Education Archives - Mark Pinilla

The Florida Lease Agreement and Service & Support Animals

Understanding the Florida Lease Agreement and effectively protecting the landlord, tenant, and Realtor’s interests. Learn what even some of the most experienced veteran real estate agents do not know and where most of the mistakes are made. Learn how to fill in the maintenance section, deal with active-duty military, and more.

This class and visual presentation lecture covers the Florida Lease Agreement intertwined with realtor & property management experiences based on how the lease was written/filled in. The training will cover the lease agreement flow from acquiring a tenant to the closing/move-in and the responsibilities of the Realtors® to their customers.

The Lease Agreement process will include:
• How to write a lease that protects the landlord, the tenant, and the Realtor®.
• Understand the difference between practicing law and being a Realtor®.
• Understanding the importance of naming the parties involved in the lease.
• Deposits and how to properly handle them.
• Understand the maintenance section and how it affects owners and tenants.
• How to handle active-duty military and their special exceptions to the leasing process.
• How to make sure the landlord does not pay for storage.
• Best practices for making sure all the sections are signed and initialed.
• Best practices when dealing with foreign landlords.

BONUS CONTENT:

• Service and Support Animals
• Understand the only questions you can ask a person requesting a reasonable accommodation.
• Understand the kind of documents that can be requested.
• Understand who can provide reasonable or trustworthy documentation as proof of the tenant’s need for a reasonable accommodation.
• Understand why a service or support animal is not a pet.

How Mark Pinilla Can Help

Mark Pinilla is a top-producing property manager with Keyes Property Management and trainer with nearly 30 years of real estate and property management experience. He supports over 1,000 REALTORS® at The Keyes Company, providing expert guidance on lease agreements, landlord-tenant laws, and compliance best practices.

For expert guidance on lease compliance, contact Mark Pinilla today.

#FloridaRealEstate #LeaseTermination #RentalProperty #LandlordTips #TenantRights #RealEstateInvesting #PropertyManagement #RealtorLife #HousingMarket #LegalLease #MarkPinilla

Legal Issues in Real Estate Leasing: Brokers Must Step Up

The Florida real estate industry has faced increasing legal scrutiny regarding how realtors draft lease agreements. Many brokers have encountered lawsuits, contract disputes, and regulatory violations due to improperly written leases. The issue isn’t just about paperwork—it’s about professionalism, accountability, and ensuring that clients are protected.

Common Legal Issues in Lease Drafting

Unauthorized Practice of Law – Florida law prohibits realtors from drafting legal documents beyond pre-approved lease agreements. Realtors who overstep these boundaries expose themselves and their brokers to legal liability.
Ambiguous or Incomplete Terms – Poorly written leases often fail to clearly define responsibilities for repairs, deposits, and lease durations, leading to tenant-landlord disputes.
Failure to Adhere to State and Local Laws – Lease agreements must comply with Florida’s landlord-tenant statutes. Realtors unaware of these laws risk drafting unenforceable contracts.
Misrepresentation and Fraud Risks – Some realtors inadvertently include misleading terms or fail to disclose critical details, resulting in lawsuits or complaints.

The Call for Greater Professionalism

The National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP) emphasizes professionalism as a core value, specifically in Discipline #2: Be in the Top 10% of Your Profession Because Being Good is Not Good Enough. This discipline challenges realtors to go beyond the basics and master the legal and ethical aspects of their profession.

To meet this standard, brokers must:

Provide ongoing legal training to ensure realtors understand the boundaries of lease drafting.
Encourage the use of standard lease templates approved by the Florida Association of Realtors and legal professionals.
Promote collaboration with real estate attorneys for complex lease negotiations.
Hold realtors accountable for compliance to protect both clients and the brokerage firm.

How Mark Pinilla Can Help

For expert guidance on lease compliance, contact Mark Pinilla today.

