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The Importance of Property Maintenance, Part 2

Mary Girsch-Bock — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 19:15:14 +0000

Last time I talked about the importance of property maintenance. If you find yourself neglecting the small items, you’ll soon be on the hot seat for more expensive repairs. Building managers can find themselves with a run-down, in-desperate-need-of-repair building a lot sooner that they think.

I’ve included a list of areas that should be inspected and repaired on a regular basis. This list does not include items such as stoves, refrigerators, dishwashers, and the like, that should be scheduled for inspection on a regular basis.

Hers are some areas you should add to your inspection list if they’re not already on there:

Roofs – Many property managers take the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” approach when it comes to roofs. Roof leaks don’t just happen; they’re a result of worn shingles, or other weak spots on the roof, something a routine inspection can usually catch. It’s certainly worth the time and money spent to do an annual roof inspection rather than waiting until a resident has a serious leak to contend with, where you’ll not only be paying for roof repairs, you’ll also be paying for any personal items damaged in their apartment or home, as well as the cost of providing housing while the roofing is repaired. Inspect the roof.

Hot Water Heaters – An inspection of a typical hot water heater only takes a qualified professional a few moments, but can save managers a lot of heartache. Leaks can usually be detected prior to bursting, with repairs or replacement completed and flooding prevented.

Outdoor balconies – This is a danger area that is frequently overlooked. While most apartment balconies are now reinforced with concrete flooring, there are still quite a few older units that have wood flooring. The wood can be become dry from extreme temperatures or warped from excessive rain. Either condition makes the balcony ripe for potential collapse, with the property manager responsible. Wood balconies should be inspected at least twice a year. The same advice goes for wood stairs as well.

Light Fixtures – Proper lighting is a major safety issue for property managers. It’s essential that any property you manage have all outdoor and safety lighting working at all times. Not only can injuries occur due to a lack of sufficient lighting, but a dimly lighted property is a magnet for criminal activity. It’s a minor thing to inspect, the fix takes only minutes, and it protects both you and your tenants.

While there are so many things that should be inspected regularly, the items above are essentials that need to be on every maintenance manager’s list of things to inspect.

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The Importance of Routine Maintenance

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Always Ask Residents if Something Needs Fixing

Lisa Trosien — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:00:33 +0000

I remember when I first started in the apartment industry, someone told me to always ask my residents if there was anything in their apartment that needed fixing. Now, at the time, I thought that was kind of odd. Why would we ask if there was something WRONG with our product? That seemed … I don’t know…almost as if we had no confidence in our own apartments. But because I was instructed to do it, I did it. And guess what? It worked.

Every time a resident either called our leasing office or came in to the office in person, I always said, “Is there anything in your apartment that needs some attention?” OR “Are there any outstanding maintenance issues in your apartment that we can take care of?” OR “Do you need us to come in to you apartment to repair anything” OR “Is everything working all right in your apartment?” (You see, I got bored with asking the same old question, so I changed it up every single time I asked it.) And almost every single resident had *something* that needed attention. I might have been a leaky faucet. Or a loud blower motor on the furnace. Or maybe even a bi-fold door off the track. But there was almost always something. And they were all very grateful that I had taken the time to ask if there was anything they needed.

Yes, it creates work. But it does so much more. It keeps the small problem, like the leak, from becoming a big problem. And it lets your residents know that you care about keeping their home repaired, safe and something they can be proud of. So remember to always ask. And you’ll reap the benefits immediately.

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The Importance of Routine Maintenance

Mary Girsch-Bock — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:56:28 +0000

With marketing activity being ramped up in a tough rental market, property managers are sometimes guilty of neglecting property maintenance. Warning: you do so at your own risk. While the majority of property managers are very responsive to routine maintenance requests, sometimes we forget that performing some routine maintenance at regularly scheduled intervals can reduce and in some cases eliminate the need for that emergency maintenance call.

If you find yourself more times than not running around frantically, trying to respond to these maintenance requests, it might be time for a refresher course in Property Maintenance.

There are five separate types of maintenance that property managers should be aware of and on top of. They are:

Routine Maintenance – This area is usually the cause of least concern for property managers. They simply assign maintenance personnel a series of jobs that are to be undertaken at a scheduled time; typically daily, weekly, or monthly. These include items such as regular landscaping, cleaning, and vacuuming of common areas.

Preventive Maintenance – Preventive maintenance can be easily neglected, so it’s important for managers to keep their maintenance staff on their toes when it comes to scheduling preventive maintenance. Changing an air filter or inspecting a water heater on a regular basis keeps maintenance personnel on top of any smaller problems that can be taken care of before they become big problems.

