Advice on Hiring the Right Property Manager
October 16, 2017
For homeowners of vacation getaways or who travel or spend a portion of the year away from the Coachella Valley, a property manager is an additional insurance policy that provides the peace of mind that your desert home is well cared for when you are away.
If you rent out your vacation home or allow family and friends the use of it, there is a requirement by many of the Desert Cities that the homeowner have a local property management company that will promptly respond to issues or complaints, look after your home, and prepare it for your next guests.
Hiring someone you trust to look after your property when you are not there can be difficult; trust is earned and is based on positive experiences over time. By properly vetting potential property managers before you hire them, you can minimize your risk of a bad experience and find a company that has a time-proven track record and other people trust.
Here are some insightful questions that will help you as you hire a Coachella Valley property management company:
7 Questions for Hiring a Property Manager
- Is the company well-staffed and trained to evaluate, inspect, and respond to your needs?
- Is the property management company able to respond to after-hours emergencies and requests?
- Does the company carry general liability, workers compensation, and fidelity insurance?
- Does the company have a history of providing services and can they provide references?
- Are they able to obtain written proposals for services and repairs?
- Do they have a staff of employees or just contract workers?
- Do they have a customer service department with an assigned individual to your account?
When you hire a property manager, you are hiring their team of housekeepers, maintenance workers, and customer service representatives. You want to make sure that this team is thoroughly vetted, able to perform the services you require, and can do a good job. Because they will also be your eyes and ears when you are away, you want them to look after your home the same way you would. Talk to a company to find out how they inspect your home and respond to your needs.
When inclement weather or a natural disaster hits, it can be nerve-wracking to wait to hear about the condition of your vacation home. For emergencies and after-hour requests, reliable property managers will have a staff member visit your house, check on its condition, and promptly communicate with you. If repairs are needed, the staff should be proactive in finding and scheduling the right contractor to address the situation.
You want to find a property management company that protects their team and your home. With liability and workers compensation insurance, you are protected in case a team member gets injured while on the job. Fidelity insurance protects you against theft from an employee. All of these protections should provide you with confidence and peace of mind as your property management staff enters and cares or your home.
Some companies specialize in vacation property management services, while others focus on maintaining and caring properties for owners who do not rent out their home. Identify the type of services you are looking for, then use this as the criteria that you evaluate and hire your property manager.
Ask any potential property manager for a list of references, whether they are in-person or online. Look for reviews that show whether this company is trusted, has open communication, and can handle the services you need.
Hiring a good property manager means they will be proactive in identifying and proposing services and repairs that your home will need. They should also be able to effectively communicate to you the need, timeframe, and cost of the work.
Some property management companies provide just management services, relying on outside sub-contractors for cleaning and handyman services. This can result in longer response times and a lower standard of service. Stellar property management companies have some or many of these capabilities in-house, relying on their team of maintenance and housekeeping staff that upholds a higher standard of excellence.
When you have a question or concern about your service, do you have to call a general phone number and talk to whomever is working, or do you have a single point of contact that handles your account? Ultimately, peace of mind is gained when you build trust in a team of people who know and can respond to your needs.