QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN
INTERVIEWING A PROPERTY MANAGER
Partnering with the right property manager is a huge decision for a real estate investor. Being a landlord can be a tough business, but with a knowledgeable, professional and experienced property manager, you can be assured that your property will be taken care of and your business will be a success.
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We have put together this list of questions we most commonly get from our clients when they are searching for the right property manager.
1
How long has Promax been in business?
Promax has been in business since 1988. We started out very small and have steadily grown over the years. We have more than 38 years of experience building relationships with property owners, tenants, and the Northern Virginia community as a whole.
2
Do you get any kickbacks from the contractors you use?
Promax does not accept kickbacks or any other form of consideration from vendors, nor are there add-ons that benefit Promax.
3
What qualifications and experience do your property managers have?
Many team members are real estate agents, brokers, and associate brokers licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia and the District of Columbia. Promax is supported by a team of local, professional, long-term employees, some of whom have been with Promax for over 18 years.
4
How do you communicate with your clients?
Lack of communication is one of the most common complaints we hear about other property management firms.
At Promax, we are available by phone, email, text, and Zoom. We understand that many of our clients are government or military employees who may be away from Northern Virginia and in different time zones for extended periods of time. We have built our business with that in mind.
5
Can you provide references?
We are happy to provide references upon request. References are available from both past and present owners, as well as tenants.
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What about reviews?
Reviews may be helpful in other service industries, but property management is a category of its own. No matter the situation, the property manager is often viewed as the “bad guy” and blamed when issues arise. We understand this and are accustomed to it. Most negative reviews come from disgruntled tenants rather than our property owner clients.
If your decision is based primarily on Yelp reviews, we may not be the right fit. Promax does not pay for reviews, though we may occasionally ask clients to share their experiences.
6
How do you get paid?
Transparency. Simply put, our only sources of revenue are leasing fees, management fees, and lease renewal fees. Some administrative fees may be assessed for services that are above and beyond the scope of normal management services.s.
7
Your business sounds huge, how do I know we won’t be treated like a number?
We have a low ratio of properties we manage to property managers. We have the staff on hand to handle all of our responsibilities and keep all our promises to our clients and tenants. All of our employees are cross trained and can handle multiple tasks, there’s no getting shuffled from one department to another. We also hold weekly in-person round table meetings with all of our staff to make sure everything is running smoothly and being communicated properly.
8
Why do I need a property manager anyway? Can’t I do all this stuff myself by downloading documents from the Internet?
Managing a property may sound easy, but there are many moving parts and things that can go wrong—and at some point, they will. We handle lease defaults, breaches of lease, evictions, emergency repairs, and are on call to address those midnight maintenance issues.
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In addition, we have the experience and knowledge to manage unforeseen events that occur from time to time, such as fires, floods, suicides, and criminal activity. We have worked with hazmat teams, insurance agents, and local police. Unfortunately, situations like these do occur, and when they do, you will want an experienced team on your side.
9
What services do you provide?
Our cross-trained team handles all aspects of managing your property. From marketing and rent collection to tenant screening, maintenance, and repairs, as well as the preparation of all legal and accounting paperwork and documents, we will professionally take care of everything. All property management documents, including leases and property management agreements, are prepared and reviewed by licensed attorneys in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
10
If there is a maintenance issue with one of my properties, who will fix it?
We have very long standing relationships with dozens of professional contractors throughout Northern Virginia that we partner with. We believe it is a conflict of interest to have in-house vendors or maintenance staff service your property.
Our clients have the peace of mind to know that their property will always be properly maintained and corners will not be cut.
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