Call to Action: Raising the Bar in Real Estate

Real estate professionals must step up their game. Brokers should implement stricter training, compliance checks, and ethical standards to mitigate legal risks. The industry’s reputation—and clients’ trust—depends on a commitment to professionalism and continuous learning.

Are you ready to challenge your team to uphold higher standards? The future of Florida real estate depends on it.

#RealEstateLaw #FloridaRealtors #LeaseCompliance #NAHREP #ProfessionalismInRealEstate #BrokerEthics

Spanish – Essential Training on Service and Support Animals

This class will be given in Spanish.

Navigating the laws surrounding service and support animals can be complex for housing providers and real estate professionals. This essential training class provides clear guidance on how to handle reasonable accommodation requests while ensuring compliance with Fair Housing laws and HUD regulations.

Course Objectives:

Understanding Permissible Questions
- Learn the two legal questions you can ask when a tenant requests a reasonable accommodation for an assistance animal.
- Understand how to engage in a compliant, good-faith interactive process.
Determining Acceptable Documentation
- Identify what types of documents can be requested when a disability or need for an assistance animal is not apparent.
- Recognize what constitutes reliable documentation and how to assess its validity.
Who Can Provide Proof?
- Understand which professionals can provide trustworthy documentation, including licensed health care providers.
- Learn to differentiate between legitimate documentation and unreliable internet certifications.
Distinguishing Assistance Animals from Pets
- Clarify why service and support animals are not considered pets and cannot be subject to pet fees, breed restrictions, or deposits.
- Review legal obligations for housing providers to ensure compliance while addressing tenant concerns.

Train with Mark Pinilla at Your Brokerage

Mark Pinilla is a top-producing property manager and certified trainer with extensive experience in real estate compliance. He offers in-depth training sessions at your real estate brokerage, equipping professionals with the knowledge to handle service and support animal accommodation requests properly.

For customized training at your brokerage, contact Mark Pinilla today. This training is ideal for property managers, real estate agents, landlords, and housing professionals seeking to enhance their understanding of Fair Housing laws regarding assistance animals.

Call to Action: Enroll Today

Stay compliant and avoid legal pitfalls by gaining the knowledge needed to handle reasonable accommodation requests properly. Contact Mark Pinilla to ensure your policies align with federal guidelines.

For more details, review HUD’s guidance on assistance animals.

Download Hud’s guidelines.

Understanding the Florida Lease Agreement and Service & Support Animals

**Private Event**The Keyes Company MBA Program**

The Lease Agreement process will include:
• How to write a lease that protects the landlord, the tenant, and the Realtor®.
• Understand the difference between practicing law and being a Realtor®.
• Understanding the importance of naming the parties involved in the lease.
• How to collect your full commission when prorating rent.
• Deposits and how to properly handle them.
• Understand the maintenance section and how it affects owners and tenants.
• How to handle active-duty military and their special exceptions to the leasing process.
• How to make sure the landlord does not pay for storage.
• Best practices for making sure all the sections are signed and initialed.
• Best practices when dealing with foreign landlords.

BONUS CONTENT:

Understanding the Florida Lease Agreement and Service & Support Animals

The Lease Agreement process will include:
• How to write a lease that protects the landlord, the tenant, and the Realtor®.
• Understand the difference between practicing law and being a Realtor®.
• Understanding the importance of naming the parties involved in the lease.
• How to collect your full commission when prorating rent.
• Deposits and how to properly handle them.
• Understand the maintenance section and how it affects owners and tenants.
• How to handle active-duty military and their special exceptions to the leasing process.
• How to make sure the landlord does not pay for storage.
• Best practices for making sure all the sections are signed and initialed.
• Best practices when dealing with foreign landlords.

BONUS CONTENT:

Spanish – Understanding the Florida Lease Agreement and Service & Support Animals

This class is presented in Spanish.

