Find Out What Makes a Great Residential Property Manager With Wildheart’s Expert Property Manager, Russell Hodgson

At Wildheart, we understand that a good residential property manager is crucial in maintaining and enhancing the value of your property.

As the property manager acts for freeholders, directors and leaseholders, they don’t only look after buildings; They foster positive relationships between all stakeholders, too.

On the other hand, ineffective property managers can quickly cause a breakdown of relationships or deterioration in the condition of a building.

Wildheart go to great lengths to recruit some of the best property managers in the industry.

Here Wildheart residential property manager, Russell Hodgson, explains what to expect from a good property manager.

Wildheart Residential Property Manager Russell Hodgson Shares His Insider Tips for Effective Property Management

Good Residential Property Managers Continue to Learn Through Professional Development

Russell joined Wildheart with extensive industry experience. His roles included years spent as a building manager, a block manager, working for a major developer and in lettings.

However, Russell understands that to stay relevant in the industry, it’s vital to keep up with industry developments and continue learning. Not one to sit back and relax, Russell continually works to improve his skills through continued professional development. He is currently finalising his Level 3 certification in Property Management with The Property Institute.

Effective Residential Property Managers Take a Proactive Approach to Stakeholder Relationships

Ineffective property managers may find it easy to hide behind formal letters and notices, never building a connection with the clients they serve. This can lead to clients feeling frustrated with their management company.

Russell recognises that ineffective management can lead to mistrusting property management companies. So, he has made it his mission to change this perception by focusing on building good relationships with directors, freeholders, leaseholders, and residents.

By proactively introducing himself, frequently visiting his buildings, and being available in person or on the phone, Russell makes personal connections that encourage ongoing and open communication.

Because of the time invested in relationship building, stakeholders feel comfortable reporting issues to Russell before they become serious problems.

And as Russell doesn’t like to have jobs left undone, he gets things done so that issues are sorted out quickly.

Stakeholders feel more valued and respected when their concerns are listened to and addressed. This proactive approach improves client satisfaction and tenant retention, ultimately contributing to the overall success of the property.

Your Residential Property Manager Can Prevent Problems Before They Arise

A good property manager doesn’t just react to problems as they are reported. They also anticipate and mitigates potential issues before they become a problem.

Russell makes a point of visiting buildings frequently to look out for any potential maintenance issues.

Experience allows Russell to pick up on things that others might not notice, like a mark on a wall that could be the first sign of a leak, or a plant in a gutter that could cause a blockage if left untreated.

By tackling maintenance early on, a good property manager can save on repair costs. Preventative maintenance is usually significantly cheaper than paying for repairs once the damage has been done.

Good Residential Property Managers Monitor Regular Maintenance

At one Surrey block, Mount Herman Road, Russell’s proactive approach to site visits paid off, as he spotted issues with the cleaning contractors.

“One thing that happened recently was that we were being invoiced for cleaning, but the cleaning just wasn’t happening. It was quite evident from my site visit that either it was being done but not to a great standard, or it just wasn’t being done at all. I took action on that, and we’ve now got a new contractor who does a very good job.”

A property manager who doesn’t make frequent site visits may not notice skipped or ineffective cleaning. However, a small niggle like missed cleaning may not get reported by residents till it becomes a maj

or annoyance. In the meantime, clients may feel frustrated or resentful of paying for a service that is not being provided.

Handling issues proactively improves resident satisfaction.

Effective Residential Property Managers Build Relationships and Monitor Contractors

As anyone who has had any building or renovation work knows, costs and timeframes can easily spiral out of control. A good property manager will hire the right team. Then they will monitor their work to make sure that the job is done in a timely and cost-effective manner.

A good property manager also has an active database of trusted contractors, which is continually updated based on their performance.

“As a property manager, you need a good working relationship with your contractors, and you need to keep an eye on what is happening on site because then you know who’s doing a good job for you and who is not doing a good job. Contractors know that if they don’t do a very good job, then I’ll see.”

Of course, a property manager is not on site all day, every day. This is where good relationships with leaseholders, directors and residents pay dividends. A good relationship means stakeholders feel comfortable communicating with their property manager and raising any issues they might notice between site visits.

Russell gets feedback from leaseholders and directors by using a contractor monitoring form. They’ll be the first ones to notice if the work is not being done to a standard that he’d expect. By finding out about issues quickly, Russell can address matters with the contractors, clarify expectations and hold them accountable for following through.

Contractors know that if they meet expectations and do the job well, Russell will choose to work with them again over anyone else. On the other hand, contractors also understand that as property manager, Russell also has the authority to take swift action and could take them off the job if they are not working to an appropriate standard.

In summary, a good working relationship between the property manager and contractors helps to bring projects in on time and within budget. Effective communication and clear expectations help contractors to do their job well.

Switch to Wildheart for Great Property Management

At Wildheart, our Residential Property Managers do all of the above and a lot more. See our block management services here. And for a case study in emergency response, read this post next.

Is your property manager as proactive as Russell is? Does your property manager do all the things mentioned above? If not, contact us and see what a difference a great property manager can make to your property business.