VOLUME VIIINote from the Editor
In 2018, I knew my lease was up in a couple of months and had been warned that prospective tenants were going to stop by. I cringed at the idea of strangers walking around my place, but a rental is a rental. When I opened the door to let the couple in, the first person I saw was my own Realtor, who was responsible for the rental closings on my last two homes. I immediately grinned at him, looked at the couple and said, “You two are in great hands.”

That was the first and only time I ever had guests come to my occupied rental, and it happened to be the best recommendation I could give them while they looked around at the place. That’s the one thing not included in “Make Occupied Rental Showings Less Awkward.” Why? It can only happen with Realtors who have already created a positive, lasting impression. Will that be you?

Posts like this are why we hope Go4Rent Magazine is beneficial for landlords and Realtors—both to improve business relationships and interpersonal skills. Maybe “Realtors: Finding a Niche” and “Realtors and Move-in Fees: What You Need to Know” can improve communication with prospective tenants, Realtors and landlords. Ideally, “Get Paid With the ABB Form” will keep Realtors representing property owners and tenants on the same financial page.

Should Property Owners Get a Home Warranty?” and “Find Quality Contractors, Avoid the Scammers” can help guide property owners to having safer property. “What’s Missing From Your Lease?” is worth a read to avoid potential tenant miscommunications. Then, make sure to peruse “When One Tenant Leaves, Be Ready for Another One” to improve on pacing and planning. 

Go4Rent Magazines (for Realtors/Landords and our sister Renter Edition publication) is here to help make rental living easier for Realtors, landlords and tenants equally. Speaking of that, are you enjoying the "Conversation In Real Estate” podcast online? We hope so. And what about “Neighborhood Spotlight"? In this issue, the featured neighborhood is Little Elm.

Per usual, we always end the issue with an interior design or real estate upgrade tip. This time around, it’s “Re-Evaluating the Floor Types.” Whether you’re a property owner who allows pets or have property in a neighborhood with pretty rough weather, floor maintenance and material choices are two categories that too often get overlooked but would save lots of money in the long run. (Refer back to the home warranty article.) Choose wisely.

We hope this issue answers questions you may already have and some you didn’t even know to ask. Is there a topic you’d like us to talk about? Contact me at shamontiel.vaughn@go4rent.com. We look forward to hearing from you!

Shamontiel L. Vaughn, Editor-In-Chief
About Shamontiel:Shamontiel L. Vaughn has been in the publishing industry for 17 years as a newspaper reporter, a web editor, social media specialist and a print editor. Her areas of expertise include K-12 and adult education textbooks; local and nationwide news; and health news. She's also completed approximately 235 interviews in a variety of areas, including business management; entertainment; internet technology; law (entertainment, business and real estate); nursing; and travel. Some of her bylines can be found in the Chicago Defender, Chicago Tribune and CBS Chicago.

The unapologetic dog lover also owned two prior dogs (German Shepherd and Labrador Retriever mix) before becoming a two-year dog walker (520 walks with 93 different dogs) and adopting a third dog of her own on Juneteenth 2021: a Hound mix named Junee. When she's not writing, editing or playing with her dog, she can usually be found scoping out vegetarian and Thai restaurants, daydreaming at a beach, or practicing her next Toastmasters speech.
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