All Forum Posts by: Jonah Hartsburg

Yes! Precisely the mindset needed to thrive with virtual assistants.

I primarily work with virtual assistants in the Philippines. Just because their hourly pay is less than the standard in my local market, that doesn't mean they deserve any less dignity. Treat them with the respect you would expect from an employer, and you'll often receive consistent loyalty in return.

To that point, be a good boss. Not just friendly but one who prepares them to run your processes with clear expectations and benchmarks for success. VAs aren't a silver bullet to solve poor processes. They should be guided and rewarded as you work together to create a successful business. 

As @Bjorn Ahlblad said, inherited tenants can be fine. It largely depends on how the previous management did placing the tenant and managing their experience. In most scenarios, it's a major inconvenience to require the Seller to provide the property vacant before closing. 

After closing, I try to get the tenants on my lease if they are on a month-to-month. This helps set my standards, creates a pace for renewals/raising rent, and it positions me to more easily pursue a judgment in the event I would need to evict.

Hi Matt - Sorry you're dealing with this. It's unfortunate that this scenario is a reality in some areas. I'm not too fond of that feeling when I notice an empty pad where the unit should sit. 

Is the current A coil and lineset already past their halfway point in terms of expected usefulness? There are a few things I'd consider. Maybe there are some savings in replacing them while the contractor is already on site. There's also the question of whether the contractor would even replace and warranty the unit without the other components being replaced too. Additionally, consider whether the new unit requires those extra items to be replaced for proper functioning. I've never personally ordered the unit before. If it's the same unit that the contractor would use, I'd be checking out the manufacturer's warranty.

Hi Elie - Congrats on getting your license! Looking at your primary objectives, I'd next consider how much training you want. If you're going to work part-time but mainly want to be a Realtor for your RE investing, you could get someone to come alongside you (like a sponsor with EXP as you mentioned) to teach you the basics of how a transaction runs. If you don't go with EXP, you could look for a reputable local agent and offer a commission split to assist you on your first deal. If you're only planning to represent a few deals per year, you probably won't reach a company's cap and want to look for brokerages that have low commission splits from the beginning.

Make sure to figure in monthly desk/brokerage/E&O fees when shopping around. If you are interested in doing property management for others, ask the brokerage about that up front as some will not allow it due to liability and E&O issues.

Ask the brokerage how they handle agent-owned transactions. Most brokerages have a different commission split for that scenario. E&O might also be treated differently if you're primarily representing yourself.

If, on the other hand, you want to focus more on agent representation as a substantial side business, I'd suggest digging into what a brokerage has to offer on the training side. Remember, it doesn't matter what the split is if you don't have sources for leadflow and know how to close deals. 

I once delivered a bottle of Woodford at an owner's request for new tenants moving in. They were very appreciative and it helped kick-start the relationship. Later down the road, there were minor maintenance issues that weren't promptly handled by the maintenance team, and they broke their lease early. There was probably more going on between the tenants than just the maintenance issues, but I took note then that systems and mastery of the basics in tenant care are far more important than a welcome gift. 

I'm not saying it's a bad move, and this was just my single observation. It's a nice gesture that could benefit the landord/tenant relationship. I'd rather make sure my basics are maintained and spend the extra money on a repair. 

Hi Conrad - In this respect, setting expectations and managing VAs is similar to managing any other team member. Preferably, you will already have some experience in the tasks you want them to do and can manage from first-hand experience. I'd love to connect and chat about your specific processes. 

In addition to what others have said about the water leaking and the components breaking before the main fridge functions, there's also the issue of the water filter replacement. Even if the lease says they are responsible for filter replacements, they may likely forget and submit a maintenance request to replace the filter. This wastes time and causes friction between the tenant and the manager.

Exciting! Congrats on your first and now working towards your second house hack. When I house-hacked a duplex, I found it advantageous to add a yard maintenance fee to the lease and hire it out. This way you know it's taken care of professionally and are placing a third party between your neighbor/landlord relationship.

Once I moved out, I added a similar fee to the lease on the unit I was formerly living in. This added a little bit of revenue to ensure the landscaper coordination and billing were worth my time. 

That makes sense! You're outlining the tasks before creating an SOP.

We vet, hire, and monitor virtual assistants for other businesses. 

Absolutely! The market is plentiful for quality virtual assistants. We have a team physically in the Philippines to gather talent. I'd recommend keeping the skills focused. Just like it would be difficult to find a local team member at an average labor price to be a web designer/coder, social media manager, and researcher, it's also difficult to find a VA who can do it all at a quality level. Plus, at a low price, you could get a few assistants who specialize.