Monday, August 17, 2009

About Property Management

By Sharah D. Furteli

Do you own property? Are you a property manager? Property owners and property managers need to know the property management basics. Knowing the basics of property management will allow property owners and property managers to manage their property in an effective fashion while keeping their tenants as happy as possible. It is possible for property owners to take the easy way out and hire a property manager but nobody knows your property like you can and you can save a lot of money by managing your own property.

Property owners and managers will need to advertise their property first. Property that is advertised is more likely to be occupied in a shorter amount of time than property that hasnt been advertised properly. It is important to advertise each time a tenant leaves your property leaving it available for a new tenant. There are many ways to advertise. Newspaper ads are usually effective. You can also post signs in and around the propertys neighborhood.

There are a number of things that should be done before allowing an individual to rent your house or apartment. Make sure that you require potential tenants to submit a rental application. You should be sure to ask for credit and employment references on the application. You should perform a property background check on each of your tenants. You should also consider checking out an individuals credit history. Make sure you contact the potential tenants personal references.

Property managers and owners need to understand that property management is a constant job. Sometimes something will go wrong and something will need to be repaired. It is a good idea to prepare ahead for these situations. You should hire a maintenance worker that will be available twenty four seven to fix problems when something goes wrong. It is also a good idea to have an agreement with an individual from the specific niches. This could include a plumber, electrician and an HVAC tech.

It is a good idea to check in on your tenants and your properties from time to time. An unscheduled visit is a good idea but be careful because some tenants will find this offensive. When checking on your properties, make sure that your tenants are following the rental policies and procedures. Sometimes you will find tenants that will not be willing to report problems. This is why it is important to check out the property yourself from time to time. Remember it is your property therefore you are responsible for having these problems fixed.

Property owners and property managers will need to find a way to collect their tenants rent payments each and every month. You have many different options to choose from when you are trying to figure out how you want to accept rent payments. Sometimes it will be possible for your tenants to deliver their rent payments in person. Sometimes this will not be an available option. If you live out of state or something then you can accept payment through the mail. More and more property owners are beginning to accept rent payments over the internet.

It is important for property owners and managers to keep track of their tenants payment histories. You should keep records of those who have and have not paid their rent. You should also keep track of partial rent payments. This used to be done using pen and paper. However, new technology has made record keeping much easier and quicker. You should consider taking advantage of the available property management software to keep track of this information.

About the Author:

No comments: