During the dot com boom Bay Area rents exploded, jumping 15-20% per year. Castle had no choice but to keep up–we sometimes raised rents several times per year to match the market. But when the economy collapsed there was a huge backlash against all property managers. People moved en masse, spiking vacancies and lowering values across the board.

Since then, we've tried to limit rent increases to once a year as a goodwill gesture. We evaluate the market monthly, and if appropriate we'll notify residents of rent increases 90 days before a term lease expires or as the anniversary of a month-to-month arrangement approaches. This gives residents time to evaluate their plans and lets us prepare for a possible vacancy.

It also tends to keep people in their apartments longer, because there are no surprises. We never forget our responsibility to create value for our clients, and while we always keep one eye on the market, we think yearly rent increases are key to preserving stable, long-term revenue. Residents reward property managers who deal with them fairly and transparently — who 'honor their worth and dignity,' as Castle likes to say. That's the first step to growing our clients' businesses and creating strong communities.

We hope you and your family had safe and happy holidays. It's a pleasure to be back with you.

Craigslist is arguably the property manager's greatest marketing tool. It's free, after all, and it's got a massive reach. But there are several things we do to maximize it's potential. 

One is posting every day. This is technically against Craigslist rules, but we get around that by posting new, unique ads. Users never have to scroll far to find a Castle listing.

We also don't limit ourselves to vacancies. If half a dozen apartments will open in August, we might post a wait list in June. Our name is always in the air and we're ahead of the game.

Though it takes commitment, Craigslist can bring you the best people at the best price. We should know–it's how we found our newest team member.

To enter the Sweepstakes, Like our Facebook page and then click on the Sweepstakes tab located on our Facebook page to enter. Sweepstakes ends February 28, 2013.