Property management is an important aspect of renting out your investment property. Some people are able to look after a property on their own but most people choose to use the services of a professional.
If you are looking for someone to take the hassle out of managing your property, here are three tips to help you find the right person:
1. Organisational skills
Organisational skills are a must have. Property managers often have over one hundred properties under their care and following up on late rent, maintenance issues, and finding new tenants can be complex and time consuming. Make sure that your property manager displays clear signs that they are well organised. Being late to meetings, forgetting documents and being vague about details could all be an indication that they are not organised.
2. Communication
The manager that you use must be able to communicate well. There should be clear channels for you and your tenants to speak with the property manager. Check to make sure that calls, messages and emails are responded to in a timely fashion. If not, it could be that communication is not the strong suit of the property manager and that could lead you to become frustrated or lose a tenant.
3. Property Inspections
Receiving regular reports regarding the state of the property is vital. These reports and inspections help you to understand if the property is in good shape or if any damage has been done. Ask how often the inspections are carried out and for information about how detailed the inspections are. It's better in the long run to know as early as possible if there is a problem. A property manager that is serious about inspections is a very good sign that your investment will be well watched over.