Experience has taught that a picture is worth a 1,000 words, and this seems to be true. However, in a pinch, post, with out without a pic! Evidence on this example points out that it is better to post without a photo instead of not posting at all. There were three phone calls on the property the evening it was posted. If you have access to a photo, definately use it. If not, post and then go get a photos, because the people answering the ad will likely ask to see photos.

Landlord Nighmares, One of Many

Laura was talking with son Johnny about some of the family rentals and experiences when Johnny said,"That's a good story." This got Laura thinking, maybe some of these stories should be shared, it might educate, entertain and enlighten other landlords, potential landlords or any person that may wonder what it's like to be a landlord. This first story was about a person on the coast of Oregon who our company rented to. This person had two children and a wife, later the number of residents grew without the permission of the landlord. Since the Oregon coast is a very depressed area, our company decided to "work with" the deposit, meaning, allow the tenant time to come up with the deposit after they moved in. Once the tenant was allowed to move, they were instructed to have the utilities changed into their name, which the company found out they never did.

After 5 months of free living

Including no rent payments

No attempt to come up with the deposit

The company had to begin the eviction process. The tenants promptly went to a legal aid attorney and told some story the legal aid attorney believed. Soon, letters from the attorney began arriving at the property management address explaining that this tenant needed time to find a new resident and before long, the management company was forced to allow the tenants to have an additional month free, plus pay all the utilities. Now, in a recession people do have struggles, not just tenant, but landlords. Some how, the legal system in this case only recognized the struggles of the tenant and not the landlord. In the last month of the tenants residency, they decided to sabotage the rental, destroying property, stripping the wire from the house,hauling in junk and breaking auto glass all over the yard. Many big black sacks of garbage filled the house, most of them being opened and scattered on the floors. One of the many unsanitary conditions will be described; over 20 soda bottles of human urine was found in one of the bedroom closets. Human beings can become very vindictive and destructive when they want to. The wiring in the house had been tampered with, so when a worker plugged in a light to work, there was a dangerous explosion. The whole house had to be rewired. Let me remind you that this is a family that the property management company had shown mercy to, great patience and yet was rewarded with $1,000's in repairs and dump fees. Lessons learned? Start naming them.

I'll name one, BEWARE OF PROFESSIONAL BAD RENTERS!

4306 Long Street, Sweet Home Oregon

RENTED Currently we have a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home for rent at 4306 Long Sweet in Sweet Home Oregon. The floor plan lends itself to a family, with nice size bedrooms and closets. The garage is attached to the house, so on those rainy days, one can drive into the garage and enter the house without getting wet! The lawn is a fun place for playing or relaxing.

Trick or Treat, a First Time for Everything

There's a first time for everything. At every stage of our life, we are learning, exploring, growing. Just like our little 18 month old granddaughter who experienced trick or treating for the first time, for her, it was walking up to her neighbor's door and knocking, waiting for her first her chance to say the words, "Trick or Treat" that she had been practicing. She prepared for this big event in her life, with the help of her experienced parents and grandparents. Her costume was on, her new red sparkly shoes fit perfectly, and her hair was braided.

She was a perfect little replica of Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz.

Our older grandchildren were pros at Trick or Treating and went out with confidence, understanding the game. It also took preparation for them, they were dressed in their costumes: Spiderman, Tinkerbell, Mario and a Princess.

1. Preparation proceeds success.

2. Practice makes perfect. (Or at least improvement).

3. Go a head and give it a try!

They experienced success too. Whether it's your first time Trick or Treating, or planning any life event, the same principles apply. John and Laura Holbrook are constantly studying and preparing for the next Real Estate investment they will add to their portfolio and invite you to join them. They have experience and success, and are happy to share that with you, it's as simple as "Trick or Treat"!

You just have to knock or give them a call.

Waiting for You! 2 Bedroom, 1 Bath Duplex For Rent in Junction City Oregon

2 Bedroom, 1 Bath Duplex, Available November 1, 2011. Washer Drier hook-ups. Nice yard, off street parking. Recently painted, carpeted and new kitchen cabinets. $725 Month, with $725 Deposit. Located at 120 W. 2nd Ave. in Junction City, Oregon, near major cities Eugene and Corvallis. Call 541-466-5150 or text 541-990-2635 if interested.

