April 09 Ciaa Newsletter

“Our Profit is Your Success”

April 2008

An Affiliate Of WORKING HARD FOR YOU! We’ve got some fantastic opportunities coming up. Leasing 101 is a perfect starter class for your new hires, those new to the industry, and anyone who may need a refresher on taking a prospect from appointment to move-in. These tried-and-true methods have been part of the basics of property management for many years. The material will be presented by Mary Spain and myself; our combined experience in leasing and marketing spans 40 years. The information is generic and will not contradict any training your company uses. Our class on Landlord-Tenant Law was written for CIAA, and designed for managers and owners who deal with legal issues on their properties. ROSS F. BARNETT, our presenter, is a shareholder with the Des Moines firm of ABENDROTH & RUSSELL, P.C., where he practices in the areas of real estate and probate. His practice also emphasizes landlord / tenant litigation and estate planning. He is the author of numerous legal source books on real estate, probate, and landlord / tenant law. Ross is also the Iowa advisor for NAA’s National Lease Program®.

Upcoming Events April Leasing 101 “It’s a Jungle out there, so we’re going Back to Basics” April 8, 1:00 - 5:00 WDM Police Department Landlord-Tenant Law

With the state of the economy, can any of us afford to not keep our teams at their best? Now is the best time to invest in your future! Please join us for these very important seminars. More details can be found on the attached registration forms. These seminars are FREE to CIAA members; nonmembers may attend for $50.

Do you know what you need to know about Iowa’s Landlord Tenant Act?

-Rick Koontz, CIAA President

WDM Police Department

Coming May 14th! “Us old farts need to keep in touch, not only with our members and employees, but also our customers." The quote above is from an audience member at the Illinois Movers' and Warehousemen's Association after hearing Meagan Johnson present "ZAP THE GAP," How to Solve the MultiGenerational Puzzle."

Zap The Gap: Solving the Multi-Generational Puzzle Have you noticed that many of the Generation X'ers and Generation 2000 people don't seem to have the same work ethics and habits as Traditional and Baby Boomer employees? Are they sometimes tougher to manage? You will learn to identify and understand the differences between the generations, retain and develop young star performers, and create a work environment where young people will want to give their best.

April 16, 10:00 - 4:00

May “Zap the Gap” “Solving the MultiGenerational Puzzle” $50 includes lunch May 14, 12:00 - 4:00 Sheraton Hotel West Des Moines

June 3rd Annual Golf Outing June 12, Toad Valley 1:00 Shotgun start

Inside Your Newsletter: Committee Updates

NAA Lease Program / Education Conference

Leasing 101 Registration

2009 CIAA Board Members

Vendor Spotlight - Sherwin Williams Floor covering

Landlord-Tenant Law Registration

New Members

Vendor Listings

Zap the Gap Registration

MAR Index - First Advantage SafeRent

NAA Connect

NAA Education Conference

Committee Announcements Education Committee “Leasing 101” will be presented April 8 from 1:00 - 4:00.. This seminar is free to all CIAA members! We’re changing it up this year and it’s going to be an exciting and informative session that is perfect for all your new leasing people as well as anyone who is getting complacent or who may just need a refresher. “Landlord-Tenant Law” on April 16 is geared toward managers, owners, or anyone who deals with the legal aspects of the lease. Ross Barnett from Abendroth and Russell has written and will be presenting this informative session.

