Doing business in Santa Clara, San Mateo, and Alameda Counties

Call 408-559-5649

Call 408-559-5649

The Law of Emotional Support Animals in Rental Properties

Written by David Roberson, Esq. on . Posted in For Tenants, Landlords, Non-Owner Occupied Properties, Property Management

Service Dogs are Paramount for People with Disabilities

Many of our clients desire tenants that don’t have pets for the obvious perception that pets cause more wear and tear on rental properties, however this is certainly not always the case.  Several times every year we encounter prospective tenants with emotional support animals, or people who claim they have emotional support animals.  It is both a sensitive and important topic which requires some cursory analysis and something that we cover with our clients during our initial meetings.  Believe it or not an emotional support animal is NOT a pet according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) guidelines and the Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C.A. 3601 et. seq.).  Fair Housing guidelines require “reasonable accommodations” be made for persons with disabilities – and an emotional support animal (dog, cat, or other) is a type of assistance animal which meets this definition.  HUD is federal agency charged with marshalling the Fair Housing Act and investigates discrimination claims against landlords, property managers, among others.  It is of paramount importance that if you are a landlord or have hired a professional property manager to manage your properties that these laws are understood and complied with.

SVPMG Offers Property Management Performance Guarantees

Written by David Roberson, Esq. on . Posted in For Tenants, Landlords, Non-Owner Occupied Properties, Property Management

Property Management Performance Guarantees

Silicon Valley Property Management Group (SVPMG) offers Performance Guarantees for our clients and owners.  We are unaware of any other Northern California property management firm that offers similar guarantees.  The five (5) performance guarantees that SVPMG offers are; 1) Payment Guarantee, 2) Response Guarantee, 3) Fee Guarantee, 4) Transparency Guarantee, 5) Service Guarantee, 6) Satisfaction Guarantee – for a detailed breakdown of these guarantees go to https://siliconvalleypropertymanagementgroup.com and check them out.  Notwithstanding the fiduciary duties we owe to our clients per California law, owners and clients want peace of mind, they want to trust their property managers, they want complete transparency, and most of all they want guarantees.  We have tried to implement a guarantee for each critical component of the property management cycle.  We believe the most important guarantee is our response guarantee.  If a client or owner calls, texts, or emails us we guarantee that that inquiry will be responded to within 24 hours.  If we fail to respond within 24 hours we will not charge that client or owner for that month’s property management fees.  This guarantee is just as important to us as it is to our clients because we want everyone associated with the property to know that we are there for them with any and all questions.

It is a simple but paramount task for us to respond to our client or tenant inquiries in a timely manner.  In fact, most text messages are responded to within the hour – even if the response is “we need to do some checking or research before we get back to you later this evening.”  This guarantee is a very important cog in our business and we look forward to helping our clients and tenants each time they reach out to us as it is an opportunity to perform our duties.

Finally, since SVPMG is being paid to manage the client properties it is an imperative that we strive to offer the most comprehensive customer service experience possible in the property management space.  In addition to the performance guarantees SVPMG offers clients free legal advice with respect to their properties situated in California.  Owner/broker David Roberson, Esq. is a licensed California real estate attorney who practiced real property law at one of the most notable real property firms in Northern California.  David consults with clients on all real property questions, investment strategies, IRC Sec. 121 and 1031 exchange strategies, tax strategies, site development feasibility, complex transactions, among other things.  David has also written two books about real estate which you can find on Amazon.com and over 120 real estate blog articles which can be found at our website.

If you have real property questions call David today for an appointment or a confidential conversation 1-408-838-5113.

