Repairs and maintenance to rental propertys are one of the most common issues that cause legal disputes between landlords and tenants. As the mediator, property managers need to know and educate both tenants and landlords on whose responsibility it is to fix repairs and maintenance issues.

Routine inspections are a big part of a property manager’s day to day job. Along with the millions of other tasks they’re expected to complete, it can be tempting sometimes to rush inspections and assume everything is fine. No doubt this can often lead to some serious problems down the line, especially if tenants are hiding/performing questionable or illegal substances or behaviour. You can never be too careful when it comes to routine inspections. At Inspection Manager we compiled a list below of red flags or warning signs as a property manager to look out for when completing a routine inspection.

Staying connected with your tenants and building a trusting relationship is key to having better tenants, maintaining well-kept rental properties and being updated with any issues/problems on a rental property right away. Kelly, a Property Manager from LJ Hooker says “The best way to maintain well-kept rental properties with minimal issues is to form more trusting and better relationships with your tenants. Staying connected with check-in messages or calls to tenants is one step closer to a more transparent relationship.”

Routine inspections allow you to identify and address any maintenance or repair issues. This gives landlords peace of mind, knowing their valued rental properties are being maintained and carefully managed. The details recorded at routine inspections are also used as evidence in disputes between landlords and tenants. Therefore, in order to serve their purpose, routine inspections should to be done thoroughly and competently. At the same time, routine inspections don’t have to be a difficult process.

Property managers, do you feel like your work is always following you wherever you go? Even when you’re not physically taking your work home with you, it’s always on your mind 24/7. Work-life balance is a common struggle for property managers and a lack of boundaries often leads to burnout.

Copying, filing, searching, retrieving, refiling, sending, mailing and faxing… on average a property manager spends 20% of their time on paperwork. If you’re tired of doing things the hard way, you’re not alone. Many property management agencies have converted to/created a paperless office and have never looked back since. While the change may seem intimidating at first, here are some compelling reasons why your agency should create a paperless office today.

Being a Property Manager is hard work – you’re always juggling a dozen different tasks on a hectic schedule. Sometimes it’s so easy to get caught up in day-to-day commitments that you forget to focus on the bigger picture -where your career or business is heading. Attending a conference is the perfect way to receive some much-needed inspiration and motivation. There’s no better way to stay informed and network with experts in the property management industry.

What helps improve your property management skills? According to industry experts, it’s about avoiding a few common pitfalls. If these are overlooked, they may escalate into major problems, and can cause serious damage to your performance and wellbeing.

Majority of the time its small but consistant issues that reoccur in real estate agencies daily. Whether it’s the lack of maintenance on properties, high turnover of the staff, or simple lack of communication, there's a way to help ensure your clients don't pack up and move on.

It’s often said that the bathroom can make or break a sale. So if you can make your buyers fall in love with this room, there’s a good chance they may be sold on the entire property. But why are bathrooms so important? Apart from the obvious washing facilities they hold, a bathroom is a much utilised room by friends, relatives and other visitors. The state of your bathroom says a lot about you, so it goes without saying that people want a stylish one that’s going to impress. Taking into consideration that a smart bathroom renovation can add considerable value to your home, it’s worth thinking about giving yours the wow factor.

If you are a property owner or a property manager you've probably heard the line "I can do that for half the price." more than once. However, hiring someone who does not have a licence in order to save money is usually an extremely disappointing experience. If you are new to property management you might ask yourself "Why hire a licenced contractor when an unlicenced ‘tradie’ can do the same job for less?" In this article, we will provide the answer to this question and we hope that you will understand the importance of always hiring licenced tradies. A tradesman who undergoes certified training in order to get a licence is usually committed to their trade. By investing their time in learning and developing the necessary skills to get a trade licence, the tradesman guarantees that he can provide quality work. When hiring someone for a job, you should always look at their trade licence and qualifications first. Are they licenced to do the kind of work that you need them to? In some cases, a contractor might have a licence that restricts them to only do certain jobs. For instance, a licenced residential builder will usually have the necessary skills to do all sorts of tasks, but he might be restricted to doing a specific job such as decking. By checking their licence and registration you should be able to tell exactly what the contractors can do. Did you know that for certain jobs you are required by law to hire a licenced tradesman? For example, electrical work can only be carried out by someone who has an electrical worker’s licence in Australia.

