The biggest headache in owning any property are the maintenance costs. It always seems like once you buy a home, everything starts to break. If you live in the Northeast, your pipes freeze and burst. If you live in Florida, your house floods or suffers hurricane damage. Luckily, living in sunny San Diego, you won’t have to worry about freezing pipes or hurricanes, however, don’t let the majestic scenery and idyllic beaches fool you. San Diego hosts plenty of natural hazards that can damage your residential property.
You might own a house in Chula Vista or El Centro and risk fire damage from the increasingly hostile “fire season.” Every year California battles wildfires and homes are lost in Southern California, including San Diego county, almost every year. Additionally, there is the ever-present risk of an earthquake from the San Andreas fault which no one can predict.
Moreover, don’t overlook the mundane damage of owning real estate. San Diego is home to notoriously bad roads that the City is constantly digging up to fix its aging sewer system. The recent flood of rain, while great for the drought, severely damaged the sewer system which is backing up homes from East Village to Sorrento Valley. Furthermore, San Diego county is home some of the most virulent strains of termites. In fact, most residential properties schedule quarterly bug sprays and inspections to ensure that termites don’t devour their home from the inside out. In short, San Diego may be paradise, but there are plenty of ways that your real estate could be damaged.
Benefits of Property Management Company
One of the greatest benefits to hiring a San Diego property management company is the professional level of repairs, maintenance, upgrades, interactions with tenants, and legal compliance. Successful property management companies bill themselves as wealth generators for their clients, these property management companies allow their clients to focus on generating more capital and acquiring more real estate. A crucial tool in the arsenal of San Diego property management companies is evaluations.
Annual Evaluations
Most San Diego property management companies offer two types of evaluations: safety inspections and site evaluations. Safety inspections are primarily focused on avoiding liability so that the property manager may identify missing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, dangers in the bathroom, exposed wiring, and other traditionally “dangerous” conditions. As a property owner, it’s important to ensure that these liabilities are cared for in their residential property.
The site evaluation is conducted annually and is focused on assessing the condition of the property. In one year, a lot can happen to a San Diego rental. Tenants could host a party that damages the wall or maybe your resident secretly smokes indoors which burned the carpet or the inevitable damage from pets. The site evaluation assesses the condition of the property, allowing the property manager to draft a schedule for repairs and upgrades. The site evaluation is a crucial tool that allows rental property management companies, like Property Advantage, to anticipate maintenance needs and preemptively address them.
What the Property Manager Reviews in Evaluations
Property Advantage property managers rely on years of experience which allows them to identify potential problem areas for property owners succinctly. Additionally, they are supported by Property Advantage’s long years of experience which allows it to equip its property managers with evaluation forms born of experience and knowledge.
First, the property manager notes if there are any pets on the premises. Obviously, if you allow your residents to keep pets, the property will suffer higher rates of damage. The property manager will also assess the presence and quality of standard safety and maintenance equipment such as:
- Smoke alarms
- Plungers
- Fire extinguishers
- Carbon Monoxide (CO) detectors
- Door stops
Each of these devices fulfills a crucial role in either safety or maintenance of the investment property. From there, the property manager examines the exterior of the investment property, focusing on the landscaping, gutters, porches, fences, backyards, and other features. The property manager will then examine each room in turn focusing on the walls, ceilings, fixtures, floors, and if applicable, appliances.
You should pay close attention to the bathroom, which is one of the rooms that endures the most abuse, but is also required to continue operating correctly. For instance, most residents quickly lose their patience if the toilet is always clogged or the shower never has enough hot water. Finally, the property manager should be concerned with the caulking and grout in the bathroom. The bathroom is regularly exposed to moisture which makes it a ripe bed for mold to develop, therefore, it is critical that every nook and cranny is sealed.
As you can see, a property management company, like Property Advantage, comes with several advantages. It is possible for you to do this all on your own. However, it is just as likely you will miss a critical repair. Property Advantage can help ensure that your rental property stays in peak operating efficiency.
If you’re considering full-service property management for your residential property, Property Advantage can help you. Our property managers are trained to help our clients receive the best possible customer service possible for their residential property.