Salem, Oregon, real estate professional Paul Kerley has over 35 years of experience as a landlord and property manager. From single-family homes to condominiums and multifamily apartment buildings, Paul Kerley manages multiple properties. The most efficient and respected property managers follow certain business practices in order to foster positive landlord-tenant relationships.
Before signing a tenant, an efficient property manager establishes a reliable screening process. The careful screening of applicants will aid property managers in securing tenants who are responsible, reliable, and respectful of their landlords’ properties. In turn, to maintain a positive relationship with good tenants, property managers should make repairs and fulfill maintenance requests in a timely manner. It is important to provide advance notice before entering a tenant-occupied property.
It is also a good idea to make sure that all rental agreements and documents pertaining to the property are documented in writing and signed by both property manager and tenant. This helps to avoid potentially complicated situations that can arise when deals are struck via verbal agreement. Creating a walk-through checklist and completing the checklist as you conduct the pre-move-in walk-through with a tenant will help to establish the condition of the home prior to tenant move-in. Going through the same checklist process at the end of the lease period will help the property manager identify repairs that the tenant is responsible for. Additionally, landlords and property managers need to maintain the same set of rules for all tenants, as making exceptions can cause dissent among renters.
