Labor Day weekend is here and the locals season has officially begun! It’s time to take a deep breath, enjoy a few days of down time and get right back to work! After all, there is only 266 days until Memorial Day & there is a lot of work to do! For those of us in the STR industry, it’s time to regroup & fix the issues from the following year. For owners, it’s time to think about if you are going to stay with your current management company or are you going to cut your loses and move on? If you really want to move on, how are you going to know if the next company is any better? A majority of the companies have the same services, fee’s and even cleaners so WHAT could possibly be any different from your last company? COMMUNICATION would be the number one difference! I know for myself I spend a lot of time on the phone during the summer. By the time my day is over I really can’t talk to one more person so I pick and choose my battles. If an email will fix the problem or communicate in a way that I know will suffice, I send and email. If the issue is something that a phone call is more worthy then a phone call it is! Either way communication (or the lack of) is my number one pet peeve. People are trusting me to handle one of their largest assets and with that I have to be available when they need that peace of mind. With that being said, I do believe that owners also need to have boundaries. If you are so fortunate that your PM has giving you their cell phone, respect their “off time” and only call them during business hours unless it’s a dire emergency. Even in our “off time”, we are still dealing with maintenance calls, lock outs and renters that didn’t read their check in instructions and have no clue how to get in. We also have families that every once in a while we get some quality time with at night.

CLEANERS are next in line. When interviewing a new management company ask to see the reviews (or where to find them) for their cleaners. A bad cleaning company will absolutely destroy not only your properties reviews but the reputation of the management company. Cleaners are the most important part of a rental. When I hear people say “that is to much for a clean”, well it may be to much if the cleaners aren’t cleaning properly but if they are doing their job, it will be well worth it! Don’t under estimate the value of an excellent cleaning company. Also as an owner, GET A SPRING CLEAN! It helps the cleaners to be able to keep up during the summer and starts your season off nice and fresh. Once again, it’s worth your investment. One thing owners don’t realize, you don’t have to use the management companies cleaners. You can hire your own and pay them directly or you can get the management company to pay them. Like the management company, the cleaners have to been held accountable for their work. Yes, even the best fall short sometimes but if it becomes a habit, it’s time to fire them! The other thing I always recommend, don’t clean up after them, call the office or your cleaner and ask for someone to return immediately. You have that right if you don’t, the cleaners will still get paid for a job they didn’t do. Ask your cleaner or management company for a list of what a regular check out clean entices. Know the difference between a regular clean and spring.

OWN YOUR MISTAKES!! Yes, sometimes I just drop the ball. I may have fixed your maintenance issue but I totally forgot to communicate it with you. Perhaps I forgot to order a clean after an owner hold, YIKES! I will never say that me or my staff is perfect but what I will say is I strive for it. If I fall short, I will own that mistake and move on. The summer’s get hectic and sometimes all the notes in the world will still fail me but I can promise you, we will correct the issue immediately and move forward.

Honesty, integrity and trust is what it takes to have a successful rental property. The most important part of finding a property management company is one that you can trust. Ask the questions but also have a conversation. Get to know the people you are going to trust with your money and property. Sometimes the perfect fit isn’t about the fee’s or services it’s about the connection, trust and understanding. Your perfect management company is out there waiting for you BUT I can promise you asking someone on social media who they recommend isn’t the best way to find them. Do your own research and find the one that fits YOU & just maybe, it will be Karson’s Keys!

HAPPY “Locals” SEASON!