Are you moving unexpectedly? If you need to rent your home, learn what to ask when hiring a property management company.
Ask about vacancies
Ask companies how many properties they currently have vacant. If they don't know, they may be unorganized, or they have too many properties to keep track of. Shy away from either. You want to hire a company that is aware of empty properties and working hard to fill these vacancies.
Ask about maintenance
Ask companies if there is a charge for arranging maintenance services. Most companies charge up to 10% on top of repair costs just to call a repair man. We believe this is unreasonable, and we do not charge for this service.
Ask about lease-up-fee
A "lease-up-fee" is an upfront fee for finding a renter. Ask what they charge for this. Many will charge a few hundred dollars or as much as a whole months rent.
Check online reviews
Many property management companies are known for being unresponsive and lackadaisical. Read google and yelp reviews to get a better idea of a company's reputation. Unhappy renters and owners is a sign of unresponsive service.
These tips will help you to be better prepared when interviewing a property management company.
