Strategies for Improving HOA Board Member Engagement

4/11/2024 (Permalink)

HOA Board Member Engagement

In the evolving landscape of homeowners’ association (HOA) management, effective engagement between residents and the HOA board is essential to building thriving communities. But how can we improve HOA member engagement? By following effective strategies centered around improved communication, information sharing, and other types of relationship-building.

HOA boards can take several approaches to building mutual trust and promoting more active engagement. The following key strategies can elevate HOA community interactions, empowering board members and residents.

Improve and Enhance Communication

Communicating with community residents helps forge relationships with the HOA and, if managed well, creates an environment of trust. Conversely, poor or minimal communication leads to potential frustration, missed opportunities, misunderstandings, low turnouts, and reduced participation in community events and meetings.

Regular emails and a monthly newsletter are some of the easiest ways to keep the lines of communication open and provide valuable information and updates. Adding quality content ensures residents read the emails and do not immediately toss the newsletter. The board can provide updates on existing and upcoming neighborhood projects and issues, and the newsletter can include neighborhood stories of interest, project updates, and a calendar with dates for upcoming meetings.

Furthermore, communities can utilize a secure online forum or a software-based platform dedicated to neighborhood discussions, document sharing, voting, and other important matters.

Consider hosting quarterly or biannual in-person community meetings to encourage face-to-face interactions and allow residents to meet the board members and form relationships.

Be Transparent and Accountable

The type and amount of detail the board communicates make a difference in the quality of engagement it has with residents. When the HOA does not provide and maintain transparent communication, residents distrust the board’s decisions and feel disconnected. For example, when the board needs to increase fees or charge a special assessment, transparent communication that discloses the details is the best way to prevent distrust and resentment towards the HOA board.

Transparency in communication involves promptly sharing information such as meeting minutes, financial reports, budgets, and other relevant data among board members and the community. In certain situations, such as disaster recovery efforts, communication, and information-sharing becomes critical as the HOA and residents work together to repair and restore homes and common areas.

Board members may also establish performance benchmarks or metrics to measure performance and remain accountable to the community. For example, when overseeing coordinated efforts between homeowners and a chosen fire restoration company, the board can use these benchmarks to track progress, ensure accountability, and expedite the restoration services to keep residents informed and satisfied.

Empowerment and Inclusivity

Residents usually feel more motivated to engage when they feel their thoughts matter. Soliciting feedback, ideas, and suggestions is a tried-and-true method for improving HOA member engagement. Residents feel included in decision-making and empowered by having some say in managing their community.

When residents feel excluded from the HOA’s initiatives and decision-making processes, they will not feel that engagement brings benefits. Suggestion boxes and town hall meetings help residents have a voice and feel more included. Brewing problems, such as perceived or actual inconsistencies in HOA rule enforcement, may become known sooner, allowing the HOA and residents to problem-solve before things worsen.

To ensure board members remain engaged in their positions, assigning specific responsibilities or tasks to members based on their expertise, interest, and availability can contribute to a more successful outcome for both the board members and the community.

Training and Education

An essential way to improve engagement is to help residents become more familiar with the HOA’s rules and regulations. Resident-focused workshops and informational sessions can give community members valuable insights about their rights and responsibilities. This strategy can reduce disputes and misunderstandings while increasing understanding of the HOA's guidelines. It can also prevent residents from feeling unfairly penalized for violating unfamiliar rules.

Additionally, training for board members ensures the HOA provides clear direction to new board members regarding their roles and responsibilities. Offer comprehensive workshops or sessions to help familiarize them with the community bylaws and their contributions to managing the community. Offer access to additional resources, such as online courses or targeted webinars as needed, to keep board members updated on topics such as developing legal issues and industry best practices so they can better serve the community.

Provide Recognition and Appreciation

Improving HOA member engagement can include fun activities that make residents feel appreciated and acknowledged. Consider hosting community events using the neighborhood’s clubhouse or other amenities. Holidays provide the perfect reason for an event, such as an annual Easter egg hunt or Thanksgiving Turkey Trot, to build relationships and bring more families out for face-to-face time. Consider giving shout-outs and awards to celebrate residents’ wins and contributions in the community newsletter.

Engagement Starts with Communication

Proactive engagement is essential for creating and maintaining harmonious communities in HOA management. Disputes and disagreements can arise over various issues. Still, by prioritizing important outcomes such as transparent communication and inclusivity, boards can pave the way for more cooperative relationships and collective prosperity.

When facing challenges such as fire restoration needs, it's vital to collaborate with a reliable service pro near me. By partnering with trusted professionals like SERVPRO of Arcadia, HOA boards can ensure efficient and effective restoration and other services to meet the community’s needs. Contact us today to see how we can help.

Communication Tips for Property Managers

4/5/2024 (Permalink)

Communication Tips for Property Managers

In today’s fast-paced world, property managers are embracing new and varied means of communicating more effectively with residents to create and maintain a thriving community atmosphere. Whether using a traditional newsletter or the latest AI-enhanced property-management platform, various communication channels are essential in engaging and informing residents. The following communication tips will help property managers explore different options that can enhance resident interaction and promote community cohesion.

A Portal for Residents

One of the challenges facing property managers is a lack of efficiency in communicating information to residents. Email and newsletters are time-tested ways to inform homeowners, but a resident portal has a few additional advantages. It’s available 24 hours a day, and property managers can update it with current information daily if needed.

A software-based online portal can also provide residents with added features such as neighborhood-only discounts and local service recommendations, enhancing their ability to save money and feel supported by community management. Some more advanced resident portals have features that allow residents to control certain aspects of their homes remotely, such as locking and unlocking their front doors, adjusting their thermostats, and entering service requests.

Publish a Regular Newsletter

Community newsletters are one of the most traditional types of resident communication. They offer a way to inform residents monthly about upcoming events, community maintenance schedules, and other useful information. One communication tip for property managers regarding a monthly newsletter is to engage and entertain residents with fun facts about the community’s history or spotlight residents’ local activities and achievements.

