by Nicole Scimio | May 10, 2022 | Blog, Project Based Section 8 Housing
By: Brady Merkle, Regional Operations Manager, and Michelle Cherup, Property Manager at Carmichaels Arbors
Welcome to Carmichaels Arbors!
Carmichaels Arbors is a beautiful community consisting of 76 garden-style apartments. We have 16 buildings spread over four acres with sidewalks leading to the front door of every apartment. Every resident has their own patio and garden area where they plant beautiful flowers and vegetable gardens. Property grounds are meticulously maintained by onsite staff all year round. The community is tucked away in a quiet area of Carmichaels, Pennsylvania, just a few blocks from the quaint town circle and necessary stores, banks, and restaurants.
Locale
Carmichaels, PA is a small borough located about 60 miles south of Pittsburgh, PA and approximately 30 miles southeast of Washington, PA. Notable places to visit near Carmichaels include the Skyview Drive-In Theatre and Thistlethwaite Vineyards. Cedarwood Apartments, another property managed by Arbors Management, is only one mile away from Carmichaels Arbors.
Residents
What makes Carmichaels Arbors most special are the residents. They are a friendly group that care for and watch out for one another. When the weather is nice, you’ll see big smiles and hear joyful laughter coming from our beautiful courtyard in the middle of the complex. Residents also gather in our charming community room to play cards and bingo, and to have the most fun and festive holiday parties. Those of us who get to work and live at Carmichaels Arbors are very fortunate to be a part of such a special community!
Did You Know?
Carmichaels Arbors is a Project Based Section 8 Housing community and became so after its construction in 1978. Our affordable apartments are designated for the elderly and persons with disabilities.
The community room is a great place for residents to socialize with their friends and neighbors. The community room is used for hosting all sorts of events including cards/bingo, birthday and holiday parties, and a monthly Library Program. It even has a computer station open to the residents!
The property is almost entirely smoke-free, but we do still have a central designated smoking section for residents to utilize.
A Look Inside Our Homes
Our 1-bedroom garden-style apartments have private entrances and plenty of space to make a cozy, welcoming home!
About the Manager: Michelle Cherup
My professional career started as an Administrative Assistant at Howard Hanna Real Estate. After working there for several years, I decided it was not for me. After I had my son, I decided I wanted a job closer to home, so I got a job working for a small property management company called Dentino Agency in California, PA, which managed housing for college students. The owner encouraged me to get my Real Estate license. While working there, I found that I really liked the property management side of real estate.
After working a couple of other positions, one wonderful day, I saw the Property Manager job posting for Carmichaels Arbors and Arbors Management. I immediately applied, as the property was only 15 minutes from my home. I had my interview with Paul Lingenfelter; we hit it off from the moment I met him and the rest is history. To me, working at Carmichaels Arbors is a dream job; I love the property, my co-workers, and especially the residents.
My husband and I love to travel to new places. He won’t fly but that’s okay because he will drive anywhere. Places we have traveled to in the past are San Antonio, TX, Memphis, TN, Boston, MA, Cape Cod, MA, Orlando, FL, Key West FL, Pensacola Beach, FL, Nashville, TN and we have been to Ocean City, MD, Myrtle Beach, SC and the Outer Banks, NC.
We are excited this year to be traveling to Key West, FL again; we are stopping at Savannah, GA on the way down for a few days and Daytona Beach, FL on our way back. Every month we try to go somewhere for a weekend trip. Some of my favorite weekend spots are Deep Creek, MD and Annapolis, MD where the seafood is delicious. My favorite place we have ever been is Key West, FL, and we are so excited to be going back this July. I have a feeling it will be hard to leave, so if I don’t return, you will find me selling straw hats on a corner in Key West!
My husband Jim and I are high school sweethearts, the old football player/cheerleader story. We have been happily married for 35 years this coming October. We have one son, Austin; he is 25 and we are very proud of him. We also have a silly grand-dog named Willie Nelson who we adore. I am truly blessed with the life I have!
Interested in Carmichaels Arbors?
If you’re interested in filling out an application or learning more about Carmichaels Arbors and all we have to offer, please take a look at our property page or contact property manager Michelle Cherup at 724-965-7111 or carmichaelsarbors@arbors.com.
by Nicole Scimio | Apr 15, 2022 | Blog, Property Management Education, Rent Collection, Rental Price
What Kind of Fees Can I Expect From Arbors Management?
Every property management company has a different way of working and a different way of charging management fees.
For example, you might hire a management company that charges one flat rate, or you might find a property manager who charges separately for every service that’s performed.
At Arbors Management, we have three all-inclusive fees. We do not like to piecemeal our costs, and we don’t have an upcharge on our maintenance services.
Today, we’re talking about our three fees upfront and what all you can expect when you work with us.
These fees are also similar to many of the fee structures you’ll find with property management companies in and around Pittsburgh.
Leasing Fees in Pittsburgh
Our leasing fee is the equivalent of one month’s rent, meaning the first month of rent that we collect for you will pay for our leasing services. It’s a one-time fee that’s paid at the beginning of the lease.
This fee covers everything involved in finding and placing a great resident, including:
- Marketing your property
- Showing your property
- Rent pricing
- Preparing the property for rent
We’ll also handle the application process and screen each resident thoroughly and in compliance with the fair housing laws.
Once we’ve approved a resident, we’ll take care of:
- Collecting the move-in funds
- Conducting a move-in inspection of the property to document its condition
- Executing the lease agreement
Management Fees in Pittsburgh
Then, you’ll have the monthly management fee, which is typically 9 percent of your monthly rent.
The management fee can differ depending on a few different factors:
- How many units the property has
- If we will need to employ onsite staff
- How many total properties we’re managing for you
- How much those homes are earning
- The neighborhoods in which those homes are located
Your management fee will come directly out of the rent we collect from the residents. It includes everything that’s covered in our management services, from lease enforcement to inspections to maintenance.
The management fee also covers:
- Our resident and vendor communication
- Any notices that need to be served
- Our accounting and bookkeeping
- The portals we provide for residents and owners
Lease Renewal Fees in Pittsburgh
Our final fee is a renewal fee, which is a flat $250 charge that you’ll pay each time we renew a resident.
When you think about the cost of resident turnover and vacancies, it’s easy to see what a value $250 is.
We’ll work hard to retain your residents, and the renewal fee will cover our negotiation and signing of the new lease. It costs you a lot less than it would if you were paying a new leasing fee.
In Conclusion…
There is no single right way to charge management fees, but the most important thing is that the company you’re working with is transparent and honest.
The last thing you need as an owner and investor is to be surprised by extra charges, and it’s important to review your management agreement before you sign it.
Contact us at Arbors Management if you’d like to know more about our services and their costs. Our Portfolio Managers and Leasing Specialists would be happy to provide a personalized quote that’s based on your property and its unique needs!
by Arbors Management, Inc. | Mar 24, 2020 | Blog, Property Management Education
Should I Renew My Pittsburgh Resident’s Lease?
To Renew or Not To Renew Your Resident’s Lease?
Near the end of every residency, you need to ask yourself whether or not you want to renew your resident’s lease.
Today, we’re talking about what you should consider when you’re making this decision.
Is Your Resident Paying Their Rent on Time?
One factor to consider when you’re thinking about renewing a resident’s lease is if they pay their rent on time.
If they pay on time consistently each month and you’ve never had to send a reminder or ask where their payment is, that’s great – it’s a good reason to renew the lease!
However, if your resident doesn’t pay rent on time each month, you’ll need to decide if you’re okay with that.
If they pay a few days late every month but they always pay, you might find it tolerable since you’d get to collect a late fee.
The tardy payments may be inconvenient, but if you like the extra income that late fees provide, renewing with a resident who pays a little bit late may work out well for you.
Is Your Resident Taking Care of the Property?
Another point to look at is how well the resident keeps up with property maintenance and cleaning.