Corrective Maintenance – Most property managers and maintenance personnel spend the majority of their time responding to calls to fix a problem. While a necessary part of property management, and one that will never be eliminated, many problems can be prevented with the proper preventive maintenance.

Cosmetic Maintenance – Cosmetic maintenance is most often performed during the make-ready process. New carpeting, fresh paint, and new light fixtures are often part of the maintenance that will need to be performed between tenant rental periods.

Deferred Maintenance – Deferred maintenance is often found in properties with little to no funds available for needed repairs. While deferred maintenance can provide property managers with a little breathing room, it’s important that repairs be initiated in the near future, or the value of the property can be negatively impacted.

While using good property management software with a solid maintenance module can make scheduling and tracking maintenance work easier, remember that it’s only as good as the person putting the information into the system. Make sure your maintenance staff knows what to look for and what needs to be tracked.

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The Importance of Property Maintenance, Part 2

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Retaining Residents

Mary Girsch-Bock — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 22:57:07 +0000

While the number of renters in the market has increased in the last few years, retaining good tenants can still pose a problem for property managers. Maintaining a current resident is much less expensive than locating, approving, and moving in a new tenant. Of course the nature of renting itself is often transient; many people rent while looking for a home to buy, others only in the community for a short period of time.

But there are a select group of tenants that would be more than happy to stay in the community where they rent; provided that they’re happy.

So how do you make…and keep your tenants happy? Perhaps most important is good customer service. Most people, by nature, do not really enjoy moving frequently and will likely find reasons to stay where they are, providing that they receive the following:

Good staff responsiveness – Do you always respond promptly to tenant requests? Are maintenance issues resolved quickly and professionally? Are complaints or other issues handled properly, or are they just put aside? These are all important issues and tenants will remember how they are handled (or not handled) at renewal time.

Maintaining the look and quality of the property – Obviously, your properties should be maintained anyway, but many tenants that do become dissatisfied with their apartment home cite issues such as “the property went downhill.” While not very descriptive, this can mean anything from neglected landscaping, trash scattered throughout the property, or becoming careless about whom you rent to. Tenants think of their apartment as their home, and coming home to suspicious characters hanging out in the parking lot, or trash blowing around in the wind will make a tenant seriously consider moving come renewal time.

Keep them informed and involved – What’s going on in the community that you can share with your tenants? A monthly newsletter, holiday wine & cheese parties, an annual property yard sale, all of these things help to create a feeling of community, and that can be potent.

Consistency in Staffing – While a change of staff cannot always be prevented, it’s important to maintain some consistency in the rental office. Tenants often become very attached to office personnel, and frequent staff turnover may not only affect property performance, but tenant turnover as well.

While there will always be tenant turnover, building and maintaining a solid community will help you maintain more of your tenants come renewal time.

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Maintenance Manners Matter

Lisa Trosien — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 22:45:46 +0000

Have you ever had your maintenance team members trained on the maintenance of the residents at your property? While it is critically important that your staff be able to correctly repair items like dishwashers, stoves and disposals, it’s also essential that they be able to repair and maintain relationships with your residents. And sadly, this is an area of training where our maintenance teams are lacking.

Your maintenance staff should be able to talk to residents who are angry or upset with the status of their repair. Let’s look at our current weather situation as an example – this record setting heat has been tough on everyone. We’ve all had a resident who’s unhappy that their air conditioning isn’t functioning properly, especially in this weather. Have you made sure your team can cool down an upset resident as effectively as they can cool down an apartment? The last thing you want to do is have a staff member who gets upset with a resident whose anger is really more directed towards the weather and the non-functioning AC then the individual. And it takes training – for anyone – to react properly in a stressful situation such as that. Think about it – the apartment is HOT, the temper of the resident is HOT and your maintenance team member has to keep their cool. Not an easy scenario.

Since you may not be able to get your staff trained immediately, give them a short lesson today on helping to stay calm in a hot situation. Teach them the LAST technique. LAST stands for:

L – Listen’
A – Apologize
S – Solve
T – Thank.

Listen: Let the resident vent, yell, complain and more. People in a difficult customer service situation believe they have earned the right to speak their mind, so let them, Your staff can calmly listen while the resident gets their anger off of their chest. This is more effective than you can imagine. The resident will feel much better after they have ‘had their say’.

Apologize – Apologize for the situation. This lets the resident know that you, more or less, feel their pain. An example would be, ‘I’m really sorry this has happened” OR “I’m really sorry your AC went down on the hottest day of the year.”. This let’s you move onto the next step, where you solve the problem for the customer.

