On-site property managers are in demand these days. Almost all investment property owners in San Mateo want to hire professional residential managers to handle such important aspects as collecting rent, keeping a tab on tenants, conducting inspections, and arranging repair/maintenance. It all becomes a breeze with an on-site property manager. An on-site resident/property manager is required for all properties with 16 or more units.
The question is, how are on-site managers different from off-site managers? More importantly, how can you hire one?
Differences between Off-site and On-site Property Managers
As the names suggest, an off-site property manager is someone who performs all the tasks related to the management of the units from his office, which may not always be near the building itself.
An on-site property manager, on the other hand, is present at the apartment building and looks after the requirements of the investors and tenants. Often, on-site property managers are full-time employees hired by the owner, who are given some space in the building to live and stay there.
Benefits of Hiring On-site Property Managers in San Mateo
There are some distinct benefits of hiring on-site managers. Here are 3 major ones:
- Accessibility: The biggest benefit of an on-site property manager is accessibility. He is always available to do his duty. Any of your tenants can reach out to him to get any issue resolved.
- Reliability: An on-site property manager is also more reliable because instead of looking after hundreds of other properties he manages only those properties which belong to you. Consequently, the needs of you as a homeowner and those of your tenants are the only ones that matter.
- Constant vigilance: An on-site manager can keep an eagle eye on your building. They can ensure that common areas of the apartment are kept clean by the tenants, and whether everybody is abiding by the rules and regulations.
How to Find an On-site San Mateo Property Manager
The simplest way to find an on-site property manager is to post a job online. From the applications you receive, a number of good candidates can be identified by screening the resumes – professional applications will include references, accurate information, and a complete profile of the candidate while unprofessional applications will be incomplete, lacking in references, and providing incomplete information.
Once you shortlist certain candidates by screening their applications, call the references mentioned in their application to inquire about their track record. Also, perform a background check to ensure that they have a clear past (i.e., no criminal record, strong credit history, no record of eviction, etc.).
The next step is an interview. For better results, you should conduct two interviews – one over the phone, and another in person. During the interview, ask about their employment history, why they think they’re a good fit for the position, who shall be living with them on-site and other general questions that you think are relevant for the position.
When you meet them for a face-to-face interview, it can be much more of a conversation than a formal interview. And never hesitate to ask some critical questions multiple times to see whether there’s a consistency in their answers or not.
Once you find your desired on-site manager, show them around the site and also introduce them to your tenants. Make sure that you brief him regarding the terms and conditions you’ve negotiated with your various tenants, so they can start doing their job in a proper manner.
Another alternative is to hire a professional San Mateo property management company to take care of your investment rentals.
Founded in 1982 in Marin County, Bayside Management has expanded to offer full-service San Mateo property management to the entire San Francisco Peninsula. We manage single-family properties, multi-unit complexes, commercial properties, and homeowner associations. Connect with us to discuss all your investment property-related queries.