By Charlene Dean

When Available Properties Broker Shelly Bolen passed away suddenly June 5, her business was left without a governing broker license under which to operate. Realtors with listings and sales contracts couldn’t move forward in closing the deals. The biggest problem of all, though, was what to do about all the company’s rentals.

Available Properties managed almost 300 properties. The tenants couldn’t pay the rent and property owners couldn’t collect it.

Bolen’s daughter, Tracy Cornwell, had signature on the bank account, but without a second signature, she felt uncomfortable signing the checks. Cornwell was left holding the bag. The agents were in a tailspin as well, looking for another broker agency with which to hang their license. No Realtor, without either their own or another certified broker’s license, can list, sell or rent any property.

Cornwell closed the Available Properties office on Highway 160 on June 7 to be in compliance with the State of Nevada Real Estate Division. Other local real estate firms, reached out to aid both Cornwell, who was in charge of property management, and the active real estate agents, get back to business and comply with state regulations.

Kim Washington, broker for Access Realty, and Liz Provenza, broker for Provenza-Neth Properties, met with Cornwell and began the tedious task of going through property management files and trying to get the owners satisfied. Washington said she called the Nevada Real Estate Division office to see what steps to take.

“They told me there were no statutes governing what happens when a broker dies suddenly. We had nothing to go by,” she said.

She said she and Provenza, along with Cornwell, started contacting the property owners and giving them “three available options.”

“The owners can let my office or Kim’s take over the contract, with a new signature, take the rental over themselves or find another property manager,” Provenza said.

She said with the management contracts essentially null and void, a lot of owners with multiple rentals here, were opting to take management of properties with good tenants, and handle those rentals themselves.

Washington said she has one licensed property manager, Dan Kelly, in her firm.

“I’d like to be able to handle these rentals, but I don’t have the manpower,” she said.

Washington said she’s interviewing owners about their properties and not agreeing to take “just anyone.”

Provenza handles more rentals than real estate and said she has six agents to process paperwork that comes with property management.

“We already have 240 rentals and I’m still contacting Available Properties owners to see what they want to do,” she said. “It’s been a really time consuming and tedious challenge, but we can handle the business here.”

Available Properties was Pahrump’s top property management company.

Washington said the Nevada Real Estate Division has appointed a trustee to oversee the business’ checking account and get property owners paid, as well as resolve tenant payments and security deposits.

Property owners and tenants with any complaints or questions need to address them with the Nevada Real Estate Division by calling 702-486-4033. A representative will help get the proper forms completed.

Several Realtors have moved their licenses to Access Realty. Mike Kerr, John Castorina, Gordon Campbell, John Arriola and Kenneth Ledene all decided to join Washington’s team.

Access Realty just moved to its new location in the former ReMax office at 3321 E. Winery Road, where there was room for more agents.

The Realtors all commented, having worked together at Available Properties, it was like family.

Arriola said, “I wanted to stay in the close relationship with the other agents. We’d worked together for a long time.” Arriola said he was shocked when Bolen died. Added to the emotional aspect of losing his friend, was the need to transfer his license. “It is labor intensive. First my license had to be moved to Access, then sellers have to agree to move the listing to another office.”