Latest from The Brief

Ever had a Tenant play the "I promise to pay next week" card?

Oh, those sweet promises...

Kinda like those New Year's resolutions we all forget about by February.

Here's the deal:

Promises don't pay the bills.

But you know what does?!?

Being proactive.

So, when the rent's late,...

So, radon - you've heard of it, right?

That sneaky, invisible gas that can wreck your health.

Kinda like that silent-but-deadly Uncle at family meals.

Don't. You. Dare.

Well, the law changed - again.

This time, it's the Illinois Radon Awareness Act.

Starting January 1, 2024, you gotta be more...

Ever had that "Oh, snap!" moment during a routine inspection?

You know, where you peek in the closet.

Maybe snoop around the corner.

Then find a scene more like Breaking Bad than Full House?

Here's the deal:

If you ever find something and wonder "is that even legal" - start...

Ever heard of a "right of first refusal"?

Sounds like a medieval jousting term.

I hereby claim a right of first refusal to your dragon! 

Like most things in law, it's a fancy term for a simple idea:

Someone gets the first shot to buy your house.

Now, you wouldn't give...

Remember the good old days?

When you could just snap your fingers (or send an email) and poof!

Rent magically appeared in your bank?

That happened thanks to electronic funds transfer (ETFs).

Well, say hello to Public Act 103-1032.

No, it's not the long-lost cousin of R2-D2 (but it still...

There you are.

Eviction notice in hand.

The fountain pen and heavy paper make it feel all official.

After three knocks, you duck tape that baby to the door.

A few hours later, you get this text:

"Thanks for the notice, jerk - I'll be outta this dump by sundown!"

But here's the problem:

...

Birds fly.

Fish swim.

And Tenants make big deals about nothing.

The winner for Best Performance in a Dramatic Role goes to...

You're a Landlord. Not a round-the-clock handyman.

You dig passive income.

But also sleep, vacation, and other sweet tunes of life without interruption.

Despite...

So, you got the itch to swing by your Tenant's crib.

Maybe you need to:

• Fix a leak
• Check the smoke alarms
• Confirm the house isn't doubling as a goat yoga studio.

Before you go moonwalking into the place like Michael Jackson in his prime, remember:

You must give reasonable notice before...

Your Tenant wears clothes, right?

Well, except for their yearly retreat to Birthday Suit Bay.

No shoes, No Shirt, No Shorts baby!

Those deep v-necks need washed.

And dried too.

But here's the kicker:

Dryer vents get real dirty, real quick.

And can clog faster than a Thanksgiving toilet after the...

So, you want to text your Tenants.

It's fast, easy and creates a paper trail if you ever need to sue them.

You text things like:

• rent is late
• the plumber will check the leak
• that Chevy on blocks in the front yard needs a new home

Before you go sliding into your Tenant's DMs, make...

Ever try to serve an eviction notice?

It can be hard. Especially if your Tenant's doing the moon walk outta town.

You gotta stick that notice somewhere.

But playin' ding-dong-ditch with legal papers won't cut it.

And getting a Tenant to answer the door when they owe you money...

Well, you'd have...

Picture this:

Your Tenant flies the coop faster than a squirrel on an espresso binge.

And you have no clue why.

All you found was a handwritten notes, 'Gone to Narnia. Toodles!'

To your surprise, he left the place pretty clean.  Well, kinda.

You're keeping some of the security deposit....