Mary Alice Neal of Franklin, TN on Property Management

From August 1999 to June 2012, Mary Alice Neal of Franklin, TN was a property manager in Brentwood, Tennessee. As a property manager, Mary Alice Neal of Franklin, TN was in charge of taking and distributing maintenance calls, communicating with tenants, maintaining business relationships, preparing leases, and maintaining QuickBooks. Mary Alice Neal of Franklin, TN learned a lot of from her time as a property manager and has a few tips for those looking to get in the business.

(1) Be a Good Communicator

Good property management is rooted in good communication. Mary Alice Neal of Franklin, TN found this to be especially true when signing a lease with a new tenant. Mary Alice Neal of Franklin, TN advises property managers to clarify, clarify, clarify. Never assume a tenant understands something, but put everything in writing. Mary Alice Neal of Franklin, TN has witnessed horror stories where tenants claim they didn’t properly understand something, and it is usually the property manager that will be out of luck. The easy tenants to deal with are the ones that a property manager has good communication with.

(2) Be Professional

Professionalism is an important part of establishing yourself as a good property manager. Mary Alice Neal of Franklin, TN has learned that tenants are much likelier to respect a property manager’s authority when they are professional and businesslike. Hold yourself in high-esteem and expect the same out of your tenants.

(3) Get Experience

It can be difficult to enter the field of property management without some basic knowledge of the industry. Mary Alice Neal of Franklin, TN advises people to work for a property management company before venturing out on their own. Mary Alice Neal of Franklin, TN would not have been prepared for the job on her own, but by learning from experienced individuals she was able to gain the knowledge necessary.