At Housesitmatch we are often asked if housesitters could do the job of good property management companies.  The issue of housesitters and property management comes up quite regularly, and we usually respond with a horses for courses response. The reason that people need housesitters is often related to the care for pets in the home or a human presence in a domestic situation while the owners are away. This could be for a short or an extended period.

The reasons you would need to select from a choice of property management companies are important and varied. Usually the reasons are related to the scale of the project. The length of time work is needed or the professional rental accommodation on the property are related. Here is the top line guide on what kind of property management company you might look for and how or when you might appoint one.

Choosing Housesitters or Property Management Companies

You may have a large property, perhaps with an AirBnB facility or a residence even multiple long term renters already resident, and you need to consider who will look after your property in your absence.  As a housesitting platform we have a rule of thumb that we are happy to share with our members, however, rules are flexible and for the right candidates are easily broken.

Housesitters can care for your property

We have housesitters who are eminently qualified to care for rental properties, or large remote estates because they have this in their life or professional life. So housesitting somewhere new and doing this for someone else is part of their repertoire.

However, there comes a point for some property and homeowners when they are a little perplexed about how and when to choose housesitters or property management.  If you are hesitant about housesitters because of the scale of the project, then here is the top line guide on Property Management Companies.

What to look for in management companies

Just as you will need to have tight screening procedures when you look for housesitters before you invite them into your own home, there are similar screening procedures for selecting tenants. You will want to have very similar procedures in place for shooing property management companies as well.

Responsibilities of your property management company

The responsibilities for your selected property management company will be to oversee your tenants, maintain your properties, and collect monthly rent to name a few things.

This is why you cannot afford to go with a low quality company to manage your business for you. Instead, you will need to go with the very best company you possibly can.

Top qualities to look for

We’re going to help you out by walking through the top qualities that you will need to look for in the top property management companies. If the management company you are considering lacks just one of the following qualities, do not consider them.

Here are the top qualities that you will want to look for in property management companies:

Rock solid reputation

A solid reputation will need to be the very first thing to look for in any property management company, without question. The good news is that it is very easy to conduct research on virtually any kind of company these days, so there’s no excuse for not doing your homework.

Go to online review websites like Trustpilot. Run a Google search and look for as much information as you can. Visit business research websites such as the Better Business Bureau. Just taking one hour or so of research should give you all of the information that you need to know.

A Larger Client Base

You should beware of any property manager who does not have any clients. Note for how long they have been in business. It’s a clear sign that they have had difficulty with managing tenants and rental properties.

Always look for a property management company that has a large existing client base. Don’t be fearful of asking for references either. This is the best way to verify what they are truly capable of.

Regular Cleaning Services

You should also get a property management company that performs regular cleaning services and from where you can easily order home cleans. You see, the role of your property manager is about far more than just setting rental rates. They make sure that your tenants pay on time and all that. In addition they are also fully responsible for the maintenance of your properties.

Therefore, not only should they take good care of the lawns and dispose of garbage, but they should also fix any maintenance issues in the properties as well. Tenants should have no difficulty in requesting repairs as well.

Fair Rental Rates

The next quality you will want to look for is the management company setting fair rental rates.  When interviewing a company, you should specifically ask them how they set their rental rates.

If a management company simply sets whatever rate they want to, that’s a real negative sign.  Instead, there needs to be a very specific reason behind why they set the rental rates do: they  should carefully research the market and how comparable homes or apartments are being rented  out.

Based on this information, they should then follow a rule such as charging 1% of the  property’s value as the monthly rent. You should also inquire about how often the property management company raises rental rates. Make sure they explain their justification for the rise in rent.

Providing Written Contracts

Last but not least, you absolutely will need to choose property management companies that provide written contracts. If the company is unwilling to provide a written contract to being with, you should not work with them because it’s an overwhelmingly clear sign that they do not have their act together.

True reputable property management companies will be more than willing to provide you with and sign a contract. This will outline all of the terms and conditions of the agreement. This way, both parties will be fully in the loop and will be contracted by a legally binding document.

Choosing between property management companies

High quality property management companies can be a good support services. That being said, your property manager is also going to be making very critical decisions about your properties, so you really need to be sure that you do your homework when hiring.

Photo Credit – Career Employer

On behalf of HouseSit Match we’d like to say thank you for permission to use these images.

Other useful blogs about housesitters

At Housesitmatch.com we like to share useful blogs and practical advice about housesitters, housesitting and pet sitting. We hope you find this small selection of our blogs on house sitters useful.

Housesitters keep pets safe at home and save money

What a housesitter does – Top 10 responsibilities

Preparing a home for a house or pet sitter

The Affordable Alternative to Dog Kennels

What is House Sitting?