Remote Property Management Made Easy: Expert Tips & Solutions
You’re Not Alone!
Are you a new landlord preparing for, or already involved, in remote property management? Feeling overwhelmed by the challenges of managing your remote rental properties? Fear not, because an experienced out-of-state rental property investor is here to rescue you from the depths of long-distance landlord woes! Download our Ultimate Rental Property Maintenance PDF here🦸♂️💼
I’m Alyse, a landlord since 2008, in both Florida and NJ. Over the years, I’ve learned from my many mistakes, and hopefully I can save you from making some of the same. Of course, you’ll be making some unique mistakes of your own, but not to worry – someone, somewhere, has had the same problem and when we share the stories, we learn from each other. If you’d like one on one coaching or mentoring, I’m also available for that!
In this post, I’ll dive into how seasoned investors like myself can lend a helping hand to new landlords, all while sprinkling in a dash of humor. Questions already? Drop them here!
Why Remote Property Management Can Be Like a Rollercoaster Ride 🎢
Managing rental properties from long distance can feel like riding a rollercoaster blindfolded – exhilarating at times, but often frightening. From tenant screenings to maintenance requests, the challenges are endless, and distance only adds to the thrill (or terror)!
Out of site does *not* mean out of mind, but where you have WiFi/cell service, you have your “office”. I’ve managed our properties remotely from Morocco, Iceland, Sweden, Panama and many other places. Where’s there’s WiFi for my laptop, and cell phone service, it can be done!
Here is today’s tip – when planning a trip where connectivity may be spotty or the time zone is way ahead/behind where your properties are located, or if you simply want to go off-grid for a weekend – prepare your tenants before you leave. Let them know you’ll have limited (or no) availability, and make sure they have someone to call for emergencies. Also make sure they understand what an emergency is! Most things can wait – even a broken appliance, if it’s not causing a flood or electrical problem. Do your tenants even know how to turn off their water??
How Pre-Planning Can Save the Day 🦸♀️
Be sure to give your tenants the names/numbers of your particular contractor/handyman in advance of your trip. Same for the heating and air conditioning services. I don’t allow my tenants to manage their own repairs, and they have our contractor’s contact info, as well as info for the AC company, the plumber, and the electrician.
Here’s a story – we had tenants in Florida who went on their own vacation out of state. While they were gone, a neighbor in the condo next door got involved in a domestic disturbance and called the police. The police arrived, mistakenly banged on our tenants’ door, and when there was no answer – they broke down the door! Once they realized they had the wrong address, they “placed” the door back in the frame and went on their merry way. Neither the neighbor nor the police attempted to contact our tenants.
The tenants’ mother came by much later to feed their fish, discovered the smashed door frame, and called them. They called me, I called my handyman, and the door was repaired later that night. *That* is what is called an emergency! Had they not reached me, they had our handyman’s contact info. But it was resolved while both the tenants and the landlord – me – were out of state. And for enquiring minds, the police department did indeed reimburse me for damages. Thankfully, nothing was stolen from our tenants, and they absolutely had renter’s insurance. And that’s a topic for another post!
Share your tales of maintenance mishaps. It’s not just entertainment – it’s a crash course in what to do and what NOT to do! Drop me an email or subscribe to my newsletter, and I might feature the issue and the resolution! LandlordCoachCorner Newsletter