Legislative Committee The Legislative Committee has been busy this month working to ensure our members’ interest with regard to SF 224, the “Plumbing Bill.” SF 224 went through several revisions while moving through the Senate committee structure and the CIAA and our lobbying firm, Hultman Company was an integral contributor to many of those revisions. The bill originally contained potentially detrimental pieces including the creation of a mandatory facilities maintenance plumber’s license for all properties with more than five units and an egregious definition of routine maintenance. The routine maintenance clause provides an exemption of what may be repaired without the need for a licensed plumber. One such version of the bill contained a definition that would have required a licensed plumber for maintenance and repair to any piping. We are happy to report that the final version that passed Senate floor and the House State Government Committee last week does not contain the mandatory facilities maintenance plumber’s license and has a definition of routine maintenance that should allow our maintenance staff to utilize their plumbing expertise to the fullest extent before the need arises to call a licensed plumber. This bill is expected to pass the House in the next two weeks and then be sent to the Governor for signing. The definition of routine maintenance contained in the final bill is included below for your information. "Routine maintenance" means the maintenance, repair, or replacement of existing fixtures or parts of plumbing, HVAC, refrigeration, or hydronic systems in which no changes in original design are made. "Routine maintenance" does not include the replacement of furnaces, boilers, cooling appliances, or water heaters more than one hundred gallons in size.

Vendor Council Our 3rd Annual Golf Outing will be held at Toad Valley Golf Course on June 12. This is a 4-person best shot tournament, 1:00 shotgun start. Vendor Council members are sponsoring the event so your cost stays low! Lots of fun, food, and prizes! Watch your email for registrations and more details! We’re taking you “Around the World” of Property Management at our 3rd Annual Trade Show coming October 22! Prizes and cash will be flowing! It will be a great time for everyone! Upcoming Vendor Council meetings: April 9 & May 22.

2009 Board Members and Committees President and Association Executive Rick Koontz, Signature Place

Past President Melissa Johnson, Olde English Village

Vice President Jennifer O’Brien Konior, TAB Properties

Vendor Council Co-Chairs Tom Newton, Gorman Roofing Mary Spain, Apartment Finder

Membership Committee Chair

Education Committee Chair

Public Relations Committee Chair

Mary Spain, Apartment Finder

Ellen Wade, The Des Moines Register

Treasurer Lori Young, BH Management Secretary Heather Benton, Rosemont Place Page 2

Legislative Committee Chair Jennifer O’Brien Konior, TAB Properties

Lori Young, BH Management

Website: www.ciaahq.org

Our Newest CIAA Members New Property Members Ashbrooke Apartments/Applewood Partners

New Vendor Members Springer Pest Solutions & Handyman Service Qwest Communications THE MIDWEST FOURTH QUARTER 2008 INSIGHT INTO MULTIFAMILY APPLICANT RISK INDEX By: Jay Harris, Vice President of Business Services, First Advantage SafeRent The Multifamily Applicant Risk Index (MAR Index) is published quarterly by First Advantage SafeRent and is based on traffic credit quality scores from their statistical screening model. This quarterly report provides property owners and managers in the Midwest with a benchmark with which to compare their portfolio’s performance. The fourth quarter national MAR Index, including studios, one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom units, was 99. Here is how the Midwest performed in the fourth quarter compared to last year:

•

Midwest: 4Q08 MAR Index = 97

•

Midwest: 4Q07 MAR Index = 100

The MAR Index is derived from First Advantage SafeRent’s Statistical Screening Model–the multifamily industry’s only screening model that is both empirically derived and statistically validated. With this unique applicant risk index, property managers and owners are able to compare their applicant credit quality trends with that of the average MAR Index trends. This comparison indicates whether their portfolio is performing above, below or at market levels with respect to attracting and securing applicants with higher credit quality and an increased likelihood of fulfilling their lease. The Multifamily Applicant Risk Index (MAR Index) provides trends of national and regional traffic credit quality scores whereby a lower index value indicates an applicant pool with a higher risk of not fulfilling lease obligations. A MAR Index value of 100 indicates that market conditions are equal to the national mean for the index's base period of 2004. A MAR Index value greater than 100 indicates market conditions with reduced average risk of default relative to the index's base period mean. A value less than 100 indicates market conditions with increased average risk of default relative to the index's base period mean. The screening model was developed from historical resident lease performance data to specifically evaluate the potential risk of a resident’s future lease performance. The model generates scores for each applicant indicating the relative risk of the applicant not fulfilling lease obligations. Data is also available at the property and sub-market level from Property Performance Analytics. For more information visit www.FADVSafeRent.com/PPA.

