Insights & Guides
Maintenance & Property Care
Rental property maintenance guides for East Contra Costa landlords: maintenance coordination, inspections, condition assessments, vendor selection, and seasonal property care tips.
Aug 3, 2026Maintenance & Property Care
SB 721 Balcony Inspections in 2026: What Owners of 3+ Unit Buildings Need to Know Now
California's SB 721 balcony inspection deadline passed on January 1, 2026. What owners of buildings with three or more units should do now: inspections, repairs, the 120-day window, and the six-year cycle, explained calmly.
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May 8, 2026Maintenance & Property Care
Can Property Management Companies Charge for Maintenance? (California Guide)
Yes, property management companies in California can charge maintenance fees, coordination fees, and vendor markups, but the rules matter. What East Bay landlords need to know before signing a management agreement.
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Apr 21, 2026Maintenance & Property Care
Best Practices for Handling Tenant Maintenance Requests
Managing a rental property effectively requires more than just collecting rent; it demands a high standard of property upkeep and a streamlined approach to tenant maintenance requests. At Croskey Real Estate, we believe that the secret to long-term tenant satisfaction and asset protection lies in a professional maintenance workflow. In this guide, we break down
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May 13, 2025Maintenance & Property Care
Why Regular Rental Property Condition Assessments Are a Must for Every Landlord
IntroductionOwning a rental property is a fantastic investment, but it comes with responsibilities. One of the most critical, yet often overlooked, tasks is the rental property inspection, also called a Property Condition Assessment (PCA). Whether you’re a hands-on landlord or working with a professional team, routine inspections and condition assessments safeguard your property, ensure tenant satisfaction, and
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Oct 18, 2024Maintenance & Property Care
The Horrors of Deferred Maintenance: A Nightmare for Housing Providers
The Horrors of Deferred Maintenance: A Nightmare for Housing Providers Deferred maintenance is what happens when repairs, capital replacements, and routine service are postponed until small problems become expensive emergencies. For California housing providers, especially in busy Contra Costa County rental markets, delay usually shows up as higher spend, longer vacancies, frustrated tenants, and more operational risk….
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Jul 28, 2023Maintenance & Property Care
Section 8 in California: A Housing Provider's Guide to Vouchers
How the Housing Choice Voucher program actually works for California housing providers: the 2020 source of income rules, inspections, guaranteed subsidy payments, and running voucher tenancies well in Contra Costa County.
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Mar 21, 2023Maintenance & Property Care
Property Condition Assessment Near Me
As a property owner, ensuring that your property is in good condition is crucial. It not only helps to maintain the value of your property but also ensures the safety of its occupants. A Property Condition Assessment (PCA) is an important step in assessing the condition of your property.When it comes to finding a PCA
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Mar 2, 2023Maintenance & Property Care
Why Completing a Rental Property Analysis is Critical for Housing Providers
If you own a rental property, you know that managing it can be challenging at times. From finding and screening tenants to maintaining the property and dealing with unexpected repairs, being a housing provider requires significant time and effort. But even with all the hard work you put into your rental property, it may generate
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Aug 17, 2022Maintenance & Property Care
Routine home maintenance prevents more significant issues later on
Routine home maintenance prevents more significant issues later on. It is essential to take care of minor problems before they become big problems. The best way to maintain your house is to conduct a condition assessment regularly. You also want to have a plan if unforeseen circumstances arise. Regularly changing the air filter, checking your
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Aug 10, 2022Maintenance & Property Care
A vacant rental with continuous break-ins, what’s an owner to do?
A self-managing housing provider named Jennifer came to my office a few years ago. She was frustrated that she couldn’t keep good tenant’s in her rental property. Her rental had been vacant for a few months, and her reserves were dwindling; she needed to get new tenants to lease the property ASAP before she ran
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Aug 1, 2022Maintenance & Property Care
The day my tenant started a fire
Accidents can happen in any rental home. Recently, one of our tenants was frying food when a small kitchen fire quickly escalated. Thanks to fast emergency response and our proactive property management approach, what could have been a disaster was contained and resolved with minimal damage. Immediate Response Matters The apartment building’s owner had hired
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May 7, 2022Maintenance & Property Care
A Renter's Guide: Insurance, Maintenance, and Your Lease in East Contra Costa
Are you covered? Did you know that homeowners’ insurance only covers the dwelling and not your personal property? If you haven’t already done so, reach out to a local insurance agent to discuss the importance of renters’ insurance. Got Maintenance? Your lease should cover what maintenance services are the owners responsibly and what are yours
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