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Saturday, September 24, 2022 - HOW TO GUIDE 3 How to Choose a Property Management Company Celebrating 53 Years! HOMETOWN SERVICE WITH WORLD CLASS KNOWLEDGE SERVING WATSONVILLE & SANTA CRUZ COUNTY 723 East Lake Avenue, Watsonville, CA. 95076 www.OliverPM.com • (831) 722-4694 Kathy Oliver CA DRE Lic #01116175 Kathy is the Broker/Co-Owner of Oliver Property Management with her twin sister Jeniffer. She has been involved in the real estate since 1983, when her father hired her on to the family business. Since then, Broker Kathy traveled up the ranks through hard work, never-ending education and tireless commitment and is heavily involved in the property management She continues her involvement at the state level as a member of the Property Management Committee and is now the President for the Santa Cruz County Association of REALTORS. Recently, since COVID-19, Kathy has been involved in numerous committees and community outreach in getting the word out with the ever changing landlord tenant laws. She is committed to help protect both the landlord and the tenant to maintain fair housing in the community and is a strong advocate at the state level. Hometown Service with World Class Knowledge is the company mission and Kathy's mantra. Meet Your 2022 President of the Santa Cruz County Association of REALTORS ® Family Owned & Operated Property Management OLIVER In Historic Tuttle Mansion for 23 years Celebrating 53 Years! In Historic Tuttle Mansion for 49 Years If you've invested in apartments or business real estate to increase your financial holdings, among your primary considerations should be the selection of a professional property management company to oversee the upkeep and maintenance of your investments. Keeping renters happy by responding quickly to problems, maintaining landscaping and upkeep of amenities such as pools can only increase the value of property. A good property management firm can easily provide a multitude of valuable services that can make your life as a property investor easier. That said, your property manager will make critical de- cisions on your behalf making it extremely import- ant that you do your homework during the hiring process. Here's what you should look for in a property management company. Services A property management company can assist with documenting the condition of your proper- ties, coordinating lease agreements, managing clean-up and preparation for renters, creating financial reports, making inspections and dealing with repairs and maintenance. The best property management companies can even assist you in finding good tenants. Depending on your contract, the manager could advertise, accept applications and then select the tenant on their own. They could also collect the applications and let you choose the one who is best qualified for the lease. A major advantage of working with a property management firm is that they usually work with high-quality contractors who can do repairs at attractive rates. Home repair professionals might work for discounted rates if they know they will be getting steady work from a company that manages multiple properties. The services offered can also be tailored to fit your needs as a landlord. You can negotiate with the property management company for specific services, depending on how hands-on you want to be with your investment. Prices Management companies usually charge a per- centage of the monthly rent as their fee. This percentage can vary dramatically from loca- tion to location and even between different com- panies in the same city. These differences come from market conditions, state laws that make property management more or less complicated, or the level of services performed. When researching management companies, be certain you know their background. You must also understand what work they will or won't do for the monthly fee. Inquire about additional charges that may not be covered in their monthly rent percentage. Get a copy of their contract and understand all the details. Consult an attorney if necessary. Continued on page 8

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