Bluestone and Hockley Real Estate Services

UPDATED: 02-DEC-2010

Disposing of 100 gallons of paint can be a challenge. When Bluestone & Hockley Real Estate Services (B&H) took over management of the Parkway Townhomes Homeowners’ Association (HOA) in Hillsboro, it was one of the challenges we faced. More than 100 gallons of paint had been collected and left behind from a variety of upgrading and improvement projects undertaken by Parkway residents….[...]

UPDATED: 29-June-2010
Khanh Lam, a long-time Bluestone & Hockley Real Estate Services Maintenance technician, was pictured installing a carbon monoxide detector in a local condominium in Sunday’s Oregonian. This important task is now mandated by Oregon state law.

UPDATED: 03-June-2010

A few months ago I had the opportunity to address 100 real estate investors at a dinner meeting. It was a great evening of give and take. My goal was to help them focus on improving the profitability of their real estate investments. We discussed the following…[...]

UPDATED: 06-APR-2009

As a real estate investor setting aside a reserve fund is always a good practice. Not only is the economy unpredictable, so are the weather and your tenants. How do we evaluate how much to set aside? Let’s review some of our risks.[...]

UPDATED: 01-APR-2009

The purchasing craze of the baby boomers is on. They are buying every stick of real estate in sight. As corporate pensions vanish, social security evaporates/extends to age 70, and the stock market delivers inconsistent returns, baby boomers have increasingly turned to real estate as their retirement vehicle. Real estate investment brokers cannot currently get their hands on sufficient inventory to satisfy them, and competition has reduced returns for investors. [...]

UPDATED: 01-MAY-2002

Allen owned a local restaurant chain and was looking for a new location for another restaurant. He always worked with Sheryl Smith because she was so organized and his lease negotiations were so easy. Everyone wants easy negotiations, [...]

UPDATED: 01-APR-2002

Marshall owned a 66-unit apartment property. He knew from experience that he needed to find a competent on-site manager to keep the units rented. He decided to look in the paper to see who else was looking for an on-site manager. [...]

UPDATED: 01-AUG-2001

It is a moderate day of 55 degrees. Your name is Pablo Smith, and you are the owner of the White Lily Apartments. Today is the day you have chosen to tour your twenty-unit apartment complex. You are relaxed and happy. The rent has been coming in on time. The tenants have been quiet. [...]

UPDATED: 01-APR-2001

Think of yourself as the owner of a property management company. As you are reviewing the monthly financial statements, you realize that you are not making as much money as you expected. As you dig through the numbers your gut keeps telling you that[...]

UPDATED: 01-MAR-2000

Gene owns the Yamhill Village Apartments, a quiet 50-unit apartment property location with a park across the street. He does not use a property management company. He lives out of town and has to depend on his on-site managers to keep him informed with a monthly report.[...]

UPDATED: 01-JAN-2000

Suppose you own a 40-unit apartment complex. You notice that the units are not renting very quickly, your vacancy rate is high, and for some reason your collections are very low. As you are auditing your year-end books, you discover that your on-site manager has been pocketing the laundry room machine income. As you dig further you find that rent money is missing. You decide to fire the manager.[...]