Solve: Let the customer know you intend to solve the problem for them. Tell them what you intend to do. People who feel informed about the situation don’t feel quite so helpless. An example would be, “I’m going to take a look at your air conditioner and see what the problem is.” Make sure you don’t promise something you can’t deliver. For example, if the resident asks you how soon it will be before the repair is completed, let them know you need to diagnose the issue first – “I need to see what we’re dealing with here, and then I’ll be better able to give you a time frame” is a good answer.

Thank – Make sure you thank the resident for their promptness at letting you know there was a maintenance issue in the apartment, for allowing you to come in to facilitate the repair, etc. Thank them for their time in answering any diagnostic questions you may have regarding the repair.

Whether or not you’re able to complete the repair, leave your work area cleaner and neater than you found it. And if you need to return to do additional work, make sure the resident knows when you will be back. If the office has to schedule your return, be clear that the office will be in touch with them.

It’s an essential part of your maintenance teams’ job to be able to communicate with residents effectively. But if they have not been trained in how to conduct that communication, the problem lies with you – the manager. Make sure your maintenance team has all the tools they need – especially the ones NOT found in their toolbox.

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The Importance of Property Maintenance, Part 2

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5 Steps You Can Start TODAY to Get More Resident Lease Renewals

Heather Blume — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 17:59:41 +0000

I want you to get the most out of the 7 minutes it will take you to read this article. They say, time is money, but more importantly, time is opportunity. With that in mind, here are 5 ways for you to capitalize on the opportunities in front of you today to help you get more renewals tomorrow!

1) Contact Information Audit -
If you haven’t done one of these recently, it’s well past due. I am aware of how tedious it is to call every single resident and confirm or gather their contact info, but doing this serves some great purposes. First, you need that info. And you need more than just a phone number. With the prevalence of throw and go cell phones these days, you need a contact method that’s a little more dependable, namely email. I’m a big fan of also gathering permission to text your residents with information at this point as well. Secondly, when you make it a point to call every resident, you’re TALKING TO EVERY RESIDENT. You have a chance here to touch base with your customers and take the relationship temperature – Do they need a work order that they haven’t thought of? Are they still pleased with their home? Have little problems been building into big frustrations? This a good chance for you to root out those problems!

2) Work Order Audit-
If your office staff or maintenance staff doesn’t follow up on every work order done each week, this is a good time to start. Satisfacts Research has found direct correlations between outstanding and poorly completed work orders and resident turnover, and all it takes is a phone call, email, or text message to check in with your customers and make sure that the work was done to their standards. If you’re working in a busy office, make it your goal to follow up with 10 residents a day. Just 10. You spend more time than that on Facebook each day looking at people posting pictures of their dogs.

3) Get “Micro-Managey” with Your Property Walks-
That’s right, even when you do get a second to sit down, I’m asking you to get up out of that chair and walk your property. I want you to scrutinize imperfections like you were the biggest micro management manager on the planet. Take with you a legal pad and draw a line vertically down the middle. On one side of the line write “NOW” and on the other write “TBD” and list every single problem that you see in one column or the other. In the NOW column, write down little problems and short projects that you’ve been overlooking or procrastinating on. If it is a small thing that will take 5 minutes of a tech or leasing consultant’s time, then divvy up that part list and hand it out to your team, keeping some tasks for yourself. For the larger tasks, sit down with your maintenance supervisor and management team and get them scheduled on a calendar. If you don’t set a date, you’ll never get them done, and your residents notice when you procrastinate upkeep tasks on the property like pressure washing, painting, restriping the parking lot and repainting curbs.

4) While you’re doing number 3, don’t be all business about it
When we get clipboard tunnel syndrome, it’s easy to focus on that task in front of us and ONLY on that task. The problem with this approach is that you miss the life happening around you while you’re making your lists, and it’s that life, that community, buzzing around you that helps you rent your apartments, not to mention keep your residents. Make sure that you’re asking residents while you’re out and about making your lists how their lives are going, and then, if they actually answer you, please listen. Converse with them, make them feel appreciated or just on equal footing with you, and they’re more likely to stick around, even through the less than pleasant (for them) rent hike we know we have to hand out this year.

5) Don’t hide the rental rates
I wasn’t a fan as folks did this when the market was going badly, but I could see their reasoning behind it. But now?! Showing your rates and making that knowledge not only available, but visible to your resident base prepares them for the rental increase that’s coming. In fact, you could really look awesome here and by allowing them to see what the current market rent is, make sure that the renewal rate is a smidgen lower. The residents feel validated and appreciated, even though the rate is going up, and you’re not paying the cost of turning that unit, which, let’s face it, was going to cost you 2 to 3 thousand dollars. I think compared to that, a little off the top of their rental rate is a pretty small price to pay.