Consider also highlighting residents’ contributions within the community and offering formal awards or simple gestures such as a handwritten thank-you note or a social media shout-out. Some property managers may also enhance their community’s newsletter by working with businesses in the area to secure exclusive coupons or discounts available only through the newsletter.

Embrace Social Media

Social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook are about more than just broadcasting the goings-on in the community. They are also about connecting with residents and building relationships with interested parties interested in buying or renting within the community. If using social media platforms, respond immediately to resident requests or comments so users know the page is active and feel encouraged to continue their engagement. Consider adding contests or social media polls to collect feedback or generate excitement for upcoming community events, which can increase resident interaction and participation.

Resident Feedback

Resident feedback has evolved behind simple suggestion boxes. Digital feedback methods like a resident portal or social media platform can give property managers real-time insights into residents’ evolving preferences and needs. Some of the newer portal software can use AI algorithms to extract feedback trends and identify key improvement areas. Consider implementing a transparent feedback loop that lets residents see which suggestions are being implemented and how they can enhance their trust and satisfaction with property management.

Plan Community Events

Community events can provide residents with a fun outlet and promote a sense of belonging in the community. Another communication tip for property managers is to choose various activities catering to different interests to ensure broad resident participation and inclusivity.

One of the easiest events to plan is a community garage sale, with property management providing ads and signage leading up to the sale and coffee and donuts for residents on garage sale day. Another fun option to build deeper connections and relationships between neighbors is an organized resident talent show, where residents can showcase their hobbies or special skills.

Tailor-Made Communication

Personalizing resident communications can help improve engagement but involves more than just using a resident’s name. Understanding their needs and preferences is vital, allowing for segmenting residents based on common interests or demographics. Segmenting allows for more targeted and relevant communications, and some property management software can now use AI algorithms to help out. The software analyzes resident data and then personalizes and automates communications. This strategy can save time and costs for property managers while making communications more effective and efficient.

Multilingual Support

Language barriers can create a roadblock to communication with residents and limit their access to needed community services. When property managers support multiple languages, they ensure inclusivity and show residents their respect for the community’s cultural diversity. The monthly newsletter, online portal, and social media platforms can offer translations, a “word of the day” in different languages, and other features that provide learning opportunities and create cross-cultural connections.

Create Video Content

Some property managers add video content to their online resident portals or social media platforms as a dynamic way to deliver instructions and information. A video tour can show off individual available units and highlight the community’s amenities and other features. For current residents, consider offering a mix of videos that include maintenance tips and other useful content. As part of emergency preparedness, consider strategies such as partnering with a fire damage restoration service to create content for a fire-safety video and other vendors for additional useful topics. Professional video production companies or videographers can produce polished, professional-quality videos to engage viewers and increase the property’s overall appeal and presentation.

Emergency Preparedness

Emergency preparedness can provide residents safety and clarity in responding to critical situations. Consider providing regular drills or training sessions and publishing tips and guidelines in the newsletter and online for easy access. Some properties go a step further and establish neighborhood emergency response teams. Residents on the teams undergo specialized training, which increases the safety and well-being of the community and fosters a sense of preparedness and responsibility.

Improved Communication Strengthens the Community

As property management strives to create a connected, vibrant community, every communication counts. By embracing varied and innovative strategies, management can lay a foundation for inclusivity, mutual understanding, and cohesiveness among residents. Effective emergency preparedness and other communication initiatives can create an environment where residents feel informed, valued, and empowered. Consider partnering with vendors, such as your local SERVPRO franchise, who can work with the community to increase safety. Contact us today to see how we can help.

Navigating Multi-Family Property Challenges

3/17/2024 (Permalink)

Multi-Family Property Challenges

Navigating Multi-Family Property Challenges

Multi-family properties are a solid choice for real estate investing, but they also serve as valuable resources for families and communities. A multifamily property offers investors long-term potential for growth, particularly in areas where urban sprawl is transforming the residential landscape. Property management professionals also help people enjoy their communities by ensuring multifamily properties are safe, well-kept, and inviting.

Multi-Family Properties Are Good for Investors, Families and Communities

Although multi-family units are good for families, investors, and communities, some challenges come with managing these properties. Security concerns, maintenance, rent collection, and more present different dynamics when managing multi-family rather than single-family or commercial properties. Thankfully, knowledge and the right tools can easily overcome these challenges.

If you’re a property manager who serves tenants in multi-family dwellings, below are some of the top challenges for multi-family properties, along with solutions:

Conflict Resolution

Tenant conflicts tend to be more frequent when managing various units within a multi-family property. These properties often require tenants to live close to one another, and whenever you have many people in a confined area, you’re bound to run into conflicts.

Even small conflicts involving noise in another unit can boil over with time, so having a conflict resolution system is a good idea. However you decide to set up and implement this system, you should consider fairness and impartiality. This can be challenging when managing hundreds of relationships with different types of personalities.

Anonymity is another factor involved in conflict resolution for residential property management. Failure to protect the identity of a complainant could make the situation worse. At the same time, anonymous reports can be abused by a tenant with a grudge. Your goal should be to resolve conflicts without escalating situations further.

To overcome these challenges, draft a conflict resolution policy and have tenants agree to it upon signing leases. Follow these policies across the board in every conflict resolution scenario to keep treatment of tenant concerns consistent.

Tenant Screening

Tenant screening can be among the top challenges for multi-family properties simply due to the scale of the process. Property managers typically need to screen a handful of applicants in a single-family unit. This alone can be time-consuming, but tenant screening becomes all the more challenging when this process scales to include hundreds or thousands of applicants.

Fortunately, property managers have access to a range of technology tools to overcome these challenges. Property management software can aid in the screening process to speed things up using automation. Prospective tenants can submit required data online, and software can then process this data against various criteria to ensure a good fit. This saves time when dealing with large numbers of applicants.

Maintenance and Repairs

Maintenance and repairs can be another set of challenges when managing a multi-family property. Unlike a single-family property, where you only have to keep track of a single series of maintenance and repair concerns, multi-family properties can develop a range of issues over time in multiple units.

