How to love your landlord!

Finding a rental home can be a problem in some markets. If there aren’t many houses or duplexes available to rent or lease compared to the number of people who come to the area to live and work, you may have a hard time finding suitable housing. One possible solution is to find a competent property manager.

Property managers are real estate professionals who handle the rental and leasing of houses and residences. Ideally, one should look for a real estate property management company that specializes in home rentals. Most real estate companies are dedicated almost exclusively to sales. Both areas, management and sales, are highly specialized and require dedication to selling or renting. It is difficult to be proficient in both.

When a person or family moves to a new area, the first thing they need to do is find a place to live. Unless one intends to buy immediately, the options are to rent or stay with friends or family.

There are basically two ways to rent. One is to stay in a hotel for a short time. The cost of daily rent is important here. The other way is to rent a home. This is where property managers are important.

A competent property manager is one who realizes that every time the phone rings, there is a person with a problem, on the other end. Usually the problem is that the person he calls needs a place to live and wants help finding it. The property manager then becomes a rental agent and begins to do the work that is the foundation of the rental housing industry.

A good rental agent will make the caller feel important. The agent needs to listen to what the caller needs by asking enough questions to determine things like when and where. The amount of the rental budget is another important consideration.

Once the caller reveals these items, it is up to the agent to help the caller find these locations and see if they are acceptable. If an agent has an inventory of vacancies, he may have a better chance of making the sale, or in this case, the rental.

Once the paperwork is complete and the new resident has moved in, you should be able to expect the manager to respond to your maintenance needs. Since the property manager generally works for the owner, it is their job to protect the owner’s investment by keeping the property in good repair.

The resident must be able to reach the manager’s office on business days and must be able to reach a contact at any time in an emergency. Voice mail, answering machines, and answering services usually serve as an emergency contact.

Choosing a rental agent to help you relocate is a big job and it usually starts with a phone call. The rental housing agency (property manager) may only have one chance to make a good first impression. When the call is answered, find a friendly voice that can help you now. If that doesn’t happen, you can ask why that person answered and move on to the next number.

Finding a rental agent is as easy as looking in the yellow pages of the phone book or on the Internet. The key is knowing where to look in the yellow pages. Rental houses are real estate. Two categories to search are “Real Estate Rental Service” and “Real Estate Management.” The rental service is the most accurate choice. Look for a display ad that tells you the business offers what you’re trying to find. Then make that important call and listen to the voice that answers.

Another place to look is the Internet. The site should be easy to navigate and it should show you a few properties to pique your interest. It should also give you a way to write to the company and get a response. And finally, the site should give you a phone number to call to reach the rental agent who can help you get the house for you to move into.

A third way to find a rental agent is in the Sunday real estate section of the newspaper. Look for duplexes and unfurnished homes. The agency that is really interested in getting your attention is the one that makes it easy for you to locate and contact it. Things like bold letters, a phone number, and a name are signs that they want your call.

So make the call and don’t be afraid to explain your situation. The more the agent knows about what you need, the better they can help you find your next home.