Derek and Skyler took a day in March to make the trip up to the Los Angeles Convention Center where the California Apartment Owners Association (AOA) held their annual spring tradeshow.

Venders from all across the map were there including window fabricators, roofers, fire systems, title companies and so many others. With nearly 2000 apartment owners attending, it was clear why this event was historically the AOA’s busiest event of the year.

Takeaways

They sat and listened to a few of the presentations, but the two key takeaways were those relating to asset protection as well as Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)

While Derek cranked out some work in the audience, he was simultaneously paying attention to the content that was coming from the presenter. It had to do with having investment properties be put in a land trust vs. having them in the names of the individuals or businesses. Because we’re not attorneys and don’t want to mislead anyone, we won’t get into the specifics as to why he believed it to be more beneficial. The point is, asset protection seemed like a pain point for a lot of apartment owners.

As Skyler was walking through the hundreds of booths, there was a stage set on the opposite side of where Derek was sitting. Up on a small stage stood a man with a Powerpoint behind him where he was talking about ADUs and the rules to follow to ensure compliance with California’s laws regarding building and managing these structures. It was fascinating how many people were piled into this little area. All 80 seats were taken and just as many people were surrounding those that had a seat and were taking photos of the presentation on their phones. Clearly, ADUs are a hot topic for apartment owners in California.

Conclusion

All in all, it was a great opportunity to see how the AOA operated and how so many apartment owners found value in going to the trade show.

The AOA will be hosting another event called the Landlording Power Conference on May 21st in San Diego at the Marina Village Conference Center. Aloha will be attending and will have a booth for anyone who wants to stop by and see us!