None of this is rocket science, but I didn’t promise you rocket science. I promised 5 things you could do today. Now – Time is opportunity! Get out there and make the most of it!

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Service vs Experience

Lisa Trosien — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 12:00:55 +0000

I went flower shopping at Lowe’s this weekend – with seemingly hundreds of other would-be weekend lawn warriors who had the exact same thought as me. And while I hated fighting the crowds (it was even hard to snag a cart), I was able to experience two completely different kinds of service in the same department of the store.

Lori
One one hand, there was Lori, who patiently helped me find the perfect plants for my front yard. We looked through what seemed like dozens of containers before we found what she deemed to be ‘the best ones’ (part sun, part shade, poor drainage, perennials only) for me. She talked to me about Rabbit Scat (a product I needed but didn’t know existed), sunlight, fertilizer, mulch and more. She pointed out QR codes, product promotions and asked if I was going to be having any tomato plants this year.

In short, she was great. She did up-sell me on a couple of items, but she also wisely steered me away from Cala Lilies (too much work for someone with my schedule). She was simply great. If I needed to hire someone, I’d have stolen her from Lowe’s in a heartbeat.

Jeff
Move to the checkout experience and my salesclerk, Jeff. In Jeff’s defense, he was busy. He had to scan bar codes, check for coupons, make certain that Visa and Mastercards were signed on the back (and if not, he was matching photo i.d.’s to the cards) and more. But Jeff didn’t have any of the DESIRE to serve customers that Lori did. He was simply going through the motions and cranking us out. Yes, he was efficient, but he didn’t seem to like what he did.

How could I tell that Jeff didn’t really care? His departure message to me? “ThankyouforchoosingLowe’shaveagreatdayandcomebackandseeusagainsoon”. “NEXT!”

Yes, it was that special. It was actually almost laughable, he said it so quickly and in such a monotone. How much longer would it have taken him to at least put a little emphasis on his ‘thank you’ message? Maybe 20 seconds. But that wasn’t Jeff’s way. Jeff viewed us as a job to get done, a crowd to control, a service to perform.

Lori, on the other hand, viewed us as an experience to create.

So, are you a Lori? Or are you a Jeff? You might want to ask yourself that question.

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Love Your Residents More Than They Love You

Mike Brewer — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 11:00:24 +0000

Warning…not for the faint-of-stomach but a true lesson in love.

Roughly three years ago I had a most unusual experience. I had just moved to St. Louis and taken the role of property manager at a 700+ unit community near the city. I will say that the property gave a whole new meaning to ‘never a dull moment’ as there was always something going on. Be it a busted main line or a new water feature being created in resident’s apartments by a faulty parapet wall or overdue tuck point. Life was grand.

This property, built to house those who built the 1904 World’s Fair Experience, generated nearly 200 service requests a month. It was nothing short of amazing. And, the resident base was as diverse as one could imagine. Enter one of my top five stories of all time.

Nina Tofiva (name changed to protect the innocent) was the resident that every good property manager loves (or, hates) to have around their community. They make it their business to know the business of the neighborhood, the residents and, yes, the employees. They are the type that takes perch in your office for hours on end if you let them. They don’t know the meaning of physical or verbal cues that suggest you have fourteen other things you need or want to be doing. Standing as if to leave yields a, “take your time; I’ll be here when you get back.” That was Nina and I loved talking to her until that dreadful mid-summer day when it happened.

It was an otherwise quiet morning when Nina entered my office, bag of Doritos and jar of banana peppers in hand. She sat down to give me the scoop on a money order she found floating around the bus stop. She was certain it belonged to one of our residents.

In the course of telling me (mouth packed with Doritos…banana pepper pinched between thumb and first finger) she employed a word that started with “S” and it happened…a half chewed Dorito flew out of her mouth and landed on my arm. And, in one fail swoop she picked it off my arm, put it back in mouth, only taking pause to wash it down with the banana pepper, and kept talking.

It was a brilliant display of eatsmanship. No apologies, no reaction on the part of her or I, it was simply a normal course of business.

The moral of the story is this; love your customer more than they love you. Nina would have been a challenge for anyone worth their salt in the property management world. Not that she lived outside the boundaries that govern our business; she just took a fair amount of time. In most cases, we were but a means to an end for her and that’s okay. Despite the nature of the day, we work in a business that calls us to love others and nurture long term relationships.

