Check out what type of folks are renting homes vs apartments these days. Information provided by National Multifamily Housing Council. Where do you fit in?
Did you know that having a Bilingual employee not only benefits your clients and customers but enhances the workplace for others, as these individuals are often skilled multitaskers with impressive communication skills.
As a Professional Management company, Desert Wide Properties recognizes this and we are happy to lend a helping hand to any of our valued owners or residents needing assistance with translation.
Please contact our front office to be connected with someone who can offer exceptional customer service!
~ Lorrie Baker – Desert Wide Properties
By Verbalizeit.com
Bilingual employees offer innumerable benefits to your business. Many scientific studies have found that people who can speak more than one language enhance the workplace for others, as these individuals are often skilled multitaskers with impressive communication skills.
Companies looking to hone their business globalization efforts should hire employees with diverse language skills, as these workers can not only assist with picking the best localization services to adapt website content, but they can also make the workplace much more productive for others in the company.
“70 percent of employers believe Spanish-speaking skills will be highly sought after in the next decade.”
A recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Phoenix Research Institute found that demand for bilingual employees is expected to rise over the next ten years, with 70 percent of employers predicting Spanish-speaking skills will be highly sought after and 42 percent believing Chinese-speaking skills will be popular among job candidates.
But bilingual employees offer a wealth of benefits that extend beyond mere language acquisition. Consider the following next time you are assessing the skills of potential bilingual workers.
1. He or she can help you reach international consumers
Bilingual employees can be a valuable resource, whether they speak the language of the region you’re targeting or not. Those who have grown up speaking two or more languages understand how complicated communication between two cultures can be, including knowing which areas require sensitivity and which call for being stern.
When it comes to generating content that is consumer-facing, bilingual individuals can help pinpoint which regions are more likely to interact with geotargeted posts and graphics. For example, after posting to social networks set up in a different language, your bilingual workers can read comments to assess how people are reacting to certain posts and help your business examine how to best move forward. This presents an exciting opportunity for your business, as researchers at the Nieman Journalism Lab found that geotargeted posts are six times more successful than regular ones.
2. Localization becomes a breeze
The same can be said about how well your website and social networks are localized to individual regions. Using localization services allows you to translate longform content or website pages in a different language, all while keeping regional preferences and buying behaviors in mind. Your bilingual staff member can act as the liaison for your company, assessing how well the localization process went and if there are any additional site features that should be adapted for particular regions.
In addition, employees who speak the language of the region you’re hoping to target can help with the more specific facets of localizing your website, such as working with a team to develop a regional search engine optimization plan and providing firsthand feedback regarding features on the site.
3. You have a multilingual proofreader on staff
Unless you have hired a bilingual staff member specifically to write and translate content across several languages, he or she likely will not have the time to create all new website copy while also performing the responsibilities of his or her position. However, after investing in professional translation services to accurately adapt your content, you may be able to set aside time for your bilingual employee to review the company’s work. This individual can view the copy through the eyes of a local, spotting grammatical or factual errors that may impede a global consumer from trusting your brand.
The same sentiment extends far beyond mere website copy. Having a second pair of eyes to review legal documents, contracts or packaging that any international consumer would view is a great way to ensure your copy is error-free, helping your brand establish itself as both trustworthy and reputable in the eyes of international buyers.
4. Bilingual employees are better multitaskers
Comprehending the intricacies of two separate languages requires a significant amount of brainpower and as a result, many bilingual individuals are excellent multitaskers. According to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health, people who speak more than one language have a much easier time switching between two tasks than those who only speak one. Researchers asked bilingual and monolingual children to complete a series of computer tasks that assessed their ability to juggle moving between different questions. They found that multilingual children could change more quickly than those who only spoke one language, a clear indication of their superior multitasking skills, suggested Peggy McCardle, Ph.D., chief of the Child Development and Behavior Branch at the NIH National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
“In simplest terms, the switching task is an indicator of the ability to multi-task,” McCardle explained. “Bilinguals have two sets of language rules in mind, and their brains apparently are wired to toggle back and forth between them depending on the circumstances.”
The ability to multitask is often highly sought after in the workplace, as corporate environments are constantly in flux. Employees who can both perform their duties while assisting with foreign language translation efforts can have a profound impact on how well your business functions each day.
“Bilingual employees may conduct tasks quickly and more efficiently than other workers.”
5. These workers have excellent communication and listening skills
Northwestern University conducted a study that yielded similar results, discovering the cognitive benefits of bilingual individuals extended beyond multitasking. Researchers found that people who spoke several languages could process information more quickly and efficiently than those who only knew one. Viorica Marian, lead author of the study and professor in the university’s School of Communication, noted that the cognitive benefits stemmed from the fact that bilingual individuals have become accustomed to working the muscles of their brains.
“Bilinguals are always giving the green light to one language and red to another,” Marian said. “When you have to do that all the time, you get really good at inhibiting the words you don’t need.”
This ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information allows these individuals to hone their internal processing skills, making them ideal workers for any company.
June 1, 2016 Get Ready!! Here comes the season of triple digits. Make sure to change your air filters every time you pay your rent. A clean system not only runs more efficiently but can save $$ on your monthly bills and costly repair fees.
Often we are asked by our owners and investors “Are Home Warranties a good idea?” Please review this interesting article just published by MoneyTalks News , Marilyn Lewis on May 5, 2016
In the article, Marilyn describes the pros and cons of Home Warranty Policies. If you are interested in having a home warranty on your property please contact our office and we will be glad to provide you a variety of policy brochures from some of the Valleys providers!
~Lorrie Baker, Desert Wide Properties
A home warranty can help you repair or replace home appliances and systems. But don’t enter into a contract before asking these key questions.