Due to the scale of multi-family property management, you will likely face year-round maintenance and repair concerns across multiple units within a property or complex. Addressing issues like restoration of water damage can be paramount to tenant satisfaction. Likewise, exterior concerns like paint or siding can present ongoing challenges that should be addressed routinely throughout the year.

To overcome these challenges, multi-family property managers are encouraged to implement an inspection system alongside property management software. Artificial intelligence built into today’s property management software can track when maintenance was last performed at a property and even predict maintenance needs before they become major issues.

Rent Collection

Rent collection can be another of the top challenges for multi-family properties. As with tenant screening, the scale of rent collection tasks can become daunting when working with hundreds of tenants monthly. In addition to collecting rent, property managers also have to issue receipts, look up tenant data, ensure cash flow is routed correctly, track tax information for accounting, and more.

Software can once again be a tool to overcome these challenges. Automated rent collection tools allow property managers to accept rent payments online, and receipts can be issued automatically. Using software tools, tenants can also look up their online payment histories 24 hours a day.

Many software apps for rent collection and multi-family property management also handle tax accounting information for property managers. This information can be imported into tax software directly, further saving time and ensuring data accuracy.

Contact SERVPRO of Arcadia for Professional Restoration Solutions for Multi-Family Properties

If you’re a property manager who needs a trusted partner for restoration services at multi-family properties, contact SERVPRO of Arcadia. We’ll be happy to go over SERVPRO cost considerations and provide answers to all of your questions.

Commercial Property Management Best Practices

3/12/2024 (Permalink)

Commercial Property Management

Commercial Property Management Best Practices

Commercial property management plays an important role in the economy. While business owners need places to run their companies, property management professionals are hard at work to keep things running smoothly in the background.

Whether you manage traditional office buildings, retail complexes, coworking spaces, or other commercial property forms, a lot of work goes into ensuring tenant satisfaction and a safe environment for all. You have to keep up with the management of the actual property. Still, at the same time, you need to put your interpersonal skills to work when navigating different personalities and industries.

If you’re looking for ways to make your life easier as a commercial property manager, below are some commercial property management best practices that can help you work more effectively and efficiently:

Review Your Standard Lease Agreements Annually

When you first got into property management, you probably spent much time drafting your standard lease agreement or agreements. You probably considered the needs of potential tenants and thought about the long-term implications of each item included in your lease documents.

Although these documents have served you well, now is a good time to review your lease agreements to see if any changes can make it easier to do your job. This is particularly true if you’ve had the same agreements in place for years and haven’t made any changes.

Economic factors, changes in workplace trends, and more can all impact property management over time, and your lease agreements and commercial property management best practices must keep up with the times to be effective.

Now would be a good time to review your standard lease agreement documents to review items and update policies. Make sure you have your attorney review your final drafts to give their seal of approval.

Handle Work Orders in a Timely Fashion

Repair requests and other work orders should always be handled promptly. Effective commercial property managers have systems to ensure this happens, and many today use property management software and even artificial intelligence to keep things in order.

Whether you need to contract with a water restoration company, a general contractor, or another contracting professional, your work order processing system should be as efficient as possible. Commercial property management best practices dictate that work orders and repair requests get addressed quickly to improve tenant satisfaction, but this can also be a legal issue.

If you don’t address commercial property maintenance and repair concerns brought up by tenants, your property management company may be the target of a lawsuit if someone becomes injured. Failure to efficiently address work orders may also cause existing problems to get worse over time, leading to higher costs and more problems.

Have a Schedule for Inspections and Maintenance

With all you do daily as a commercial property manager, it can be easy to let inspections slip by the wayside. After all, if no one is reporting a problem, everything is fine, right?

Unfortunately, you may discover expensive problems brewing without an inspection schedule. Routine preventative maintenance and inspections allow you and your team to get ahead of normal wear and tear before issues like malfunctioning light fixtures or smoke detectors turn into major repairs.

Regular inspections as part of a property maintenance plan can also ensure energy efficiency, especially if you manage older office spaces or retail spaces that haven’t been updated. Older, inefficient fixtures can lead to higher energy costs, and you may be on the hook for these higher costs depending on your lease agreement. Over time, high energy costs due to inefficient fixtures, wiring, pipes, and routing can eat into rental income and make predicting and controlling costs more difficult.

Make Communication a Priority

The most important best practice in commercial property management is to communicate often. Communication is vital between your team and tenants and between your team and vendors, contractors, and other service professionals with whom you work. A communication breakdown often delays responding to work orders, and poor communication can also earn your property management company a bad reputation in the community.

To make communication easier, think about all of the methods of communication at your disposal. Consider talking with tenants to survey them on their preferred methods of communication as well. Email, phone calls, text messages, and standard mail all have their place when it comes to effective communication in property management. Make sure you use the right method for the right purpose to keep everyone up to date on repairs, maintenance, inspections, and expectations.

Involve Your Team

Lastly, involve your entire commercial property management team in decisions. This doesn’t mean you need to allow everyone to make big decisions, but you should keep your entire team in the loop and ask for feedback often.

Every member of your team, from your office staff who work face-to-face with tenants to your contractors who complete repairs and process work orders, should be knowledgeable and passionate. They need to have a vested interest in ensuring tenant satisfaction.

When you communicate clearly with your team, they can provide this same level of communication to your tenants. In turn, you experience greater efficiency in handling tenant concerns and questions, resulting in a more efficient workflow.

Contact SERVPRO of Arcadia for Professional Water Damage Restoration Solutions

If you manage commercial properties, SERVPRO of Arcadia is here to make your life easier. We specialize in water damage restoration and other solutions for commercial property management. 

Creative Strategies to Boost Tenant Retention

3/7/2024 (Permalink)

Happy tenants

Creative Strategies to Boost Tenant Retention

Tenant retention is one of the keys to maintaining cash flow at a rental property. Vacancy doesn't just harm landlords by making a unit unprofitable for every month it remains empty. Chronic rental vacancies also cost landlords because they require them to spend time and money on marketing and tenant screening. This article looks at the best ways to improve tenant retention.

