Questions To Ask When Interviewing a Potential Property Manager

Rental properties come with lots of responsibilities and it can be hard for you to handle everything especially if you have other things that you need to take care of such as running a business. Fortunately, you can be a hands-off kind of property owner, landlord or investor when you hire a property manager. Today there are professional property managers that you can fully trust in handling the property responsibilities as far as managing and leasing the property is concerned.However, you should select the best and trustable manager to have peace of mind. To do this you can conduct an interview consisting of all relevant questions that make it easier for you to gauge the potential and suitability of the property manager.What advertising strategies do you use? You want to have a property manager that is aggressive enough to make sure that your property does not remain vacant for long periods. A manager that uses extensive marketing strategies targeting both local and international markets can be an excellent manager for your property. Find out exactly what marketing channels they will use and skills they have around them.How do you structure your rates? Most property managers charge for property maintenance and watch on a monthly basis and the fees can range depending on the size of the property and the services you want to enjoy from the manager. Choose a manager that offers more for less but still strives for quality service delivery.What are your agreement termination terms? It is very normal to start a working relationship with a property manager only to realize that they are not what you expected. It makes it very important to find out beforehand what the contract terms are as far as termination goes so you can select a manager that gives you an easier time terminating the agreement. Ask about any penalties that could be attracted by a termination.How do you conduct tenant applications? You might be desperate to have your property occupied but you also want it to be occupied by the best tenants possible. Find out what process the property manager puts in place to make sure that only the best tenants are given a chance to occupy the property. A vetting process that includes running of credit reports and checking of criminal records, current and past employment as well as proof of income can prove rewarding for you. You can at least have confidence in people renting your property.How will you handle maintenance and repairs? To retain tenants you must have a property manager that acts swiftly in solving any issues that arise on the property. Find out whether the manager has maintenance crew or a handyman at hand and how they bill such services. Also find out what repairs the manager will be responsible for and how inspections will be done to make sure that tenants are responsible for damages they cause on the property during their tenancy.