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Email: [email protected]

Vendor Spotlight Sherwin Williams Floorcovering Sherwin-Williams Floorcovering is a full service flooring facility with our primary focus on the property management and new construction segments. We are located at 5201 NE 14th Street in Des Moines and offer quick turnaround times with the ability to get your units turned within 48 hours of scheduling. Our installers are professional and courteous and warranty their workmanship for one full year from the installation date. We keep a wide variety of carpet and vinyls in stock to meet whatever price point, style, and color that best suites your needs. If we don't have what you are looking for, you can visit our 1000 s/f showroom to help find what you want. In addition, we offer generous discounts for employees of our customers and CIAA members if they want flooring for personal use. If you would like to contact us or want us to stop by to show you what we have to offer, please don't hesitate to give us a call.

Tom Zeuthen Store Manager ph. 515-266-4290

Steve Arnburg Sales Representative ph. 515-971-8007

Need a Vendor? Call a Member First! A+ Lawn & Landscape

DeWitt Painting

Reliable Construction

Abendroth & Russell, P.C.

Diamond Vogel Paints

Select Van & Storage

A.Q. Allstate Pest Control

First Advantage SafeRent

Shelton Painting

American Family Insurance

Furniture Options Gorman Roofing Services

Sherwin Williams Floor Coverings

Apartment Finder

Hard Tops of Des Moines

Sherwin Williams Paint

Big Green Umbrella Media

ICS Advanced Technologies

Sears Commercial

Bragg Handywork

Jetz Service Co.

Simply Clean

Carpet Pro - Baker Interiors

Johnstone Supply

State Farm Insurance

Carpet Source

Lawns Plus

Central Iowa Duct Cleaning

Lint United Van Lines

Stew Hansen’s Dodge City-Jeep

CertaPro Painters

Marsden Building Maintenance

Stitzell Electric Supply Co.

Coinmach Corporation

Nationwide Office Care

Sudzy’s Carpet Cleaning

Concentra Medical Centers

Phillips Floors

Tenant Data

Cort Furniture Rental

Qwest Communications

Waste Connections

Des Moines 360, Inc.

RealPage, Inc.

Waste Management

The Des Moines Register

Red Capital Group

Wayout Consulting Services

Jared Frank Agency

To Become A Vendor Member Contact: Rick Koontz at 515-226-2100 Tom Newton at 515-883-0838

Glen Waterhouse III

Vendor Website Page

[email protected]

[email protected]

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Connect With NAA NAA Launches Blog, ‘APTly Spoken’ By Ron Shelton, CAPS 2009 National Apartment Association Chairman of the Board Amalgamated Management Corp.

N

AA is pleased to announce the launch of its blog, “APTly Spoken,” the premier apartment industry blog for information and poignant perspectives on the latest industry news, trends and ideas. Featured bloggers include leaders from all sectors of the apartment industry, from onsite operations to executive management, covering Economic Issues, Green Issues, Marketing, Operations and more. Visit the blog at www.naahq.org/blog, comment and start a conversation with the bloggers. You can subscribe to the blog via RSS.

Green Conference is Fast Approaching Did you know the stimulus package recently signed by President Obama contains $20 billion for green renovations in multifamily housing communities? With the 2009 NAA Green Conference & Exposition is fast approaching, now is the time to take inventory of the apartment industry’s investment in energy efficiency and green design. The conference, April 28-29 at the LEED-certified Phoenix Convention Center, will feature green industry expert speakers addressing how “going green” can save property managers and developers money. For registration, hotel, exhibition and sponsorship information, visit www.naahq.org/events/green.

