More Business Travelers Booking Their Own Travel Accommodations

Posted on May 16, 2012 by CHBO

Business travel accounted for more than $251 billion in spending last year in the United States with approximately 31 million individuals making at least one business trip in 2011.

But it seems that business travel policies may be outdated for some traveling executives. That’s because many companies have painstakingly negotiated priority rates with airlines, hotels and car rental companies, and they’re forcing their workforce to abide by these policies. But what happens when those policies aren’t aligned with the business traveler’s needs?

A recent New York Times article, ”Bending Company Policy on Business Travel” details the trend of business travelers “going rogue.” This means a business traveler is booking their own travel outside of their company’s carefully negotiated airline partnership… or booking their own hotel or corporate rental accommodations.

Why would a business traveler go rogue? For many reasons. One is for convenience. What if the pre-selected airline requires three connections and all-day travel just to get to the desired destination? What  if the company’s pre-selected hotel is more than 50 miles away from the client’s offices?  Two, sometimes it’s just a matter of preference. A business traveler might enjoy a specific airline, or has the urge to stay in corporate rentals vs. the hotel his company might desire? Should be be forced to do what’s best for his company, or what’s best for his lifestyle on the road?

When you travel for business, do you go rouge, or do you stick to company policies?

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Posted in Business Traveler Advice | Tagged Business travel, Corporate housing | Leave a comment

What CHBO Tenants Need to Know About the Property Inspection Process

Posted on May 9, 2012 by CHBO

When you first check into your rental property, it’s likely the owner of the property will ask you to complete and sign an inspection report. This is your opportunity to evaluate if everything is working and note any damage before you move in. It’s also an opportunity for you to verify that what the landlord says is in the property truly is there and that it’s in clean, working order.

An inspection report often serves to protect the landlord the most; however, it can be essential protection for tenants too. Let’s say you move in and the oven isn’t working. You should note as much on the inspection report. If you don’t note it, the landlord may accuse you of breaking it and require you to pay to fix it.

During move-in, it is important to be as thorough as possible during inspection. Turn on all the lights, flush all the toilets, check all the appliances, etc. Your deposit money is refundable only to the extent that it doesn’t need to be used for back rent, cleaning or damage beyond reasonable use and repair. Don’t rush through this process in the excitement of moving in – take your time and do it right!

Here is a sample Inspection Report for Renters similar to the one you’ll likely be given upon move-in. This is to prepare you for what you can expect during move-in day.

If you’re not handed an inspection report by the landlord upon arrival, bring your own and require your landlord to sign it during move-in and move-out. This will ensure you protect yourself and your deposit!

Print the following “CHBO Inspection Report for Renters” and bring it with you during your next corporate housing stay.

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Posted in Tenant Issues | Tagged Advice for tenants, Property inspection, Security Deposits | Leave a comment

Guest Post: Picking the Right Mover for a Corporate Relocation

Posted on May 2, 2012 by CHBO

Note from CHBO: Corporate relocations are one of the top reasons individuals and families need corporate housing. To assist with a move (of course, when the time is right to move), it’s important to do your due diligence every step of the way. Here are some tips provided by Movers.com…

One of the most important parts of the moving process is finding the right moving company to assist you with your move. There are a lot of differentiating factors that go into picking a moving company, and it’s important that you sit down and carefully consider each of these factors after every mover that you meet, to decide on the one that will ultimately be taking your move and your precious belongings into their hands.

Doing a Background Check

The first thing you are going to need to know about a mover in order to pick the one that is right for you, is the company’s background. Doing a little research and a little digging around the Internet and among your friends and family will help uncover some key information about the company. You should also find out if the company is a member of the Better Business Bureau and if the company is registered with the U.S. Department of Transportation and the American Moving & Storage Association. These memberships and affiliations will help you know if a company is legit and provides good service. It should also allow you the opportunity to read some reviews on the company.

choosing a mover for your corporate relocationAssessing Your Moving Budget and the Estimates

Next, you’re going to need to gather estimates from all of the moving companies in question and determine which one that best fits your moving budget. Make sure to get in-home estimates from each mover, as these tend to be the most accurate evaluations. Also, check to make sure that the companies you are picking from will not hit you with hidden charges and fees after your move. It’s best to figure out exactly what you will be paying for and how much you will be paying before you make your ultimate decision and pick your mover.

Making Sure Your Belongings are Protected

Finally, you’re going to want to figure out what each moving company will offer you in regards to protection for your belongings during the move. That means inquiring about what kind of insurance and liability coverage that the movers offer and what kind of measures they plan on taking when moving your furniture and belongings out of your old home and into your new home. Your belongings are special to you, so you’re going to want a moving company that takes care of them and goes to the necessary lengths to make sure they are protected and arrive at your new home safely.

Once you have all of these factors squared away, you can safely say that you have enough information to make an educated decision on which moving company is right for you and you will be that much closer to being ready for your moving day.