1. Create a Safe Setting

Safety has never been a bigger priority among tenants. Unfortunately, many rental properties leave tenants feeling vulnerable. Some ways to make tenants feel safe include:

1. Having surveillance cameras in place in strategic public areas of a property.
2. Upgrading locks and deadbolts with the latest technology.
3. Having visitor protocols in place to prevent entry to tenant-only zones of a property.
4. Having generators standing by for power outages.
5. Having plans in place for weather responses or evacuations.
6. Hiring security guards for larger complexes.
7. Making sure that all doorbells and call boxes are in working order.

A property owner can also consider having annual "town hall" meetings that address safety concerns among the tenant community. This allows tenants to voice their opinions about how you can make them feel safer. After all, nobody sees the potential for safety breaches like the people living on the property daily. Even landlords who don't have formal meetings can consider opening a special email account or hotline that can be used to voice safety concerns.

2. Keep Rent Consistent

It's unavoidable that landlords need to increase rents occasionally to keep up with expenses. However, tenants can smell opportunistic landlords a mile away. Play the long game by only making incremental rental increases when necessary. Even tenants who can afford increased rates will often move out of spite or anger when they feel they are being taken advantage of by landlords who are raising prices just because they can. Before deciding about a rent increase, it's important to analyze the potential for increased revenue against the losses if even just 5% of tenants decide not to renew in response.

3. Incentive Loyalty

There are some easy things landlords can do for their tenants that will keep them in their apartments longer. One painless way to improve tenant retention is to offer to report on-time rental payments to credit bureaus to help tenants build up a positive credit history. This kind gesture can secure a dependable tenant for several years while they attempt to repair less-than-great credit.

Another great way to lock tenants in is to offer discounts when they renew by a certain deadline. As a lease comes to an end, a tenant may begin looking around the area to see what their options are. By giving a tenant a letter letting them know they can save a specific amount by renewing by a certain deadline, you're applying pressure to renew quickly in the kindest way possible! Renewal discounts help tenants feel like they are getting financial benefits. For landlords who feel apprehensive about losing income by offering discounts, it's important to remember that just one month of vacancy for a unit can more than wipe away any potential earnings you'd make at the higher rate.

4. Be Your Own Quality Inspector

Many long-time renters are so used to "chasing around" landlords to get repairs done that they consider it a breath of fresh air when a property owner takes a proactive approach to maintaining units. Create a calendar for routine inspections that allows you to find maintenance issues before they become big problems. In addition to providing tenants with a better quality of life, this approach also saves you money in the long run by fixing wear and tear, minor leaks, busted appliances, and other common issues before they become expensive problems.

Even more important than the material benefit of staying ahead of repairs is the fact that being concerned about a tenant's living space builds trust. This is especially true when it comes to repairing structural issues or managing mold remediation. In addition to turning off tenants, visible signs of damage and mold cause legal consequences for a property owner.

5. Train Your Staff in Customer Service

It's far too common for property managers and their staff to act as though they are doing tenants "a favor" every time they interact with them. The truth is that responding to maintenance requests and handling safety concerns are far from favors. These tasks simply represent the property owner upholding their end of the contract! A tenant is far more likely to stay in a rental when they feel like they are receiving good customer service instead of constantly battling just to get what they are legally entitled to through their lease agreement. Some ways to prioritize customer service in the tenant experience include:

1. Providing specific appointments for scheduled maintenance instead of broad windows.
2. Ensuring that maintenance staff members always knock before entering instead of merely using their keys to get into a unit.
3. Providing friendly reminders about new rules or protocol updates in writing.
4. Keeping office hours that allow tenants to speak with a representative in person.

The importance of simply being heard regarding tenant retention cannot be overstated! While the staff member on duty may not always be able to provide a fast solution for every tenant issue, they can at least assure that the matter will be handled. Remember that a rental is never just a rental to a tenant. While they may not own a unit, the need to feel safe and comfortable in their home can bring strong feelings to the surface.

6. Remember Birthdays

There's a reason why people who deal in sales routinely send gifts to their clients and leads. These gestures create a connection. How does that translate for property owners and tenants? One simple way to ensure every tenant feels appreciated is to send them a card on their birthday. You can also consider sending a gift card. This simple gesture can be a great way to strengthen the tenant-landlord relationship by making each tenant feel like more than just an anonymous name on a lease.

7. Create a Sense of Community

Liking your neighbors is a great reason not to move. That's why one fun way to create happy tenants is to host community events. Movie nights, barbeques, pool parties, and other planned events that use your property's amenities are perfect for socializing. If you have a large enough tenant population, it's also worth considering offering ongoing events throughout the month as part of a robust "lifestyle" calendar. Some options might include workout classes, book clubs, dance classes, and skill-building workshops.

Make Your Property a Place People Want to Call Home

The bottom line is that your rental property needs to be the place that people want to return to at the end of the day if your goal is to improve tenant retention. Retaining tenants comes down to creating an environment that's accommodating and safe. If you're struggling with high tenant turnover because your property has earned a reputation for poor upkeep due to visible or odorous mold, it's time to take action. Contact SERVPRO® mold services today to get your property on track to becoming a place tenants are proud to live.

Ensuring Transparency in HOA Management

3/6/2024 (Permalink)

Achieving Openness and Transparency in HOA Management

Transparency in HOA governance isn't just a goal; it's a necessity. Find out how to implement open practices that foster a trusting community environment.

Ensuring Transparency in HOA Management

In homeowners’ associations (HOAs), transparency is not just a buzzword. An essential principle underlies the critical trust and accountability HOAs need to govern and maintain a cohesive community effectively. Ensuring HOA management transparency is a worthwhile effort that will pay dividends to all stakeholders over time by implementing a few strategies. The following takes a deeper look at HOAs and how their level of transparency can make or break their relationship with homeowners and the harmony of their communities.

What Is HOA Management Transparency?

