If you want to avoid hiring a bad property manager then you have to spend time researching and asking questions before you sign a contract. Because there are more than a few property management companies in Kirkland, it is logical that they would vary in skill, offerings, value, and prices. For this reason, you can spend a few hours of research to ensure that you get the right Kirkland property manager for your specific needs. The following include a few things to look for and ask about.
Free Quote or Interview
If the company isn’t willing to offer you an upfront quote or service fee, then you definitely shouldn’t be working with them. Any established property management company will have a set policy, which makes it easy to calculate fees based on the services you need, as well as the volume of your requirements.
Qualifications
It’s easy to set up a website on the Internet claiming to be a property manager. Make sure the one you hire has the qualifications to manage your investments. The State of Washington has very relaxed requirements for apartment property managers, because they only need a real estate broker license in order to work as a property manager. You can also look for additional qualifications, such as having a real estate attorney board, or community associations, such as a National Board of Certification for Community Association Managers, a Property Management License, or similar. You can also check to see which property managers are members of local associations, like the Real Estate Association of Puget Sound.
Check Reviews
Finding out what others had to say about a real estate management company is an important step, because peer reviews are the most valuable source of information you can look for. Consider looking on Yelp, Google Places, and a Facebook page, and read all of the reviews to make sure you’re getting a good idea of what the company is offering.
Services
It’s always important to either call in and ask, or browse a website to see what services the company offers before you hire them. For example, if you want, or could benefit from a tenant portal, then you want your property management company to offer it for you. Services like marketing, rent collection, cleaning, maintenance, emergency repairs, paperwork, tenant relations, communication, and evictions should all be considerations as well.
Are They Local?
One of the biggest issues with hiring nationwide property managers is that they aren’t familiar with the area, don’t know how to sell or properly price property, and aren’t always familiar with all local laws. For that reason, you are usually best off hiring a local company that’s large enough to service any of your property in the area, but still familiar with local streets, amenities, and offerings.
Getting the most out of your investment property means hiring the right property management company to help you out. Contact us to learn more, or to ask for your free quote.