Does Muncie Have Enough to Keep Graduates?

10 Top Cities for College Grads to Rent In

BY Brian O'Connell | 06/17/13 - 09:00 AM

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- College graduates are hitting the streets this summer looking for a good job in their chosen field and a good place to call home when the workday is done.
The job part of that equation is tough enough. According to The Wall Street Journal, the unemployment rate for Americans 25 and under is 22%, adjusted for the decline in the labor force since the start of the Great Recession.
The "place to live" part of the equation is easier, but only marginally.

The National Association of Realtors looks at multi-family housing and finds plenty of cities where vacancy rates sticking below 5% in coming quarters and considered by landlords as "justifying higher rents."

"Average apartment rentals are likely to increase 4.6% this year and another 4.6% in 2014," the association says.
Grads may see some help in the form of Apartments.com's recent Top 10 Cities for Recent College Graduates list.
"We have been compiling this list of best cities for recent college graduates annually for the past six years," says Dick Burke, senior vice president at Apartments.com. "Each year, we adjust our methodology to ensure we are reflecting ever-evolving economic and social trends on a regular basis. This year's efforts have resulted in a list that represents affordability in tandem with professional opportunity, while taking into consideration the all-important-youthful culture and demographics that appeal to recent grads."
Here's how Apartments.com rates the rental picture among U.S. cities on a "quality of life" basis, along with the average price for a one-bedroom apartment rental:
1. Phoenix, Ariz. $708
2. Orlando, Fla. $857
3. San Antonio, Texas $794
4. Columbus, Ohio $634
5. Austin, Texas $1,006
6. Raleigh, N.C. $788
7. Oklahoma City, Okla. $722
8. Fort Worth, Texas $795
9. Dallas, Texas $983
10. Minneapolis $1,177
In a word, life is cheaper for college graduates down South and Southwest, with eight of the 10 top cities in that geographic demographic and four alone in Texas.
Of course, the standard of living is less expensive in Austin than in New York City, and that has to be taken into account by college graduates in their hunt for a good salary package, in addition to the hunt for a good place to live.
Another hint from the list: Most of those "top 10" locales are college towns, meaning graduates from schools such as the University of Texas in Austin and Ohio State in Columbus should stay right where they are -- if they can land a job there.

Flood Zone Information

I sent out an email today that I had gotten from Ruth Grossman. She has a tenat that wats to use the basement as living space & she wants to know if there are any rules against this. I do not know so I sent it out to you Members. I got this back from Mark Dunn, Vice Pres RPA:

IC 32-31-1-21

Disclosure of structure in flood plain

     Sec. 21. (a) This section applies to rental agreements entered into or renewed after June 30, 2009, for residential, agricultural, and commercial property.

    (b) If the lowest floor of a structure, including a basement, that is the subject of a rental agreement is at or below the one hundred (100) year frequency flood elevation, as determined by:

        (1) the department of natural resources;

        (2) the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Flood Insurance Rate Maps; or

        (3) FEMA approved local flood plain maps;

the landlord shall clearly disclose in a landlord-tenant rental agreement that the structure is located in a flood plain.

As added by P.L.27-2009, SEC.1.

After reading this I believe I will contact all of my owners or check with Beacon and make sure all the properties I manage are not in a flood zone but I will also add this question to my Management contract. Does anyone have information about this? If you do please email me - agent736@usa.net  Debby

Tenant Screening

Screening Tips: Supplied by NTN, National Tenant Network

• Discuss all requirements with prospective residents when they call. This saves you time in the long run.
• Do not ask questions, such as a person's age, or marital status. Rejected applicants may become angry, and later use discrimination as the basis of your rejection.
• Make sure you confirm your appointment time with the prospective resident the day of the meeting at the rental property. Many landlords waste a great deal of time traveling to the rental property to meet with clients that never show up. 

Congratulations Chris Hiatt!

I read in this mornings paper that BSU has decided, after all the Hell they put Chris and his family through, they have decided they are no longer interested in his property. Finally they can have a little piece in their lives. I am so glad that he hung in there. Most of us would have let them push us out. Good Job!

Debby Gilpin, Pres. RPA

National Tenant Network

We have talked over the last several years about checking our tenants credit & back grounds but didn't know what company to use. We have had people send us information and had a gentleman come to talk to us that I personally worked with and got no where. I like everyone else do not want to spend a lot of money whether I charge an application fee or not. Well I believe I have found the answer. I have signed up and just to prove to myself I should have been using this company before I had him pull a credit report and background check after the fact. What I learned was unbelievable. He waived the $35 fee to join and you only pay for what you use. The credit report is $10. If you feel that a background check is warranted it is $30 total for both. I did both. I am so excited about this that I am getting ready to do another report tonight on a potential tenat. I will be doing this from now on. We have also always wished we could let each other know when we have had a tenant that wasn't everything we expected. There is a way with NTN. As a member I can put my tenants in the program as move in dates and then I can put them in when they move out. Even if there is not a judgement it records as a skip. Meaning they left owing money. This way if we all join we will no each others problem tenants. I love it.

 

This is John's card. He will be on vacation when we are having our next meeting but he will be available for Sept. 19th, 2013 meeting. He will be the speaker. This is my opinion only but I would call him and have him come and talk to me before he goes on vacation. He has offered to waive the $35 fee for all of our members. So you will only pay for what you use.

Please understand that this is all my pinion. You need to make the decision for yourself. Check it out.

Debby Gilpin, President of RPA

Property Manager for G&G Realty

May 16th, 2013 Meeting Minutes

*    The meeting was called to order by Vice President Mark Dunn at 7:00pm.
*    There was an introduction of officers. President Debby Gilpin was not there because of being on vacation  in  OK.
*    There was an introduction of Members. There were 10 Members present and 2 guest.
*    Introduction of the speaker for the evening, Larry Riley. English Professor at BSU.
He talked about foreclosed properties, Tax Sales and Sherrif Sales. All of these are difficult and take a  lot of time and knowledge to do them right. They are all different. He also asked about how group as a group of rental owners felt about BSU and others building so many apartments complexes. He was very interesting an kniows about everything.
*    Minutes from April meeting were in the Newsletter and were approved.
*    Treasure's Report was given and approved. Amount in our accounts are available for members at the meetings.
*    Adjourned the meeting at 8:00pm.

Submitted by Sara Hammas, Secretary