If you’re consistently receiving maintenance requests because things are breaking or are being damaged, you might not want to keep such residents in your property.
It’s a good idea to do an inspection before you decide on a lease renewal – this will give you an opportunity to look at the condition of your property and evaluate the resident’s living conditions.
If you see damage, pests, or indications that the resident may be violating your lease agreement, there’s a good chance that you may not want to renew.
But if everything looks like it did at the beginning of the lease term, a renewal probably makes sense!
Will You Increase Your Rent?
Lease renewal is a good time to increase rent, which is another decision you’ll have to make when you’re renewing your resident’s lease.
How much can you increase without chasing the resident out?
You’ll need to do a market analysis to know what other residents are paying in rent for properties similar to yours.
If they’re not paying significantly more, you might want to leave the rent where it is so you can retain your high quality residents and avoid turnover expenses.
How Does Arbors Management Help?
Here at Arbors, we conduct a physical inspection of a property 120 to 150 days before the lease expires.
Then, we send the report to the owner through our online portal. You’ll have a chance to review the inspection report and our recommendations for how much rent should be increased.
You can review that information and decide if you agree, if you’d like to make a different rental increase, or if you don’t want to do one at all.
You can also tell us if you’d rather not renew the current resident’s lease – we’re here to move forward with what you want to do.
Once we have confirmation on how to proceed, we’ll coordinate with the resident and send them the paperwork to successfully complete the renewal process, if you so choose.
All in All…
Deciding whether or not to renew your current resident’s lease can be challenging, but when it comes down to it, you really just need to consider 3 big questions:
- Does your resident pay their rent on time?
- Is your resident caring for your property?
- Do you plan on increasing your rent?
Once you work through those questions, whether it be on your own or with professional guidance from Arbors, you should be able to reach a sound decision.
If you need help deciding whether or not to renew your resident’s lease, contact us at Arbors Management – we’d be more than happy to help!
by Arbors Management, Inc. | Nov 8, 2019 | Property Management Education
How Arbors Management Provides Irreplaceable Value to Residents
Working with a professional property management company offers landlords and investors a lot of benefits and advantages:
- You save time
- You save money
- Less headaches
- Less hassle that often comes along with owning a rental property
Most importantly: you have access to experience, tools, and resources that only professional managers can bring to the table.
But…
Residents also benefit from a professionally managed home.
With over 40 years of experience, we’ve found that property owners who utilize our management services have happier residents!
Why?
Because we’re responsive, accountable, and able to implement programs and systems that allow for a better and more efficient rental process.
Online Rent Payments and Maintenance Requests
Technology has delivered a number of innovative software systems and online platforms that help us manage your property more efficiently and effectively.
For example, we offer online portals where residents can pay rent and submit maintenance requests.
This is extremely convenient – our residents don’t have to worry about late rent payments or forgotten repair needs. Everything is documented and electronic.
Residents can pay rent whenever is convenient for them; in the middle of the night, during a lunch break, in the evening, literally whenever!
Our residents also have the ability to schedule future or recurring payments, and contact us about maintenance issues at any time and from any place.
Easy Application Procedures
Not only do we have online portals for current residents, but our applications for prospective residents are all online as well.
Residents are able to fill out an application online, then quickly and easily upload any of the supporting documentation required.
This allows our team to screen and verify information quickly and electronically, ultimately providing applicants with our decision faster.
We also list our available properties online!
Our online listings are user-friendly and accurate.
They also include photos, allowing residents to get an idea of what the property is like before applying!
It’s easy to contact a designated Leasing Specialist, and showings can be scheduled electronically as well.
With Arbors Management, the entire process from browsing to renting is paperless and efficient.
Hassle-Free Lease Signing
Once a resident is approved for a property, the leasing process is simple.
Residents will be able to review the entire lease and any addenda online. They can email or call us with any questions and then sign it with an electronic signature.
We will execute the lease on our end, and a copy goes into the online resident portal, which can be accessed at any time.
The security deposit can also be paid online, and residents don’t have to talk to us unless they have a question or need support.