If you’ve bought a home recently, you may have purchased or received a home warranty.
However, consumers frequently expect more from these plans than they deliver.
Home warranties aren’t insurance policies. They’re service contracts. Like a service contract that covers repairs to your computer, a home warranty is a company’s agreement to pay for fixing — and, if necessary, replacing — specified home components.
A home insurance policy, in comparison, covers losses if your home and its contents are damaged or lost to theft, fire or other causes.
A basic home warranty costs about $350 to $500 a year or more. A warranty typically covers kitchen appliances, plumbing, water heater, furnace, sump pump, whirlpool tub, and ceiling and exhaust fans, Angie’s List says.
“Enhanced” plans, purchased for another $100 to $300, provide added coverage for such things as a washer and dryer, air conditioning, refrigerator and garage door opener. Optional items can be added, including pools and septic systems.
You may be covered already
If someone gives you a home warranty, accept it — at least while it’s free. But understand that, even with someone else paying the premiums, you’ll likely pay a service fee — typically $50 or $75 — each time you need a repair, according to Angie’s List.
Before buying a home warranty, learn what coverage you may already have. For example, if you’re buying a newly built home:
The home appliances and systems typically have one-year warranties.
Most states require builders to warranty the home’s structural elements for up to 10 years.
Also, when you buy new furnishings and appliances, use a credit card that extends the product’s warranty. That can add as much as an extra year of protection.
Is a home warranty right for you?
Sellers may offer a year’s coverage as an incentive to home shoppers. Owners of new homes frequently pay the premiums after their free year expires.
Real estate agents sometimes give home warranties to clients as a thank you gift for purchasing a home. Some buyers of older homes find that a warranty gives them confidence.
Other homeowners decide they’re better off setting aside savings to cover home repairs and replacements.
With expensive components near or past their life expectancy, a home warranty might be a good idea. Components that have pre-existing problems, however, typically are excluded from protection.
Pros
Buyers who purchase a previously owned home inherit used appliances and home systems with wear and tear. A home warranty can help cover the cost if things break down.
New Jersey real estate agent Lorraine Labonne-Storch told HSH.com that a few days after closing on a home she purchased, the boiler caught fire. It cost her $12,000 to replace.
A home warranty would have covered a portion of the cost, she said. She’d had the option to purchase a warranty when she bought the house, but declined it.
Cons
However, home warranties top the list of complaints received by Angie’s List. One reason, the site says, is the difference between customers’ expectations and what the plans actually deliver. Homeowners also complain about the quality of service from warranty companies.
Before buying a home warranty, read the contract and understand exactly what it does and does not cover. For example, some contracts will not provide coverage if:
You didn’t maintain the appliance.
The appliance was installed incorrectly.
The appliance had too much wear and tear.
If you haven’t read it carefully, be prepared for surprises. Don’t assume:
Your policy will replace a faulty component. The warranty company may insist on repairing it instead.
You can call your favorite service provider. Home warranties usually require you to use a contracted servicer.
The warranty will cover the entire cost. Although she would have been happy to have it, Labonne-Storch said the home warranty she declined would have paid only up to $1,600 to repair or replace the $12,000 boiler.
Find out what’s covered, and what the warranty provides. There may be exclusions and limitations. Perhaps the refrigerator is covered, but the ice maker is excluded. Claims may be rejected because of pre-existing problems or insufficient maintenance.
Learn who will perform the repair work. Also, find out if you can cancel the policy. Most contracts allow a 30-day “free look” that allows a buyer to cancel within 30 days and get a full refund, says the Service Contract Industry Council.
Vet the company
Research a company using these sources:
Better Business Bureau: Type in your city’s name. On the next page type the company’s name. Or type “home warranty.” You’ll see if a company is BBB accredited. That means a company agrees to resolve complaints with the BBB and pays an accreditation fee of anywhere from $400 to several thousand dollars. See company ratings, if any, and a summary of complaints to the BBB.
Your state insurance commissioner: Locate yours with this National Association of Insurance Commissioners map. Although home warranties aren’t insurance policies, 32 states require companies offering warranties to register or be licensed by the state’s department of insurance.
Amanda Marsh, Bisnow NY
The early findings of IREM’s annual Job Analysis report are out—and there’s a surprising trend. Of the over 1,400 North American real estate management professionals surveyed, the majority believe the top 10 areas of knowledge required for their job all relate to people or soft skills.
“Soft skills and people skills were ranked higher as areas of importance than knowledge specific to real estate,” such as finance, risk management and leasing, says Eugene Burger Management Corp SVP Lori Burger, who’s also IREM president (she’s snapped above with Sunrise Management CEO and former IREM president Joe Greenblatt). “The job functions of real estate management professionals are constantly changing,” she adds, as lines continue to blur when it comes to what asset managers and property managers need to know and do. “Technology and social media, for example, are an addition to the skill set essential for managers in many cases.”
Above are the 10 most important areas of knowledge required in real estate management, according to survey respondents. In the office sector, preparing annual budgets was rated as the most important function of a management exec, followed by enforcing a property’s operating policies and procedures. In the apartment sector, enforcing and maintaining operating policies and procedures were rated as the most important functions of a management pro, followed by coaching and mentoring employees.
Great ways for professionals to improve their skills are to focus on best practices, says IREM CEO Russ Salzman—whether that means taking courses on how to perform a specific task like developing operating procedures, or by developing communication and leadership skills by reading white papers (IREM publishes a series that focuses on topics like crisis communications, conflict management, presentation skills, building teams, delegating responsibility and more). In addition to topical courses, professionals can also expand their knowledge base by keeping up with industry publications and participating in webinars and tutorials, he suggests. (IREM will release the full findings of the 2015 Job Analysis report on Aug. 13.)