Keeping Our Tenants Informed!

January 2014 The PRANDI Journal

Important Reminders: Make sure you have working batteries in your smoke

and carbon monoxide detectors, and a clean replacement filter in your furnace. Make sure your home is well ventilated in order to prevent winter mildew and excess condensation. If your chimney has not been cleaned in over 2 years it’s a good time to get a chimney sweep. Call us and we can assist in scheduling. While there hasn’t been any rain, if your gutters look to be overflowing with leaves, let us know and we can have those cleared out for you. Please also be mindful of hanging tree limbs and make sure to report to us if you believe they may present a potential hazard to you or the property. REMEMBER TO USE YOUR TENANT PORTALS! If you don’t know your password, or don’t know what your “portal” is...just let us know and we can assist! You should be using them by now to communicate with your property management team, report maintenance issues to us, and to pay your rent online (a very recent addition).

Thank you to all of you, our residents, for helping to make 2013 another wonderful year. We wish you a very safe and successful 2014!

—PRANDI Property Management Team

A Note from PRANDI

PROTECTING YOUR CREDIT

Running your credit report annually is an important financial safeguard. Knowing your credit worthiness is important to qualify for loans, credit cards, rental housing, and opening bank accounts. Not every negative item on a credit report may be removed, but you may dispute certain items that are inaccurate, a duplicate, or negative (but very old).

You can obtain a free credit report once every 12 months by visiting the website: www.annualcreditreport.com. There, you can review all three of the credit bureaus’ reporting statistics. You may be surprised to learn how many discrepancies appear within the reports and your actual financial history. If you spot errors or information that should have aged off your report, it is time to take action:

File the dispute with the bureau. You may make your dispute on the company’s website, over the phone, or by mail. In all cases you’ll have to provide your personal identification and a detailed account of the discrepancies and information. If you have any documents that support your case (such as copies of cashed checks that prove you paid an account), include them.

Wait 30 days. The bureau has 30 days to investigate, during which time a dispute notation will show up on your report. After that, if the creditor can’t verify the information, the bureau will remove it.

In most cases, updating your report is that simple. However, if the situation doesn’t get resolved, write a letter of explanation to add to your report. In one hundred words or fewer, explain your side of the problem.

Tip: Write the note clearly, include supportive facts, and send it to the bureau to be attached to your report. Your statement could make a positive difference to whoever is reading the report.

VEGGIE-CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP Ingredients 1 cup chopped celery 1/2 cup thinly sliced leek (white part only) 1/2 cup chopped carrot 1/2 cup chopped turnip 6 cups chicken broth 1 tbsp minced fresh parsley 1 & 1/2 tsp fresh thyme (1/2 tsp if dried) 1 tsp fresh rosemary (1/4 tsp if dried) 1 tsp balsamic vinegar 1/4 tsp black pepper 2 oz uncooked wide noodles 1 cup diced boneless skinless chicken breast (already pre-cooked)

Directions Combine celery, leek, carrot, turnip and 1/3 cup of the chicken broth in a large saucepan. Cover; cook over medium heat 12-15 minutes (or until veggies are tender), stirring occasionally. Stir in remaining broth. Add parsley, thyme, rosemary, vinegar and pepper. Bring to a boil. Add noodles. Cook until the noodles are tender. Stir in chicken. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer until heated through. Recipe (featured on TLC) appeared in “Soups”

Follow Us! We are on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Pinterest. If you are on any of these Social Media sites, be sure to follow us! Remember: it is residents like you who make our business both successful and meaningful! If you have a moment, please write a review of our staff and/or services online— Yelp, Google Local, and Merchant Circle are a few sites where we are currently listed.

Reminder: Disposing of Holiday Decorations

Do not burn Christmas tress in your fireplace! Be sure to dispose of them per your designated yard waste recycling companies. If your local disposal agency cannot pick up your tree, there are a number of different locations in Marin County that can help. Be sure to remove all stands, ornaments, lights and tinsel before disposing of your tree. If your tree is greater than six feet, you may be required to cut it in half. In most areas, flocked trees are not accepted.

