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Category: Property Management

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Don’t Panic: How to Deal With A Fire as a Property Manager

It probably goes without saying that a fire at a rental property you own or manage is bad news.  Still, they can happen, so it’s very important to be prepared.  Here are a few things you’ll want to be ready to do if a major fire occurs at one of your properties.

Secure the property

When major property damage occurs and residents are displaced, the number of people who are around the property goes down and the risk of injury goes up.  That’s the perfect recipe for someone to trespass on the property and get hurt, which is the last thing you need.  Take steps to prevent it by securing the property against trespassers.

Talk to your residents

Residents, especially if they were home at the time the fire started, may have information about what happened.  They may have seen, heard, or even smelled something, and that information can be valuable.  It can help you determine the cause of the fire and aid in any investigations that may take place.

Determine liability

A major fire can result in a lot of unexpected costs.  You probably have insurance — and your residents probably do too — but the parties will need to make a determination on who pays for what and how much.  There can be a lot of money at stake here, so making the correct determination regarding liability is extremely important.

Help residents find new housing

If a fire has displaced residents, they’ll need to find someplace else to stay, at least temporarily.  You can help them with that — and depending on the specifics of the situation, you may even be required to.  There may be local organizations in your area that can help you with this process; if not, the Red Cross can also provide aid.

No matter your business goals, ManageGo has your back. To discover just how our software solutions can benefit you and your unique property management needs, request a demo today. Or, connect directly with one of our experts and get started on your journey to better property management. 

Want even more? Get your fix and follow our socials for all the latest property management tips, tricks, & trends!

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The Best Ways for Renters to Provide Proof of Income

Proof of income is a key part of the applicant screening process for almost every property manager or landlord.  After all, you need to make sure applicants will actually be able to pay the rent before you approve them, right?  Because of that, you probably already know about all the most commonly requested proof of income documents — pay stubs, bank statements, and W-2s.  But these aren’t the only ways applicants can provide proof of income.  Here are a few less common documents that are still effective in allowing you to verify income.

Employer income verification letter

A letter from the applicant’s employer stating exactly how much they’re paid is an easy, straightforward way to verify income.  You’ll learn exactly how much the applicant earns right now directly from the source.  As an added bonus, the employer may provide additional information about the applicant and their standing at the company, meaning a letter like this can effectively serve as a bonus reference.

Tax returns

While W-2s are the most common tax document used for income verification, IRS Form 1040 can serve the same purpose just as well.  This form shows the applicant’s individual tax return, and, like a W-2, states the income on an official government document, letting you know that it comes from a trustworthy source.

Pension distribution statement

If you have any retired applicants, they should have access to a document called Form 1099-R.  This is an excellent proof of income document for retirees, since it shows all the applicant’s retirement benefits concisely in one place, giving you a full picture of how much the applicant earns in retirement.

Court award letter

Some applicants may receive court-ordered compensation that serves as a significant portion of their income.  In a case like that, you should be able to get a letter from the court verifying exactly what the applicant receives, either via the applicant or directly from the court itself.  You’ll be able to see exactly what the applicant is entitled to and confirm that they’ll be able to make rent payments reliably.

No matter your business goals, ManageGo has your back. To discover just how our software solutions can benefit you and your unique property management needs, request a demo today. Or, connect directly with one of our experts and get started on your journey to better property management. 

Want even more? Get your fix and follow our socials for all the latest property management tips, tricks, & trends!

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4 Steps to Manage a Rental Property Like a Pro

Happy residents are great.  They make your job easier as a property manager, they help bring a positive atmosphere to your properties, and they’re more likely to recommend the property to others, giving you a larger, stronger pool of applicants for every vacancy.  So how can you make sure you have happy residents?  Here are four tips to help you do exactly that:

1. Make paying rent easy.

Your residents might not want to pay rent, but most of them understand that they need to.  That said, you definitely don’t want to make it any more difficult than it needs to be.  Offering a painless process and multiple payment options (like you can with ManageGo!) will do a lot to take stress and pressure off your residents.

2.  Handle maintenance requests as quickly as possible.

Make sure you give your residents an easy and reliable way to contact you or your maintenance staff, and make sure that you’re helpful, responsive, and ready to solve problems when residents report an issue.  You can do this by providing residents a phone number or a monitored email address to direct maintenance requests to, but the best way is by utilizing an online maintenance ticketing system like ManageGo’s to keep track of all things maintenance-related.

3. Keep up with preventive maintenance and inspections.

The only thing better for residents than having your maintenance requests handled quickly is not needing to make them at all.  You can help facilitate that by making sure to stay attentive to preventive maintenance and inspections to catch potential problems before they turn into larger issues.  ManageGo can help you with this, too; we’ve got a lot of features, like checklists and recurring tickets, to help make these processes simple.