When HOA management engages in transparent communication with the community, it has open and honest discussions between HOA board members and homeowners about everything involved in governing the community. This encompasses much information, from financial records to rules and regulations. It also includes insights into the HOA’s decision-making process.

Transparency on the HOA’s part means the board provides homeowners with information that is clear and easily accessible, so they have a better understanding of how their HOA operates and makes decisions. The goal is for homeowners to feel empowered, informed, and confident in their HOA's leadership.

Why Transparency Is Important for HOAs

Transparency is the essential ingredient that creates a well-functioning association for homeowners. Building trust between residents and the HOA makes the community more cohesive and promotes a sense of ownership and accountability. When homeowners can access the HOA’s finances, operations, and decision-making data, they have more information to factor into their decisions about investing in their community. This collaborative relationship enhances property values because prospective homeowners want to live in communities with an effective HOA with clear, fair, and effective governance.

Benefits for All

When an HOA practices transparency, it can lead to many benefits for homeowners and the community. It builds goodwill with residents by fostering a culture of inclusivity and collaboration, letting residents feel heard by the HOA and feel they are a valued part of the decision-making process. The HOA may also experience fewer conflicts and misunderstandings with homeowners, minimizing disputes within the community.

When homeowners feel they know what goes on with the HOA’s operations and finances, they understand the reason behind rules and regulations. This insight increases the likelihood of compliance and harmony in the community’s living environment.

The Pitfalls of Poor Transparency

When a community feels its HOA management transparency is lacking, it often results in frustration and confusion. Residents feel the board excludes them from crucial decisions that affect them and does not inform them about essential community matters. Poor transparency can erode trust between homeowners and the association, increasing misunderstandings and conflicts. Homeowners feel more resistant to following rules and regulations and lose faith in the HOA leadership.

For example, a lack of transparency can create poor communication and issues addressing community problems such as water leaks and damage. A burst water pipe in a common area that causes damage to a home requires a coordinated effort between the homeowner and the HOA. Poor communication on the HOA’s part can cause delays in reporting incidents and poor coordination of water damage cleanup efforts. Miscommunicated repair timelines, insurance claims, and other issues can lead to increased costs and potential legal battles over who must absorb the costs and responsibility.

Another critical area affected by a lack of transparency is the HOA’s finances. Not promptly making financial data available can lead homeowners to lodge accusations of embezzlement or fraud. Suspicious homeowners will not have an interest in collaborating with their HOA, which jeopardizes community harmony, undermines the HOA’s effectiveness, and diminishes property values.

Strategies that Enhance HOA Management Transparency

Several strategies can help an HOA enhance transparency with its community. First, and most importantly, is establishing clear channels and practices for sharing information with homeowners. This might include regular community meetings, newsletters, and a portal that provides homeowners easy access to documents and community updates.

An HOA can also increase transparency and trust by providing detailed budgets and financial reports, which provide homeowners with insights into how the HOA allocates their dues. Technology, such as social media groups or emails sent to all homeowners, can also help improve communication and facilitate transparency among the community and its residents.

More Strategies: Take a Collaborative Approach

Creating transparency is a process that requires effort and input from both the board and homeowners. The HOA can encourage homeowners to attend meetings, participate actively in community affairs, and voice their suggestions and concerns. The board should also implement ways to actively seek feedback and be open to constructive criticism from residents. Transparency is a shared responsibility, and when homeowners and the board work together to address and solve issues, it builds a more accountable, stronger community.

Better Communication Builds a Harmonious Community

Transparency involves all stakeholders working toward a communicative and inclusive environment that fosters more harmonious living. Placing a priority on activities that build transparency requires effort but can have a large payoff that continues to improve over time. HOA boards can enhance trust and minimize conflicts by embracing open communication and providing access to relevant documents and decision-making processes.

Increased transparency empowers residents and enables them to work collaboratively with the HOA. In unfortunate situations such as water damage to common areas or a homeowner’s property, SERVPRO water damage cleanup specialists are ready to provide prompt, professional restoration solutions. Contact us today for more information.

Tenant Screening Tips for Property Managers

2/26/2024 (Permalink)

Effective Tenant Screening Tips for Property Managers

A positive tenant-landlord relationship is very important for successful property management. That's why taking time to screen tenants to find the right fit is essential. While renting can sometimes feel transactional, the reality is that responsible, consistent tenants can be counted on to act as co-stewards of a property. Life is better for tenants and landlords when proper, legal vetting occurs. So, how do you screen tenants for your rental properties? Here are five screening tips for property managers to consider when searching for great tenants!

1. Make Sure You Know Your Responsibilities as a Landlord or Property Manager

Are you familiar with the Fair Housing Act? This piece of legislation is must-read material for anyone who screens tenants or reviews rental applications! The Fair Housing Act protects people from discrimination based on race, national origin, religion, sex and sexual orientation, family status, or disability. While discriminating against someone for any reason may be the last thing you would ever do, it's essential to become familiar with housing laws to avoid the appearance of discrimination. According to the law, discrimination can come in the form of refusing to negotiate for housing, setting different terms or conditions for rental, imposing different rental rates, and more. Once you create your tenant screening blueprint, be sure to use a consistent method across the board to avoid the appearance of using different criteria when vetting different tenants.

2. Use a Basic Questionnaire for the First Round of Screening

Before you invest time and money into running professional background checks, offer a short screening questionnaire to make sure that a tenant's goals and needs are compatible with what your property offers. With the Fair Housing Act in mind, consider putting together a brief tenant-screening worksheet with the following questions:

1. What is your monthly income?
2. Are you currently employed?
3. How long do you intend to stay in the property?
4. Have you ever been evicted from a rental property?
5. Have you ever broken a lease?
6. Can you provide a reference letter from your current or previous landlord?
7. Do you have pets that will be living in the unit?
8. Do you agree to a background check that includes a criminal history check as part of the tenant screening process?

If a tenant passes the first vetting phase, have them fill out a complete rental application. The application should include a line for the applicant to sign off on having a background check conducted. Getting consent in writing on the application provides the green light to move forward!