For information about tree pick-up or drop-off locations, please contact Marin Sanitary or Mill Valley Refuse. The Marin Mommies blog also has some great information online about tree recycling throughout the county.

Tips: The Best Pets for Rental Home Living

The right pet can make a rental really feel like home, and the best pet for your home is the one that fits your lifestyle. A practical consideration to keep in mind before you choose is to: select one that is least likely to damage to the property! While not all of PRANDI’s rental properties are pet-friendly, for those property owners who consider pets, here are some tips from a Rentals.com blog.

Bigger isn’t always better, when it comes to dogs. Big dogs, while often great companions and protectors, will need opportunity/space to run or explore. Unless you have a proper yard, consider if your dog might feel too trapped indoors as you keep the specific needs of their breed in mind.

Think mellow. Big or small, you’ll want a pet that is low maintenance for your rental. For a more laid-back but bigger breed, consider mastiffs and greyhounds—these larger dogs can have “typically-manageable” energy levels. Smaller dogs can actually be a powerhouse of energy,

even though they may not require as much square footage to roam (compared to a larger breed). A Jack Russell terrier, for instance, might tend to bounce more and bark, while a Pekinese or Cavalier King Charles spaniel might be far more relaxed. **Overly-active, bored or lonely dogs that are kept indoors may scratch floors/doors, which will be bad news for your security deposit. If you can’t take your dog to work with you, be sure they are checked on regularly—or at least have something to occupy their time!

Cool cats, might be an ultimate house pet if you do not have the space for a dog. An indoor cat doesn’t need any yard space, so long as it has all the comforts of home to keep it happy. But consider that cats do have claws and can easily scratch your items. Make sure that you keep appropriate scratching posts/toys and that your cat uses them. With consistent training, you can discourage your cat away from potential habits which can be bad for your rental.

Tank dwellers might be a proper option if you’re not a home body. A small aquarium with colorful fish or a terrarium with a frog, lizard or salamander (and other creatures that live in tanks), can make educational—and entertaining—roommates. Learn about the specific habitat and know what each kind of pet requires.

Birds of a feather, might be friendly but loud. Depending on the variety, your pet bird may sing or talk and give you get entertaining company—but please keep neighbors in mind too. Research the habits/requirements of bird types before making your choice.

Are you ready to share your rental space with an animal? Before bringing home a pet, be sure you have a “pet approved property” with your management team. Then select an animal that best fits your schedule, your rental space and your personal dedication.

THE PRANDI STAFF

Melissa Prandi, MPM® President & CEO | ext. 203

Matt Prandi Borries, RMP®

Vice President | ext. 213 Dana Sansing-Esquibel

Senior Property Manager | ext. 204 Christine Goodin, MPM®

Senior Property Manager | ext. 206 Roxie Mikolon, CSSsm

Assistant Property Manager | ext. 212 Nikki Maida

Assistant Property Manager | ext. 202 Lisa Doughty

Assistant Property Manager | ext. 215 Reidun Waage

Client Accounting Manager | ext. 207 Kaylee Carroll

Brand Marketing Specialist | ext. 217 Jeff Leidall

Marketing & Business Development | ext. 205 Tina Solval Gomez

New Client Services | ext. 220 Shirley Lopez-Cano

Administrative Assistant | ext. 200

1321 Third Street

San Rafael, CA 94901 CalBRE Broker License #00980159

Phone: (415) 482-9988 Fax: (415) 482-6633

E-mail: info@prandiprop.com

PRANDI Property Management, Inc.

proudly holds the Prestigious Certified

Residential Management Company

(CRMC®) designation from NARPM®

ACH Payments: Now Available

Effective immediately, you can save time and postage by paying your rent online through your tenant portal! This service offers you the option to make either a one-time payment or set up regular monthly payments from your checking account.

Benefits: Save costs paying for cashier's checks,

money orders and postage. Save time associated with dropping off payments. Ensure your payment arrives on time, every time. Pay in advance or at regular time intervals that fit your banking habits. No additional convenience fees.

Requirements: You must be named on the lease

for your unit/property. You must have an email address on file with us (as well as internet access).

You must have a checking account!

If you don't already have portal access, please call your Assistant Property Manager for access, information or technical assistance today!