A good rental experience starts with good communication. Your property manager should have plans in place to communicate with you and your tenants consistently and transparently. You need responsiveness and accessibility. You need to know your management team will be available when you have a question or need to talk through a concern. If you're like most of the owners and investors we work with, you don't want to be bothered too frequently. You don't need to hear from us when the lawn is cut or the air filters are changed. Hopefully, we're working together because you trust us to make the daily decisions that are necessary when it comes to leasing, managing, and maintaining your investment property. When we're talking about larger issues and major decisions, however, you'll want to hear the recommendations we have. Especially when we're talking about repairs, upgrades, leasing, renewals, and property pricing. We make communication a priority at Innovate Realty, and we know that not all property management companies in and around Philadelphia can make the same promise. Start your property management relationship with high expectations for communication. Share those expectations with your property manager so they know what you're looking for. Here's what you should expect when it comes to how your Philadelphia-area property management partner communicates with you.
Setting Communication Expectations Between Owners and Managers
As we begin working together to lease, manage, and maintain your investment property, we'll talk about how our communication styles might mirror each other and be a bit different. We will ask you how often you wish to hear from us. We'll also ask how you prefer to hear from us - by phone, by text, by email, or something else. This is an important conversation to have early in your relationship with any property manager. It allows our team to set expectations. If you are very specific and imagine calling us at 5:00 p.m. every day to get a summary of how things are going at your rental home, we'll let you know that's simply impossible. That's why this conversation is so important - so you can be sure we're able to meet your communication needs and so we can be sure your expectations match our own. Look for a property management company that's willing to personalize their services to what you need. If this is your first time renting out a home and you need more communication than other owners, that's okay. The more we communicate transparently, the better we can serve you.
Using Property Management Technology to Facilitate Better Communication
You should always expect innovative and communication-driven technology when you work with us. Our property management team invests heavily in technology and one of the reasons for that is we value communication. The right technology can help owners communicate better with their tenants. If you're using a Philadelphia property management company like ours, you'll want to make sure you have access to accounting software and online portals. We have found that these platforms help us communicate effectively and efficiently to both owners and tenants. It also keeps everything documented so you can access what you need when you need it. Some owners still love a phone call. Most owners don't have time for that; they want quick, simple communication that they can read and respond to on their own time. We can deliver that.
Communicating With Tenants in Your Rental Home
As your property managers, we will be the liaison to your tenants and even your applications before they become tenants. There's no need for you to engage with renters about maintenance issues, renewals, problems, or conflicts with other tenants. Your management company is responsible for staying in touch with residents. We manage the entire relationship. It provides a buffer between you and your renters, protecting you from risk and liability and ensuring your investment property is run like a business. Here is what you can expect in terms of tenant communication when you work with a management company:
- First, We Listen to Tenants
Active listening helps us retain your best tenants. Communication always improves when tenants are heard. Even if we cannot solve their immediate problem, we know that it does not cost us anything to validate their concerns. When it comes to communication, we always lead with listening. It's better for our tenant relationships and for our tenant retention plans.
- We Discuss Expectations
Tenants understand what's required in terms of maintenance, utilities, and keeping the property clean. This proactive communication results in fewer lease violations and less confusion about who is responsible for what during the tenancy.
- We Communicate Rent Collection and Maintenance Processes
Our communication with tenants around the correct processes for rent collection ensures rent is paid on time. Tenants understand when rent is due, how much is due, when it should be paid, and what the consequences for late rent payments may be. You can also expect we'll communicate with tenants about maintenance procedures. This leads to less deferred and unreported maintenance. Tenants understand the difference between an emergency and a general repair, and they report any problems right away. We have online portals for routine requests, and we're available around the clock for those unexpected emergencies.
Tips on Better Communication with Philadelphia Property Managers
A good property manager in Philadelphia will already have excellent communication practices in place. If you'd like to help keep the lines of communication open, consider these tips for creating a better flow of communication for you and your management team:
- Keep your contact information up to date so we can reach you when necessary.
- Check in with your online portal once in a while so you aren't surprised by information we share with you.
- Talk to us about your investment goals. The market is always changing, and we want to help you leverage what you own and what you earn by responding to the shifts and trends.
Contact us at Innovate Realty, and we would be happy to tell you more about what you can expect from our communication priorities. At Innovate Realty, we work with investors of all experience levels in the greater Philadelphia metro area as well as surrounding suburban areas in Montgomery, Chester, Burlington, and Delaware County, to the Delaware River.
