By Dallas Kali
Owning rental property comes at a price: It takes dedication and commitment to deliver tenants and renters the best rental experience possible. However, managing those properties, and the entailing relationships with various stakeholders, doesn’t come naturally. It takes knowledge, experience, and a lot of training to accomplish effectively. That’s why, rather than the DIY approach, many owners prefer the professional approach. They turn to companies offering professional rental property management in Maryland for assistance.
Insulating Landlords and Owners
Typically, rental property owners don’t relish the idea of meeting, interacting, and dealing with each individual tenant or renter. This is especially true when there’s a large portfolio of rental properties involved. This landlord-tenant interaction might also not be feasible on several fronts:
- There are too many tenants, homes, and families to interact with
- The property owner does not reside on the premises
- The landlord isn’t skilled or knowledgeable in the art (and science!) of such interactions
In such situations, it’s advisable to work with seasoned Maryland rental management companies, and have them step in to fill the void. Some DIY landlords might still like to stay in touch with the “goings on” in their properties. Others may occasionally prefer to meet with renters and tenants in a managed setting. While largely insulating the owners from day-to-day contacts, experienced property managers can arrange such interactions so they deliver win-win outcomes for all participants.
Operational Efficiencies
Another advantage to using the DIP approach is the operational efficiencies that property owners can unlock. True, owning rental real estate entitles landlords to a steady stream of rental income. However, as a DIY landlord, you also have obligations:
- Promptly handling emergency calls for help (busted water main, overflowing bathtub!) …including at 2:00 AM on a weekday, or on weekends and holidays!
- Making sure your property is in the best of condition, which entails regular maintenance inspections, cleaning, landscaping, and other internal and external preventive upkeep. Without this, your property could quickly depreciate in value and appearance
Using professional rental property management in Maryland, delegates these, and various other operational tasks, such as evictions, tenant complaints, rental payment follow-ups, noise complaints – and more. And, with a technology-centric property manager, everything happens online, from collecting rent to managing work requests, and from tenant notices, to follow-up on complaints and work orders.
Legal Matters
One serious obligation, that DIY landlords struggle with, is staying abreast of various legal requirements, and maintaining their properties up-to city and municipal codes. Property-related licenses, permits, registrations, and notices – all have procedures and deadlines associated with them.
Professional Maryland rental management companies typically have experts on staff, whose sole job is to stay on top of these regulations and laws. Understanding the impact of potential changes to legislation, or subtle proposed wording changes in bylaws, before they come into force, is vital. In many cases, the cost of non-compliance can be high – not just monetarily, but also in terms of reputational damage. A DIP approach can save property owners and DIY landlords from such legal issues.
