Every once in a while you'll enter a property and be astonished by the amount of trash that seems to accumulate. From overflowing recyclables to a sink full of dirty dishes, you'll occasionally have the not-so-wonderful surprise of dealing with a messy tenant. Unfortunately, it's difficult to create boundaries in this situation because you want the tenant to be happy, but you also don't want to see your property lose significant value and create potential health and safety risks.

According to a recent survey, more than half of US homeowners (53%) do not perform annual maintenance on their home. The survey was conducted by HomeAdvisor, an online destination for home repair and improvement.    Additionally 77% of homeowners reported that they were concerned about high electricity bills. Essentially, people are worried about bills but not worried enough to perform routine maintenance.

The thought of letting somebody manage your biggest asset (your property!) can be something that brings a lot of nervous energy, fear and concern for every property owner who does not have the time to properly manage their property. Not only is it a difficult task to achieve, but choosing the right property manager from the many in your area can be overwhelming. Below you will find a list of qualities to look for in finding the property manager that is right for you. This property manager needs to be one that you can gain Peace of Mind in managing your property.

Last month we wrote a blog post about rising taxes in Chester County and Delaware County.  A recent Philly.com article reported that across Chester and Delaware counties as well as other counties nearby, town taxes are also increasing. For example, township taxes in Upper Darby have increased over 7 percent. The article reports that a majority of the tax money is going to police and ambulance services.

Redfin recently ranked the top "up-and-coming" neighborhoods for the 16 metro areas it serves, including the Greater Philadelphia area. The list combines market data, like real estate prices, along with input from Redfin real estate agents and was reported on Philly Curbed.

Delaware County House Fire Earlier this month, three individuals suffered minor injuries in a Delaware County house fire. The fire broke out around 1:30 a.m on January 4th in Darby Township. While four family members escaped from the fire, the family dog was not able to make it out of the home. Some of the family members of the home exited by climbing out of a 2nd-story bedroom window onto their neighbor's roof. The residents then went through the neighbor's window and outside the home, escaping with their lives.

Delaware County and Chester County have recently approved a new budget for 2013. The result--a 2.8 percent raise in Delaware County property taxes and a 5 percent increase in Chester County real estate taxes per year.

Investing in a bargain house is an action that seems glamorized by pop culture. How many times do you turn on the TV to find a flipper investing in a cheap house, fixing it up, then renting it out? However, the ability to purchase bargain homes isn't a reality for a lot of Americans who can't afford to make a down payment or qualify for a mortgage.

With below-freezing temperatures haunting the future forecast, it's time to start thinking about ways to cut down on energy use. Many properties in Philadelphia and beyond are older and less energy efficient buildings.

Every year it seems that Winter comes upon us much too fast, and before you know it you are breaking open the storage containers looking for your favorite pair of hats and gloves. Without proper preparation for the cold winter months, it leads to many head colds and illness, such miserable experiences. The same goes for your management properties, if a property owner does not prepare accordingly for the long, cold months ahead that are sure to provide wear to any property, you could be in for a long winter!