3. Verify Employment and Income

For a landlord or property manager, one of the main goals of screening is to verify that a tenant can pay rent on time. Letting a tenant get in over their head with rental payments that do not leave money left over for life basics isn't doing anyone a favor. One of the best tenant screening tips for property managers is to pre-screen tenants for "free" by simply being honest and transparent in your rental listing.

Include the monthly rental cost to allow tenants to scratch it off their list if they know it is not within their budget. Once you have a tenant application, comparing the monthly rent payment to a potential tenant's income becomes vital. The best way to do this is to verify income using pay stubs. However, property managers can also request W-2 forms, ask for a letter of verification from an employer, or require bank statements.

Generally, landlords utilize the rent-to-income ratio to decide if a tenant can reasonably afford rent on a property. There is some leeway for the ratio based on whether you live in a high-cost or low-cost area. Landlords may feel more comfortable with tighter ratios in cities with high rents. However, most landlords feel uncomfortable approving rental applications when the monthly rent is less than 30% of the renter's income.

4. Conduct the Right Background Checks

There's no question that you want peace of mind when choosing potential tenants! In many ways, inviting someone into your rental property is like inviting them into your home. That's why the law gives you the right to investigate someone before you approve a lease. Here's the blueprint for background checks you can't skip:

1. Criminal Records: A criminal record check can pull up information regarding felonies, minor offenses, and other "dings" on a person's record. However, landlords and property managers need to be aware that the presence of a criminal record doesn't necessarily make it legal to deny a tenant application. In California, the nature and date of the crime both matter. For example, denying a rental application based on a decade-old driving offense might not be lawful. However, denying an application due to a recent arson conviction could be legal. Remember that only arrest records that resulted in conviction are relevant to the tenant screening process!
2. Previous Evictions: A history of evictions can be considered a valid reason to deny a rental application.
3. Previous Bankruptcies or Poor Tenant Behavior: Landlords are legally empowered to set criteria for tenant approval based on factors that have a reasonable business purpose. This can include a poor credit score and bankruptcy. Even a poor reference from a previous landlord that reveals that a tenant consistently failed to pay rent on time can be a valid reason to deny an application. However, the best way a landlord can stay protected is to have a no-bankruptcy policy drafted up in the tenant requirements that apply to all applicants.

It's important to let tenants know that you require background checks. In fact, landlords should be ready to present a copy of a criminal history check to an applicant upon request. Additionally, landlords should be accepting of mitigating information provided by potential tenants with criminal histories.

5. Remember That Tenants Are Also Screening You

Remember that it takes a high-quality property to attract high-quality tenants. That's why the final tip on the list of tenant screening tips for property managers is ensuring your property is always putting its best foot forward! Nothing scares reliable tenants away like the sight of disrepair or water damage. If your property has a history of water issues due to neglect, weather events, or previous tenant behaviors, consider flood restoration before listing the property or opening it up for showings. In addition, property managers need to be clear and transparent regarding building policies that affect tenants' lives. Let tenants know ahead of time if smoking and pets are permitted.

If you need help getting your rental property ready for walkthroughs with potential tenants, bring in service pro cleaning for expert restoration and cleaning services!

Important Disclaimer

The information provided in this article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. Property management laws and regulations can vary significantly by state and local municipality. Property managers must familiarize themselves with the specific laws applicable to ensure compliance and avoid any legal violations. We strongly advise consulting with a legal professional to obtain guidance tailored to your situation and jurisdiction.

Effective Ways to Resolve HOA Complaints

2/19/2024 (Permalink)

Transform your approach to handling HOA disputes with our detailed guide.

Living in a homeowners' association (HOA) managed community offers residents many benefits but is not without challenges. From parking issues to abandoned doggy doo in shared areas and other problems, the variety of complaints covers a lot of ground. When residents express their grievances to the HOA, each complaint warrants communication, careful consideration, and effective strategies to resolve the issues. When the HOA board focuses on how to resolve HOA complaints instead of ignoring or minimizing them, the result is a better community for everyone.

Parking Issues

In some HOA communities, street parking may be in short supply, causing complaints about the limited parking spot availability. Sometimes, people park on the streets in ways that block neighboring driveways. Residents may also park their cars in guest spots instead of their driveway or garage. They might also park an extra, rarely-used vehicle on the street and not move it for extended periods. Finally, unauthorized vehicles that don't seem to belong to residents, but take up valuable street or guest parking, also trigger complaints.

HOAs must provide clear signage to state the community’s rules for parking and enforce those rules or regulations consistently for them to have an effect. Other potential solutions include adding more parking areas designated for guests or issuing parking permits to monitor and effectively manage community parking.

Noise Problems

Neighbors can disrupt the peace by generating excessive noise, from loud music late at night to using noisy equipment in their yard or garage early in the morning. Another common complaint is continual barking from dogs who spend much time in the backyard.

When considering how to resolve HOA complaints about noise, HOAs can establish specific quiet hours for the community and encourage respectful communication between neighbors to resolve issues. Consider implementing a formal process for residents to lodge noise complaints for repeat disturbances.

Problems with Pets

The barking dog is cliché, but many other complaints also come up about neighborhood dogs. Some residents like to walk their dogs off-leash, which can endanger other pets, especially smaller breeds. Some neighbors do not pick up after their pets and leave pet feces on neighbors’ lawns or in common areas for others to deal with.

To resolve these complaints, establish pet regulations and enforce them consistently. Consider installing pet waste-bag stations with trash cans in key areas so residents can use tools to clean up after their pets. In the community newsletter, offer training resources and educational articles to inform pet owners and consider a program to require pet registration.

Neglected Maintenance

Residents may become concerned and lodge complaints if they feel the community upkeep is not up to par, such as overgrown common-area landscaping that blocks walkways, burned-out lights left unrepaired, and buildings with dirty or aged exteriors.

To resolve these issues, put maintenance on a regular schedule and include routine inspections. Promptly handle issues reported by residents and ensure that the HOA can cover maintenance costs by allocating sufficient budget dollars to the community’s upkeep.