Three Ways to Love Your Residents

Hear them. It’s different than listening which is just a physical act. Hear what they have to say and take the time to provide meaningful dialog.

Be thoughtful. Random acts of kindness are still in vogue and always will be. And, money is not always the answer. Sometimes it just takes a timely placed question or a kind word or two.

Be committed. Property Management is not for the faint-of-stomach, heart or mind. Serving residents, employees and owners can be a taxing job. With that in mind, commit acts of kindness every day. Schedule it like you would a tour or a move in. Who are you going to impress today?

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Preparing Your Properties for Winter

Mary Girsch-Bock — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 15:00:39 +0000

Depending on where your properties are located, you may find yourself spending weeks preparing them for the cold winter months. Even those in more temperate climates will need to do some basic housekeeping in order to keep maintenance calls in check.

For those in a cold (snow/ice) climate, be sure that you have a ready supply of ice melting chemicals, along with salt buckets and snow shovels handy. You’ll also want to give your snow blower a top-notch tune-up to ensure that it will function throughout the entire winter season.

It’s vital that any outdoor hoses are disconnected and drained in order to prevent pipes from freezing when the temperature dips below freezing. Working fireplaces should be serviced prior to burning a fire, cleaning the chimney thoroughly and checking the flue for proper ventilation. Gutters should be checked regularly, and kept free of debris such as dead leaves.

Another thing to be aware of is the higher risk of slip-and-fall injuries during the winter months. Make sure that all common areas are kept free of snow build-up and ice. Areas that have frequent foot traffic such as rental offices and clubhouses should be mopped frequently, keeping them free of any ice or snow that is tracked inside.

If you haven’t already done so, inspect the current heating system in your rentals for potential problems. It’s much easier to fix the problem before something goes wrong, then at 3:00 AM, when a resident calls complaining about the lack of heat. A solid inspection of the property should also be done at this time to check for leaks and drafts that may need additional insulation. Now is also a good time to change air filters and the batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Areas with low humidity such as Albuquerque, Denver, and Fresno frequently use swamp coolers to provide cooling in the summer. Prior to winter, these units need to be serviced, draining the water from the unit and covering the system to prevent drafts and heat loss.

Savvy property managers may provide their residents with a handy checklist that they can refer to. The list makes it easier for residents to remember what needs to be done, and they can check off the item once it’s completed. This makes for a more satisfied residents, and a well-maintained property.

One final thing to consider is that many residents are away during the holidays. Here are ideas on how to keep your properties safe over the holidays.

While there will always be winter emergencies, like an unexpected blizzard or fierce ice storm, having routine maintenance under control will make it that much easier to deal with the unexpected.

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Keeping Properties Safe Over the Holidays

Mary Girsch-Bock — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 15:00:32 +0000

We all know that November and December are the busiest months of the year for travel. That means that while your residents are enjoying their holidays, their apartment or home will likely be empty. While most residents are responsible and take proper precautions when traveling, is there anything property managers can do to ensure that the property remains safe when the resident is traveling during the holidays?

While you can’t police the property 24/7, you can provide some guidance to your residents on keeping their apartment or home safe while traveling. You may want to consider providing a sheet containing tips and suggestions for keeping their home safe. This sheet can be provided to your resident upon move-in, as a handy reference guide. While you may have your own suggestions specific to your properties, you should suggest the following to your residents:

Be sure to leave a light on, preferably on a timer. Studies have shown that 90% of burglars target homes that are dark.

Stop newspaper delivery. A pile of newspapers on the doorstep or in the driveway is a giveaway to the observant burglar that no one is home.

Those living in multi-unit housing should consider notifying the resident manager that they’ll be traveling. This way, staff can keep an eye out for suspicious activity.

Close and lock windows and garage doors. Burglars consider garage doors the weakest point of entry into any home. Back or side windows are also considered a prime point of entry because they are often hidden from street view.

While the possibility of a home burglary is a valid concern for travelers, it’s certainly not the only concern. It’s also important that residents remember to check and double check that all appliances (coffee maker, oven, curling iron) are unplugged. Residents may find it helpful to create a checklist and walk through the house, checking off each item on the list. This way they won’t find themselves trying to remember if they turned off the oven when they’re thousands of miles from home.

Nothing (short of armed guards) can guarantee that your resident’s home or apartment will be safe from burglars or 100% protected against fires. But taking some basic precautions will ease both the residents mind…and yours as well. Providing your residents with these simple suggestions can prove helpful, while keeping the property that you’re responsible for safe and intact.

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