Hello! Future first-time landlord here, about to start shopping for multi-family rentals in the Twin Cities. Before I buy, I’m trying to learn from people who’ve already been through this.
For those of you self-managing 1-5 units: how do you currently find contractors you trust (plumbers, electricians, HVAC, handymen, etc.)? Word of mouth, Yelp, Angi/Thumbtack, a local referral service, something else?
Also, what’s been the most frustrating part of that process? Bad quotes, no-shows, work you had to redo, just never knowing who to call when something breaks?
I’m trying to learn as much about this process before I’m in the position of needing this myself. Appreciate any war stories.
I would start with referrals from landlords who have used the contractor more than once, then call the references yourself. Get a written scope and ask how they handle a callback if the repair does not hold. The low quote is not much help if nobody answers when something goes wrong.