it's January 7, 2026, and if you're like me, you're probably still recovering from the holidays while gearing up for tax season. But before you dive into those Schedule E deductions for your rental properties, there's one federal requirement that sneaks up on a lot of us every year: issuing 1099-NEC forms to contractors. Miss it, and the IRS can hit you with penalties that start small but add up fast. Trust me, I've seen too many good landlords get caught off-guard by this, s

As the holiday season kicks into full gear here in the Portland metro area and across Oregon, many landlords start hearing from tenants about special requests. Extra guests coming to town, strings of lights going up, maybe a Christmas tree in the living room or a menorah on the windowsill—these are all normal parts of the season. But as landlords and property managers, we also have to protect our investments, stay compliant with Oregon law, and keep things fair for everyone.