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I often get inquiries about Property Management. My responses are rooted in my extensive experience. (You maynot be aware, but I began my Real Estate career in Property Management back in 1985 – yes, I've been around thatlong!) I also hold firm views on Customer Service. (Throughout my career, I have always been associated with top-tiercompanies and have unwavering beliefs regarding Customer Service.)If you are thinking about hiring a Property Manager for your most significant investment, you should consider askingthem the following questions during your interview:How do you, the Property Manager handle rental inquiries? What is the normal process?What are the hours/days for accepting phone calls from potential renters?When can one expect responses to calls, emails and inquiries from prospective renters?Will you conduct home viewings/showings for potential renters on weekends or evenings?How do you conduct property viewings/showings in general?What methods do you use to advertise the property? Are you a member of the local MLS? If so, do you postavailable rentals there?Do they use yard signs and flyer boxes?What is the finder's fee paid to agents for filling our home? **If we are paying you X% of the first month's rent,how much do you allocate to outside agents that bring potential renters ?How do you handle negotiation requests from potential renters? *what if they ask if rent can be less, etcHow long does it take to process an application? Do you accept multiple offers/applications from differentparties?How do you assess creditworthiness? What criteria do you use? What is the criteria for Felons? Is there a capacityrestriction ? ie, how many people will they allow to live there?How do you address tenant inquiries? How quickly do you respond to tenant concerns?What is considered an emergency?What is the move-in and move-out walk-through process?How are maintenance needs/emergencies handled?What are the expectations from the homeowner?How are rental payments and statements processed?What actions are taken if a renter fails to pay rent and when are they taken? When is rent considered late?How are rent increases handled?How are policy changes handled?How do you address renters who do not maintain the property?Are renters required to carry renters insurance ? How do you track the expiration of those policies ? What kind ofcoverage should renter carry.Should the seller have an umbrella policy?Do you offer an annual Preventative Maintenance inspection? What is included in the inspection? Do we get acopy of the inspection report?What sort of repairs are we advised of? Do you have a list of reliable contractors for repairs? How many bids can we expect for a major repair?What is the procedure if a renter wishes to terminate the lease early?How are tenant required repairs and charges managed during move-out inspections?How long is our contract with you?What is the process if we wish to terminate our contract with you?Is listing my home with you mandatory if we decide to sell? Ida Bear, Realtor, Broker, Windermere RE West Sound 206-992-2327Property Manager Interview