A landlord has many responsibilities that need to be taken care of to ensure any tenants are satisfied with their living conditions. A property manager can help you keep up with those responsibilities and make sure any tenant requests are addressed quickly and efficiently. However, before you go about hiring a property management service, there are some steps you should take to ensure you get everything you want from the deal. You should ask the following questions before signing any sort of contract in order to be certain you are hiring a company that has your best interests in mind.
How Long Have You Been in Business?
New businesses sprout up and disappear all the time. By asking how long a property management business has been operating, you can determine how long they’ve been around and also how likely it is they will remain in business. You want to go with someone who will be around and look out for you in the process.
What Types of Properties Have You Managed?
This question can help you decide if the property management service will be able to take care of your type of property. You will want to choose someone who specializes in your property type, be it duplexes, apartments, or something else.
How Many Units Are You Managing?
If a business has a lot of different units and properties already employed, they may not be able to represent you as effectively as another place that doesn’t have a lot of different clients. By finding a service that focuses on you and your needs, you can guarantee yourself the best services.
How Long Does it Take to Fill a Vacancy?
An open property is not making you any sort of profit. You want to get as many units filled as you can, in a good amount of time. If it takes too long to fill vacancies, you should look elsewhere.
What Does the Lease Look Like?
See a sample lease offered from the property management service and make sure it covers everything you want it to cover. You should have approval over the contracts that are signed by tenants occupying your property.
What Fees are There?
There may be fees included if you cancel at any time before the contract is up or if something else occurs. Most services take a percentage of the rent each month as a fee for managing the property. You should know of any expenditures before something comes up so you can avoid any trouble in the future.