4.  Communicate effectively.

Residents want to be kept in the loop about anything that might affect them.  When you tell them about any news or changes worth knowing about, you’ll not only keep them informed, you’ll help develop trust, which is key to a happy and productive resident-landlord relationship.

No matter your business goals, ManageGo has your back. To discover just how our software solutions can benefit you and your unique property management needs, request a demo today. Or, connect directly with one of our experts and get started on your journey to better property management. 

Want even more? Get your fix and follow our socials for all the latest property management tips, tricks, & trends!

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3 Ways Condo Property Management is Different from Multifamily Rentals

Do you manage any condo units?  If not, you might be wondering how different from multifamily rental management it can really be.  As it turns out, while the two have a lot in common, there are some important differences as well.  Here are three unique responsibilities that condo property managers face.

1. Different financial responsibilities

Both the condo board and the homeowners in the community rely on the property manager to look after the financial health of the property in both the short term and the long term.  The stakes and interests are a bit different, and a manager has to be prepared to manage that and fulfill responsibilities like preparing budgets, keeping track of statements, and advising the board on how to use funds.

2. Project management

Many projects around a condo community end up becoming the responsibility of the property manager.  These can range from small repairs to major construction projects, and may even include significant renovations to a resident’s home.  Condo property managers need to be ready to manage all types of projects and all of the people who might be involved in them, from residents and the condo board to third-party contractors.

3. Communication

A condo manager is often asked to handle many types of communication — whether that means delivering messages from the board to residents, bringing residents’ concerns to the board, or helping to resolve a dispute between two residents.  In this role, it’s important to have a good sense of how to work with people and deliver the right message.

Finally, if you do manage any condo units — or if you don’t yet, but you’re considering it — know that ManageGo is here to help.  Our features are perfect for any type of property, not just rentals!  We’re a complete, all-in-one solution for any condo property manager.

No matter your business goals, ManageGo has your back. To discover just how our software solutions can benefit you and your unique property management needs, request a demo today. Or, connect directly with one of our experts and get started on your journey to better property management. 

Want even more? Get your fix and follow our socials for all the latest property management tips, tricks, & trends!

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4 Ways Property Management Conferences Will Grow Your Business

Do you attend property management industry events, like conferences or trade shows?  If you do, you probably already know how great they can be for your company.  If you don’t, though, you should consider it!  They can be a great way for you and your company to grow and develop.  Here are four of the biggest benefits these events can provide.

1. You’ll meet other people from around the industry

Huge numbers of key people from all across the industry attend conferences and trade shows.  This includes everyone from property managers and landlords to developers to leaders of businesses that partner with property management companies.  Getting to know these people and building relationships with them now can allow you to reap huge rewards in the future.

2. You’ll build awareness of your company

Having a presence at major industry events allows your company to be seen by many more people than it would be otherwise.  People who haven’t heard of your company will learn about it, and people who have heard of it will see it as a major player in the industry.  You’ll increase your company’s standing just by being there.

3.  You’ll learn a lot

Talking to people from around the industry gives you a chance to learn from them.  It’s an opportunity to hear about news and trends in the field, brush up on background knowledge, see what products and services are out there, and maybe even learn a little about your competitors.  All of this is the knowledge you can take back with you once the event is over and use to make sure your company is the best it can be.

4. You’ll have fun!

Breaking out of your routine, meeting new people, maybe even traveling somewhere new…it can be a really good time!  There may even be entertainment or special events outside of the conference or trade show.  You work hard, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourself a little too, and industry events are a great way to do both.

Convinced yet?  If you’re ready to attend a live industry event, why not check us out later this month at the Multifamily Social Media Summit in Napa?  We’ll be there March 23-25 along with a lot of other major players from the multifamily property management business.  It should be a great time, so we hope to see you there!

No matter your business goals, ManageGo has your back. To discover just how our software solutions can benefit you and your unique property management needs, request a demo today. Or, connect directly with one of our experts and get started on your journey to better property management. 

Want even more? Get your fix and follow our socials for all the latest property management tips, tricks, & trends!

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5 Easy Steps to Find Great Residents for Your Multifamily Property

Every property manager knows that their properties need residents to be successful, and every property manager knows that good residents are the best kind of residents.  What’s not always clear is how exactly to find good residents. 

1. Have a process and stick to it

It’s easy to let gut feelings about how to find applicants and make application decisions guide your thinking.  Unfortunately, that doesn’t always lead to the best residents.  It’s always better to stick to well-defined steps and objective criteria.  That way, you’ll keep your personal opinions, emotions and biases out of the equation and ensure you have an application process that works for you.

2. Show off what your property has to offer

You know that your property is a great place to live, so make sure that potential residents see that too.  Show them available units and any common areas, either by appointment or at an open house.  When you do, be ready to answer questions and talk about what makes the place special. If you want to take it a step further, read up on how to maximize your property’s curb appeal!