How do you feel about interacting with your home the way you would with a website? In the future your home will know who’s in what room, make your coffee and turn on your lights. It might even choose your clothes for you based on the temperature outside.

In Australia, a gardener will generally have a similar hourly rate to any other type of tradesman. However, you might need a gardener’s services more often than a plumber’s or an electrician’s simply because a well-maintained garden requires a lot of hard work. Additionally, a gardener can have a lot of work-related expenses and work outdoors can be quite labour intensive. The average gardener hourly rates in Australia are around $45 per hour. You can also find premium services for as much as $50 per hour. For complex and extensive jobs, gardeners might charge more than their regular fees. However, for simple tasks, you should expect to pay around $40 per hour. Hiring a gardener is a very good idea, especially if you want to your garden to look year round.

Mark Haigh is a Property Manager at Little Real Estate. We recently sat down with him to discuss improving team efficiencies, adopting new technology and finding your grove using the new Bricks + Agent property maintenance solution.

Improving efficiency in the workplace is about teams working smarter, not harder. It's important to take a well-rounded view on all areas that may be affecting employee productivity such as the physical work environment, effective leadership and overall job satisfaction. Our 10 hacks below will help you find the right tools and strategies to boost employee morale and engagement and improve efficiency and productivity in the workplace.

Being a self-managed property manager is more often than not a very profitable and rewarding experience. However, for someone who is new to the rental industry, managing a rental property can be quite difficult. If you find yourself in this situation, take the time to learn the ropes.

Whether you hire professional contractors, do it yourself, or combine the two, managing the regular maintenance of a rental property is an important part of being a landlord. Additionally, if you are a property owner you must also make sure that the rental property is up to code and in great shape for tenants.

As a property manager, one of your most important responsibilities is to keep your properties well-maintained. Whether it’s fixing a leaky tap, replacing a broken appliance, or addressing a more significant issue, maintenance requests are an integral part of your job. However, with everything else going on in your day, managing these requests can quickly become overwhelming, leading to delays, miscommunications, and dissatisfied tenants. In this blog, we’ll explore how you can streamline your maintenance requests and issues to make your job easier and keep your tenants happy.

Most people have no idea on how to clean windows streak free. This is a daunting task because getting rid of those random lines is difficult. However, it is still possible to achieve clear windows with a perfect outside view if you master a few tricks. Below are the items you need and how you should clean them.

The steam cleaning carpet cost is determined by the size of the carpet. However, the average price is approximately $35/hr. If your carpet has stains that are hard to remove, you might be charged as high as $40/hr by your carpet cleaner. Some experts charge $85 for a regular carpet cleaning job which involves sterilisation and deodorisation to get rid of all stains and spots. A carpet cleaners cost per job is approximately $126 for their services. However, prices may vary. Below are a few reasons why carpet steam cleaning rates may vary.

The appearance of your roof speaks much about your home. An attractive roof gives an impression of beautiful rooms inside that house. Roofs tiles can make a house look elegant and decent. However, most people believe that roof tile prices are not pocket-friendly. That is not true. Get more information below about this.

A worn out roof destroys the aesthetic appearance of your home, making it look old and boring. Algae and mold may also build up on the roof. In such cases, you may feel that you have no option but to replace it. However, you could replace it and get back the attractive look of your house. But what could be the roof restoration cost? Find out below how you can compare the quotes. Roof installation involves every activity that restores the attractive appearance of your roof and makes it water-proof.

A leaking roof exposes your home to various health risks other than tarnishing the attractive appearance of your house,and undergoing future replacement and repairs might be a bit costly. Renovating your roof is something that you might consider doing if it is damaged. It is also crucial to know the roof replacement costs and preparing in advance. From this article, you will be able to find out the available roofing materials on the market, who can install them and how much it would cost you.

In Australia, the average costs of a qualified roof painter’s services are around $40/hr. The costs of materials and paint are not included in this sum. Depending on different aspects of the project, a roof painting professional can charge anywhere between $30/hr and $55/hr. While any roof painter will be able to offer you an estimate quote, the actual costs of your project will be determined after the specialist makes a thorough inspection. After the inspection, the painter will take different aspects into account in order to offer you an accurate price.

