Fixing taps and checking the air conditioning might not be among your favorite tasks on your property management list (unless you are a self-confessed DIY enthusiast.) However, repair work is essential.
Good property maintenance keeps your tenants happy and helps protect your property's value.
Here are five essential strategies to streamline your maintenance coordination in Eagan, Minnesota.
1. Use an Online Portal
An online maintenance system will streamline your process and make things easier to track. So, look into adopting an online property management portal.
That will give your tenants a place to raise issues and requests, and it's also a place where you can coordinate repair work, which often involves liaising between tenants and contractors.
It's also a better place to track old requests if you need information in the future, such as when evaluating property expenses.
2. Build a List of Trusted Contractors
Trusted and dependable contractors can make a big difference in your property maintenance work.
They give you the reassurance that property repairs will happen promptly and correctly. It reduces stress and costs and helps to improve your relationship with your tenants.
Focus on finding local contractors who are readily available if you need them in an emergency. Always use online reviews or personal recommendations to find the best contractors in your area.
3. Educate Tenants
Your tenants play a crucial role in maintaining your property. By educating them on maintenance issues, you can help manage and minimize problems.
Explain any responsibilities your tenant has in maintaining the property as part of the lease agreement, such as mowing the lawn.
In addition, outline the process for reporting problems and expected repair timescales. The latter helps manage expectations.
4. Create a Maintenance Calendar
If you are handling maintenance on your first property, you might think it's manageable by jotting down times and dates in your journal. But this can soon snowball, and you need a more systematic approach.
So, create a calendar for all your maintenance work.
Write the dates, times, names of the contractor and the property for each entry. That is also helpful if you go on vacation and want to delegate the coordination work to someone else.
5. Schedule Inspections
Regular inspections are crucial to maintaining your properties. They're the best way to spot potential problems before they become major issues or expensive emergencies.
You may also need inspections for safety reasons, like checking that a carbon monoxide detector works. Let your tenants know what inspections you need on the property, and give them plenty of notice before a visit.
Try to arrange convenient inspection dates and times for your tenant, too.
Streamlining Maintenance Coordination
As a real estate investor, demand for your time to fix maintenance issues will mirror the growth in your property portfolio. Use these strategies to help you set up a maintenance coordination plan.
Our expert team at PMI TC Metro can offer you the best maintenance approach for your properties. We have a streamlined property maintenance approach, including access to experienced contractors in Eagan, Minnesota.
Find out more about how we can help you.