The deadline for submission is Friday, May 1. Winners will be recognized during the PARAGON Award Ceremony in Las Vegas on Saturday, June 27. They will also be featured in the September 2009 issue of units magazine, NAA’s monthly publication that reports on the apartment industry. For information, call 703/518-6141 or visit www.naahq.org/paragons.

NAAEI Names Paz as National Trainer Pablo Paz, CAMT, has officially begun his work as a National Maintenance and Safety Trainer for the National Apartment Association Education Institute (NAAEI). Paz will teach Certified Apartment Maintenance Technician (CAMT) courses nationwide, and currently has appearances scheduled in California, Ohio and Tennessee. Paz is a bilingual instructor with more than 20 years’ onsite experience and four years of corporate training experience. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix, is a licensed maintenance electrician and air conditioning repair contractor and has three EPA certifications. NAAEI will hire one additional national trainer in 2009 to teach the National Apartment Leasing Professional (NALP), Certified Apartment Manager (CAM) and Certified Apartment Property Supervisor (CAPS) courses nationwide. If you are interested in having Paz teach CAMT in your area, please contact Kim McCrossen at 703/797-0610 or kimberlymc [email protected].

Did You Know? Fast Facts About NAA Call for Entries for the 2009 PARAGON Awards The NAA PARAGON Awards recognize excellence and leadership in the apartment industry. These national awards celebrate the contributions that builders, industry professionals and affiliated apartment associations make to the industry. For the winners, a PARAGON award represents a milestone along the path to personal and professional achievement. For our industry, the winners demonstrate characteristics that benchmark success.

There are thousands of local governments in the United States (hundreds in California alone). Every jurisdiction operates differently and publicizes the actions and decisions of it legislative and administrative bodies in many varied ways, if at all. NAA’s Government Affairs Department monitors these thousands of state and municipal activities in all 50 states—any issue affecting the industry—through a network of electronic legislative and news sources as well as contacts in many of the states.

CENTRAL IOWA APARTMENT ALLIANCE presents

LEASING 101

FREE TO MEMBERS! Leasing season is about to begin...are you ready to lease in this soft market? It’s a jungle out there, so we’re going back to the basics! Sometimes we get so caught up in the daily grind and the worry about getting a lease that we forget our starting point. Join Mary Spain of The Apartment Finder and Rick Koontz, CIAA President for their unique and fun perspectives on what you need to know and do before and after that prospect walks in the door! We’ll be sharing 40 years of experience and some good old-fashioned training that never goes out of style! Perfect for your new hires and those new to the industry! Topics will include: •

Choosing Your Attitude

•

Your Model - is it up to par?

•

Why Curb Appeal is Important

•

Follow Up

•

First Impressions

•

Internet Etiquette

•

Phone Technique

•

Important Elements of a Work Order

•

How to Greet Prospects

•

Calming Phrases to Use with Residents

•

The Apartment Tour

AND MUCH MORE!

Additional materials provided by Furniture Options

April 8, 2009, 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. West Des Moines Police Dept. NON-MEMBERS MAY ATTEND for only $50.00 Fax your registrations to Mary Spain at (515) 327-9104 by March 27, 2009 Non-members mail advance payment with registration to: CIAA, 3775 E.P. True Pkwy #263, West Des Moines, IA 50265 Registration Form: Name:

Name:

Name:

Name:

Company/Community Name: Phone:

Email:

