Being a landlord means having a load of responsibilities. From collecting rent and utility money, property management, marketing, and maintaining a good relationship with the tenants, a landlord’s plate can seem very full. If you manage numerous rentals then you may be a bit too busy to manage your properties to the fullest. Hiring a property manager can help alleviate the stress and will ensure your properties are fully taken care of. Here are 6 important questions to ask when you are interviewing for a new property manager.
How long have you been a property manager?
You obviously want someone with experience in property management, not just someone that will try to figure it out along the way. An experienced property manager will know how to deal with things such as angry tenants or emergency repair problems, and should have great organizational skills to allow for job efficiency. Be sure to inquire about and follow up with any references.
Have you earned any licenses or certificates?
You also want someone who knows the ins and outs of the property management world. Someone who is knowledgeable and qualified to deal with situations that involve discrimination, fair housing, and eviction laws. The property manager will be held accountable for a large bulk of your properties and income, so you want to make sure they know what they are doing.
What services do you offer?
Make sure to inquire as to which services the prospective property managers offers, some vary and differ. You need to know how involved the manager will be with your rentals and what they can offer. Be sure to make a list of the services that you will require from them and make sure they are able to fill those needs.
How do you advertise and market the properties?
Marketing is a large part of managing properties. Make sure to ask for samples of their marketing advertisements. Almost anyone can post a rental listing, what matters is how effectively they do it. Make sure they won’t just simply place an ad and be done with it.
How do you handle tenant screening?
A property manager is responsible for finding, screening, and approving tenants so you want to make sure that they not only have a strong screening technique, but that they also abide by discriminatory and fair housing laws. Ask about their process and make sure they are up to par.
How is your customer service?
This one’s a toughie, and one you might have to check out references and reviews to get an honest answer to. After all, who’s going to say, “Well, our secretary’s just rude as all get out and she’ll forget to call you back“?
You don’t want a property manager with poor customer service qualities. A property manager should be able to ensure that your tenant’s needs are met adequately and in a timely manner. You don’t want a property manager who will ignore your tenants and be the cause of loss of income or damages to the property. Make sure to inquire about their procedure and response time when it comes to taking care of tenant requests.
