How can you build credibility with tenants in property management?

A simple yet often overlooked component of communication is answering the phone. In property management, we do not have the luxury of screening calls from unknown numbers. You never know if that unknown number is a current/future tenant, vendor, client, or opportunity. Create this new habit: whenever you receive a call from an unknown number, unless it does turn out to be a spam call, save the number immediately. Next time they call, you will be able to greet them by their name, which will go a long way. Whenever able, defer to phone calls and video/in-person meetings instead of hiding behind emails. Live human to human interaction builds far stronger relationships at a much quicker rate than electronic communication.

Be responsive Be consistent Be transparent Be friendly Be firm Be fair Set the proper expectations at all times so there is no questions as to what your process is and preferably, it's in writing. Treat the tenant like you would like to be treated.

Building credibility in Property Management involves transparent communication, timely problem resolution, and proactive maintenance. Showcase a track record of successful tenant relationships, emphasize industry certifications, and leverage positive client testimonials. Implementing robust security measures and demonstrating financial transparency further enhances trust. Consistent professionalism and a commitment to ethical practices contribute significantly to establishing and maintaining credibility in the field.

Failing to deliver on promises leads to tenants thinking they can get away with causing problems and use broken promises against you. The goal should be to deliver on promises as a landlord to establish your expectations of tenants delivering on their promises to you. Establishing mutual cooperation goes a long way toward happy tenants that renew leases.

Regular inspections should be a huge part of the property manager's role. Valued tenants will feel better when they see you and/or have evidence that you are at the property. Doing so is also a great way to establish authority. One example is showing up on the 5th of the month whether the rent is paid or not. Another example is to make sure "that same red car" doesn't sit there unattended for three weeks. Another innovation is to create arrangements for package delivery to help your tenant(s). Keeping good tenants happy leads to long-term leases and everybody wins.

Establishing a policy for pets is more important than ever because so many people adopted pets during and since the pandemic. One investor I know made a 6 unit apartment building she owns dog friendly. She rented each unit to dog owners and set up the small back yard for the dogs. Every tenant knew to keep the yard clean for their own dog, and all tenants cooperated. The dogs wound up playing together and bringing a sense of community to the building. Those tenants would not want to leave because an arrangement like that is hard to find.