Architectural Violations

Neighbors often complain when they see a resident changing their property without proper approval. These alterations can include unauthorized plantings in the front yard or paint colors that are not on the “approved” list. It also includes any structural modifications that have not received approval. For example, a homeowner may add a deck to their house without adhering to the HOA’s defined guidelines.

To resolve these complaints, the HOA can educate residents on the appropriate architectural guidelines for the community. It can also provide homeowners with resources and steps to get approval for home modifications. Conduct regular inspections and institute penalties for any violations to enforce compliance with the guidelines.

Misuse of Community Amenities

This common complaint usually involves reports of community amenities being abused or misused. Examples include residents having parties in common areas without getting proper approval or non-residents using pool and barbecue areas or the community clubhouse without prior permission. Some communities with locked pool areas have issues with residents making key copies for non-residents and their children to use the pool.

To resolve these complaints, the HOA must monitor the amenities regularly to enforce HOA rules. To prevent misuse and keep non-residents from accessing the amenities, consider a reservation system and access controls such as keys or key cards where possible. Use an electronic lock to track which keys are used to access the areas, and assign serial numbers to keys to prevent duplication.

Neighbor Disputes

Conflicts between neighbors can trigger complaints, such as disagreements over shared areas, property boundary disputes, and noise issues. After a disaster situation, such as a fire that involves more than one home, the HOA, and homeowners may have disputes over which insurance company should cover the fire damage and safety concerns that arise during fire restoration work, such as who covers the costs, work delays and questions about the work quality.

When resolving HOA complaints, maintaining open, clear, and transparent communication is the best way to minimize disputes and misunderstandings. The HOA can offer mediation services and other resources for neighbors with difficulties resolving a dispute amicably. Communication is also key for issues such as fire restoration involving multiple homeowners and the HOA.

Taking prompt action and coordinating between homeowners, insurance providers, restoration contractors, and the HOA board can ease many concerns and ensure residents that the damaged properties will be restored to pre-fire conditions as quickly and satisfactorily as possible.

Ensuring Harmony in the Community

In many ways, the HOA acts as a peacekeeper for the community, making it vital to proactively manage and address resident complaints. With clear communication, diligence, and a focus on fair outcomes, the HOA can offer constructive solutions to resident complaints. Enforceable regulations and other strategies can minimize conflicts while upholding the community’s collective well-being. Let SERVPRO Arcadia be part of the solution by offering high-quality, professional fire restoration and other services to HOAs to restore property values and family routines. Contact us today for more information!

Marketing Ideas for Property Managers

2/16/2024 (Permalink)

Effective Marketing Techniques for Property Management Success

When you really think about it, running a successful property management business is all about marketing. A piece of real estate is what it is – a piece of real property. The role of property management companies is to market the features of real estate to generate demand from high-quality tenants and manage the needs of each tenant and property.

Property owners need to show prospective tenants why they should choose a particular property over other options, but more importantly, why they should want to choose a particular property over others. In a sense, this type of marketing is about demand generation just as much as lead generation.

Unfortunately, property management marketing ideas can be hard to come by when you’re busy. Trying to put all of your ideas together in one plan can feel like you’re always playing catch up, especially in high-competition areas. While you’re busy trying to find innovative marketing ideas, you also have to contend with repairs, tenant concerns, rent collection, tax and insurance issues, and more.

We’re Here to Help

To help you save time and expand your marketing efforts, we’ve put together some simple property management marketing ideas you can begin to implement this week. Remember that property marketing in the real estate business is an ever-evolving journey, and no one solution will be a silver bullet; however, these marketing ideas, when implemented with consistency, can go a long way in generating leads for months or even years to come.

Rely on Your Website to Do the Work for You

If you’re serious about property management, you no doubt have a website for your company. While having a website is a great start, you won’t get the most out of it without investing in digital marketing. Search engine optimization (SEO) is a crucial component for digital marketing and website success in the crowded property management field, and local SEO is even more important.

SEO and your website work hand in hand to bring more relevant traffic to your site. Also, SEO strategies can help your property management website rank higher in search results. This means getting your site and properties in front of local people who are already searching for places to lease.

Resources like blog posts add to your website's value and create opportunities to develop backlinks that point to your site. Search engines typically value websites with lots of high-quality backlinks, and your backlink profile can be a ranking factor when your website comes up in local search results for properties for lease.

Consider Online Ads

Another way to attract digital leads is to place web ads through search engines, social media, and industry publications. Online paid ads can be effective property management marketing ideas because they allow you to choose who sees your ads and on what platforms.

Most digital advertising platforms let you select various factors to create a target audience. Some of these factors may include age, location, income level, and hobbies or interests. By selecting the right demographic information for your target audience, you can ensure that the right people see your ads for your location and type of property.

Use Social Media

You can also use social media marketing to engage with prospective and current tenants. Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram allow you to showcase your properties and present opportunities to show off your company’s personality and style.

Social media profiles are great places to list openings, discuss the benefits of communities around your properties, or update tenants on the latest news. For instance, if you’ve recently had water damage restoration completed at a multi-unit rental property, use social media to share before-and-after pics so that your tenants can see that you’re on top of things. This type of social media content can also help to strengthen the bonds between your company and its tenants.

Solicit Online Reviews

Online reviews are great property management marketing ideas as they allow your tenants to do the marketing for you. Soliciting online reviews from happy tenants and displaying these reviews on the web is a fanatic way to build social proof. People tend to trust the opinions of others when it comes to making purchasing decisions, and a glowing online review can go a long way in building trust with minimal work on your part.

You’re encouraged to be cautious, however, as negative online reviews can be quite detrimental to your plans. Unfortunately, people tend to only leave online reviews when they’ve had negative experiences, and if someone sees many negative experiences associated with your company, they’re likely to steer clear.

If you come across negative reviews, you can combat them by responding promptly but always remaining professional. Demonstrate in your response that your company is committed to making things right if something goes wrong on your end, and encourage private contact between your company and the person who left the review.

