Out of State Landlords: Alternatives to Realtors to Screen/Show?

Question

I'm coming out of a bad experience with delegating screening/showings to a realtor. Maybe I got unlucky, but my general sense is that the realtor didn't really follow up leads generated from MLS (or even my leads from CL) and has simply been forwarding me occasional applications from other realtors that have shown the property to their clients. I think MLS listing (at least in my area) as a dud, and a CL/ Zillow/HotPads listings as sufficient with expedient screening and showing. However, being out-of-state I am left with a dilemma of who I can put in charge. I was only successfully able to talk to one property management company (a few others in the area exist, but the online reviews are scary), and the individual who runs it lives to far away to conveniently show the place. I could possibly hire someone off CL to perform the same task but this seems risky to me. Has any one come up with a good solution to this?

Kevin B. · Answer

@Trevor EwenIt's in Hamilton, NJ.

Kevin B. · Answer

Thanks everyone for your responses. There are two NARPM individuals sort of nearby so I could reach out to them.Rently appears too risky for me--considering my area, I think one could easily steal piping/furnaces/cause damage to the place while no one's there, or even squating, which would require going to court.ShowMojo is worth giving a try if it cuts down on my screening time and avoid phone calls altogether. If I can pool visitors to 3x a week and have them screen themselves out using their system, I could possibly come up myself that often to show (though would be nice to pay someone $25 to show up for a half hour instead?) Does anyone have any experience with ShowMojo?

Trevor Ewen · Answer

@Kevin B.Where is the out-of-state property located?

Kimberly H. · Answer

@Kevin B. Showmojo automates a LOT of the showing details, questions, confirmations, and also has lockboxes that work with it, or you can use your own lockbox. I haven't used Showmojo yet, or Rently, but based on my research and a webinar with Showmojo I do plan to go with Showmojo instead. I actually am a real estate agent, and I haven't been showing my own rental listings this year because I have two rehabs going, so instead of putting 2 of the 3 properties of our current rentals that became available this year on the internet and getting bombarded with all of that, I listed the properties *only* in MLS, blocked the feed to the internet, and am letting other agents deal with showing them. For the first one of the three, I did have it on the websites and had an overseas VA field the calls to the google voicemail and do the initial screening, and it still ended up being a lot of work on my end. It appears that Showmojo can really simplify the process at lower cost than using a VA or your own time. I am not affiliated with either company in any way.As someone else mentioned, you can't expect an agent to be a "pop-tart" agent and drive over to the property to meet everyone at all hours of the day anytime someone calls and says they want to see it right that second. These homes were still occupied so I couldn't do the open house concept and let people wander around out of sight.BTW, in our state, it is illegal to show a home for sale or rent, unless you are a real estate agent, or own the home.

Phil Earley · Answer

Rently. They sell/lease lockboxes that allow for showings without having to be there. We don't personally use them but this could be an option. Fyi....If you do contact them, they will follow up ALOT

Nathan Miller · Answer

@Robert Melcher @Kevin B.If you go here you can still search for state NJ and it brings up a few options. None in Trenton, but are any close enough?http://www.narpm.org/find/property-managers/

Robert Melcher · Answer

Oh, sorry...there is no local NARPM chapter in NJ!

Nathan Miller · Answer

@Kevin B. - Nobody is going to handle this right other than either yourself or a bonified property manager. If you do it yourself, your property management software should help you publish your listing to zillow, cl, trulia (and the rest) with just a click, and when you get the applications be sure to be especially careful screening tenants, especially if you haven't met them. I would always require a full credit, criminal, and eviction report to be squeaky clean for a remote tenant.Also, tenants lie and you need to be prepared for it.. Check this out, it gave me more than a couple giggles: 15 Secrets Your Renters Do Not Want You To Know

Robert Melcher · Answer

I recommend visiting the NARPM web site to find a local member.National Association of Residential Property Managers.