 

All About Los Gatos and the Rise of Investment Properties

Written by David Roberson, Esq. on . Posted in For Tenants, Landlords, Los Gatos, Non-Owner Occupied Properties, Property Management

The incorporated town of Los Gatos may not be known as widely as other areas in Santa Clara County, but it still has plenty to offer. It’s located just 60 miles from San Francisco, merely minutes away from San Jose, 20 minutes to Stanford University and is essentially a vital cog in the hustle and bustle of Silicon Valley. The beautiful landscape of Los Gatos is truly unique with a mix of flat topography and low-lying wooded hills with streams, creeks, a reservoir, and nature open space preserves scattered around the town.  Los Gatos is also 15 minutes to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk (give yourself more driving time during the summer tourist season).  The Cats, Dio Deko, Los Gatos Lodge, Lexington reservoir, Testarossa Winery, and Netflix all call Los Gatos home.  Permanent residents, renters, rental property owners and investors all find Los Gatos to be attractive in one way or another.  It is by far a phenomenal place to invest in real property as it is as desirable as any enclave in Silicon Valley and continues to grow in both popularity and value on a seemingly daily basis. 

Rental Property Owners Achieve “Peace Of Mind” with Silicon Valley Property Management Group

Written by David Roberson, Esq. on . Posted in For Tenants, Landlords, Non-Owner Occupied Properties, Property Management

Rental Property Owners Desire “Peace of Mind”

At Silicon Valley Property Management Group (SVPMG) we provide professional property management of residential, commercial and retail properties in the greater Silicon Valley.  Most rental properties owners do not want to listen to tenant complaints, neighborhood squabbles, or hear about failed appliances.   In fact, landlord surveys suggest that owners merely want to collect rent, and ignore all of the other issues that come with owning rental or investment properties.  Many rental property owners seek help in the property management field once they have a bad experience with a tenant, or significant damage to the property.  The owner becomes anxious, fearful, and many decide they just do not want to deal with it anymore.  Thus, to eliminate those 3AM phone calls, the tenant nightmares, and the ongoing nagging maintenance problems with all buildings consider hiring SVPMG to give you Peace of Mind – knowing that your property is taken care of, that issues are being resolved, and that your tenants are being cared for without your involvement.  Additionally, we have a real estate attorney principal, David Roberson, Esq., who is available to consult with our clients on issues related to any properties they own in the state of California.  This value added service is virtually unmatched in Silicon Valley as no other property management company we are aware of has this service for their clients.  SVPMG service area cities include San Mateo, Redwood City, San Carlos, Portola Valley, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Santa Clara, San Jose, Saratoga, Los Gatos, and Monte Sereno.

California Habitability Standards

Written by David Roberson, Esq. on . Posted in For Tenants, Landlords, Non-Owner Occupied Properties, Property Management, Silicon Valley Real Estate Investing, Uncategorized

What are the repercussions for the tenant and the homeowner for an unpermitted Accessory Dwelling Unit? David Roberson, Esq. answers the question at the “Tiny Homes, Micro Units & Community” event presented by the Winchester Neighborhood Action Coalition. If you need a property management professional to help you with your rental or investment properties call us today.  www.svpmg.net  1-408-838-5113

The Pros and Cons of Owning a Rental Property

Written by David Roberson, Esq. on . Posted in For Tenants, Landlords, Non-Owner Occupied Properties, Property Management, Silicon Valley Real Estate Investing, Uncategorized

For some people, owning a rental property can seem like a dream scenario. For others, it may seem like a nightmare they’ll never wake up from. It’s only natural to have mixed feelings about owning a rental property, since there are so many different pros and cons to think about. Even when you take the time to weigh them all out, it can still seem like there are just as many risks as there are rewards.  Most of the time, a person’s experience owning a rental property won’t be a complete dream scenario where there aren’t any issues and the rent checks just keep flowing in. But the experience won’t be a complete nightmare either. It will be somewhere in between. There will be plenty of ups and downs, things you can plan for and things you get blindsided by. Everyone has a different risk tolerance, so making a list of the pros and cons of owning a rental property can help you decide whether the risks are worth the rewards for you.