BONUS CONTENT:

Valor & Unity Expo

The vision behind the Valor and Unity Expo is an exposition of military branches, university recruiters, and veterans where students and families can come out and speak to them to have an overall better understanding of their options post-secondary. The event will also include competitive events, workshops, and keynote speeches to further the education and foster competitiveness in the community of Miami Dade County. The motive for the creation of the event is to raise awareness on the major issues that plague the veteran community, further the education of the community on these issues, and a demonstration of all post-secondary options for families.

Mark Pinilla Presenting:

- Investing in Real Estate for Veterans
  - Preparing to Invest
  - Advantages and disadvantages of Investing
  - VA Loan benefits

About Mark Pinilla the speaker:

Overseeing over 250 investment properties across Miami-Dade and Broward counties, Mark Pinilla is a top-producing property manager for Keyes Property Management. Leveraging his nearly 30 years of combined property management and real estate experience, Mark provides turnkey services for property owners and investors, maximizing their returns while serving tenants’ needs. Furthermore, his strong work ethic and trustworthiness have awarded him exclusive responsibilities, including training new employees, planning and executing REALTOR® marketing materials and events, and operating as the test pilot for new initiatives. Mark is also a real estate agent at The Keyes Company. Supporting 1000+ REALTORS® in their real estate transactions as a primary resource and manager only, his seasoned expertise includes landlord/tenant laws, lease drafting, and service animal and ESA regulations.

Mark’s integrity and honesty are so well regarded that he has held security clearance with the Department of Defense. He also forges strong business relationships with his natural networking ability and is relentlessly driven to serve and inspire others. He has achieved greater purpose in his career as a Certified Trainer for NAHREP (National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals) and as a trainer for the Miami Association of REALTORS®, and he’s always open to speaking opportunities. Mark’s impassioned efforts extend to his personal life and include the nonprofit he launched, Vet Info, which advocates for the mental health of our heroic military veterans. He’s also taught Sunday School, participated in the Dolphin Cancer Challenge, and is CERT-certified with the Red Cross’ Community Emergency Response Team.

Mark holds a liberal arts degree with a minor in Spanish and a certificate in Latin American affairs. He further nurtured his advanced Spanish-speaking skills while studying abroad and embarking on a banking internship, both in Ecuador. Originally from San Jose, California, Mark has lived in Doral, Florida, since 1998. One of his biggest priorities is spending time with his wife and two daughters. He also enjoys trying new restaurants, friendly gatherings at home, exercising, outdoor activities, and creating WordPress websites.

Additional Resources:
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A Lifetime of Service & Leadership

Hispanic Financial Services: Empowering Families for Wealth

For Hispanic families in America, the journey toward generational wealth is rooted in resilience, ambition, and community. Hispanic Financial Services play a pivotal role in this pursuit, offering tools that can transform earnings into sustainable prosperity. Yet, barriers remain, and for true equity, systemic changes are necessary. Here’s how Hispanics engage with financial services and what needs to evolve to unlock their full potential.

A Foundation of Hispanic Financial Engagement

Contrary to common myths, Hispanic households are actively engaged in the financial system through Hispanic Financial Services. In fact, 96% of Hispanic households have a checking account, showcasing a strong foundation for managing day-to-day finances. Digital financial tools are particularly popular within the community, with 92% of Hispanics using fintech apps for banking, investing, or budgeting. This openness to technology offers a gateway to deeper financial participation.

However, deeper barriers to generational wealth remain, including lower participation in non-cash financial investments. Only 43.7% of Hispanic households own financial assets like stocks, retirement accounts, or bonds, compared to 68.2% of the general population. This gap highlights the need for expanded access and targeted education.

Challenges in Hispanic Financial Services

Limited Access to Financial Products: Many Hispanic families encounter obstacles in accessing wealth-building products. Traditional underwriting practices often overlook self-employed individuals or those with non-W2 income, which disproportionately impacts Hispanic households. Expanding the adoption of alternative underwriting methods, such as cash-flow-based assessments, could open doors for millions.
Cultural and Linguistic Barriers: Financial institutions often fail to meet Hispanic consumers where they are. Bilingual customer service, culturally relevant financial products, and targeted marketing can help bridge these gaps.
Lack of Representation in Financial Services: The underrepresentation of Hispanics in financial advisory roles limits trust and access. As of 2023, only 8.3% of financial analysts and 8.6% of financial advisors were Hispanic. Increasing this share is crucial for building rapport and guiding families through wealth-building strategies.