Hawaii Condo! Here we come! Want to come along?

These are some of the condos that John and Laura Holbrook are interested in. They are located in Makaha, Oahu and are one of the best kept secrects because they have their own beach access, they are not crowed and you can buy one for around $80,000. The monthly fees are lower than most on the islands because they are located away from the normal tourist areas, which is another reason John and Laura like them, (no hustle & bustle).

Joseph and Crystal Nielsen owns one of these condos and feels it's a good investment.

Laura, just after an ocean swim, is enjoying some time on the beach with her son Joseph who took 5 year old grandson Rayco snorkeling in the bay right by the condo. Daughter Tamara is playing with 3 year old Anaza in the bay. Having a bay protected from the waves of the ocean is a nice feature.

John and Laura are talking to friends and family members about possibly investing here.

Lazy J Motel, the Diamond in the Rough, Coos Bay Oregon

To begin with, Laura doesn't like the name Lazy J, because there is nothing Lazy about it, but I'll save that for another post.

Be thinking of a better name for it.

The Lazy J is a motel in Coos Bay Oregon. It's a landmark. Until it was gutted by a fire, it was a nice little 12 room motel. John Holbrook and his wife Laura have wanted to make the Lazy J into a thriving motel like it was decades ago. John talked to Coos County this week and found out that something has to be done on the Lazy J to insure the building permits keep current, so John is planning a trip to "do something" on the place. With the economy the way it, some of the plans to renovate the Lazy J have had to change. With the Holbrooks owning the adjoining property on two of the property lines, they feel there is more opportunity to enhance the value by having easier access to the Lazy J, which is right off of the famous Highway 101. It might come as a surprise, but the property has a beautiful view of Coos Bay with it's deep ocean port, ships and tug boats, reaching almost as far as the eye can see, clear across the bay to the North Bend bridge.

As progress is made on the motel, posts will appear. Be sure to comment or make suggestions.

The Lazy J will be a place that many will enjoy, so let us know what your pleasure is.

Conde B. McCullough Memorial Bridge - North Bend, Oregon

Some facts about the North Bend bridge:

Originally named simply the Coos Bay Bridge, this historic engineering landmark was dedicated posthumously in 1947 to its designer, Conde B. McCullough.

This 5,305-foot steel cantilever truss bridge was the longest structure on Oregon’s highway system when constructed in 1936. To ease design conflict between the steel truss and the arch spans, the cantilever was constructed with curved upper and lower chords.

John and Don attends Greg Pinneo Seminar

John Holbrook and Don Pinnock went to the Greg Pinneo seminar in Portland Oregon over the week-end. Along with making new networking contacts, learning unique Real Estate stragedies, understanding better how to manage stress and organize a successful day and life.

This is a quote that was talked about at the seminar:

How we start the day, how we frame the day, is how the day will go.

They learned about the Big 5:
1. Acquisition strategies; principles that govern wealth creation.
2. Finance.
3. The art form of negotiation.
4. Construction and management.
5. Mindset.


John and Don, long time friends, enjoyed traveling the hour and half in the car from Brownsville to Portland (Oregon).
Don is an electrician by trade, just venturing into the Real Estate world. John has a couple of decades under his belt in the Real Estate industry, both believe in the importance of continuing to grow and learn.
Before they headed "back to the ranch" John took Don by a fourplex he owns in St. Helens Oregon. He explained the process used to acquire that property and how he manages it along with his wife Laura and family Peggy and Steve Howell.
John always takes time to visit his 93 year old mother, Lucille, when he's in St. Helens, who still lives in the house John grew up in.

Junction City Duplex

We have a two bedroom, two bath duplex for rent in Junction City, Oregon. It's ready to move in right now! If you like a nice big kitchen with tons of cupboard space and an extra large livingroom, you may like this place. This property lends itself to a roommate situation, since it does have two bedrooms and two bathrooms.