About the Author

Robert Moreschi is the content writer for Movers.com, an online moving resource dedicated to providing its customers with free moving quotes from some of the top moving companies in the business including long distance movers, local movers, and international movers, as well as helpful moving guides and videos.

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Posted in Relocation Advice | Tagged Moving Tips, Relocation Advice | Leave a comment

Simple Ways to Make Your Corporate Rental Property Green

Posted on April 23, 2012 by CHBO

Make your corporate housing rental property green

Greening your furnished rental property doesn’t have to be time-consuming. That’s why this first post-Earth Day post we decided to share some very simple ways to add some eco-friendly touches to your property.

  1. Stock property with recycled paper goods such as recycled toilet paper, paper towels and tissues.
  2. Leave bio-degradable and non-toxic agents inside your furnished corporate rental home. This way your guests are encouraged to clean with green products and you know the property is getting cleaned using safe and healthy cleaning products.
  3. Change your lightbulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs to reduce the energy use in your corporate rental.
  4. Leave recycle bins and information about recycling in your property so your guests can easily recycle items.
  5. Use a digital thermostats in your rental unit so you can program the heat to stay low when you’re not there using it. Leave suggested temperatures and instructions for your tenants to follow.
  6. When needed, slowly replace your appliances with energy efficient models.

Tip! On your CHBO property listing, mention that your property has many “eco-friendly” features. Tenants will notice!

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Posted in Property Management Toolbox | Tagged Property maintenance, Property Management, rental, Rental Market | Leave a comment

Require a Mailbox Key Deposit for Corporate Housing Tenants

Posted on April 18, 2012 by CHBO

DIY landlording mailbox key

Locked mailboxes are becoming more and more popular today – especially in condo buildings and new construction. The issue is now what becomes of the mail key.
If your corporate housing tenant is staying for a short period of time and doesn’t expect mail (ie, a business consultant staying in your home M-F during the week only), then we recommend you don’t give him your mail key. Most tenants will use another address to receive mail if they are staying at your property for only a temporary period of time. That said, some tenants will need mail delivery (especially for long-term stays) and here are some suggestions for handling the mail key dilemma:
Require a Deposit: Charge a $25 mail key deposit when handing out the key.
Add to Agreement: Write in your rental agreement that you are not responsible for any mail lost after the lease end date and that the tenant is required to put in a change of address notice with the post office prior to the lease end date.
Give Mailman Notice: After the tenant departs, don’t let the mail carrier deliver mail for that person. You can prevent this by putting a notice in the mailbox or telling the mail deliverer personally that the tenant is no longer living there.
Return to Sender: If any mail comes through after the tenant has departed, simply mark on the letter “return to sender” or “no longer at this address.”
We hope these tips help you decide how to best handle mail delivery for your tenants.
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Posted in Property Management Toolbox | Tagged Mail keys, Property Management, Security Deposits | Comments Off

Mileage Counts When Doing Your Rental Property or Business Travel Taxes

Posted on April 13, 2012 by CHBO

tax write offs for corporate renal

Corporate Housing Landlords: Did you know that you can deduct mileage when traveling to and from your rental property and when doing errands in relation to your property?

Business Travelers (Tenants of Corporate Housing): Same for you, you can deduct mileage when traveling for business and when driving to and from your corporate rental.

Good news – for 2012, the mileage standards have increased.

Beginning on Jan. 1, 2012, the IRS says the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) is 55.5 cents per mile for business miles driven. The rate for business miles driven is the same as the mid-year adjustment that became effective on July 1, 2011.

Check the IRS’s website for that fine print and questions.

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Posted in Financial Legal and Tax Insights for Property Managers, Tenant Issues | Tagged Business travel, Property Tax Issues, Real Estate Investing | Comments Off

How to Become a CHBO Affiliate

Posted on April 12, 2012 by CHBO

If you’re a corporate housing company, Realtor or other real estate industry professional, listen up! Now you can get rewarded for referring people to CHBO.

Our new affiliate program is called Share a Sale.  If you sign up as a CHBO affiliate on ShareASale.com, you will be given a unique URL. You can then use that URL link and share it with others you think might be interested in CHBO.

When someone uses that link to purchase a rental property listing from the CHBO site, cookies track the visitor back to you and notify CHBO of the purchase.  CHBO will then give you a 15% commission from the purchase. The average commission earned from the purchase of a listing is about $40.

A good way to drum up more sales is by sharing your CHBO affiliate link regularly with your client or reader base. For example, a real estate or corporate housing company or investment blogger might create a button ad for CHBO and post it on their website – the link would use their affiliate URL.

Questions about the program should be directed to our CHBO team member, Jeremy, at 504-708-2223.

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Posted in CHBO in the News | Tagged CHBO Affiliate Program, Corporate housing companies | Comments Off