If you own rental property, maintenance concerns likely are one of the most time-consuming and costly problems you face. The problem compounds if you own more than one property. Keeping renters happy and juggling contractors can be a challenge that makes being a real estate investor more stressful than it needs to be!
If you don't have the skills or experience for basic maintenance, it's especially beneficial to hire someone who does. Dependable maintenance staff may be a lifesaver for a landlord, from repairing burst pipes to drywall patching and everything in between. So how do you know who to hire to perform these vital tasks? Our Detroit property management company experts get into the details here.
Property owners must handle or coordinate repairs for everything from minor repairs and basic maintenance to significant repairs or extensive property damage. If major plumbing, electrical, or other specialized services are required at your property, hiring a licensed and insured professional is preferable to handling these issues with a DIY approach.
However, a maintenance worker and professional property management staff can help you avoid calling expensive contractors for most maintenance tasks. Here's a rundown of some typical maintenance issues:
Hot water issues
Clogged showers or toilets
Heating and air conditioning issues
Heat not working in cold weather
Flooding issues from a broken pipe
A clogged toilet, if the rental house only has one
Any problem that endangers the tenant's safety or property
In addition to these items, a property manager can also handle routine maintenance and upkeep for rental properties, including changing AC filters, painting walls, replacing kitchen appliances, and installing weather stripping.
Even if you consider yourself a skilled "do-it-yourselfer," it's hard to scale for maintenance issues when you own more than one property or have a full-time job alongside your real estate investing business. What do you do? Hire a company specializing in the best property management Detroit offers!
Imagine it's Tuesday night around 9:30 p.m. You've just put in eight or nine hours at your full-time job, and you're ready for a quiet evening at home. Then you get "the" call or text from your renter.
"My toilet is clogged. Can you fix it?"
What do you do? If you are a do-it-yourself landlord, you load up your tools and drive to your rental property across town to get the toilet unclogged and keep your renter happy.
Now, imagine that you've hired a property management services company to handle that maintenance request. You get to stay home and rest for the evening because a property manager keeps your renter happy and fixes the clogged toilet.
Property managers have the resources real estate investors need to keep properties in excellent condition and handle every late-night call. Here are some advantages of having a professional property management maintenance crew working for you:
Professional property managers have someone available 24 hours a day to help with emergency maintenance issues. They can help you avoid a crisis if something breaks at your property. Your property manager responds to an emergency call from renters and coordinates the repair, so you have more time for more important things like your business or spending more time with your family.
A property manager maintenance tech has seen almost any issue a renter could ever encounter. That means they are prepared to handle any property repair that comes up. A professional maintenance crew will fix the problem quickly and effectively, plus handle routine inspections to keep future repair expenses in check.
Some jobs require experts like plumbers and electricians. Property managers also have working relationships with professional contractors to take care of any issues that might be beyond the scope of the regular maintenance guy.
Because of their relationships with contractors, a Detroit property management professional will know how much a job should cost. They also know what each type of repair will entail to negotiate the best price for their rental property owners.
A significant part of successful property management is maintaining the rental property. "Someone" has to do routine and emergency maintenance to keep renters safe and properties in good condition. To save yourself time, money, and headaches, it's best to partner with someone who knows how to get things done.
Own It Detroit has extensive experience in the Metro Detroit area, and we have seen it all for a variety of properties and portfolio sizes. Reach out to learn more about how we take on the burden of rental property maintenance to boost your returns!
If you're looking to upgrade your maintenance services, download a copy of our free resource, "The Guide to Finding the Best Detroit Property Management Company."