This episode of The Property Playbook kicks off with host Peter Carlseen welcoming landlord-tenant attorneys Dale and Kevin from Ted Smith Law, a firm that’s been in the trenches since the 1970s (and officially passed down after Ted Smith’s death in 2020). We get the human side first: why they do what they do, what gets them out of bed (spoiler: San Diego sunshine), and what’s on their Netflix queues—ranging from Russian czars to RuPaul’s Drag Race, because balance is important. The tone is casual, self-aware, and refreshingly honest for a conversation about laws that can cost you tens of thousands of dollars if you mess them up.

The bulk of the discussion dives into new and evolving California landlord laws, with one major takeaway repeated like a legal mantra: document everything. Security deposits are capped at one month’s rent (yes, even with pets), and landlords should protect themselves with meticulous photos, walkthroughs, and itemized lists—basically turning every rental into a low-budget documentary. Mold complaints, habitability issues, and sudden “the roof is leaking” claims (sometimes caused by tenants with hammers—yes, really) all underscore why photos, videos, and licensed inspections can be the difference between winning in court and crying into your checkbook.

They also cover exemptions under state and local Tenant Protection Acts, emphasizing that being exempt means nothing if your lease doesn’t say so word for word, in the right font size, with the right underlines—law is fun like that. The conversation rounds out with emotional support animals (including quails, lizards, and the mythical emotional support puppy), fair housing horror stories with $40,000 price tags, appliance requirements, and why DIY eviction notices pulled from the internet are a terrible idea. The recurring punchline? Ask “stupid” questions early, call a professional, and spend a few minutes feeling awkward now to save yourself months of stress—and a small fortune—later.

If you would like to contact either of the guests you can reach out to them at

evict@tedsmith.law or call them at 619-610-9332

Got a rental property? Find out why hundreds of landlords have trusted Praecelsus Property Management, Inc with their investment properties.

You can learn more at www.PraeHomes.com or better yet, contact Peter Carlseen directly for a free consultation at 877-772-3466 ext 7 or email peter@praehomes.com

If you're in San Diego County, chances are, we can help you! And if you're property is located anywhere else in the world, we can get you connected through our established network of trusted professionals.

In the meantime, hit LIKE and SUBSCRIBE and be sure to listen to all of our episodes!

Peter Carlseen kicks off The Property Playbook with solar expert Tommy Linnik of PowurPBC, who got into solar about a decade ago when the industry was “on a rocket ship” and apparently forgot to install seatbelts. Since then, solar has been a wild ride—especially in California—thanks to rising interest rates and policy shifts that knocked out big-name companies like dominoes. The biggest shake-up? Net metering is basically gone. Homeowners used to get paid real money for sending extra solar power back to the grid; now they get paid roughly enough to buy half a gumball. Moral of the story: the utility company is no longer your solar savings account.

Because of that change, solar today isn’t just about panels—it’s about batteries. Instead of giving cheap power away to the grid, homeowners now want to hoard it like squirrels with acorns. Battery storage keeps energy in-house, protects against outages, and plays nicely with new programs like virtual power plants, where homeowners can actually get paid for helping stabilize the grid during high-demand events. Meanwhile, the grid itself is aging like a dinosaur with a flip phone—outages are way up, costs are skyrocketing, and utilities keep passing the bill to customers while approving their own projects. No wonder energy security has replaced “saving a few bucks” as the main motivation for going solar.

For landlords and homeowners, Tommy makes the case that solar can turn an annoying monthly bill into a long-term asset—boosting property value, attracting better tenants, and making thousand-dollar summer electric bills slightly less soul-crushing. In California especially, solar without batteries is basically a wasted opportunity, and incentives now focus heavily on storage. Tommy also emphasizes a no-pressure, consultative approach (unlike that one Kirby vacuum I regret buying), encouraging people to get educated, get multiple opinions, and work with someone who actually understands how fast this industry changes. Bottom line: solar is still worth it—but only if you design it smart, add batteries, and don’t expect the utility company to play fair.

Got a rental property? Find out why hundreds of landlords have trusted Praecelsus Property Management, Inc with their investment properties.

You can learn more at www.PraeHomes.com or better yet, contact Peter Carlseen directly for a free consultation at 877-772-3466 ext 7 or email peter@praehomes.com

If you're in San Diego County, chances are, we can help you! And if you're property is located anywhere else in the world, we can get you connected through our established network of trusted professionals.

In the meantime, hit LIKE and SUBSCRIBE and be sure to listen to all of our episodes!

