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Posted over 15 years ago

Why Hiring Property Management Makes Sense

Deciding to build wealth through owning real estate seems to be an easy decision for many. Others struggle with the idea of owning property for long periods of time and sometimes fixate on the negative stories they have heard and the endless what-if scenarios. I can promise you, those scenarios will always be there and you may experience some of them over time. However, the benefits of owning real estate and using it as a vehicle to build wealth, far out weigh the negatives of what may happen.

Once you have decided that investing in real estate is your wealth building choice, then do not spend too much time fretting over whether or not to manage the properties yourself. If there is a decision to make, meaning you are purchasing investment property near you, I will give you one thought to ponder. Are you interested in building wealth or developing a second job? Time is your most precious asset and it can be used to improve every aspect of your life or it can be used managing your properties. I prefer to leave the latter to the experts and spend my time earning for my family and playing with my family.

For just a moment I would like you to consider the benefits of using a professional property management company. Many property management companies have spent their development and management hours building systems and processes specifically designed to create an efficient flow. From occupancy to management to legal issues, the company will have the processes in place to handle your properties. Those efficiencies are what lead to increased revenue for an investor, less strain on the investors time, a reduction in costs incurred by the investor just to name a few.

Revenue can actually be increased even after management fees by reducing the number of days a property sits on the market waiting to be occupied. A quality management company will already have applicants ready to rent properties and process to begin marketing a property immediately. By increasing the number of days a property stays rented, the company is increasing the revenue for the investor.

By being able to give up the stress of having to do everything from marketing a property, fielding calls form interested tenants, showing the property to tenants and even taking care of maintenance while the property is both occupied and vacant, an owner can win their time back. With more time to do what you do best whether its spend time earning for your family or spending quality time playing, an investor reduces the stress and worry when they hire a management company.

Finally, costs can be greatly reduced by using a management company. Simply in terms of having policies in place and a procedure for tenants to report issues or make requests, a management company can quickly answer and decipher which calls are important and necessary and which are issues to be handled by the tenant. As property owners doing our own management, the tendency has always been to keep the tenant happy for of having to repeat the rental process and we often spend money on unnecessary expenses.

There are many landlords who will advise to keep overhead small in order to keep it all. In other words, spend as little of your hard-earned rent as possible and do as much work as possible. In my book, building a portfolio of investment properties is a logical way to build wealth and provide for my future. In my present, I am providing for my family by working diligently and smart. If you are considering managing your own portfolio, I would simply ask you to consider the value of your time. And use your time where it will give you the best return. And if it is not in managing your properties, then let that go and hire the best property management company you can find.

 

Comments (8)

  1. Hey Derrick - Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the blog post. I hear people say that paying for an education from experienced investors is cheaper than paying for education with your own experience. Either way, I appreciate your comments.


  2. Yes, there are sometimes more aspects to think of than a person alone can handle. With experience and knowledge this can be handled with ease, but then again, "Knowledge" comes with "experience", and "experience" comes with time. Good share Chris!


  3. Chris, I think many would benefit from your post on choosing a good management company. I have to agree that many are not well suited to managing their own properties. I look forward to reading your future posts.


  4. Without knowing you personally, I would bet you probably possess the characteristics that are sometimes missing when investors decide to manage their own properties. There is so much to think about and so many facets you need to understand. It is so much more than just deciding to buy property and collect the rent. One of the big considerations that you knocked out by owning apartment buildings was the proximity of each property to the other properties and to where you live. I have seen investors literally lose between 10 and 15 hours a week in travel time alone between units. I managed properties when i was investing in Denver, CO. and the mess I made of my time management made me realize I could earn more per hour than it would cost me to have someone else manage for me. There are those rare business men & women, and it sounds like you are one of them, who uses a very focused investment strategy and develops their own rhythm that simply makes it work. Best of luck on it and keep it up. I am working on a blog now about how to choose a good management company whether purchasing in or out of town. There are definitely things to watch when making that decision.


  5. I've managed several apartment complexes in the past and it feels like a breeze handling several SFRs. If you are buying out of state it is necessary, but it is not always easy to find a good management company.


  6. Hey Charles and Bryan - Thank you both for commenting. You know how it is when you are trying to spur discussion, you have to pick a side and go with it. I would never manage my own properties again, but have a world of respect for those who do. Today, my company actually manages about 700 units for out of state investors so believe me, I speak from experience on this topic! Thanks again for commenting.


  7. I have managed my on properties for years. I'm very happy that I made this decision. In the future I will probably have some properties managed by others.


  8. I have property managers for almost all of my units...money well spent! Nice article...thanks for sharing ;-)