Archive for February 4th, 2008
Dealing with a Crisis over the Phone
Monday, February 4th, 2008As you will eventually find out, some tenants like to call up their landlords in panic mode. They may make all kinds of demands for immediate action—primarily that “you get over here right now!” Don’t fall into the trap of dropping everything and running across town to resolve whatever crisis they’ve gotten themselves into.
Instead, try [...]
Tenant Inspection Tours
Monday, February 4th, 2008One of the best techniques for heading off potential maintenance, repair, and even decorating complaints is to do a complete walk- through of the property with your tenants. Make this an inspection tour and make sure that you express it that way to the tenants. Look at everything. Make notes (or use your own inspection [...]
Problems Can Hide Other Problems
Monday, February 4th, 2008Problems aren’t always what they seem. And some problems can mask other problems, which might even be more severe or troublesome. A good property manager knows how to ask questions to get answers. And a really good property manager knows how to continue asking questions, really listen to the answers, and then ask follow-up questions [...]
Tenants on Renter’s Insurance
Monday, February 4th, 2008Tenants can be very hesitant to purchasing renter’s insurance. Some are just plain cheap, while others just don’t see the need. Even if renter’s insurance is part of the agreement, you might have to make a good case for the purchase just to maintain good relations. A few moments of explanation represent a valuable investment [...]
Eliminate the Risks
Monday, February 4th, 2008Why wait for insurance protection against some loss to kick in when you can take measures to prevent the cause of the loss in the first place? Take an in-depth survey of your property—all of your property, including parking lots, sidewalks, and green areas. Look at any physical and health hazards and potential risks. Be [...]
Cut Your (Future) Losses
Monday, February 4th, 2008During your survey, look for ways in which to reduce or eliminate risk. Think to the future, and consider all the many things that might go wrong. What can you put in place to short-circuit potential dangers down the road? Here are a few suggestions to stimulate your thinking:
Hire a security guard or a security [...]
