Property Preservation Education & Training Resources

Here are links to each of the individual topics on our website. Just click any of the section titles to review the training materials for that topic.

What is Property Preservation and How To Get Started
I’ve found property preservation to be a lucrative, reliable, and excellent business to be in. In this article I’ll tell you how you can start and succeed in the property preservation business.

Tools and Equipment Needed
Here is my list of tools and materials needed to complete Property Preservation work.

How Foreclosure Market Works
What does it mean that a home is being foreclosured. How does the foreclosure market work and how can you make money with foreclosured homes.

Work Orders
The starting point for 90 percent of people working in this industry is the work order. Learn everything there is to know about different work orders.

Commercial and Worker’s Insurance
Before you start any work whatsoever, it is critical that you have appropriate insurance in place to protect yourself, the property you work on, and anyone you hire.

Property Preservation Bidding and Estimating
If you plan to become a Property Preservation Repair Vendor or an REO Repair Vendor, you will be expected to complete itemized repair estimates, or “bids” as they are frequently referred to in this industry. You will also be expected to use some type of estimating software.

Building a Team
A big decision you will face at an early stage of your operation will be whether to recruit your own full-time employees or use independent contractors, or subcontractors.

General Business Advice
It’s one thing to win business and even deliver a service, but being profitable also means managing your finances properly. You need to make sure you keep track of who owes you money and how much.

Marketing Your Property Preservation Business
If you have an established property preservation business, you may still be looking to get more clients or projects. Like any business, this lucrative and reliable business still requires marketing, especially in the first few years.

Photo Requirements
You will need to take photographs regularly throughout the REO process. Learn what kind of photos to take.

Boarding
Gone are the days when you could just pull up to a property and slap some boards up. Nowadays, many servicing companies have to follow strict rules about when and where they are allowed to use boarding as a way to secure a property. Many local communities have recently passed new rules about boarding, as well.

Debris Removal
Debris Removal is one of the most vitally important tasks. Few people outside this industry realize that trashing out a property involves much more than simply renting a dumpster and tossing out trash. Many of the recent news stories have involved REO vendors who have completed debris removal work orders at the wrong property. Just getting to the right house is only half the battle. Check out this page to learn more about it.

Property Preservation Inspections
Property Inspectors have a very important job within the Property Preservation industry. Most insurance policies have strict rules in regards to a property’s vacancy. The property inspector is the key player in the field whose work allows banks and servicing companies to stay in compliance.

Lawn Maintenance
Seasonal lawn maintenance is another very important aspect of this business because most cities across the United States have been really cracking down on banks and servicing companies for not adequately maintaining properties when they are supposed to be taking care of them. Many local communities have been imposing fines as large as $1,000 per day for maintenance violations.

Maid Service
This is the process of thoroughly “cleaning” the entire inside of a property including but not limited to vacuuming and mopping all floors, cleaning all windows and light fixtures, kitchens and bathrooms, stoves, ovens and refrigerators. Depending on the client who orders the maid service work order, there may be additional tasks related to cleaning that you need to complete.

Repairs & Damages
Believe it or not, many banks are actively renovating their foreclosure houses in an attempt to sell them for the most amount of money in the least amount of time. Banks are also forced to complete repairs to cure city code violations and to address damages related to an insurance claim.

Securing
Securing a property is typically part of an Initial Services Work Order. An Initial Services Work Order starts off by gaining access to a property by removing one of the existing locksets and then installing a new one in its place along with a lockbox.

Winterizations
There are two types of winterizations, dry and wet. Learn about these and much more.

Property Preservation Companies
Current list of the Property Preservation Companies who are always recruiting new vendors with links to their online vendor applications.

Property Preservation For All 50 States
Find out property preservation companies in your state who are currently looking to hire vendors, HUD pricing, foreclosure trends and much more!

Glossary
If you are new to the Property Preservation Industry, this would be a great page to start your education. Just like every other construction related industry, ours has its own specialized terminology and if you fail to understand it, there’s a good chance you will not even get into this business. We have a vast glossary for Property Preservation, landscaping, construction and OSHA construction safety terminology.

Property Preservation Blog
Latest news and stories from the world of property preservation.