Finding the right property manager for your Charleston rental home will have a huge impact on your rental experience. When you’re partnered with the right management team, you can expect higher rents, lower expenses, and the peace of mind you need to have a successful and profitable tenancy.
You’ve probably done some early research on potential companies. Before you sign a management agreement, however, make sure you’ve asked these important questions.
What Kind of Charleston Property Management Experience Do You Have?
Experience is important, and many management companies will be anxious to tell you how long they’ve been in business or how many years of experience their property managers have.
Length of time in business is important, but what you really want to know is whether they have experience with properties like yours. Do they specialize in investment properties? Do they own any themselves? If you’re renting out single-family homes, it doesn’t make sense to work with a management team specializing in large apartment buildings. Make sure their experience matches your needs.
Local experience is also important. You need a property manager who understands the market, the competing properties, the rental values, and the tenants.
What Can I Expect from the Leasing Process?
Avoiding vacancy is important, and you want to be sure your home is going to be rented quickly to excellent residents and for the most money possible.
Find out how they advertise vacant homes, and which online rental sites are used to list your property. Ask about their tenant screening process as well. Do they have a consistent set of qualifying criteria that they use when screening? Do they follow fair housing laws? How does their screening process minimize the risk of a bad tenant?
How Do You Stay Current on Laws and Industry Best Practices?
This is an important question because the laws are always changing and you want to be sure your property management team has access to the best resources and tools. You’ll rely on your property manager to understand fair housing laws, eviction laws, security deposit laws, and other local requirements and regulations.
Look for a management company that belongs to professional associations like National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM), where they can get a lot of training and support.
How Do You Handle Maintenance?
Find out where their vendors come from.
Are they licensed and insured? Are they screened? Maintenance costs are rising, and you need to know how your property manager will help you contain them. Ask about the process tenants follow to request repairs and how involved you will be as the property owner. You’ll need property managers who are available 24 hours a day to respond to emergencies.
You’ll want to talk about preventative maintenance as well. Do they handle pest control and landscaping? How often is the HVAC serviced and inspected? Your property manager should be looking for ways to protect the condition and value of your property.
How is Technology Used?
Charleston property managers use technology to make processes more efficient. You should expect online rental payments, ACH deposits, and an owner portal where you can see all of your accounting, your maintenance invoices, and other information.
Find out what type of platform they use and how they use technology to help them deliver their leasing, management, and maintenance services. You don’t want a management partner who relies on outdated systems or doesn’t see the value in online rent collection.
We’d be happy to answer any of these questions for you. If you’d like to talk about how our services can help you, please contact us at Charleston Home Rentals.
