Why the Landlord Job Description Limits Income Opportunities

What’s your definition of the landlord job description? Does it center on collecting rents and keeping the property looking nice and in good working order? If so, you’re in step with me – and we’re both limiting our incomes.

I’m still attempting to discover new ways landlords can provide more lucrative services to their residents. Check our summary of “other income” ideas for landlords.

In the process, I find myself hitting roadblocks. The problem is the word “landlord” itself. My version of the landlord job description conjures up too many stereotypes (like the arch-villain Snidely Whiplash). The title is great for communicating with others, but it’s terrible for brainstorming.

To break free from the gravitational pull associated with the word, we need to dump it.

Dumping Our Landlord Job Description

... for creative thinking exercises.

The traditional title of “landlord” suggests a person is the owner of a housing unit and rents the space to tenants. An online dictionary says a landlord is – “One that owns and rents land, buildings, or dwelling units.” Using the word doesn’t inspire me to find ways to make money assisting a resident with purchasing gas for their car. Get my drift? We’ve got to dump the word.

The title “asset/property manager” suggests the person is only concerned about the property’s balance sheet from an accountant or managerial perspective. It doesn’t inspire creative thinking. It bends towards status quo.

Now, the title “housing and resident services agent” works for me. It suggests the title holder is free to provide whatever services the resident consumes. For example, I came up with my Wi-Fi distribution idea once I started looking at what my residents were consuming (you will need to subscribe http://leadinglandlord.com to get the details). HARSA will be the replacement term I'll use when I have my creative thinking cap on – unless, of course, you have better suggestion.

Please leave a comment. Let me know if this is my craziess idea to date.