Choosing the right property manager can play a vital role in the rental process of an investment property. A great property manager will make sure to maximise weekly rental income and source the highest quality of tenants. Because of this, it’s crucial to choose wisely when hiring someone to manage your investment property.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when hunting for your next property manager.

1. Interpersonal skills are crucial

Property managers deal with people every single day, so excellent interpersonal and communication skills are a must, says Jenny Clough, the department head at Ray White Bulimba.

Ms. Clough, who regularly hires property managers, told WILLIAMS MEDIA that "a good property manager should have outstanding interpersonal skills, they must be a good communicator, and also have top-notch time management skills," she said.

"Because property managers are always going into people's homes, they must be able to portray to the tenant that they really care about and are dedicated to looking after the property and the tenants best interests. They've got to have a bit of common sense about them, because they're dealing with people's lives," she said. 

"A good property manager must be thick-skinned, be able to deal with conflict and remain level-headed, as there will be times when you have to go to court to resolve tenancy and rental issues," she said. 

2. Expertise

While property management experience is obviously beneficial, Ms. Clough told WILLIAMS MEDIA that life experience is just as, if not more important. 

"We like to hire people who have lots of life experience. We have all kinds of people from all walks of life within our organisation and I think that's really important, having a range of people you can bounce ideas off," she said.

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Property managers should also have their Certificate of Registration, says Virginia Brookes, Director at Resolver Recruitment.

“This should be a no brainer, but you must check their current Certificate of Registration or Real Estate License with the Office of Fair Trading to ensure they have one – you would be surprised how many don’t!” she said. 

3. Ask the right questions

Don’t just rely on a positive recommendation - make sure to meet face-to-face with the candidate and ask them very specific questions, Ms. Brookes said.

Important questions to ask include how many other properties they are currently managing, how much experience they have, their process for reviewing tenants, how they deal with conflict, and many more.

4. Give them hypothetical scenarios

An important skill every property manager should possess is the ability to think quickly and problem solve on the spot. That’s why it’s a great idea to test out a potential candidate first with some hypothetical scenarios.

“Give them scenarios of something that may happen from time in time in Property Management. Make one scenario quite easy and one much harder to test their knowledge and problem solving skills,” Ms. Brookes said.

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Ms. Clough told WILLIAMS MEDIA that hypothetical scenarios give an employer a great insight into how a candidate might perform in the role.

"Giving a candidate hypothetical scenarios such as "what would you do if your tenant's home got broken into" or "how would you manage a situation where your tenant's house got flooded" provides an insight into how quickly a potential candidate can think on the spot and manage a tricky, tense situation," she said.

5. Complete reference checks

As with any job interview, reference checks are an absolute must, says Ms. Brookes.  

“Don’t take everyone on face value – do your references with their previous direct managers before entrusting such a valuable asset to them,” she said.

Ms. Clough said it's important for a property manager to be kind, and they must have a good reputation within the industry.

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"There are a lot of lovely property managers out there, but there are also lots who don't have a particularly good reputation in the industry, so that's something you will want to cross reference," she said.

Checklist for choosing a property manager

• Get referrals by speaking to real estate agents, landlords, tenants and neighbours in the area. What is the manager's experience and track record? Check the agent's online reviews.
• How many properties do they manage? Have a look to see whether they are orderly and well-kept.
• Are they inspecting the property at least every six months? Is there a rent review every 12 months?
• How much do they charge? Does it include landlord insurance?
• What strategies do they have for an emergency, such as a hot water service breakdown, or a fire? Do they use licensed tradespeople on call?
• Do they check tenants' references for credit worthiness, past rental history and current employment?
• Do they set rent at the appropriate market level?
• How do they market the property to ensure to get it exposed to the maximum number of potential tenants?
• Is the lease fair and comprehensive enough to protect your interests?
• Does the agent lodge the bond with relevant authorities?
• Are there strategies for removing disruptive or delinquent tenants? What is the success rate?

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Related reading:

Why become a property manager?

How to get into a career in real estate

The key roles in real estate