3. Check references

References are vital when considering whether to approve a rental application.  The right reference can provide you with the most honest assessment of what someone is like and whether it would be a good idea to sign a lease agreement with them.  Past landlords can provide some of the best feedback, so get in touch with one or more of those if possible.

4. Run credit and background checks

Credit and background checks can help you find out exactly what you might be getting into if you approve an application.  They can give you a lot of important information, like an applicant’s credit score, payment history, eviction history, and criminal history.  If you use ManageGo, running these checks is easy; our integration with Weimark lets you run them with just one click.

5. Use a top property management software

Finding and keeping track of applicants is a lot to manage, and that’s just one area you deal with as a property manager.  You also need to keep track of payments, maintenance, leases, concierge services, and more.  It’s a lot to handle, so don’t try to do it alone.  Instead, use a modern, all-in-one property management software like ManageGo to keep your applicants — and everything else — in line.

No matter your business goals, ManageGo has your back. To discover just how our software solutions can benefit you and your unique property management needs, request a demo today. Or, connect directly with one of our experts and get started on your journey to better property management. 

Want even more? Get your fix and follow our socials for all the latest property management tips, tricks, & trends!

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The Top 4 Reasons to Make the Switch to Digital Leasing

“Why should I switch to digital leasing?”

It’s a question some property managers might have when they hear about online leasing systems.  After all, they might think, paper leases have worked fine for us so far, so why should we bother with the trouble of making a change?

But the truth is that digital leasing offers major advantages over paper leases that you might not be aware of if you only use paper documents.  Here are a few of the biggest benefits you could see from a move to a digital leasing platform.

1. Smoother signings – New residents don’t want to come to the property or to your office and have a meeting with you to sign their lease.  That takes a lot of time, and it’s unnecessary when the process could be handled in just minutes online.  Digital platforms eliminate the wasted time and simplify the signing process.

2. Easier move-ins – As the move-in date approaches, new residents often have a lot of questions.  Online leasing can help, because if the lease is easily available to the resident in a convenient digital format, they’ll be able to answer a lot of their own questions by reading it.  They’ll have peace of mind, and you won’t need to be bothered. Plus, this is a great way to implement self-service, a big property management trend in the coming year.

3. Better records – A digital platform keeps track of all of your leases and riders, and it keeps them right at your fingertips, easily searchable and ready at any time.  You’re never more than a few seconds away from finding exactly the lease you need.  That’s a lot better than trying to remember where you filed something you need and flipping through countless papers. For more on the importance of keeping good records, read our recent blog!

4. Saved time – Think of all of the time you spend on paper leases: printing them, scanning them, mailing them, filing them, waiting for them to be signed and returned to you.  It starts to add up very quickly!  Switching to a digital platform can put an end to all of that wasted time.  You’ll be able to spend a lot less time on unnecessary leasing hassles, and a lot more time on more important things.

No matter your business goals, ManageGo has your back. To discover just how our software solutions can benefit you and your unique property management needs, request a demo today. Or, connect directly with one of our experts and get started on your journey to better property management. 

Want even more? Get your fix and follow our socials for all the latest property management tips, tricks, & trends!

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Everything You Need to Know About The ManageGo Leasing Solution

When we started working on our leasing solution, we knew that we didn’t want to have just a leasing solution; we wanted to have the very best leasing solution available, something that would completely change the way you think about leasing.  We wanted to change the entire process from a major headache into the easiest process in your world.  Now that our platform is here, we think that’s exactly what we’ve done.  Here’s why:

Our leasing platform was built to put an end to the struggles that exist around leasing today.  You’ll be able to handle every part of the leasing process online, from drafting documents all the way up to and through signing the lease.  Everything can be done in the ManageGo portal, and every step is logged in our system, where it’s easy to look up later.  You’ll completely avoid the problems caused by trying to manage physical documents, and you’ll be amazed at how much easier an all-digital leasing system is.

The platform also offers you the convenience of managing everything related to leasing in just one place, from the start of the process to the very end.  Design your own lease and rider templates so you always have exactly the documents you need, view and manage all of your leases in one place so you know what’s going on, and get notified in advance about expiring leases so you’re able stay ahead of the curve.  With ManageGo, you’ll be able to do it all.

Our Leasing system is made to be a great fit with other ManageGo features too.  If you’re already using ManageGo to process payments, manage maintenance, or accept applications, you’ll see that it’s smooth and simple for you and your residents to use any or all of those systems together, and you’ll love how convenient it is to have all of that in one place.

