Property Management Blog

Springfield’s New ‘Problem Property’ Rule: What Landlords Need to Do Now

By Springfield Real Estate Wednesday, August 27, 2025

A practical guide to the city’s new cited-property registry, fines, and timelines.Springfield just adopted a tougher tool to go after repeat housing-code violators. If a property racks up 3+ independent violations within 12 months, it can be designated a &ldq...

Trust Accounts, Done Right: How Separate Bank Accounts Protect Owners, Residents, and Your License

By Springfield Real Estate Thursday, August 14, 2025

When rent and security deposits hit your business, you’re not holding “your” money—you’re holding client funds. Set up your banking wrong and you risk accidental commingling, audit trouble, and even uninsured deposits. Set it up right and you pr...

Trust Accounting, De-Mystified: Why Triple Tie-Out Protects Your Money (and Your Residents)

By Springfield Real Estate Monday, August 11, 2025

If you manage other people’s rent and deposits, you’re a fiduciary—full stop. That means zero room for sloppiness with client funds. The gold standard is a triple tie-out (also called a three-way reconciliation). Done monthly, it keeps you compliant in...

Fix It Fast, Keep Them Longer: How Proactive Maintenance Supercharges Lease Renewals

By Springfield Real Estate Wednesday, July 30, 2025

When residents weigh whether to re-sign, maintenance speed and quality rank even higher than rent in the decision matrix. National data and local case studies point to the same conclusion: well-maintained properties keep people put—and slash the $3,872 average turnover bill...

Summer Vacancies, Zero Headaches: A Landlord’s Guide to Safeguarding Empty Rentals in Springfield

By Springfield Real Estate Tuesday, July 29, 2025

School’s out, leases end, and your property might sit empty for a few weeks—or months—while you repaint, re-carpet, or wait for the next resident. Hot weather plus an unoccupied home is a magnet for thieves, squatters, and HVAC breakdowns. Use the checklist belo...

Your First Rental? Read This Before You Hand Over the Keys

By Springfield Real Estate Thursday, July 24, 2025

A Springfield-Focused Crash Course for New LandlordsLeasing out your first property looks simple—until late fees, fair-housing rules, and midnight maintenance calls hit all at once. Use this quick primer to sidestep rookie mistakes, stay legal in Illinois, and protect your ...

Pets or No Pets? A Springfield Landlord’s Guide to Weighing the Trade-Offs

By Springfield Real Estate Monday, July 21, 2025

In the United States, seven out of ten households own at least one pet – and Springfield is no exception. Allowing furry companions can widen your applicant pool and lift monthly income, but it also brings added risk. Below is a balanced look at the upside, downsi...

Off-Script Requests: A Smart Framework for Resident Asks That Aren’t in the Lease

By Springfield Real Estate Friday, July 18, 2025

No matter how airtight your lease is, sooner or later a resident will ask for something it doesn’t cover:“Can I install a fire pit in the backyard?”“Will you discount rent if I paint the bedrooms myself?”“Could you waive the pet fee for my emot...

Congress Just Super-Charged Landlord Tax Breaks: How Springfield Investors Can Cash In

By Springfield Real Estate Tuesday, July 15, 2025

On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1)—a monster tax package that quietly rewrites the playbook for rental-property investors. Two provisions jump off the page:Turning a personal home into a rental now looks even smarter.100 % bonus ...

Is Real Estate Still the Ultimate Long‑Term Investment? A Springfield Reality Check

By Springfield Real Estate Friday, April 11, 2025

With stocks whipsawing, bond yields see‑sawing, and crypto making (and losing) fortunes overnight, many investors are asking: Is real estate still the safest bet for building wealth—especially here in Springfield, IL? Let’s break down the numbers, the risks, and the...