As a landlord, you have a lot of things on your plate. You have tenants, you have repairs to make, you have to collect rent, and a lot more. If you feel overwhelmed by all of the things you have to do, one of the things you should consider is hiring a property management company. But this isn’t something you just jump into. Below are five tips you can use to help you find the right company for your needs.
Get Referrals
One of the best things that you can do is to get referrals from other people that you trust. However, you shouldn’t just stop with one person. They might be biased towards the service or company. So it’s also a good idea to speak with a variety of sources to get the true information about the company you’re considering.
Look Online
Another good way to find a property management company is to look online for some property management companies in your area. Read about each of the company’s views and find out where they’re located. Check out their reviews and ratings so that you know exactly what you should expect.
Conduct Interviews
Once you have a shortlist of companies that you might want to look into further, do interviews with each of the companies to get a good feel for them. Explain the things that you are looking for and find out more about their views. Meeting someone in person can reveal a lot of new things about the company and let you learn about their terms and philosophies at the same time.
Learn the Way the Companies Handle Vacancies
When you are a rental property’s landlord, one of the biggest problems that you will find are vacancies. Some of the companies will charge a flat fee for all of your units, whether they’re vacant or occupied while others don’t charge for those that are vacant. It’s also a good idea to ask how the company advertises and rents out the vacant units before you finalize the agreement with the company.
Learn About Rent Collection & Tenant Screening
Finally, you are going to want to know how they screen their tenants and how they collect the rent. These are two of the biggest things that you have to worry about as a landlord. You want to make sure that the methods they are using are ones that follow your philosophy to make sure that you are on the same page. So, before you make your final decision, ask them about their process for collecting rent and screening tenants.
If you are looking for a property management company that you can count on in the Tampa area, we have been in business for many years and we’re glad to show you what we can do. Please give us a call with any questions that you have, and we’ll be glad to answer them. We have helped many landlords just like yourself and we’re glad to work with you.