If you’re already using ManageGo’s other features, it makes perfect sense to take advantage of our leasing platform too.  It’ll connect perfectly with other parts of the system to make sure you’re getting the most out of ManageGo.  If you’re not already with us…well, why not?  Our all-in-one property management solution is already the best available, and it’s only continuing to get even better.  Don’t wait — ask us today what it can do for you!

No matter your business goals, ManageGo has your back. To discover just how our software solutions can benefit you and your unique property management needs, request a demo today. Or, connect directly with one of our experts and get started on your journey to better property management. 

Want even more? Get your fix and follow our socials for all the latest property management tips, tricks, & trends!

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3 Must-Ask Questions When Looking for a Resident Maintenance App

What To Look For In A Resident Maintenance App

What’s your maintenance process like?  Are you sure you’re getting the most out of it?  The answer may not be obvious.  It’s not always easy to see where you’re excelling and where you might be able to improve.  Here are a few questions you can ask yourself to assess whether your company’s maintenance operations are as efficient as possible.

How good is our communication with residents?

Communication with your residents is vital to success in maintenance.  For things to really work, residents need a way to report issues to you, you need to be able to ask follow-up questions, and everyone needs to respond in a timely manner.  It’s best to have a platform like ManageGo that allows you and your residents to create tickets and replies through the website, the mobile app, or email.  That way, everyone can reply quickly and stay in touch, no matter where they are.

How good is our internal communication?

Of course, the residents aren’t the only people you need to communicate with.  It’s important for you and your staff to stay connected throughout the maintenance process.  That’s why ManageGo allows you to easily make internal replies, visible to staff only, on the website and mobile app.  It’s also simple to create and send printable work orders for any staff member who needs a paper copy of the details.

How much time do we spend on recurring work?

Maintenance isn’t just about reacting to issues reported by your residents.  Sometimes, you need to be proactive and work to identify problems before they become a major issue.  This might include things like move-in/move-out walkthroughs, inspections, preventive maintenance, and seasonal work.  If you’re not careful, recording and managing tasks like this can result in a lot of extra, unnecessary work for you.  Avoid that problem by taking advantage of ManageGo features like checklists and recurring tickets to simplify things and streamline your process.

No matter your business goals, ManageGo has your back. To discover just how our software solutions can benefit you and your unique property management needs, request a demo today. Or, connect directly with one of our experts and get started on your journey to better property management. 

Want even more? Get your fix and follow our socials for all the latest property management tips, tricks, & trends!

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Top 5 Apartment Trends for Amenities at Your Multifamily Property in 2022

Apartment Trends For Amenities

The early part of a new year is a perfect time to assess your direction and goals in many areas, and your amenity spaces are no different.  Residents are always looking for the next big thing in amenities, and you don’t want to fall behind.  Take this opportunity to stay ahead of the curve by taking a look at five trends that we think could be worth keeping an eye on in 2022.

1. Community events – It probably goes without saying that the pandemic has caused, and continues to cause, major disruptions to everyone’s lives.  As the situation continues to evolve, your residents will definitely be eager for the opportunity to have some fun and be social with their neighbors.  If it’s safe for you to do this with in-person events, that’s perfect!  If not, many fun events can still be held virtually.  Try to think of some cool events that your residents might like, and if you’re stuck, check out ours here!

2. Gym care – The new year means that many people will be hitting the gym every day.  Will it last all year?  Probably not, but this is still a good opportunity for you.  Use the higher volume of gym-goers as a kind of stress test for your exercise spaces.  If you’re able to keep your gym safe, clean, and effective throughout this busy period, you should have no problem doing so once things slow down again.

3. Package management – Online shopping definitely isn’t a new trend for 2022, but there’s also no reason to think it will slow down this year.  In fact, it’s likely that the number of packages your residents receive will only continue to increase.  It’s a lot to handle!  That makes it more important than ever to have a system like ManageGo in place to lighten the workload by helping you do things like notify residents, identify packages, and streamline pickups. For tips on how to keep up with this uptick in packages, read on our recent blog post.

4. Common workspaces – We may not know the details of how the trend toward remote work will change, but it’s clear that more people work from home now than a few years ago.  Working from home can offer a lot of benefits, but it’s also easy to feel trapped or stuck in one place all day.  If you can make sure that some of your common areas are places where residents feel comfortable coming to get out of their apartment while still getting some work done, it will definitely be appreciated.

5. Online communication – For many people, it’s more important than ever to have good communication with their neighbors, but that doesn’t make it easy.  An online space to talk can help a lot.  Providing a platform like ManageGo’s Engage where residents can stay in touch, share recommendations, and buy and sell items can go a long way toward building a sense of community in your properties.

No matter your business goals, ManageGo has your back. To discover just how our software solutions can benefit you and your unique property management needs, request a demo today. Or, connect directly with one of our experts and get started on your journey to better property management. 

Want even more? Get your fix and follow our socials for all the latest property management tips, tricks, & trends!