All Forum Posts by: Steve Maginnis

It looks like the poster did not appreciate the replies, as their account is closed...  Naturally it's not reasonable to try and hold the management company or even a Landlord responsible for someone trying to break in to the property.  I do want to say that regarding the misinformation provided to the tenant for the lease break, the tenant is just as responsible because they had a lease they could have reviewed to read the lease break clause.  Sounds like they are trying to fabricate excuses to get out of the lease.  

It may not be the same in your state, but in North Carolina, the unwritten rule is that if a tenant is in place longer than 3 years, you can generally expect to have to do a full paint when they vacate regardless.  So with your tenant being in place for 5 years, you would not be able to charge them for the painting.  However, a normal paint job would not include priming over tar stains.  Walls may need to be scrubbed first before even priming.  I would certainly charge the tenant for all the deep scrubbing, priming, etc. but would not be able to charge for the painting.  Ceilings are a different story.  Ceilings don't need to be painted as often, and you may be able to get by charging them for the ceiling paint.  Of course, none of this really matters if the tenant does not push it to the point where they take you to court.  The work required is likely more than the deposit paid, so your dealing with collections.  If you send them a bill for $5000 or $4000 and they can't/won't pay it anyway, it doesn't make much of a difference to worry about.  Hope this helps.  Best of luck.  

Hello @Maria Teo.  Have you asked your PM if they will send you any invoices?  We have a $300 repair clause in our agreement which allows us to handle repairs below this limit without notifying the owner.  However, we do our best to run each and every maintenance request by the owner first to let them know what is taking place and give them the option to handle it themselves.  We use a management software that includes tenant and owner portals.  When a tenant places a work order request, we can assign it and check a box that sends an email to the owner about the request.  Additionally, when the invoices come in, we add the invoice to the property ledger, so the owner can download or view the invoice once it's paid.  So we don't actually send the invoices to the owner, but they are aware we have done work and have the ability to view the invoices(maintenance, utility bills, leasing commissions, etc.) through the portal.  If I were you, I would ask the PM if they would send you the invoices as they come in.  Best of luck.  

Hello @Jalal Khan, and welcome to BIgger Pockets!.  I agree with @Aaron K.  the company may be new, but maybe the manager has plenty of experience.  Ask plenty of questions, as outlined in MANY posts in this forum.  Make sure the company has a uniform way of conducting business and that your concerns are addressed in the contract.  Don't assume you will get paid by the 15th each month, or that you keep late fees, or the 9% they charge will be all they charge.  Search these forums for questions and make sure you and the management company are on the same page regarding expectations.  

Just because a company is new, does not mean they will not provide you with good service.  In fact, I bet they will go above and beyond to obtain and maintain your business, as every account is important to them.  The alternative is the management company who is so well established they get lazy and put everything on cruise control.  Best of luck.  

Hello @Chris Rogers.  I agree with @Nathan Gesner  I went through this a year ago.  Being self-employed can be great for taxes, because you can show losses and maybe not have to pay taxes, especially when starting up and having extra expenses.  However, that does not show well for financing purposes.  I would suggest trying to get the financing done before going part time.  Best of luck.  

Hello @Austin Wood, as a property manager, I try to not have to go out just to let vendors in the property.  My time is too expensive for that.  However, there are some options.  My recommendation here would be to have internet installed in the property for $45 per month, and then set up several cheap WiFI cameras in various or all rooms of the property.  Finally, get a remote showing service such as Rently, etc. then you can allow access to vendors or prospective tenants and monitor the property at the same time for a reasonable fee.  Alternatively, I would still do the WiFi setup with cameras, and install a smart WiFi lock you can give temporary codes to vendors, but hire a local manager to only find a tenant for you.  We would charge half of one months rent, and a reasonable fee per showing, like $25 each.  If you have good pre-screening set up in advance, there should not be a lot of showings to "tire kickers".  Some hybrid of these options may at least give you some decent options that should not cost you too much.  Best of luck.  

Hello @James G.,  I agree with @Mitch Messer.  Don't give keys until the checks have cleared.  I've seen forged certified funds also.  And don't forget to include security deposits with these funds.  If they have to wait for the second agency, then they can wait on keys.  You could also ask for references from other complexes where this has worked, and verify the sources.  Run their tax id's through state and federal levels online, etc.  Sounds pretty suspicious. I've been burned by several "legitimate" agencies over the years.  Be cautious.  Best of luck.  

Hello @Rich Lazaro.  Not trying to be the devil's advocate here, but I will point something out.  If a manager is managing say 100 units, it would be much hard for them to remember details about your house from before a tenant moved in.  How were they to know that the tenant removed the storm door or shower door, and it was not done before they moved in?  Yes, managers should take move in pics prior to lease up, but in practice, it is very difficult to try and compare old vs. new pics to determine any differences when you don't know what to look for.  Does your management agreement provide them to perform periodic inspections, or are they only upon request?  If upon request, did you request they perform inspections?  I'm not saying they did not drop the ball, but did you question not receiving inspections over six years?  If you had received inspections with photos you may have noticed the doors missing and addressed them at that time.  If you didn't catch on to the fact that they never inspected sooner, you should take some of the responsibility.  Outright damages such as to the flooring should definitely have been addressed at move out.  If the front door was gone when this newer manager took over, I can see how it would be easily overlooked. 

I'm not sure how it works in your state, but in NC if we discover additional tenant damages after we send out our estimate, we can update the estimate to include the additional damages, even if it is outside the window to report.  Best of luck. 

Hello @Jessica Beard.  There are a lot of variables which should go in to making your decision.  She may be fine to use and you may have no issues at all.  Especially if you are fortunate enough to place a good tenant.  The problems typically arise when there are issues.  We don't know how much experience she has in dealing with problem tenants, evictions, repairs/maintenance, etc.  If you feel comfortable working with her and already have a decent relationship, that goes a long way.  I would not advise locking in to a long term contract, so you keep the option of finding a well-seasoned manager in the future.  Especially if things go wrong.  My being a worry wart, would be constantly concerned if she inadvertently drops the ball because she was not aware of a particular law or statute, and I would pay the price as owner.  The risk may not be worth the reward.  Best of luck.  

Hello @Meghan Custer.  We do allow owners to either handle their own work or to arrange their own vendors.  However, we make it very clear to the tenant that this is taking place.  If there are any delays or negative experiences, I drive this home with the tenant, and place the blame back on the owner.  We do not want negative  feedback against our company when an owner is at fault.  We really try to distance ourselves from this as much as possible.  We explain this to the tenant in advance.  I also don't mind telling the owner that we will let the tenant know that the owner is responsible for any issues or problems they may experience associated with the repair.  I do understand how larger PM companies have policies that prohibit this, and will not take on the property if the owner demands they perform any/all work.  You should be able to find a PM to work with you if you decide to move forward with this course.  Best of luck.