They say that you can’t over-communicate with someone. In the case of your rental residents, it’s perhaps even more true. So whether by email, phone, carrier pigeon, or Pony Express, staying in contact with your residents makes everything else with managing your rental unit easier. Here are 7 communication tips from the leader in Pittsburgh Property Management.
Take the Emotion Out of it
Whether you have great residents or more challenging residents, you need to see the owner-resident relationship as a business venture. Treat the residents professionally, and don’t get attached or too personal. Communication should be honest and clear.
Do More
From property management in Pittsburgh, PA to Anytown, U.S.A., your residents deserve to hear from you often. Email, call, mail—it doesn’t matter, just make sure you’re staying in communication. With regular inspections and maintenance needs, your residents need to always know what is going on around their home.
Work Locally
If you hire a property management team, make sure they have Pittsburgh property management experience. Each market location is different. Find someone who is experienced with property management in Pittsburgh and you’re on your way. If you do it on your own you need to know if the difficulty this entails. It’s extremely helpful to have boots on the ground and to have people in your corner who know the area, local contractors, leasing agents, etc.
Be Clear About Expectations
Nothing sours a relationship faster than unmet expectations. Be clear about your expectations. You and your residents will have a much better experience. Clear communication of expectations can start at the time of the lease signing.
Don’t Hover
Allow your residents to figure out how they want to live in the house, they do not want or need your advice on how to set up their household. You can focus on making the experience as streamlined and as easy as possible. Just keep yourself available should they have questions.
Hard Copies
The idea of “nail and mail” has been around for a long time for good reason—it works; especially with legal issues or financial matters. It’s best to give your residents hard copies of official paperwork and documents. Word of mouth and cyberspace aren’t always the best documentation options for official communications.
Certify Your Mail
Many property management Pittsburgh firms certify every piece of mail that goes out to the client. That way, they can ensure the communication was received or refused. Either way, a record is kept, and you can prove what has or hasn’t been done.
Resident communication when managing your own property can be an overwhelming experience. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be that way! If you find a good Pittsburgh property management partner, many of these issues can be easily taken care of for you.