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.
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 have you been in business?
We have been in business since 1988. We started out very small and have steadily grown throughout the decades. We have over thirty years of experience in building relationships with vendors, clients, tenants and the community as a whole in Northern Virginia.
Throughout our over 30 years in business, we have been constantly learning, growing and expanding our business. Every year we try to get a little bit better.
1
Do you get any kickbacks from the contractors you use?
Promax does not accept kickbacks or add on extra fees to our vendors invoices.
Our preferred vendors are used because they are licensed and insured and we have a business relationship with them.
2
What qualifications and experience do your property managers have?
All of our property managers are real estate agents licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Real estate investing has exploded in the past several years and many newcomers to the industry have hung up a shingle and entered the marketplace with little to no experience.
3
How do you communicate with your clients?
We always communicate directly with our clients and they can call or email us at any time. We never outsource our phone lines and we are available at all times. We understand many of our clients are government or military employees who may be away from Northern Virginia and in different time zones for long periods of time. We have built our business with that in mind and are always available.
4
Can you provide references?
We encourage you to do your due diligence when hiring a property manager. We can provide references and encourage you to read our online reviews. Unlike many, we have never paid for fake online reviews nor do we make up fake awards to post on our website. We also believe when you hire a property manager, you should check with the Virginia Real Estate Board for a history of complaints and disciplinary actions.
Many new property managers have entered the marketplace in the last few years, and while we welcome the competition, it is always our goal to make sure you have the best property management company working for you.
5
How do you get paid?
Simply put, our only source of revenue from your property will come from serving your best interests. We do not receive kickbacks, referral fees, free services, or any other consideration from any vendors or contractors who may work on your property.
6
How do we know we will have legal protection from certain liabilities?
We carry Errors and Omissions insurance and are fully bonded and insured against any liability. If there were to be any legal claims against us for any wrongdoing, our clients would always be protected.
7
Your business sounds huge, how do I know we won’t be treated by 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 a lot of moving parts and things that can go wrong. We can leverage long standing relationships with dozens of vendors and contractors in the area and have experience in common tasks such as vetting prospective tenants, preparing legal and accounting documents and anything associated with real estate law.
In addition, we have experience and knowledge of how to deal with the unforeseen events that happen from time to time such as fires, floods, suicides, and crimes. In the past we have worked with hazmat teams, insurance agents, and local police. Unfortunately, things like this occur and you will want an experienced team on your side when they do.
9
What services do you provide?
Our cross trained team will handle all aspects of managing your property. From marketing, collecting rent, screening tenants, maintenance and repairs to preparing all legal and accounting paperwork and documents, we will professionally take care of everything. All property management documents, such as 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.
_edited.png)