Property Manager: Marketing Your Property

Dear Property Manager:

What should a property management company do in order to market my property? Should I trust them to determin the price and how the marketing budget is spent, or should I be involved in this decision?

Kyle W. Charlotte, NC

Dear Kyle:

The property management company should be familiar with the local market and be able to price the units correctly so that it rents relatively quickly and at the right price. You should be able to trust the property management company to do this correctly. It is important to advertise well, and price well. It is never a good idea to price too high, as this generally only leads to vacancies--although pricing too low will deprive you of income that you could have had.

You should always ask a prospective property management company how much leasing experience they have, what they have done in your area, and how long their average property, similar to yours, is on the market. They should be able to explain how to they come to their pricing strategies and how they intend to market your property--as well as what additional costs will be involved.

Bottom line, if you are not comfortable with the property management company you are working with, you should look for ways to make the relationship better - perhaps a strategy meeting or brainstorming session, or find a way to end your contractual agreement.

Property Manager
Kuester Property Management