vacation rental management companies south side hampton roads

vacation rental management companies south side hampton roads

Property Manager · Virginia Beach, VA · Member since 2017 · 4 posts · 1 vote

Hello,

I am researching vacation rental companies in the south side area of Hampton Roads, Virginia.  I am finding so far their fees and services are varied and some are very vague on their offerings.  I am wondering if anyone has experience working with any of the local companies and can provide any insight on their fee structures, services and provide any feedback on their experiences with these companies.

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Drew SygitBusiness Member
Property Manager · Royal Oak, MI · Member since 2012 · 13k+ posts · 9k+ votes
3y

@Alvina Torres

Even if someone give you a referral, don’t make the mistake of assuming that PMC will meet your expectations, just because they met the expectations of the referral source.

We also can’t believe how many owners hire the first PMC they speak with!

Then they complain their expectations aren’t being met!

In our experience, the #1 mistake owners make when selecting a Property Management Company (PMC) is ASSUMING instead of CONFIRMING.

It's often a case of not doing enough research, as they don't know what they don't know!

Owners mistakenly ASSUME all PMCs offer the exact SAME SERVICES and PERFORM those services EXACTLY THE SAME WAY, so price is the only differentiator – and they often select the first PMC they call!

So, the first question they usually ask a PMC is about fees - instead of asking about services and HOW those services are executed.

EXAMPLE: PMC states they will handle tenant screening – what does that specifically mean? What documents do they require, what credit scores do they allow, how do they verify previous rental history, etc.? You’d be shocked by how little actual screening many PMC’s do!

This also leads owners to ASSUME simpler is better when it comes to management contracts.

The reality is the opposite - if it's not in writing then the PMC doesn't have to provide the service or can charge extra for it!

We have a 14-page management contract that we've added our real experiences to over the years, with the intent of protecting both us AND the landlord. Beyond the Monthly Management, Placement & Maintenance fees, all other fees in our contract are IF EVENT -> THEN fees.

We don’t know any PMCs to recommend in the area mentioned, but since selecting the wrong PMC is usually more harmful than selecting a bad tenant, you might want to read our series about “How to Screen a PMC Better than a Tenant”:

https://www.biggerpockets.com/member-blogs/3094/91877-how-to-screen-a-pmc-better-than-a-tenant-part-1-services-and-processes

We recommend you get management contracts from several PMCs and compare the services they cover and, more importantly, what they each DO NOT cover.

EDUCATE YOURSELF - yes, it will take time, but will lead to a selection that better meets your expectations & avoids potentially costly surprises!

P.S. If you just hire the cheapest or first PMC you speak with and it turns into a bad experience, please don’t assume ALL PMC’s are bad and start trashing PMC’s in general. Take ownership of your mistake and learn to do the proper due diligence recommended above😊

Please send us any feedback via email, as we do not use the DM feature here.

Also, if you like our response, please don’t be shy about giving us a vote😊

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5 Replies

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  • Michael BaumPro Member
    Olympia, WA · Member since 2016 · 8k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    3y

    Hey @Alvina Torres. Are you looking for a property management company for your STR or are you scoping out other PM's in the area to see how you compare?

    By VR companies, do you mean those that have their own listing sites where they feature properties they either own or manage?

  • Investor · Member since 2022 · 1k+ posts · 754 votes
    3y

    Skip the PM’s and self manage! 

  • Drew SygitBusiness Member
    Property Manager · Royal Oak, MI · Member since 2012 · 13k+ posts · 9k+ votes
    3y

    @Alvina Torres

    Even if someone give you a referral, don’t make the mistake of assuming that PMC will meet your expectations, just because they met the expectations of the referral source.

    We also can’t believe how many owners hire the first PMC they speak with!

    Then they complain their expectations aren’t being met!

    In our experience, the #1 mistake owners make when selecting a Property Management Company (PMC) is ASSUMING instead of CONFIRMING.

    It's often a case of not doing enough research, as they don't know what they don't know!

    Owners mistakenly ASSUME all PMCs offer the exact SAME SERVICES and PERFORM those services EXACTLY THE SAME WAY, so price is the only differentiator – and they often select the first PMC they call!

    So, the first question they usually ask a PMC is about fees - instead of asking about services and HOW those services are executed.

    EXAMPLE: PMC states they will handle tenant screening – what does that specifically mean? What documents do they require, what credit scores do they allow, how do they verify previous rental history, etc.? You’d be shocked by how little actual screening many PMC’s do!

    This also leads owners to ASSUME simpler is better when it comes to management contracts.

    The reality is the opposite - if it's not in writing then the PMC doesn't have to provide the service or can charge extra for it!

    We have a 14-page management contract that we've added our real experiences to over the years, with the intent of protecting both us AND the landlord. Beyond the Monthly Management, Placement & Maintenance fees, all other fees in our contract are IF EVENT -> THEN fees.

    We don’t know any PMCs to recommend in the area mentioned, but since selecting the wrong PMC is usually more harmful than selecting a bad tenant, you might want to read our series about “How to Screen a PMC Better than a Tenant”:

    https://www.biggerpockets.com/member-blogs/3094/91877-how-to-screen-a-pmc-better-than-a-tenant-part-1-services-and-processes

    We recommend you get management contracts from several PMCs and compare the services they cover and, more importantly, what they each DO NOT cover.

    EDUCATE YOURSELF - yes, it will take time, but will lead to a selection that better meets your expectations & avoids potentially costly surprises!

    P.S. If you just hire the cheapest or first PMC you speak with and it turns into a bad experience, please don’t assume ALL PMC’s are bad and start trashing PMC’s in general. Take ownership of your mistake and learn to do the proper due diligence recommended above😊

    Please send us any feedback via email, as we do not use the DM feature here.

    Also, if you like our response, please don’t be shy about giving us a vote😊

  • Patti RobertsonBusiness Member
    Property Manager · Virginia Beach, VA · Member since 2016 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    3y

    I refer STR owners to @Dezmon Robertson. (Same last name as me, but no relation.)  He is the bomb diggity bomb for STRs in Hampton Roads.  

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