Mold Prevention and Mitigation Guide for Property Managers

Written by David Roberson, Esq. on . Posted in For Tenants, Landlords, Menlo Park, Non-Owner Occupied Properties, Palo Alto, Property Management, Silicon Valley Real Estate Investing, Uncategorized

mold-removalI rarely use the “M” word because I’m not an industrial hygienist or a laboratory.  However, mold is commonly talked about in the real estate world and is everywhere – that simple fact doesn’t take away from the seriousness of it.  A mold infestation or contamination can be extremely damaging to a property and to investment property managers.  Not only does mold put your tenants/residents at risk, but you and the property owner may have to spend a significant amount of time and money to properly mitigate the environmental condition and make the rental unit a safe and comfortable place to live.  Moreover, mold creates a significant stigma on a property which most certainly attaches and affects value and desirability.  In addition to educating yourself about mold, one of the best things you can do is focus on the common areas (bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms) where mold grows and do your best to prevent it by keeping these rooms, walls, ceilings as dry as possible.  However, if mold/mildew growth is already there, it’s time to take care of it before the issue becomes more serious.  Remember, a property manager and/or landlord’s primary duty is to provide a habitable rental unit – a unit with mold is not habitable.

Quality Residential Cleaning Services are Few and Far Between, But We Found One

Written by David Roberson, Esq. on . Posted in For Tenants, Landlords, Non-Owner Occupied Properties, Property Management, Silicon Valley Real Estate Investing, Uncategorized

The neighborhood social media site NextDoor and other neighborhood bulletin board sites are constantly bombarded with the question “Can someone please refer a Quality Residential Cleaning Service.”  The fact of the matter is most cleaning services are mismanaged and don’t have employees who are properly trained or supervised.  Even though a company or cleaner may start out doing a good job, inevitably there will come a time when the company disappoints for several reasons.  Searching high and low for several years we used many different services but did not settle on one company until we met Maria Flores of High Quality House Cleaning, LLC in Sunnyvale, CASilicon Valley Property Management Group now uses HQHC exclusively and couldn’t be happier.  In fact, in addition to being a great company HQHC is a Santa Clara County Certified Green Cleaning Company, and they are also a fully sanctioned Woman Owned Minority Business.

Stierlin Estates – Mountain View Is Quietly Building a Great Reputation

Written by David Roberson, Esq. on . Posted in For Tenants, Landlords, Mountain View, Non-Owner Occupied Properties, Property Management, Silicon Valley Real Estate Investing

Stierlin_House 2Anyone taking their first drive through Stierlin Estates Mountain View will often take it slow, not just for the quaint neighborhood view, but because they have no choice. The sleepy neighborhood of Stierlin Estates was designed with a zig-zag road pattern, which helps keep drivers with a heavy foot in check. Ask the residents about their quiet little corner of Mountain View and they’ll tell you they like it that way.  Beyond creating a traffic calming road network, you can’t actually drive “through” the area. The roads loop around with no direct access from one highway to another. This all but eliminates commuters driving through the neighborhood.

Rex Manor, Mountain View: Small-Town Charm in the Heart of the Silicon Valley

Written by David Roberson, Esq. on . Posted in For Tenants, Landlords, Mountain View, Non-Owner Occupied Properties, Property Management

RexManor_House4Location, location, location … That’s the first thing that draws many residents to Rex Manor, a small 74-acre Mountain Shadows suburb north of Central Expressway, east of Monta Loma and west of North Whisman. Most residents find Rex Manor is a 15-minute walk from work, school, dining, shopping, entertainment and everything else they could want. When they move into the neighborhood, they discover it’s not only conveniently located, but it’s also charming, serene and friendly.  Minutes from Google, Highway 101, Stanford University, San Francisco, San Jose, and Silicon Valley, this desirable neighborhood is providing a robust realty springboard for investors and homeowners alike.

Silicon Valley Property
Management Group

1900 Camden Avenue
San Jose, CA 95124
408-559-5649

We manage residential and commercial rental properties in San Jose, Campbell, Saratoga, Los Gatos, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Mountain View, Los Altos Hills and every point in between.

They get things done right and right away

★★★★★
5
Great services organization. They get things done right and right away, highly professional and no nonsense. I would highly recommend this firm for leasing or renting/selling a property.
- Eric Frazier
Overall rating: ★★★★★ 5 based on 1 reviews

CA RE Broker #01942886