Peter Carlseen welcomes listeners to The Property Playbook and brings in electrician William Evans from Lighthouse Electrical to talk about how not burning your building down is, in fact, good for your return on investment. They start by diving into old electrical panels—especially infamous brands like Zinsco, Sylvania, Challenger, and Pushmatic—which have shockingly high failure rates. Translation: these breakers stop doing their one job (preventing overheating), wires get way too hot (think 200 degrees), and fires start throwing house parties uninvited. The takeaway for landlords and homeowners: if your panel is old enough to remember disco, it’s probably time to replace it.

Next up, they tackle sneaky electrical problems inside older homes, particularly loose outlets from the mid-60s to early 80s that love to generate heat and cause outages, burning smells, or mysterious “half the house went dark” moments. Enter GFCIs and arc-fault protection—the unsung heroes that stop electricity from going places it shouldn’t, like through people, water, or smoldering walls. GFCIs get a special spotlight thanks to a grim but important history lesson (hair dryer + bathtub = very bad idea), and the reminder that these devices need replacing every 10 years—because safety gear that doesn’t work is just expensive plastic.

Finally, the conversation shifts to modern upgrades and wallet reality checks. Whole-house surge protectors are now required and cost less than replacing one fancy appliance they might save. Insurance companies are cracking down hard on outdated panels, sometimes refusing coverage altogether, which can force entire HOAs into mass upgrades (group discounts, at least). As for switching from gas to electric appliances? William’s advice is basically: proceed with caution and a very large budget, especially if your power lines are underground. In short, a little proactive electrical work now beats fires, fried appliances, angry insurers, and surprise five-figure upgrade bills later—and yes, you should probably check what brand your panel is before it checks you.

Got a rental property? Find out why hundreds of landlords have trusted Praecelsus Property Management, Inc with their investment properties.

You can learn more at www.PraeHomes.com or better yet, contact Peter Carlseen directly for a free consultation at 877-772-3466 ext 7 or email peter@praehomes.com

If you're in San Diego County, chances are, we can help you! And if you're property is located anywhere else in the world, we can get you connected through our established network of trusted professionals.

In the meantime, hit LIKE and SUBSCRIBE and be sure to listen to all of our episodes!

In this episode of The Property Playbook, Peter Carlseen sits down with Drake and Denise Dawley of My New Leaf Insurance to discuss why insurance has become a major concern for landlords and homeowners. Denise shares that their entry into the insurance industry was sparked by a personal experience: her parents suffered water damage that wasn’t covered due to a policy exclusion they didn’t understand. That moment highlighted how confusing insurance policies can be and motivated her to focus on educating clients, eliminating gray areas, and making sure people truly understand what is—and isn’t—covered before a loss occurs.

The conversation emphasizes common insurance pitfalls, especially for landlords. The Dollies stress the importance of calling your insurance broker—not the carrier—before opening a claim, since even zero-payout claims can negatively affect future insurability. They explain why having the cheapest policy is often risky, noting widespread underinsurance and rising rebuild costs. For landlords in particular, proper landlord policies, sufficient liability coverage, umbrella policies, and higher deductibles paired with savings strategies can reduce long-term risk while keeping premiums manageable. They also discuss how claims, property condition, roof age, brush clearance, and even drones and aerial inspections now heavily influence insurability.

The episode also explores the broader challenges of today’s insurance market, including carriers pulling back from California, moratoriums during fire events, rising premiums, and stricter underwriting standards. Drake and Denise advise landlords to secure insurance early during escrow, avoid policy lapses, regularly review coverage, and document personal property through photos or videos. Their core message is proactive planning: understand your policy, shop thoughtfully, maintain your property, and work with a broker who prioritizes proper coverage over price—because insurance only proves its value when something goes wrong.

Got a rental property? Find out why hundreds of landlords have trusted Praecelsus Property Management, Inc with their investment properties.

You can learn more at www.PraeHomes.com or better yet, contact Peter Carlseen directly for a free consultation at 877-772-3466 ext 7 or email peter@praehomes.com

If you're in San Diego County, chances are, we can help you! And if you're property is located anywhere else in the world, we can get you connected through our established network of trusted professionals.

In the meantime, hit LIKE and SUBSCRIBE and be sure to listen to all of our episodes!

This episode of The Property Playbook features Peter Carlseen interviewing trust and estates attorney Mark Ignacio about why estate planning—especially trusts—is CRITICAL for landlords. Mark shares his personal journey into law, shaped by a transformative early exposure to the legal profession and later by his stepfather’s death, which forced his family through a costly and avoidable probate process. That experience led him to focus on trust and estate law to help families prevent similar hardship through better planning.

Mark explains that for landlords, trusts are far more effective than wills alone. A will still sends an estate through probate, which can take over a year, delay access to rental income, create family conflict, and cost tens of thousands of dollars in fees. In contrast, properly funded trusts allow rental properties to bypass probate, ensure continuity of rent collection, and designate a trusted successor to manage properties in cases of death, incapacity, or even voluntary retirement. Without a trust, courts may appoint conservators or fiduciaries—sometimes strangers—to control property and finances.

