Austell, GA · Member since 2018 · 3 posts · 1 vote
Good Day, I am an investor from South Africa and I own 23 units locally. I am selling my units in South Africa and I am purchasing rental units in Atlanta. I currently own 3 in the Atlanta Area.
I please need recommendations for a good property management company - the one that I use now is not working for me. They did a good job in the beginning to get my business - but now they rarely respond to my requests and everything takes forever to get done. I am expanding my portfolio in Atlanta, but I need to get a good management company before I feel comfortable to purchase my next units.
You can start by going to www.narpm.org and search their directory of managers. These are professionals with additional training and a stricter code of ethics. It's no guarantee but it's a good place to start.
1. Ask how many units they manage and how much experience they have. If it's a larger organization, feel free to inquire about their different staff qualifications.
2. Review their management agreement. Make sure it explicitly explains the process for termination if you are unhappy with their services, but especially if they violate the terms of your agreement.
3. Understand the fees involved and calculate the total cost for an entire year of management so you can compare the different managers. It may sound nice to pay a 5% management fee but the extra fees can add up to be more than the other company that charges 10% with no add-on fees. Fees should be clearly stated, easy to understand, and justifiable. If you ask the manager to justify a fee and he starts hemming and hawing, move on or require them to remove the fee. Don't be afraid to negotiate!
4. Review their lease agreement and addendums. Think of all the things that could go wrong and see if the lease addresses them: unauthorized pets or tenants, early termination, security deposit, lease violations, late rent, eviction, lawn maintenance, parking, etc.
5. Don't just read the lease! Ask the manager to explain their process for dealing with maintenance or problem tenants. If they are professional, they can explain this quickly and easily. If they are VERY professional, they will have their processes in writing as verification that it is enforced equally and fairly by their entire staff.
6. Ask to speak with some of their current owners and current/former tenants. You can also check their reviews online at Google, Facebook, or Yelp. Just remember: most negative reviews are written by problematic tenants. The fact they are complaining online might be an indication the property manager dealt with them properly so be sure to ask the manager for their side of the story.
I hope this basic guide helps. If you have specific questions about property management, I'll be happy to help!
@Jeandre De Beer Depending on where your units are located and what type they are we might be able to help but if not I can point you to multiple quality property managers in any area of Atlanta.
@Nathan Gesner is dead on about NARPM. If they aren't NARPM credentialed then they aren't real property managers in my opinion. I'm totally biased on that statement since I sit on the Atlanta board of directors for NARPM but it's a true statement.
Matt Wood (guest on the BP Podcast from 2016) recently started a property management business in Atlanta. He's pretty active on here, so you can look him up and send him a PM for info.
Thanks again for replying - any additional recommendations will be appreciated - I need to make a decision who I will use for all my units ASAP. Busy with interviews this week.
@Jeandre De Beer I have three SFH in Atlanta and use All County Expert Property Mgmt for two of my properties! So far I really like working with them! I have also used Excalibur but find All County to be more personable.
I have been in PM for 10 years here in ATL and I know a lot about PM here in the area from 600 units to 2 units. I know of a small company that may be a good fit for you. I will Private Message you the info.
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