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.

If you’re selling your house and are concerned buyers will be put off by a small master bedroom - don’t be. There’s no reason why a small bedroom can’t be as relaxing and luxurious as a much larger space. Plus, as housing affordability and environmental concerns become increasing issues for many potential homeowners, the Tiny House Movement is starting to take hold in Australia. Smaller houses are not only the best way to get a foot on the property ladder, they’re cheaper to run and can save homeowners money in the long run. What’s not to like about that? So take heart and try out some (or all) of our small master bedroom ideas - and remember, living with less doesn’t mean living without luxury!

Do you have a feature wall in your home? A garden feature wall can change the appearance of your garden and improve the outlook your entire landscape. As much as the colour of your feature wall matters, you still need to consider other factors. From this guide, you are going to learn what makes the ideal feature wall for your garden. Feature walls that are found indoors should have a bright colour of your choice while outdoor feature walls should compliment and contrast other walls outdoors. A feature wall can be wallpaper that is photorealistic and can make room to appear larger than the way it should be. You should make outdoor feature walls using weather resistant materials. With a garden feature wall, try to be more creative and make it more three dimensional than an indoor feature wall. You can use recycled materials to create an outdoor feature wall. You can decorate it especially if it is going to serve a practical purpose.

Australians love everything Balinese, and you shouldn’t be surprised to learn that this beautiful island is a very popular travel destination. Aussies go to Bali for many different reasons and when they come back they wish to bring it home with them. In Bali, all the resorts and guesthouses, even the cheaper ones, have verdant and luxurious tropical gardens where you can enjoy moments of peace and tranquillity.

As fellow Australians, we can say we are not particularly fond of common pests like cockroaches, termites, spiders, and wasps, but when it comes to new Australian pests we are terrified.

When you are faced with a serious issue, you will know immediately that you need to hire a plumber, but what happens if you are not sure? There are less obvious problems that might require a professional’s attention and it is important to know how to spot them. If you avoid fixing an underlying plumbing issue, over time, the costs of the repairs could increase. Additionally, a leaky pipe that is not fixed on time can severely affect the structure of your house.

One of the most popular and common DIY jobs, painting the interior of your home can be an easy and pleasant activity. If you are looking for a cheap and effective way to increase the value of your house, then sprucing it up with a brand new coat of paint is a great idea. However, this task can be time-consuming, so unless you are willing to put in some time and effort, you should consider hiring a professional painter.

Growing vegetables doesn't have to be a seasonal job and planting can be done outside of Spring. In many parts of Australia, you can grow vegetables and have a beautiful cottage garden in Winter as well. The only factor you need to address is which types of vegetables are going to thrive in your local climate.

So you own one or several Airbnb rental properties and maybe time isn’t on your side to manage them by yourself. What's the best solution? Lucky for you, hiring a person who provides professional Airbnb property management services has become quite popular. Your properties will get all the attention they need, and you get to worry less and invest your time in something else.

When listing your property for rent, think of the type of audience you want living in it first! While you will feel like considering a lot of people before choosing a selected audience and demographic, it will help to keep the types of people who are not suited to your property at arms length. Once you have your target audience, its time to consider what types of things they need and want from a rental property, and how you can provide it to them. But who are your ideal renters? The experts at Bricks+Agent have put together some steps to help you target your audience.

Green, eco-friendly and energy efficient housing is growing and scaling in Australia. Whether you've already jumped on the bandwagon or you're just going to dip your toes in the latest trends, here are few housing trends that will save you money and are shaping the Australian real estate market

In order to find good tenants, property managers must ensure that both the outdoor and the indoor areas of the rental unit are in perfect shape during Summer.

Do you know why the roof is considered most important during construction? It is the first line of defense that protects you from environmental hazards. Apart from giving a curb appeal to your building, it gives you a comfortable space to stay. Roofing style has evolved from years. The trend is changing now from conventional roofs to sustainable roofs.

Is your room is too warm? Did you know that your roof could be the problem? A solar-powered roof ventilator might just be the answer to making you comfortable.

Most new real estate agents don't make it past their first year. How can you stay afloat in your first year as an agent without losing time and money

In 2018, there has been a lot of debate around technology disrupting the Australian real estate industry. Here are the top-most real estate tech trends that are taking 2018 by storm.

All successful professionals have their secrets, and property managers make no exception. Knowledge, teamwork, good marketing, and reliability are some of them.

It’s no news that an essential thing for a property manager is to communicate with landlords and tenants effectively and to solve their issues promptly.

Maintenance Plus powered by Bricks + Agent is deeply embedded within Property Tree.

Ideas and trends that are shaping your business are likely to be disrupted by new and advancing trends in technology and old strategies may not work as well anymore. If you want to stop your business from becoming another statistic, try using these hacks for future-proofing your business.

Making the decision to sell your investment property needs a lot of consideration.Sometimes the costs of selling can far outweigh paying a property manager

There’s 250,000 service providers with a registered trade business, but the rate of service providers adopting smart technology to run their business continues to lag.

Smart and cloud-based property maintenance software like Bricks+Agent can help property managers streamline their business tasks and improve relationships with less hassle.

If you are selling or buying property you should consider hiring a conveyancer or a settlement agent to help you with the legal aspects of the transaction.

The playground of property management has shifted drastically in favour of having online businesses. Capitalising on potential of the internet and having a strong web presence is about more than tweaking your website. How can you improve your online presence? Here are our top tips:

Signing a lease is one of the most critical parts of renting a home. There are many things that tenants need to consider before signing a contract for any property. If you are looking to find a property to rent, the following tips will serve as your best guide before signing a lease.

Do you have multiple properties that need renting? You might need the help of a property manager, but before diving straight into an agreement with one there are multiple factors you should consider.

Property investors play a critical role in your business and its important to maintain strong relationships with them. Here are 6 things that you can do to keep your investors happy.