The conversation also addresses common misconceptions that trusts are only for the wealthy, noting that anyone who owns property, has children, or runs a business can benefit. Ignacio highlights additional advantages such as liability protection when combined with LLCs, flexibility through revocable trusts, and the importance of regular reviews as life circumstances change. He cautions against DIY trust solutions, emphasizing the human judgment required in estate planning, and encourages proactive planning to protect both assets and relationships.

Got a rental property? Find out why hundreds of landlords have trusted Praecelsus Property Management, Inc with their investment properties.

You can learn more at www.PraeHomes.com or better yet, contact Peter Carlseen directly for a free consultation at 877-772-3466 ext 7 or email peter@praehomes.com

If you're in San Diego County, chances are, we can help you! And if you're property is located anywhere else in the world, we can get you connected through our established network of trusted professionals.

In the meantime, hit LIKE and SUBSCRIBE and be sure to listen to all of our episodes!

The episode introduces The Property Playbook, a podcast hosted by Peter Carlseen of Praecelsus Property Management in San Diego, focused on helping landlords turn common real estate headaches into profitable outcomes. The show blends practical advice, expert insights, and humor to make property ownership less stressful. Peter welcomes guest Gavin Hall of Vizual Rhythm Media, setting a conversational tone that emphasizes both professionalism and approachability.

Gavin shares his background as a visual creative who transitioned into marketing and sales, highlighting how his early experiences taught him the importance of understanding client needs and communicating clearly without overwhelming jargon. Influenced by unconventional Hong Kong films, Gavin developed a passion for storytelling and perspective, which he balances with a strong understanding of commerce. This blend of creativity and business sense now defines his work in photography and videography, particularly within the real estate space.

The discussion centers on how authentic, professional photography helps properties stand out while remaining honest representations of the space. Gavin emphasizes decluttering, depersonalizing, using neutral colors, and maximizing light to create a welcoming, realistic “canvas” for potential tenants. He explains that quality photography not only attracts better tenants but also acts as a filter, saving time and reducing vacancies. The episode concludes by reinforcing the value of authenticity, preparation, and professional visuals in successfully marketing rental properties.

Got a rental property? Find out why hundreds of landlords have trusted Praecelsus Property Management, Inc with their investment properties.

You can learn more at www.PraeHomes.com or better yet, contact Peter Carlseen directly for a free consultation at 877-772-3466 ext 7 or email peter@praehomes.com

If you're in San Diego County, chances are, we can help you! And if you're property is located anywhere else in the world, we can get you connected through our established network of trusted professionals.

In the meantime, hit LIKE and SUBSCRIBE and be sure to listen to all of our episodes!

In this episode of The Property Playbook, host Peter Carlseen of Praecelsus Property Management in San Diego sits down with experienced property managers Elaina Morrison and Jazmin Taylor to break down what landlords need to know in today’s slower rental market. With properties sitting longer and tenant movement declining, the conversation focuses on how landlords can adapt their pricing, screening, and marketing strategies to avoid costly vacancies. The team emphasizes that in the current economy, flexibility and realism are key to maintaining steady cash flow.

The discussion dives into rental pricing, property condition, and tenant expectations, highlighting why aggressive rent increases and overpricing are hurting landlords right now. The panel recommends conservative rent adjustments, competitive pricing from day one, and ensuring properties are in top condition with neutral paint colors, updated flooring, and modern appliances. They explain that today’s tenants are highly price-sensitive and looking for “bang for their buck,” making presentation and perceived value just as important as the rent itself.

The episode also covers critical screening topics like security deposits, credit score requirements, and pet policies. With new California regulations limiting deposits and shifting tenant behavior, the experts suggest lowering barriers to entry—such as slightly relaxed FICO score thresholds and flexible deposit structures—to attract more qualified applicants faster. They also explain why allowing pets with reasonable restrictions and charging pet rent instead of pet deposits can be a smart move. Overall, this episode offers practical, real-world advice for landlords looking to reduce vacancy, attract better tenants, and stay competitive in a changing rental market.

For more information on professional property management services, please visit our website at www.PraeHomes.com or contact is directly at info@PraeHomes.com or call us at 877-772-3466

Got a rental property? Find out why hundreds of landlords have trusted Praecelsus Property Management, Inc with their investment properties.

You can learn more at www.PraeHomes.com or better yet, contact Peter Carlseen directly for a free consultation at 877-772-3466 ext 7 or email peter@praehomes.com

If you're in San Diego County, chances are, we can help you! And if you're property is located anywhere else in the world, we can get you connected through our established network of trusted professionals.

In the meantime, hit LIKE and SUBSCRIBE and be sure to listen to all of our episodes!