| What could be more stressful than managing one | | | | when you hire a company to manage your |
| single-family rental house? Managing several, or | | | | property. Are you looking for someone who will |
| one apartment building, or even more stressful, | | | | take payments from tenants, report vacancies |
| more than one apartment building. It is true that | | | | and needed repairs to you, and who just handles |
| there are people who have several apartment | | | | the most basic tasks? Or do you want a |
| buildings and they are able to manage them just | | | | company that will handle everything for you, from |
| fine. However, these people are often under a lot | | | | the maintenance and repairs to background |
| of stress and they usually don't have a lot of free | | | | checks to finding new tenants? |
| time for themselves or for their families. | | | | Some companies will only do the basics for you. |
| So what causes all the stress when you are doing | | | | They take the money, do a certain amount of |
| your own property management? There is a | | | | maintenance, and you keep most of the tasks still |
| simple answer: everything. | | | | as yours. Other companies off full services. They |
| While some people love to drive, there are many | | | | handle all the maintenance and repairs, getting |
| people who find driving itself to be stressful. And | | | | new tenants, all the checks on tenants, and handle |
| if you have to travel to several properties, then | | | | the money. Some of them only take cash while |
| you have to contend with traffic as well as long | | | | others offer you even more services by allowing |
| drives. Then there's the paperwork. You have to | | | | your tenants to pay by credit card or even direct |
| keep files on all of your tenants. You have to | | | | debit. This means that your payments are more |
| advertise to get new tenants whenever there is | | | | secure, and if the management company takes |
| a vacancy. You have to do background checks, | | | | care of everything for you then all you have to |
| employment verifications, credit checks, talk to | | | | do is offer your final approval on tenants and be |
| former landlords, and even look up a tenant's rent | | | | available if there is a problem. In fact, many |
| history. You have to deal with maintenance and | | | | companies will even handle doing inspections for |
| hiring people to come to a property and then | | | | you. Some will actually take care of evictions as |
| making sure that they do their job. You may end | | | | well, paying the fees associated with an eviction |
| up having to do the work yourself. If repairs are | | | | so that you keep more money in your own |
| too long in coming then tenants will get angry. | | | | pocket. |
| And even worse, you may have to evict | | | | Do your research before you choose a property |
| someone, meaning you then have the added | | | | management company. Just because a company |
| stress of going to court and having to pay | | | | offers services at a very low price doesn't mean |
| lawyer, filing, and court fees. | | | | they are the best, just as the most expensive |
| So is it possible to truly have stress free | | | | company may not be the best. Some companies |
| property management? Believe it or not, it is. | | | | will let you use your own maintenance services or |
| Hiring a property management company will save | | | | use third party ones, while others insist on using |
| you from having to worry about just about | | | | in-house services that will cost you more. Some |
| everything. In fact, you'll be free to live your own | | | | have excellent customer service that will keep |
| life and just enjoy owning rental property. Of | | | | you up to date all the time while others have |
| course you'll have to make the most major and | | | | customer service that will make you track them |
| the final decisions, but you won't have to handle | | | | down. It's up to you what you want, but do your |
| everyday things. | | | | research so you can make sure that you can |
| It's important to know what you are looking for | | | | take care of your properties without any stress. |