We’re happy to offer our residents such a convenient and simplified process while still being available to provide assistance every step of the way.
Remaining Responsive and Accessible
On that note, one of the many reasons Arbors residents love working with us is because we are available and easy to reach.
Phone calls do not go unreturned and emails are not ignored.
We know the law, we’re accountable to the lease agreement, and we treat all of our residents fairly and consistently.
All in All…
We provide value to you and your residents by being present and using our experience to manage your property better.
Our goal is to use all of our tools and resources to make this a pleasant, successful leasing period for all parties.
If you have any questions about what we do and how our professional property managers provide value, please contact us at Arbors Management.
We’d love to tell you more!
by Arbors Management, Inc. | Aug 9, 2019 | Investment Rental Property, Property Management Education
The Pittsburgh Housing Market
There are plenty of excellent reasons to invest in Real Estate in Pittsburgh:
- Pittsburgh is diverse
- Pittsburgh is growing and desirable
- Plenty of good school districts nearby
- Pittsburgh real estate is generally affordable
The list could go on and on!
Whether you’re local to the area or from out of state and looking for an investment property, you can find some thriving submarkets in and around Pittsburgh.
Today, we’re talking about what you should buy and where you should buy when considering a Pittsburgh investment property.
Investing in Pittsburgh: Market Strength
Housing prices are on the rise in Pittsburgh, but the buy-in that investors face is still much lower than in other east coast cities.
Pittsburgh neighborhoods have undergone a lot of revitalization in the last few years, and the economy is growing.
More people are moving into the area and unemployment is lower than the state average.
There’s a growing tech industry in the city thanks to companies like Google, Apple, Uber, and Facebook setting up shop.
The medical centers and universities are putting Pittsburgh on the map in new ways, and smart investors are taking note.
Pittsburgh Neighborhoods to Consider
When you’re looking for a Pittsburgh investment property, you’ll need to consider your investment goals and the importance of location.
When we’re talking to investors, whether they’re looking for their first rental home or an additional property to add to a growing portfolio, we always recommend neighborhoods with outstanding resident pools and the potential for long term gains.
Some of those neighborhoods we recommend are:
Pittsburgh Neighborhoods to Avoid
As your property management partners, we care about the investment decisions that you make and are happy to be involved from the beginning.
If you’re considering purchasing a home in Pittsburgh, reach out to us to get our insights on the neighborhood – we’ll give you our honest feedback.
Types of Homes to Buy
When you’re looking for a great investment property in Pittsburgh, remember that your goal is to get it onto the market as soon as possible – an unoccupied rental home is an expensive rental home.
So, look for properties that are in good shape.
Cosmetic upgrades often just take a few days, and it’s fine to buy a home that needs new paint or better flooring.
Don’t bother with properties that will require heavy renovations and rehab work; you’ll lose too much money on vacancy costs, and you may not recoup what you spend bringing it up to habitability standards.
40+ Years of Experience in the Pittsburgh Housing Market
With over 40 years of experience in the Pittsburgh housing market, we’ve learned a thing or two – we’d be more than happy to discuss your options as a potential or current owner in Western Pennsylvania!
For more information or a free consultation, please contact us at Arbors Management.
Carmichaels Arbors is a beautiful community consisting of 76 garden-style apartments. We have 16 buildings spread over four acres with sidewalks leading to the front door of every apartment. Every resident has their own patio and garden area where they plant beautiful flowers and vegetable gardens. Property grounds are meticulously maintained by onsite staff all year round. The community is tucked away in a quiet area of Carmichaels, Pennsylvania, just a few blocks from the quaint town circle and necessary stores, banks, and restaurants. 
My professional career started as an Administrative Assistant at Howard Hanna Real Estate. After working there for several years, I decided it was not for me. After I had my son, I decided I wanted a job closer to home, so I got a job working for a small property management company called Dentino Agency in California, PA, which managed housing for college students. The owner encouraged me to get my Real Estate license. While working there, I found that I really liked the property management side of real estate. 
