Landlord Rescue: Mistakes to Avoid When Managing Your Own Rental Property in Marietta, GA

There are a number of common questions and concerns we hear when we’re taking over the management of a property. Some properties come from owners who have been managing on their own, and others come from people who have been using different management companies, and they aren’t satisfied with the service they’ve received. Today, we’re talking about some of the most common mistakes we see.

Managing My Own Rental Property: Common Mistakes

We see a lot of situations where landlords don’t screen applications properly. They don’t go through the proper procedures, they don’t comply with federal laws, and they don’t investigate backgrounds completely. Self-managing landlords can be entirely too trusting of the people they are putting into their property. This is not good business.  

Many landlords also set rental rates at inappropriate levels. Either they charge too little or too much. Some landlords think that by charging less, their tenant will take better care of the home. That’s a misconception. 

Often, there’s no lease or a vague lease. If you pull one off the internet, it can be completely unenforceable in Georgia. You need a legal Georgia lease. 

 Many landlords will not do a move-in inspection. If there is not a written, signed move-in report before you give possession to the tenant, you can have no expectation in Georgia of using any of the security deposit towards damages to the property. This is important. The tenants can tear your house to pieces and you’ll have no recourse because you didn’t take the time to document. 

Not making timely repairs is another big mistake. Properties wear out. Just last week I had to replace a handle and a mechanism in my own master bathroom toilet. Things break and wear out. Take care of your property. It’s a requirement under Georgia law. 

 Many landlords fail to file evictions in a timely manner. Letting people stay in the property too long without paying will not do you any favors. 

There is little understanding of state landlord and tenant laws among self-managing landlords. These laws are different in every state. Even if you’re a veteran investor, what works in other states doesn’t necessarily work in Georgia.

Finding Better Marietta Property Management

The most common issue we see when we are taking over properties from other management companies is a lack of trust. The trust has been broken with the owner and the property manager, and it’s hard to recover from that. Every company works differently, and it’s important to interview several before signing a management agreement. You want to be confident and trust the property manager you hire.

 If you can’t trust them to run your property like a business, don’t hire them.  

For more information on hiring a property manager, you can visit our other blogs and contact us at McCreary Realty Management. We’d be happy to tell you more about Marietta property management and how to avoid these costly landlord mistakes.










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