Journal of Property Management

Irem Members' Lobbying Efforts and Issues Take Form

Indiana Governor Expected to Sign Forced Access Bill

Fast Facts

Search Me

Pulse Points

Career Moves

Awards and Recognition

Student Developments

In Session

Increased Federal Legislation Assists Gulf Area

The Gulf Opportunity Zone Act, signed by Pres Bush in Dec 2005, provides a number of helpful tax benefits for individuals and businesses in the Gulf region. The act authorizes Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi to issue Gulf Opportunity Zone (GO Zone) bonds as tax-exempt facility bonds or qualified mortgage bonds. The bill also increases amounts and allocations of the low-income housing tax credit for 2006-2008 in the GO Zone. The act also increases or allows additional expensing allowances f...

President Signs Revised Violence Against Women Act

Know It All

Are You Wireless?

Strong Office Demand

Asking Rents Continue to Climb in United States

Tall Order

Usurping the title of world's tallest building is just one of many features of Taipei 101 in Taipei, Taiwan. This monumental tower has become a symbol of the city and also a leader in building technology and construction design world-wide. The building is composed of three parts: the office tower, the shopping mall and the observatory. It currently has about 25 tenants, and the developer expects to have about 80 tenants when the tower is fully occupied. Taipei 101 features fiber-optic and sat...

Eco Talk

Green Breeds Green

The Answer Is Blowing in the Wind

Sun Worshippers

'Quotables'

Regional Outlook

Southeast Makes Connections

With more US cities going wireless -- ensuring residents and businesses can stay connected in their techno-driven society -- Southeastern cities are no exception. They have been keeping pace with the rest of the country, according to experts. Some cities have left network building to private groups, while others have formed partnerships with property owners and technology companies. Since 2004, six separate areas in downtown Durham have become so-called "hotspots" -- places where anyone with ...

New You

E-Mail Makes for Friend or Foe

Communication with clients and tenants should always be professional. With e-mail often replacing letters, communication is regularly reduced to short, poorly written content, sent without proper review and consideration. Using a bit of forethought and common sense can help navigate this road: 1. Consider whether e-mail is the most appropriate way to convey a particular message. 2. Combine several messages to send to the same person in one e-mail. 3. Abstain from adding "cute" pictures and sy...

Special Report

At Your Service

An increasing numbers of property managers are using their Web sites to better serve the tenants and residents they already have. To make things more convenient for the customer, as well as the property manager, Web sites can streamline service requests -- one of the most time- and money-consuming property management tasks. While many property managers use online maintenance requests as a time-saving tool, several managers are using their Web sites to collect rent and process expenditures, wh...

Feature

Identity Crisis

One of the US' most celebrated cases of identity theft started with an apartment application being left on a property manager's desk in San Diego. Identity theft comprised 37% of consumer fraud complaints filed with the Federal Trade Commission in 2005. Lost or stolen wallets, credit or debit cards, and checkbooks are the most common source of information breach. While identity theft incidents might not be overwhelming the property management industry, real estate managers should exercise cau...

Wide Open Spaces

Many of today's office designs and layouts are shifting from a sea of Dilbert-like cubes to open formats, thanks to advances in mobile technology. While the open-office concept is not new, advanced technology offers more efficiency and inventive functions than ever before. The widespread use of laptop computers, wireless technology and voice communications available over the Internet, referred to as voice-over IP, has increased flexibility and openness in offices. Open-office workstations are...

Virtual Reality

Pass by any condominium or office building construction site, and the odds are many of the units were sold to future tenants before the first brick was laid. Pre-selling or pre-leasing buildings under construction is not just a desirable way for owners to pocket some tenant cash up front; it is now often required by lenders before they will consider funding a new development. But advances in computer technology are helping building owners lease up space without decreasing rent prices. Because...

What's Up?

Landing the Deals

On the Road Again

International News

Japan's chapter held its annual meeting and conference in February. More than 150 attendees addressed the issues they face in their real estate business at the conference. IREM members in Japan completed scanning surveys, and according to the surveys, the major challenges facing property managers in Japan are tenant relations and high vacancy rates. Meanwhile, leaders from IREM, the CCIM Institute and the Appraisal Institute traveled to Seoul, South Korea, in February to discuss opportunities...

Ductape

Tools of the Trade

Richard Forsyth, CPM, and president at Westerra Realty & Management, still relies on a mostly manual system to address his commercial properties' maintenance issues. Many property managers find themselves in the same position as Forsyth; relying on manual systems or basic computer programs to keep up with their vast and far-reaching maintenance issues, despite advances in technology like computerized maintenance management software. Computerized maintenance management software -- a tool f...

Market Solutions

Lighting the Way to Safety

Decontaminate Any Room