As a building owner, one of the biggest decisions you’ll make will be selecting a partner to care for your building. These can save you many hours per week, set the right team, and ensure your property is well-maintained and tenants are happy. If it doesn’t fit, it can cause challenges for all parties involved. With a little preparation goes a long, long way.
What should I do to define before I talk to anyone?
Prior to approaching any companies, jot down what you want. Is it you or your tenants who are looking for assistance in finding tenants, or it is you who are asking for help with day to day requests? Would you like to have reports sent each month? Do you like to receive calls from your tenants straight to your office? These answers will help you to fairly compare services.
Some fundamental data about your property can be useful, including number of units, age of the building and any maintenance problems. This gives a provider an idea of what his or her responsibilities would be.
Local Knowledge is it or is it not?
Yes. The expectations and types of buildings differ from city to city and from neighbourhood to neighbourhood, as do the rental rules. If you’re interested in real estate management montreal, you should find a group that is knowledgeable about the market and has no qualms about discussing it.
Inquire about their experience dealing with seasonal problems, how they use local contractors and how they stay up-to-date on rules that impact landlords. If it’s a practical answer then it’s a good answer.
Support for the French language?
Some documents and notices are more easily dealt with in French and many tenants prefer to be communicated with in French. If you are searching for a gestionnaire immobilier montréal, make certain that the team is at ease with using both French and English, both in writing and over the telephone.
This is critical when you are in a difficult situation. If a tenant has a problem that needs to be solved right now, it can be the difference between understanding the problem promptly and accurately and having it resolved in a timely fashion.
The importance of Communication?
Often it is all about communication, the success or failure of the experience. Discuss response times for answering calls, how up to date your information is, and who to contact if your main contact is unavailable. Communicating with an easy-to-reach team will make it easier to trust the team.
Be mindful of the manner in which the company deals with you right from your initial interaction. When they’re very clear and quick to respond before you hire them, they’re likely to be the same way after you hire them.
Compare the different options.
Create a short list of 2-3 providers, and ask each provider the same questions. Now look at the answers they have come up with and compare. Observe who takes the time to listen, who goes to great lengths to explain something and who appears to know your property better than just the standard answer.
Request reference numbers or past cases of handling common scenarios, such as a maintenance request or late payment. General statements are not as useful as real examples.
Final Thoughts
The ideal property manager is the one who should make your life easier, and not add to your worries and stress. Identifying needs, asking the right questions and listening to communication can help you select a team to fit your building and what is important to you.