Partner With Local Businesses

If you’re looking for offline marketing ideas for your property management business, or if you’re seeking hybrid marketing ideas that combine online and offline strategies, consider partnering with local businesses. For maximum effect, try to find businesses that complement your own.

For instance, consider what your tenants may need when they start planning a move. A moving or supply company would likely fit the bill here, so see what you can do to establish relationships with moving companies or supply companies in the area.

You can then try to find ways to market your business through these partnerships. An example of this may be when you agree to provide branded promotional materials as welcome gifts to a moving supply company. That moving supply company then hands these out to people purchasing packing supplies. The potential exists for someone to see your property management company as they are packing to move and consider contacting your company to see if opportunities are available.

Measure Your Success

No matter what methods you use to market your property management company, measuring success is important. Keeping track of metrics on a regular basis allows you to see what’s working and what may need adjusting. Having access to metrics and knowing what you plan to measure and why can help your company focus its marketing strategy for more effective results.

Protect Your Investment and Keep Tenants Happy With SERVPRO of Arcadia

At SERVPRO, our team is here to make your job easier. We provide property managers with fast response services for fire restoration, mold remediation, and more to ensure your tenants are safe and your properties stay protected. To learn more about SERVPRO restoration, call our team in Arcadia, or use our contact form to reach us online right now.

Cybersecurity Basics for Property Managers

2/9/2024 (Permalink)

Explore essential cybersecurity strategies for property managers.

Property managers wear many hats whether they're responsible for large commercial complexes, multiunit residential properties, mixed-use facilities, or any other property. From managing occupancy rates to handling day-to-day operations or even hiring a water damage restoration company after a major incident, the eyes of tenants, employees, and stakeholders all turn to the property manager. With all of that on their collective plates, it's easy to see how cybersecurity takes a back seat for most property managers.

However, the unintended consequence of that lack of prioritization is a significant increase in the potential liability should a cyber incident occur. Cyber attackers frequently target property management companies, real estate companies, and other related industries Due to the sheer quantity of sensitive information that they possess. For that same reason, data breaches in those industries come rife with negative consequences. You could be facing civil liability, regulatory fines, restitution, and the reputational damage your company would incur from a reported breach.

What Information Should Be Secured?

Without basic training in cybersecurity for property managers, it's likely that they don't even know why they could be targeted for a cyber attack. Property management systems, in particular, provide a mouthwatering target for cybercriminals. Tenants' personal information is sometimes one-sided, with maintenance requests, operational technology, contract details, etc. Cybersecurity risks abound, and high-risk industries like real estate must become proficient in managing those risks.

Property Management Cybersecurity Basics

To that end, we've compiled some of the cybersecurity best practices you can implement to protect your sensitive information from being compromised in a data breach.

Conduct Cyber Risk Assessments

We just mentioned how prevalent cybersecurity risks can be, and you can't possibly mitigate those risks if you don't know where your exposure is. Regular cyber risk assessments should be conducted whether you use a vendor or your in-house personnel. You should evaluate what kind of data you store and utilize, how it's transmitted and backed up, who has access to the sensitive information, and what monitoring solutions are in place. Once you have identified the risks, you can then focus on narrowing the attack surface by enforcing things like multifactor authentication.

Educate All Staff

Just like training in cybersecurity for property managers is essential, all employees need to have a basic understanding of cybersecurity as well. This should include training on possible threat vectors, sensitive information that is at risk, your enterprise's cybersecurity policies, and why those policies are in place. Including the reasoning behind your policies as a part of your training regimen not only makes your staff well-informed but also increases the likelihood that they will then comply with those policies. It's also critical to realize that this training is an ongoing effort. Initial training should be provided during onboarding, but cybersecurity training should be a recurring effort that includes hands-on practical exercises and tests.

Establish Role-based Permissions

Regardless of the size of your company, you should implement system access controls using role-based permissions. This means that instead of applying individual permissions to each user as you add them, you create defined roles within your network that have preset access limits and permitted functions assigned to them. As you create new users, you assign them a role, and all of the permissions associated with that role are automatically applied.

This also reduces the risk of making a mistake when creating a new user and has the added benefit of streamlining the process during onboarding. These roles should be defined using principles of least access, meaning that personnel should only have access to the sensitive data and other information that they truly need to accomplish their assigned tasks. All users should require multifactor authentication to access company networks.

Audit Your System

This applies to both real-time monitoring and true audits. You want to make sure that network activity is within normal parameters. This means tracking and auditing access logs, purchases, and other critical databases to ensure that suspicious activity is not missed. You can leverage software solutions to help you accomplish this task, and some of the best programs out there can learn the patterns of activity across your systems and identify behavior that is outside system norms.

Purge Data and Users

Depending on your enterprise's area, you may encounter applicable data privacy laws that govern what sensitive information or personal data you can request, maintain, and use, as well as rules governing how long you can hold onto that data. Many data privacy laws also require responsible disposal of that sensitive information once it is no longer needed or must otherwise be purged. In addition to cycling out old personal data for tenants and others, you should immediately lock out employees upon their separation from employment. Even if the parting was amicable, the potential for cybersecurity risks with former user accounts still being active is far too high. That doesn't begin to consider the malicious insider threat that could be present.

Encryption

Shockingly, most companies, including real estate property management organizations, do not use encryption regularly. When you have sensitive data, effectively using encryption should be one of the first steps you should take. End-to-end encryption may seem unnecessary, but when you hold payment data for rent payments, personal data of tenants, contractors, employees, and other sensitive information, many regulatory bodies require that you use encryption. Even if they don't, failure to properly protect this information during a data breach can lead to serious consequences. Should you suffer a data breach, it's far better that the attackers find themselves to be the new owners of what appears to be gibberish rather than lists of tenant bank accounts and routing numbers.

Regarding real estate and property management, cybersecurity isn't your only concern. If you suffer a devastating leak, fire, or even storm damage, SERVPRO cleaning can get you back on track and back in your home or property. With residential and commercial experience, SERVPRO has the knowledge and equipment to make your property look like the incident never happened. We can even help manage the insurance process. Contact us today to see exactly how we can help you.