Seasonal and Lon
g-Term Rental Nightmares: Investors, This is why you hire a property manager!
After this busy summer season, I’d like to share some stories about why you should hire a reputable property manager – and take the manager’s advice!
Story #1, The seasonal rental, Sleeps 8, two story wood framed house with wood decks on each level. Nice ocean breeze. There was a request to rent to the nephew at the end of the season. Landlord booked this. The property manager drove by on several occasions and noticed the numerous cars and trash. This was reported to the landlord, as it was his family. This turned into a cleaning nightmare. Besides the sticky wood DR floors, cigarette butts all over the decks and outside, filthy 2nd floor carpeting, the prize was finding the fire pit had been relocated to the wood deck of the second floor. Three cleaners and 4.5 hours later it was clean and fresh again. The landlord was smokin mad, but fortunately the property manager had a terrific cleaning crew on call.
Lesson learned: Be cautious about who you rent to, including family.
Story #2, They seemed like nice people to lease to! The landlords were presented with prospective tenants by a realtor who claimed she could handle their property management needs. But she did not bother screening the tenants for the landlords, who had moved overseas for a job opportunity. Guess what – the realtor moved too. But the tenants stayed put and stopped paying rent. In fact the tenants allowed more people to move into the lovely home, which became known for drawing the attention of police. The once pristine property ended up getting condemned, and the tenants – whom the landlords once thought seemed like nice people – owed $15,000 in rent.
Once the landlords hired RPM, the property manager completed an eviction in short order’ nightmare ended when they hired RPM. The property manager completed an eviction in short order and asked police to monitor the house.
The property manager supervised a massive cleanup of the house, where trash was shoulder high in the garage and knee high in the bedrooms. Cleanup crews removed weapons, needles and dog waste.
The tenants had also caused a substantial amount of property damage, managing to break even the solar water heater, kitchen sink and faucet and washer and dryer. They ruined all the furnishing left by the landlord and put a sizeable hole in every wall.
Renovations overseen by the property manager included the replacement of 14 doors and the repair of windows, floor-mounted cabinets, bathroom lights, bathtub slider and even the toilet, which had been stuffed with credit cards, state ID’s and driver’s licenses.
The repairs were made on budget.
After the property manager asked for a review, the health inspector certified for rentals.
The house now has well qualified residents.
Lesson learned: HIre a professional property manager to screen tenants. Renting is a business, not a “be nice” club.
Story #3, They are/were our friends.
RPM was just hired to handle a verbal tenancy at will case that went bad. This is an ongoing story, with more to come.
Lesson learned: Hire a reputable property manager to manage both the property and the tenants.
For Seasonal or Year Round Property Management on Cape Cod, call
Real Property Management Associates. 508-509-4485
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
