Property Management Growth with DoorGrow DGS 38: Offloading Property Management Inspections with OnSight PROS
Have you ever been sued because of a biased opinion on an inspection you did on a property? Did you have a personal, vested interest in the property? Do you think you are safe just because you have documentation and videos? Today, I am talking to James Alderson of OnSight PROS about inspections. Most property managers claim that they do inspections, but do they really?
James was one of those who claimed to be doing inspections. But he just didn’t have time or want to do them. So, he hired people to do the inspections for him. As a result, it developed into a business for James. He saw the need for move-in/move-out, periodic, and initial inspections.
You'll Learn...[03:51] How many doors are needed to grow into a new market - 800 to 1,000. James went through about 35 inspectors/technicians initially but did not enough business to sustain them. [04:57] If your area does not have OnSight PROS, see if you can create 800-1,000 doors for James to make some magic happen in your market. [05:12] Currently, OnSight PROS is located in Harrisburg, Pa.; Baltimore, Md.; Virginia Beach, Va.; Atlanta, Ga.; Tampa/Jacksonville/Orlando/Panama City/Lakeland, Fla.; San Antonio/Austin/Houston/Fort Worth/Dallas, Texas; Boulder, Colo.; and Phoenix, Ariz. [06:59] OnSight PROS is committed to hiring the right people and paying them well. [07:13] In most markets, OnSight PROS pricing is $99 for a periodic inspection and $119 for a move-in/move-out inspection. [07:57] James has not met a property manager yet who does not want to give back the security deposit. However, 99 percent of the time, an inspection indicates that a property is not rent-ready, so the full deposit cannot be returned. [08:26] One of the things OnSight PROS values is that you receive the same product, no matter where the OnSight PROS you use is located. [08:41] OnSight PROS has a quality control system in place to make sure its inspectors do the right thing, every time. [08:52] Why is it better to hire a company like OnSight Pros rather than having internal inspectors for a company? The main reason - the cost of money. It costs less to have someone else do it. [09:49] Examples why property managers need such services provided by OnSight PROS. [12:11] Tenants are becoming more knowledgeable about their rights and how to bypass various factors. [12:36] Is there a warranty, insurance, or protection in place for inspections? OnSight PROS offers a summary of issues in cases of disputes. This documentation typically prevents cases going to court and a company being sued. [13:42] There is a power and leverage that comes with a property manager hiring a third-party provider to handle inspections. [14:17] OnSight PROS convinces property managers to hire them instead of doing their own inspections by addressing the importance of performing certain types of inspections that are not being done currently. [14:30] OnSight PROS determines if a property is one they want to take on, is it up to code, and if it fits their portfolio of services. [15:27] OnSight PROS sets up inspections with the tenant, who has to be home. Otherwise, OnSight PROS will not enter the property. [15:57] Don’t be surprised if tenants to to stonewall you. Inspectors are not usually their friends. They may have a grow house that property managers do not know about! [16:50] OnSight PROS is willing to go in and be the “bad guy” when it comes to inspections. The property manager is removed from that role. [17:36 ] Example of a property manager who joined OnSight PROS to do inspections. He discovered how tenants treat property managers differently than inspectors. It’s a different perception from the tenants. [19:02] With property managers, tenants point out problems that need to be fixed. With inspectors, tenants don’t want them to find problems they created or caused. [19:41] One of James’ goals in starting OnSight PROS was to manage as many doors as possible, but live wherever he wanted. He has become a manager rather than dealing with day-to-day matters. [20:41] Cycle of Suck: Screen the types of properties you take on. If you take on bad owners, you are going to have bad properties. You are going to have bad tenants, who leave bad reviews. You will attract more bad clients. So, you need an effective screening process. [21:59] Property management entrepreneurs are the “weird birds” who want freedom, more than safety and certainty. [23:35] Owners expect OnSight PROS to pay inspections for them. Otherwise, they try to get reimbursed for them. [24:40] An admin fee is for all the administrative work, including inspections, done to get a tenant into a house. It usually ranges from $25-200. However, make sure to label it as an admin fee, rather than an inspection fee. [26:02] A periodic inspection involves checking smoke alarms to make sure owners are not at risk. A property manager’s job is to mitigate risk. [27:05] Inspections are not cheap, but they are worth the money - and property managers do not have to pay for them. [27:30] James has onboarding sessions with property managers to help them understand how to turn inspections into a zero-cost situation. [27:55] Contact OnSight PROS at onsightpros.com or jamesalderson@me.com. [29:25] James is ready for OnSight PROS to experience rapid expansion. It does take time and money, so be patient with them. They want to make the property management industry better!
TweetablesProperty managers need someone else to do inspections.
It’s a challenge in some markets to find the right person to do inspections.
Inspections are not high on the list for property managers.
ResourcesNational Association of Realtors