Costly Property Management Mistakes to Avoid

Mistakes are part of life, and we all know that, but some mistakes can be very costly. A mistake on your property could mean spending money and time pursuing tenants or even dealing with lawsuits filed against yourself. Here are five property management mistakes you must avoid to cushion yourself against these headaches.

Failure to Appoint a Property Manager

Property managers are the masters in the game. They understand every aspect of property management, right from vacancy marketing to drafting tenancy agreements to maintenance. They also know how to handle tenants professionally – it is uncommon to find a property manager engaging in a heated altercation with tenants. Unfortunately, many landlords decide to manage their property on their own for fear of paying a property manager. With a property manager, you will likely get everything right from the word go.

Forming Friendship with Tenants

While friendship is important, it can ruin your business. What will you do if your tenant-cum-friend requests for a time extension for paying rent because he had a funeral just the other day? Your relationship with tenants should be purely professional and courteous.

Failure to Screen Tenants Properly

You have built some nice rental apartments, but they have been vacant for six months now. A potential tenant comes knocking and you’re quick to rent out. Wait a minute, you could be wrong. You don’t have to be desperate for tenants as this could lead into getting a bad deal. You will need to vet the tenant thoroughly to ensure they have the ability to pay rent. What is the point of renting out to someone who cannot pay rent?