CENTRAL IOWA APARTMENT ALLIANCE Presents

Landlord-Tenant Law FREE TO CIAA MEMBERS! Do you know what you need to know about the Iowa Landlord-Tenant Act? One of the biggest mistakes that managers of multi-family housing make is failing to enforce a landlord’s rights. You need to know how the Iowa Uniform Landlord and Tenant Act works: which notices to give to tenants, how they must be given, and how to successfully prosecute an action for forcible entry and detainer. This presentation is designed to give the property manager or owner an overview of the rights and responsibilities of a landlord. It will highlight the termination of a tenancy and the eviction process. It will also cover access to the rental unit, the security deposit, and landlord duties. You will receive a reference guide designed exclusively for this seminar by the faculty. This manual contains the information you need to identify problems and propose solutions. ROSS F. BARNETT, our presenter, is a shareholder with the Des Moines firm of ABENDROTH & RUSSELL, P.C., where he practices in the areas of real estate and probate. His practice also emphasizes landlord / tenant litigation and estate planning. He received his B.A. degree from Grinnell College in 1992 and his J.D. degree, with honors, from Drake University in 1995. Ross is a member of the Iowa State Bar Association (Real Estate and Title Examination Section and Probate Section). He is the author of numerous legal source books on real estate, probate, and landlord / tenant law. Ross is also the Iowa advisor for NAA’s National Lease Program®.

Thursday, April 16, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. West Des Moines Police Department, 250 Mills Civic Parkway Limited seating, register early! Members will be seated first.

Fax your registrations to Mary Spain at (515) 327-9104 by April 3, 2009 Non-members may attend for $50. Please pay in advance or at the door. Registration Form: Name:

Name:

Name:

Name:

Company/Community Name: Phone:

Email:

CIAA and IREM Proudly Present

Our First Joint Event Zap The Gap: Solving the Multi-Generational Puzzle “Us old farts need to keep in touch, not only with our members and employees, but also our customers." The quote above is from an audience member at the Illinois Movers' and Warehousemen's Association after hearing Meagan Johnson present "ZAP THE GAP," How to Solve the Multi-Generational Puzzle." Have you noticed that many of the Generation X'ers and Generation 2000 people don't seem to have the same work ethics and habits as Traditional and Baby Boomer employees? Are they sometimes tougher to manage? You will learn to identify and understand the differences between the generations, retain and develop young star performers, and create a work environment where young people will want to give their best.

Bright Funny Delightfully Obnoxious, Meagan Johnson is known as the “Generational Humorist”. If you think you’ve heard all there is to hear about the four different generations in the workplace, you have not heard Meagan’s comical spin on how to attract, market, manage and communicate with people from every generation without strangling someone in the process. During this session, you’ll laugh while acquiring tools you can use immediately to improve your multi-generational relationships with clients, co-workers and in your every day personal life. While working in a sales environment for various large companies, Meagan became discouraged to hear all the negative comments about generation X and began to research successful ways to work with her younger generation. From that, Zap the Gap was born. In 2003, Meagan received her C.S.P. (certified speaking professional); currently, only ten percent of professional speakers hold this designation. As a Gen Xer, Meagan was extremely proud to be one of the youngest recipients of the CSP designation.

Thursday, May 14, 2009 from Noon - 4:00 p.m. Sheraton West Des Moines • 50th and University Registration includes lunch from 12:00 - 1:00

Unbelievable price? You bet! Meagan’s clients include Dairy Queen, Monster.Com, American Express, Loreal, Pepsi, Cadillac, Burger King, The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Bubba Gump Shrimp Company and Harley Davidson!

Fax your registrations to Mary Spain at (515) 327-9104 by April 3, 2009 Please indicate your membership:

Please pay in advance of event Make checks payable to CIAA and send payment to: Central Iowa Apartment Alliance 3775 E. P. True Pkwy #263, West Des Moines, IA 50265 Registration Form: Name:

Name:

Name:

Name:

Company/Community Name: Phone:

Email:

Member Of Both

ITʼS A NEW GAME...

DO YOU HAVE A WINNING STRATEGY? June 25 – 27, 2009 Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino Las Vegas, NV Make plans now to attend the NAA 2009 Education Conference & Exposition. Register today and take advantage of early bird rates ending March 31, 2009.

Steve Forbes Chairman & CEO of Forbes

Dana Carvey Comedian

Don’t miss general session speaker Steve Forbes and special guest, Dana Carvey.

Make your move today.

For housing information and to register,

visit www.naahq.org/educonf