Do you have safe swimming pool fencing? With summer on the way it’s every pool owner’s responsibility to make sure your pool is safe for children, whether your own, a visitors or a neighbours. Young children like to go exploring and you never know when one will end up in your backyard, and in the worst case scenario, your pool. If you’re unclear about the rules around pool fencing and think you need to get yours checked, keep reading for more information.

There are many advantages to adding a ceiling fan into the interior design of your home besides their main function of cooling off a room. Having this type of fans in your home can reduce your energy costs, can provide comfort, and can be a stylish lighting source. Standard ceiling fans are usually quite cheap but must be installed by a licenced electrician who will respect the Australian standards and procedures. For a standard fan installation, professional electricians will charge on average about $77 per hour. If the job is straightforward and simple, they might charge less. On the other hand, if the installation is complicated, the electrician’s rate can be as high as $80 per hour. Overall, for a complete fan installation, a homeowner should expect to pay between $200 and $400. If the homeowner installs several fans, the cost per fan installation might be reduced. Although installing a ceiling fan is usually a straightforward job, there can be certain tasks and aspects that can influence the costs and the rates of the electricians. These are some of the most common things that can influence the ceiling fan costs:

A tidy garden improves the beauty of your home and keeps you safe. As much as you can keep it clean using the DIY method, it might not be possible if you are busy. You might need to hire a garden cleaner. Garden cleanup cost can be around $45/hr. It depends with the requirements of the job. Sometimes cleaning a garden can be as low as $40/hr or as high as $50/hr. If you need services of a professional garden cleaner, it can cost you on average in Australia $164.84 to complete the whole project. However, this being an average estimation, rates can vary depending on the number of tasks involved.

A property manager must be a skilled juggler of numerous tasks, keeping both landlords and tenants happy. In addition to keeping properties maintained and in good shape, they are responsible for preserving a rental property's value. Although this job only requires a high school diploma, many customers will opt to work with a specialist who has a degree in real estate, finance, or business. We've put together a list of professional qualities a property manager needs hold to make the most out of a successful career.

Do you know who the average Australian property investor really is? Contrary to popular belief, it’s not the super wealthy property speculator buying up rentals left right and centre. In fact it could be your next door neighbour, the one who’s drinking XXXX and firing up the barbie. Don’t believe us? Let’s take a look at some stats to see if we can put together a clearer profile of this person….

Whether you’re a seasoned property manager with an impressive portfolio or a beginner, you want to grow your rent roll and increase your monthly rental income. Right? The good news! Fortunately, there are countless rent roll growth strategies scattered over the web. But the question is what actually works? Which strategies help deliver real results effectively in a hassle-free manner? This article shares several time-tested rent roll growth strategies that really work.

How do you feel about interacting with your home the way you would with a website? In the future your home will know who’s in what room, make your coffee and turn on your lights. It might even choose your clothes for you based on the temperature outside.

Are you planning on remodelling or renovating your house? If you are, you might be considering wallpaper, which has re-entered the style space this year. Available in a wide range of colors, textures, and prints, replacing old wallpaper or installing it in order to improve the property’s overall appearance could add value, attract more buyers and boost your home’s appeal.

Does your job revolve around customer satisfaction? Working in customer-centric industries like real estate, you will come across a lot of people and making a connection with the customer is vital to the longevity of your business. Establishing healthy customer connections is a fool proof formula for generating repeat business. Customers will come to you not just because they love your products and services, but because you offered them a smooth and convenient experience. The experts at Bricks + Agent have compiled a list of tips and tricks for improving customer connections.

If you're on the lookout for a new career path, becoming a property manager might just be the perfect job for you. Now more than ever, people of all ages are renting instead of buying, so the need for good and professional property managers is out there. A career in property management can bring a decent salary, job security, and steady employment, and if you like to work with people, then your success is almost guaranteed.

Cloud-based property management software is considered one of the most popular and powerful tools for many real estate agencies. But while it is quite popular among many businesses, the software can still be quite overwhelming and mysterious to many, which fuels many myths about it.