How To Evaluate A Property Management Company

Wondering how to evaluate property management companies? If you’ve lived in multiple apartment communities or dealt with different property management companies, you’ll know that not every property management company is created equal.

One of the most important things to consider when finding a place to rent is the reputation of the property management company. Although you might feel willing to compromise on this factor to move to the newest apartment on the block, that compromise might be a choice you regret down the road.

The responsiveness and dedication (or lack thereof) provided by your apartment’s management can drastically affect your quality of life. It’s important to vet property management companies carefully before signing a lease. The only way to choose the right property management company is by doing your research!

Best Property Management Company Criteria

There are a few apartment community attributes that every resident should be promised and feel entitled to when signing a lease with a property management company. To ensure that you’re choosing the best property management company, make sure you can check off these few boxes at the very least.

Excellent Reviews and Recommendations

The majority of the online reviews for a professional and well-established property management company will be positive. Reading a number of reviews or hearing directly from a current resident can paint a clear picture of whether or not the property management company is trustworthy.

The best property management companies should be willing to share reviews and should not shy away from addressing negative feedback. It’s important to acknowledge that even the best property management companies might have a few less than stellar reviews online — so look at reviews as a whole instead of cherry picking the best or the worst and allowing them to color your view completely.

Dedication To Corporate Social Responsibility

Does your apartment management company give back to the larger community? Make sure the property management company you rent from gives back financially, hosts different philanthropic events, and regularly has team members volunteering to help donate their time.

This behavior from a property management company might seem unrelated to your experience as a resident, however, it’s indicative of a trustworthy property management company. Consistently giving back in multiple ways shows that the organization cares about more than just the bottom line.

Transparency

When you sign a lease, what you sign for should be what you get. You want to be confident that the rental rate you were quoted is exactly what you will pay each month.

Many property management companies hide costs to get you in the door, and then…surprise! If you have to pay extra fees to use the amenities you were promised, it can have a significant impact on your monthly budget. Make sure to clarify whether parking, pets, gym access, etc. are included in your monthly rate.

The best property management companies won’t attempt to mislead you. Southern Management offers all-inclusive rent, so you’ll never feel nickel and dimed for amenities like fitness centers and pools, common area Wi-Fi, trash removal, and more.

Evaluate Property Management’s Commitment

Don’t sign any papers without sitting down face-to-face with the property management team you’ll be dealing with on a daily basis. If the management appears to hate their job and take no joy in helping you find your new home, that’s a red flag.

Southern Management’s one-of-a-kind organizational structure, culture of excellence, investment in our management teams, and focus on personal growth empowers our team members. What’s more, that empowerment creates a one of a kind experience for our customers.

Our company has retains approximately 90% of our team year over year. It’s important that we invest just as much in our employees as we do our residents because they directly affect each other! Happy team members equate to more invested on-site managers who choose to go above and beyond every single day.

Satisfaction Guarantee

The best property management companies don’t need to worry about dissatisfied residents. After moving in you should be completely satisfied with your lease agreement, apartment community, and individual unit. It’s important that your property management company offers an opt-out clause so you don’t feel stuck if the apartment isn’t right for you.

At Southern Management, if your expectations have not been met with the first 30 days, simply provide the management team with a written notice as to why you would like to leave, the date you will be vacating the apartment home, and when you’re returning the keys. The only responsibility on your end with be the rent through the day you return your keys and for any damages that may have occurred during your residency. Easy as that!

Learn More About The Southern Management Difference

Looking for a trustworthy property management company isn’t hard when your search starts with Southern Management. With 75 apartment communities and more than 25,000 apartment homes, we have the dream apartment for every resident!

If you’re wondering what sets us apart from other communities, contact us! We’d love to speak with you candidly about the Southern Management difference. No matter where you are in your search for a new apartment, our team will answer all your questions about availability, pricing, and more.