Edina, Minn. is one of the few suburbs I could see myself living in. It has decent public transportation, boutique storefronts, independent restaurants—and for an extra dose of kitsch—the first indoor shopping mall in America. It’s one of those old-growth ‘burbs, where the houses have character and the streets have sidewalks.
Uncovering the Government’s Role in the History of U.S. Segregation
I live in Chicago, a city that consistently ranks among the most segregated in the nation. This fact is starkly evident to anyone who makes their lives here – a city where black and white citizens live separately, learn separately, and move through the city separately.
BiggerPockets Podcast 334: Using Other People’s Money to Take Down Flips, Multifamily and Self-Storage Deals with Ben Lapidus
Self-storage with OPM! Today’s guest Ben Lapidus sits down and spills the beans on his strategies for buying self-storage units and running an investment fund with other people’s money. Ben has some really great advice for those who want to get started in self-storage, including how he got started getting 25% of other people’s deals, why he jumped from single family into commercial opportunities, and how he mitigates risk in the self storage space. You also won’t want to miss what he shares regarding how he picks a market, his criteria for buying a deal, and where he recommends brand new self storage investors get their start (hint-it’s all about size). If you want to have your mind blown, you CAN’T miss his technique for seller financing negotiating where he improves his terms by saving the seller’s money on their taxes-brilliant! This episode is completely full of high energy, content packed, practical advice for getting into commercial opportunities with other people’s money and we guarantee you will learn a TON. Download today and buckle your seat belt!
Dad’s Dream Home: Here’s What’s on His Wishlist
Dad’s Dream Home: Here’s What’s on His…
As Father’s Day approaches, consider sharing dad-focused features in your listings, from those that fulfill his hoop fantasies or other hobbies.
June 12, 2019
Red, white, and blue: Tips for displaying the Stars and Stripes
The Star-Spangled Banner. Old Glory. The red, white, and blue. No matter how Americans refer to the U.S. flag, everyone has the right to fly it. Flag Day, held annually on June 14 since 1916, should serve as a good reminder for how all should properly and proudly display the Stars and Stripes.
Thanks to the Freedom to Display the American Flag Act, enacted in 2006, residents in community associations have the right to fly the flag even if there are rules and restrictions that prevent it from being displayed. CAI believes, however, that associations should be able to determine the appropriate size, placement, and installation of the flag and flagpoles.
CAI encourages associations to follow the guidelines for flying Old Glory in the U.S. Flag Code, some of which includes:
- Display the flag in public from sunrise to sunset. It can be displayed at night if it is illuminated during darkness.
- Do not display the flag in inclement weather, unless it is an all-weather flag.
- The flag can fly on all days, especially on national holidays, other days that may be proclaimed by the president, and dates of admission of states into the union.
- Do not position the flag upside down. This represents a signal of distress in moments of extreme danger to life or property.
- Do not let the flag touch anything beneath it, including the ground, floor, water, or other objects.
- No part of the flag should have any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing of any nature.
Need more information about rules and regulations regarding flags, banners, and emblems? Read Everyday Governance: The Community Association’s Guide to Flags, Rentals, Holiday Decorations, Hoops, and Other Headaches, available from CAI Press.
The post Red, white, and blue: Tips for displaying the Stars and Stripes appeared first on Ungated: Community Associations Institute Blog.
The Styled, Staged & Sold Blog Has Moved!
The Styled, Staged & Sold Blog Has Moved!
Styled, Staged & Sold is settling into a new home. Please bookmark our new URL or subscribe to our updates to get the latest staging advice.June 10, 2019By: Melissa Dittmann TraceyStaging,…
How Much Is Too Much Gray in Home Design?
How Much Is Too Much Gray in Home Design?
It’s been gray mania in home design over the last few years. Is it being overdone?
June 3, 2019
Staging, Design Trends
BiggerPockets Podcast 333: A Guide to Getting Started in Commercial Real Estate (+ Laundromats?!) With Ken Wimberly
Commercial real estate like you’ve never heard it before! On today’s episode, Brandon and David sit down with Ken Wimberly, the owner of a Keller Williams commercial brokerage and a commercial investor himself.
Ken shares some incredible tips on how to get into owning commercial property, including how to find quality tenants, how to structure the lease, and how to protect yourself from a changing market. He also provides great advice on building relationships and identifying who NOT to partner with.
Ken goes on to talk about how he went from working in a pizza restaurant to cashing his first check for 50K as a broker—with absolutely no training program! He shares some incredible advice for opening a laundromat, making huge returns, and successfully investing in other people’s deals, too.
If you’ve ever been interested in how to do big deals without big headaches, this episode is for you!
It’s hurricane season: This is what you need to do before, during, and after a disaster
Fourteen named storms—including seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes—are expected to form during the 2019 Atlantic hurricane season, which began June 1. The Weather Company expects the season to be slightly less active than last year but warns that residents along the coastal U.S. should be prepared no matter the forecast.
For community associations in these states, that means reviewing current emergency preparedness procedures for before, during, and after a hurricane, what supplies to include in emergency kits, and who to contact in the immediate aftermath.
Standard features of a hurricane plan include emergency contact information, responsibilities of the board, management, and residents, and a list of services that might be unavailable during and after a hurricane.
More specifically, this plan should have several checklists, including those that cover:
- Actions for the community’s incident commander
- Tasks that residents should complete before they evacuate
- Pre-storm and post-storm communications
- Post-storm grounds survey and cleanup
- Post-storm inspection of residential units
In addition, the plan should have a prepared notice advising residents of an impending hurricane and the risks of staying, a form to be filled out by residents who decide to stay, and what residents should know about the association’s insurance coverage and reserve funds.
Community associations also can make a list of relief organizations at the local and national level that residents can reach out to for help, as well as detail the process to seek aid and debris removal assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Maintaining communication is critical during and after the immediate danger has passed. Determine which residents or board members will be on call in the event of an emergency, and identify if any ham radio operators live in the community or in the immediate area in the event that cell towers are rendered inoperable.
Does your community’s hurricane plan cover everything? Access more resources on CAI’s Community Disaster Preparedness & Relief pages.
The post It’s hurricane season: This is what you need to do before, during, and after a disaster appeared first on Ungated: Community Associations Institute Blog.
Window to the Law: Real Estate Wholesaling
Learn more about the real estate wholesaling business model and some of the potential legal pitfalls related to this practice.