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Monday, August 24, 2009

Determining Property Management Fees For Your Property

By Layla Vanderbilt

Investors should interview several property management companies so as to choose the best company to manage large numbers of properties. Investors should consider specific business practices of potential property managers. Since investor profits are affected by the management fees, the first consideration is the fee that the management company will charge; some management companies charge a monthly percentage while other charge a flat fee for their service.

The lowest management fee may not always be the best choice. Higher fees usually translate into more services. Also, management companies with lower fees may have extra charges for necessary services like as advertising. Investors need to know if the management company charges a fee for showing property to a potential client. Some management companies also charge leasing fees in addition to their management fee. Investors need to read contracts closely to know exactly what is included in the real estate management fee.

A property management company charges a real estate management fee based on the percentaage of income collected with a monthly base fee. A fee will vary according to the type and size of the property; for example, a fee for a single family home could be a flat rate while a large property might cost 6 percent of its value. Larger properties usually command a lower percentage rate (i.e., 2 percent) than a single family home that may be quoted up to10 percent. One negotiates fees on a per property basis and one considers many factors including condition, location and size of the property, etc. Management companies consider leasing to be an auxiliary service; it and other auxiliary service fees are separate and in addition to the management fee. The contract also needs to explain how and when the fee is collected. Do they bill the investor or do they deduct it from his account? Do they bill on a monthly or quarterly basis?

Another important consideration in choosing a property management company is payment. Some companies deduct their fee directly from the income your property generates, while others send a monthly or quarterly bill. Other fees a company may charge are for cleaning and preparing rental properties, or eviction fees. Be sure to take the time to discover and consider all fees charged by the property management company.

A management company performs many services for the investor. The company takes care of the daily activities of renting the property, collecting rents, accounting and monthly statements, hires contractors for services such as cleaning, hires groundskeepers and maintenance workers as well as supervises any work. The investor pays the real estate management fees for peace of mind. When an investor has interviewed several companies and found the fees are close in range with a few exceptions, he should then decide to further investigate each company?s contracts and references. By comparing all the services and getting good referrals, an investor can make an informed choice.

This interviewing process in the decision to select the most reliable and appropriate management company is only the first step. The total fee charged is important, but investors need to know how efficiently and effectively the company communicates with both the investor and the tenants of the rental property. Other important information for the selection of a management company is how problems are addressed and resolved, how attentive the company is to details in the leasing process, and how well the company maintains the property. All of these are important factors in the selection of the best property management company.

Hiring a good management company helps an investor rent his property faster and provide preventive maintenance before problems become major repairs and expenses. The investor should look at more than the initial monthly fees when determining how much it will actually cost them if they go with the cheapest company. An investor needs to be sure the company will actually help him avoid those expensive repairs and expenses as well as keep the property in good condition in order to make it attractive to prospective clients. - 23223

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