An honest property manager is not only an indispensable tool while buying or selling a home, but often also your best friend after the process. This week, we interviewed Pam Brantley of Realty Masters of Florida, a veteran of the property management market about her experience in the industry and opinion on the market today. She got her license in 1979 while on active duty with the Navy, and started out by purchasing a few properties for her to live in and a few rentals. It was the beginning of a rewarding career. Pam says “I decided it was what I wanted to do because I was passionate about the American Dream of home ownership and also about the potential of real estate as a vehicle for long term growth and accumulation of wealth.” She’s not far off. The housing sector boomed with business and demand expanded beyond belief. People got rich buying and selling properties with the help of real estate agents like Pam, but could not maintain those properties and suffered in the long run for it.
A good manager, Pam says, is an experienced manager. She has been in the business for 35 years now, and has probably encountered every imaginable scenario and has put policies in place. This assures that property owners get the best deal possible. Pam says, “I have trained my staff to know what I know; I have several employees, including two daughters that have been with me over 10 years so our combined experience is second to none. This is what we specialize in. Other brokerages seem to focus on sales and the management aspect takes a secondary role in their business.” It is important to find a property manager who wants what’s best for you, not just for them. After a successful purchase or sale, a good manager will follow up with the client. He or she should make sure the client is satisfied or if they require more assistance.
Property managers will often work behind the scenes and do things that people probably don’t know about. A property manager has to wear several hats – other than finding quality tenants for the properties they have under their care, they also also have to know about maintenance and repairs and how to keep the property producing the most income over time. The manager must possess some accounting ability to deliver the rent and monthly statements to the owners each month and some business sense in order to organize all the data he or she is responsible for. Pam says, “There is really a lot to it; a thorough knowledge of real estate and Landlord Tenant Law is required as well as knowledge of home values, rental values, and home maintenance and repair knowledge combined with some common sense.” There is a huge variety of tasks to accomplish on a daily basis. We urge our readers to make sure their property managers are up to the task.