James Thibault

Finding that line between brutal honesty and being overly optimistic with owners is probably the hardest part.
Any investment is a risk and a lot can go wrong. Talking to the wrong person can cause an owner or investor to lose confidence and miss out on the opportunity they have in front of them.
On the other hand, too many companies sugar coat the process because they are overly optimistic themselves or are willing to say whatever it takes to land a client. After all, they still get paid until the property gets sold even if it's a toxic asset to the investor.
A good property management company can help keep you positive through the hurdles but still have your long-term interests at heart.

If you can't let go of control of your family home, don't rent it out, sell it. If every physical change to the house is a difficult decision then make a clean break and don't look back. It's going to be miserable for everyone involved if you are keeping the house as a memory bank instead of as an investment.

Everyone knows how satisfying it is to check things off a checklist. Well, being a Property Manager is having a constant stream of puzzles to solve and check off. There's rarely a day when I can't check off at least one project that was causing someone else a headache.

Property management companies run the gauntlet from global conglomerates to one man shows. Both tend to take on more than they can chew. While I love to expand my business, I would rather turn down business than run too thin and be unable to communicate and serve my clients the way they deserve. A long list of 'services' on a web page means nothing when you are actually working with a property manager and can't ever get them on the phone or get any of the benefits they claim to provide.