Advancing Hispanic Financial Services

Enhance Financial Literacy: Expanding bilingual education on retirement planning, stock market fundamentals, and the power of compound interest can empower families to start investing earlier. Financial literacy should also emphasize discipline #6 of the NAHREP 10 Disciplines: “Know your net worth including the value of your business because you can’t improve what you don’t measure.”
Leverage Technology: Fintech platforms tailored to Hispanic consumers—offering Spanish-language support and culturally relevant features—can drive participation in savings, investing, and insurance.
Expand Access to Investment Products: Financial institutions must simplify access to retirement accounts, mutual funds, and other long-term investment vehicles. Flexible contributions and reduced fees can make these options more accessible for first-time investors.
Increase Representation in Financial Services: Programs to recruit and train Hispanic financial advisors will foster trust within the community, creating pathways for wealth-building advice that resonates culturally.

A Call to Action

Hispanic families have the ambition and drive to build generational wealth. What they need are the right tools and an equitable financial system that supports their journey. By addressing gaps in financial literacy, access, and representation, Hispanic Financial Services can become a true partner in creating sustainable wealth.

If you’re ready to start building wealth through real estate and investments, reach out to Mark Pinilla for personalized guidance. Waiting isn’t an option when opportunities abound.

Additional Resources:
Get more information on Property Management
Get more information on Real Estate

#HispanicWealthProject #SustainableGenerationalWealth #WealthBuilding #Homeownership #NAHREP10 #TrainersInAction #EducacionFinanciera #LatinoWealth #Finhabits #RaicesyRiquezas #FinancialLeadership #GenerationalWealth #MarkPinilla

The Wealth-Building Power of Homeownership

Homeownership isn’t just a roof over your head—it’s a cornerstone of wealth-building, particularly for the Hispanic community. As the Hispanic Wealth Project™ outlines, homeownership is one of the most effective pathways to narrowing the wealth gap and fostering generational financial security. In fact, owning a home can significantly multiply household wealth, enabling families to thrive for generations.

Homeownership: The American Dream and Beyond

Owning a home is a classic symbol of the American Dream, representing stability, pride, and accomplishment. But its impact goes deeper. According to the 2024 State of Hispanic Wealth Report, the median net worth of Hispanic homeowners is $233,100, over 26 times higher than Hispanic renters. This wealth stems largely from home equity—a reliable, appreciating asset that serves as a financial foundation for future investments, education, or business ventures.

Building Wealth Through Real Estate

For many Hispanic families, homeownership isn’t just about having a place to call their own—it’s about building an ecosystem of financial growth. The equity gained from homeownership often acts as a springboard for other investments, including real estate. Hispanic buyers are entering the market earlier, with nearly 45% of Latino homebuyers under age 35.

Moreover, the Hispanic Wealth Project aims to increase the rate of Hispanic investment property ownership by 25%. By investing in real estate beyond primary residences, families can diversify their income and build even greater financial resilience.

NAHREP Discipline: Be Politically Savvy

One key to unlocking these opportunities is understanding the policies that shape access to homeownership. Advocating for affordable housing policies, first-time buyer incentives, and equitable mortgage practices can open the door for more Hispanic families to enter the housing market. This aligns with NAHREP’s discipline to “Be Politically Savvy” by staying informed about legislation that impacts wealth-building opportunities.

Your Partner in Real Estate Wealth

Whether you’re purchasing your first home or expanding into investment properties, having the right guidance is essential. Mark Pinilla, an expert in real estate and investment properties, can help you navigate this journey. Reach out to Mark at markpinilla.com to take the next step toward financial freedom.

Additional Resources:
Get more information on Property Management
Get more information on Real Estate