One of the most common misconceptions DIY Seattle, Wa property owners have is that hiring property management services will be expensive. Unless you partner with the best property management solution, that could be true!
However, with a property manager who delivers the specific services you need, many real estate investors can benefit from expert services that fit their budgets. In fact, professional maintenance services with a property manager can actually save you money in the long run. Today, our Seattle property managers bust the myth that professional maintenance is expensive!
Multiple Trips to the Hardware Store (and Mistakes) Add Up
One of the most expensive property maintenance mistakes you can make is when your DIY repairs require numerous trips to a hardware store. When it’s time for repairs, you may find yourself buying supplies and tools to complete the job, then never need them again.
This might not seem like too much money at first, but your property maintenance budget can quickly be depleted if this happens multiple times. If you're attempting to fix something you've never fixed before, the learning curve can be expensive when you don't get it right the first, second, or third time.
On top of the financial costs of equipment and repeated trips to the store, you're spending valuable time on a maintenance request that a professional could handle quickly and effectively the first time. Chances are, your time is more valuable spent somewhere else! You're also burning relationship capital with your tenants by putting them through an ongoing inconvenience while you try to "save money" on a DIY fix.
Unless you already have home repair skills, supplies, tools, and free time, you're probably spending more of your maintenance budget on do-it-yourself repairs than you would by outsourcing these services to a professional.
Real Estate Investors Must Weigh the "Costs" of Property Managers
While paying a property management company to handle a maintenance request and repairs is a "cost," it's a small price to pay for well-maintained rentals and happy tenants.
Outsourcing maintenance services to expert Seattle property managers is a smart way to keep your properties in excellent condition (and improve property values), keep tenants happy (and encourage them to renew), and lower maintenance costs. Most real estate investors find that having professional maintenance services often lowers maintenance expenses and maximizes budgets.
Having a professional maintenance team on call also helps build excellent relationships with your residents. When they can rely on a team to respond quickly in an emergency and keep their rental home in excellent condition through preventive maintenance, your renters feel at home and are more likely to renew for another lease term.
Poor-quality maintenance services and a delayed response to a maintenance request are two of the biggest reasons good tenants don't stick around for very long. Professional maintenance services boost your bottom line by being one of the best "selling" points for your rentals!
What Do Professional Maintenance Services Include?
When you're ready to turn the care of your rental properties over to an expert Seattle property management company, make sure their maintenance services include everything you need. Only showing up when something breaks won't keep your properties in excellent condition, reduce costs, or keep tenants happy!
Your property manager should deliver:
- 24/7 availability to respond to emergencies and maintenance requests
- A vetted network of the best contractors in Seattle
- Knowledgable maintenance staff to diagnose issues and schedule repairs
- A preventive maintenance plan to care for rental properties year-round
- Make-readies between tenants
- Excellent pricing through their network of contractors
The best Seattle, Wa property management company delivers the right blend of the best professionals in the area and pricing that helps investors reduce costs. Because a property manager handles maintenance for multiple investors, multi-family properties, and single-family rentals, they can negotiate lower rates from their trusted vendors and pass those savings on to rental property owners.
What Are the Benefits of Property Management?
If we haven't already mentioned enough benefits of having a professional maintenance team, here's what you're missing with a DIY rental property repair plan:
- Your free time
- Happy tenants
- Fewer DIY injuries
- Fewer trips to the hardware store
- Lower maintenance costs that stretch your budget
- Better ROIs
Investors also don't have to worry about juggling different contractors, comparing estimates, or the hassles of scheduling repairs with contractors and tenants. Your property manager handles all of these things for you!
Get the Professional Property Management Maintenance Services You Need
DIY maintenance is tempting as a "money-saving" idea for a property owner. However, when investors take into account the cost of supplies, time, and effort required to do it yourself--not to mention potential property damage that could result from lack of expertise or accidents--DIY maintenance is often more expensive than hiring a professional!
Professional maintenance does become more expensive when you're forced to pay for more services than you need. If you're struggling to let go of handling rental property maintenance because of the high cost of all-inclusive management pricing, RentWatch can help! We offer a range of professional services tailored specifically for landlords--without requiring full-service management plans or pricing. Let's talk about how we can help!
Learn more about working with a property management company! Download our free ebook, "The Biography of a Seattle Property Management Company."
