Tag Archives: Tenants

What Does A Good Property Management Company Do?

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Are you a landlord or a real estate investor? One of the biggest decisions you will ever have to make is whether to use a property management company to maintain and oversee the daily operations of your property. Compared to landlords who prefer the do-it-yourself approach of management in order to save money, working with property management companies increases your chances of growing your properties bottom line and enhancing your rental portfolio.

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But what does a good property management company do? Here is a list of essential services you can expect from a good property management company.

1. Effective Collection of Rent from Tenants

If you own many rental units, you understand how cumbersome it can get when trying to collect rent from every tenant all by yourself. This is why you should use a reputable property management company. A good property manager will ensure that all your tenants pay their leases in full and at the right time.

If you have limited time and you want to focus most of your efforts on growing your business, hiring a property manager who is fully committed to the day to day running of your property will be a great investment.

2. Regular Property Maintenance

Dealing with frequent calls from tenants is probably the biggest reason why landlords enlist the help of a management company. Sometimes the tenant’s needs are not very big but the timing and the urgency are. You may receive a call in the middle of the night from a distressed tenant who has misplaced their keys and can’t get in.

Failure to address these issues can result in serious problems with your tenants in the future. Having a good property manager who responds urgently to all property issues will not only ease your burden but also ensure that all your rental properties are optimized.

A good property manager will also inspect the property regularly and make sure that all routine maintenance such as lawn care, plumbing issues, drywall patching, pressure washing, and all other services that tenants may need are handled at the right time.

3. Sourcing of Tenants

It is one thing to get tenants for your rental property, it’s another thing to get the right tenants. A good property management company will ensure that proper screening of prospective tenants is done so that you don’t end up with tenants who are bankrupt or have fully maxed their credit cards and will have problems paying rent every month.

A good property manager will also take time to call previous landlords and also look into the tenant’s criminal history. The last thing you need is a tenant who puts you or the entire neighborhood at risk.

4. Bookkeeping

Bookkeeping is a vital part of property management. Proper bookkeeping ensures that taxes are kept at a minimum, and the cash keeps flowing. A good property manager will ensure that your books are kept properly but if they don’t offer bookkeeping services, they can advise you on where you can outsource a good bookkeeper who will add value to your business.

5. Effective Handling of Defaulters

Sometimes tenants get caught up in serious issues such as breaching of leases while others could be involved in criminal issues. While some issues can be sorted directly with the renter’s other issues require lawyers and even going to court. A good property management company can handle these problems for you and save you the time and agony of dealing with such stressful situations.

The Eco Revolution in Property Investment

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Many of us are now making more eco-friendly and environmentally conscious decisions every day. Whether it’s taking our own carrier bags to the shops, having a reusable water bottle or recycling your tin cans – little changes are making a big impact. When it comes to property, the eco revolution has increasingly been making waves. From solar panels to energy efficient light bulbs, our properties are becoming better for the planet. These priorities are also affecting property investment, with an increasing number of tenants looking for eco-friendly essentials in their property.

Eco-friendly homes are becoming increasingly popular with a new environmentally conscious generation starting to look for rental properties. Young professionals who are living in the city are less likely to buy a home than ever before, so are looking for a rental property that meets their exacting requirements. With many of them choosing to make environmentally friendly choices, like going plastic free or cutting down on how much meat they eat, accordingly they are looking for eco-friendly homes too.

Environmental impact is increasingly on the agenda of consumers in every aspect of their lives. Many are also willing to pay a premium for eco-friendly purchases. Research has shown that UK consumers would pay an average 10% more if they were buying something they thought had a positive impact on society. Property investors would be wise to bear this in mind when looking for new property investments. In an increasingly competitive rental market, the ability to raise prices because of eco credentials is a lucrative option for investors.

Furthermore, 40% of consumers think that sustainability is important when they are making a purchase. The impact of this can be seen in the growing number of brands and businesses that are making their environmental commitments obvious to consumers. It is clear that savvy property investors can be both environmentally friendly and business smart when looking to purchase new properties.

In another study, 80% of tenants believed that their landlords should be considering the environment more, and suggested measures like double-glazing, insulation and eco-modifications. These simple measures can make a large impact on the appeal of a property to prospective tenants. Increasing energy prices are another concern for occupants. In addition, 55% of renters asked said they would prefer a rental property with a smart meter if it was the same price. Energy efficient measures are both good for tenant’s monthly costs and for the environment so buy to let property investors can be at an advantage if their property offers these.

As of April 2018, buy to let landlords are legally required to have an EPC rating of E or above in their properties. This means that property investors are increasingly looking at new build properties which are already energy efficient and don’t require costly renovations. Tenants can also legally request that a landlord makes property improvements if the EPC rating is F or G.

Developers are increasingly taking sustainability and environmental impact into consideration when building new properties. Properties with energy efficient specifications, like many by RW Invest  are providing investors with lucrative returns and high tenant demand. Recent changes to regulation mean that new build properties need to be energy efficient and this is making a huge impact on the buy to let market.

The trend towards environmentally conscious properties looks set to continue, with eco-friendly qualities high on the agenda of both potential tenants and investors.