As a landlord, making the decision to hire a property management company is no small task. They can take on a huge role for the owner living in a different area or one who, frankly, just doesn’t have enough time to get everything done by themselves. After deciding that a management company is right for you, then comes prioritizing your needs. Who can provide the best fit at the best price for you? Make sure you find out what your Property management Responsibilities are before you pay a dime. Here are a few things to look for when deciding on your perfect company
Important Thing To Consider Before Choosing Your Property Manager
- Check their reviews Read through Google reviews, Facebook reviews, and other reputable sources like the BB to get a better idea of what you’ll be buying into. Be wary of scorned tenants who may just be trying to write a negative review due to a long-lasting grudge.
- Look for your personalized property manager – Make sure your guy or gal comes with all the bells and whistles. Federal, State, and local laws can vary so your manager needs to be up to date on everything related to real estate. A long history of quality service and extensive experience is obviously important. Someone who is courteous and easy to get along with may also be important to you. That may not always be the answer for every property, however. A commercial property manager may need to be stricter on-site while a residential manager should be more bubbly for the benefit of the tenants. Some companies may specialize in residential over commercial so keep that in mind.
- Verify licensing, certifications and insurance – Some states require a few different licenses and certifications beyond just a property manager’s real estate broker’s license. It’s important that these are kept up to date if your state requires them. Be diligent about making sure your property management company is operating legally. Liability insurance, property-casualty insurance, and appropriate E&O policies are also important to check off the list before making that final decision.
- Study the management agreement thoroughly.- Don’t allow yourself to overlook all those small things that top-rate management companies make sure to keep an eye out for. Second-tier companies might not even have them on their radar. Driveway, parking lot, sidewalk, and curbside upkeep and maintenance, are all important when considering keeping your property’s curb appeal and value at its highest. Uneven sidewalk and driveway repair is something that every property management company needs to keep an eye out for.
Other Property Management Duties
Your management company should be providing the bang for your buck. There is plenty that these services are responsible for beyond handling maintenance and repair issues. Collection of rent, handling all tenant requests and complaints, and pursuing evictions are all crucial and common parts of most property management contracts. Good property management companies also bring expert advice and experience to your property so you can rest easy. Furthermore, a good property management company will constantly be marketing and trying to fill vacancies so that everyone can keep making money.
Erosion Can Ruin Concrete Slab Levels
Poorly maintained or managed drainage systems could be causing a hole in your wallet and around your concrete slab’s foundation. If you have a significant runoff and your gutters haven’t been getting regular upkeep, it’s likely that water isn’t draining properly and could be causing damage to concrete slabs around your home.
Property management and HOAs are responsible for this sort of thing to keep debris off gutters and away from sidewalks and walkways. Debris, congesting your drainage systems, could mean management isn’t living up to their expectations. It could also mean that the foundation around your concrete slabs is slowly being eroded away. When fill soil around these slabs begins to deplete, due to water drainage, the slabs will begin to sink and become unleveled. Help your management company or HOA stay proactive and let them know if you see this occurring around your property.
Concrete Inspections And Maintenance Are Important
Talk to your property management company about what vendor is handling concrete slab maintenance in your area. If they don’t have one, it could be worth your time trying to convince them to consider finding one. If not, perhaps a switch to a company that values small details and safety more is in order.
Tilted Concrete of the greater Houston area suggests that all management companies inspect concrete slabs regularly. This can help make sure that proper levels are maintained. If your walkways, driveways, and parking lots are looking askew and you feel concerned due to tripping hazards on your property, make sure your management company knows about it and remains proactive to keep the property value at its optimal level.
Owners May Be Held Responsible For Management’s Negligence
Many property management companies don’t see tripping hazards formed by uneven driveways, walkways, pathways, patios, pool decks, or parking lots as significant risk factors but studies prove differently. Trips, slips, and falls account for millions of injuries a year. They also account for billions of dollars in legal fees. Don’t get blindsided by an easily avoidable legal scenario involving a trip or fall. Winter, and being the time of Covid, make slips and trips additionally likely. Whether its all your tenants packages being delivered by countless Amazon drivers or the friends and family visiting for the holidays, make sure your properties are as safe as possible.
Ask your property management company about the general maintenance services included in your contract with them. Your HOAs may also have some interest in the upkeep of driveways curbs and sidewalks so don’t leave them out of your inquiry either. If concrete slab maintenance on your properties’ isn’t covered, look no farther than your local experts at Tilted Concrete. We are Houston’s concrete leveling solution
HOA Regulations You Never Knew Existed
How closely have you read your HOA rules and regulations? Are you keeping up with all the meeting notes and amendments? If you own multiple properties in different areas or cities, the likely answer is no. The HOA is already responsible for keeping walkways, sidewalks, and entrances clear of debris. Many HOAs have begun instituting new regulations abiding by NSC guidelines and will fix uneven sidewalks and walkways exhibiting any concrete slabs with unlevel sections of anything greater than ¼ inches. If you own a home or homes in an HOA area, see if you can convince the board to add this as a modern amendment which may just save owners in the long run by avoiding litigation from an injury occurring on your property.
Tilted Concrete Solutions Helps HomeOwners
Here at Tilted Concrete, everything we do is for the customer. Our Houston specific polyjacking procedure is the best answer for unlevel concrete slabs. Whether it be for commercial or residential service, we are your expert concrete leveling solution. Get a free quote today for any of our many services.