Finding the right Northern Virginia property management company to partner with can seem like a challenge, especially when all of them make the same promises and offer the same services.
How do you know which management company will be the right fit for you and your properties?
We believe you should look to a company’s reputation.
When current and former clients are willing to speak highly about their experience with a property manager, it’s worth listening.
You want the best for your rental property. Transparency and trust are two important qualities in any property management team. Can you trust what they’re telling you while they work to win your business, or can you trust the experience that others have had with them? Are they transparent about sharing their reviews? How do they respond to negative reviews that are posted online?
Take some time to dig into customer reviews when you’re searching for a property management partner. Here are some of the reasons that it matters.
Reputation Locally and Within the Industry
One of the key reasons why customer reviews are important when researching a property management company is that they provide an insight into the company’s reputation. By reading reviews from current and past clients, you can get a sense of their level of satisfaction with the services provided. This can help you determine whether or not the company is reliable, trustworthy, and capable of managing your rental property effectively.
You want to see evidence of a good reputation among both tenants and owners. Remember that tenants are quick to complain. If they were denied a home because they didn’t earn enough income or if they were evicted for nonpayment of rent, their reviews will likely not be flattering. BUT, it will also tell you that the property manager did what needed to be done on behalf of the owner. If you see positive reviews from tenants about maintenance being completed promptly or the move-in process going smoothly, that’s even better.
Customer Reviews Help to Set Expectations
By reading reviews, you’ll have some ideas in place already about what it will be like to work with a particular management company.
You’ll not only make an informed decision, you’ll go into the relationship understanding their strengths and even some of their processes. By reading about other landlords’ experiences with a particular property management company, you can gain a better understanding of what to expect. Most reviews will reference communication and responsiveness. They’ll talk about the maintenance process or how a tenant was chosen.
With this knowledge, you can make a more informed decision about which property management company is the best fit for your needs, and you can schedule an interview already knowing what kind of questions you’ll want to ask as follow-ups to the reviews you’ve read.
Reviews Provide an Objective Account of Experiences
Everybody has their own opinions. One or two bad reviews is totally normal, but when the majority of reviews you read online are positive, you can notice the trend.
This is a good way to hear about a customer’s experience without any filters or sales pitches.
When researching property management companies, you’ll likely come across a lot of marketing materials and advertising. On a company’s website, you’ll hear only good things.
This is helpful and expected, but the sales pitch you receive from a potential management company cannot possibly provide an unbiased perspective. Customer reviews, on the other hand, offer a more neutral viewpoint. They’re written by individuals who have first-hand experience with the company and are sharing their honest opinions. This can be incredibly valuable when deciding which property management company to work with. It provides a transparent look into the way a company works and the impact that work has on owners and tenants.
Assess the Level of Professionalism and the Willingness to Hear Feedback
No one likes to be criticized. But often, that’s what a review site is; public criticism. How does the property management company you’re considering handle negative reviews? This can tell you a lot about what it’s like to work with them.
Customer reviews also provide feedback to the property management company, letting them know what areas they’re excelling in and where they can improve. By paying attention to these reviews, the company can make changes to their services to better meet the needs and expectations of their clients. This can result in a better overall experience for landlords and ultimately, lead to more positive reviews in the future.
If they go on into attack mode online, in public, while responding to a negative review, that’s not a great sign. But, if they thank the reviewer for the feedback and list the ways in which they’re doing better, that’s a good indication that they’re willing to make things right when a complaint is registered.
Building Trust with Property Management Reviews
Finally, customer reviews can help build trust between the property management company and their prospective clients. By having a strong online presence and positive reviews, the company can demonstrate their commitment to providing excellent services and establish themselves as a reputable and trustworthy organization. This can be a significant factor in a landlord’s decision-making process, because you want to be sure you’re handing over your valuable investment to someone who cares about it.
Customer reviews have become a critical component when owners and investors are researching a property management company. They provide an insight into the company’s reputation, help you make an informed decision, offer an unbiased perspective, indicate areas of improvement, and help build trust.
Always read through customer reviews to ensure that you’re working with a reputable and reliable property management company. You’ll use a lot of factors to make your decision, ultimately, but a little research online and a digging into a company’s reputation is an excellent starting point.
If you have any questions about our own reviews, we’d love to discuss them. Please don’t hesitate to contact us at Comfort Property Management. We lease, manage, and maintain investment properties throughout Northern Virginia, in Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, McLean, Ashburn, Sterling, Springfield, Reston, Chantilly, Manassas, Centreville, and Herndon.
