Residential real estate is not only a big investment, but also a big responsibility. Owning and maintaining multi family properties can be especially time consuming and a bigger job than one may at first realize. Murphy was right. Indeed, anything that can break will inevitably break, and at the most inopportune times. Property management maintenance is a task that never ends. The maintenance issues are multiplied by the number of families that live there on the property. As such, there are many different areas concerning property management maintenance that one will need to consider before purchasing a residential property of any kind.

Realize that structures will fail, at some point. It is inevitable. Walls will crumble, door jambs will go crooked, cracks will appear and pipes will burst. Over time, building erosion will occur. Part of property management maintenance is ensuring that you have your bases covered here. Whether it is hanging drywall, repairing a crumbling fireplace, re-hanging a door or removing wood rot, these structural issues will need to be dealt with in a timely manner to ensure that your property values will continue to rise. Take care of these big things as they occur and do less work in the long run. Avoiding the issues only compounds the trouble that you will be faced with later on down the road.

Consideration must be given to all aspects of property management maintenance , from heating and air conditioning units to installing and repairing fences, gates, balconies, decks and patios. Stuff breaks and needs to be fixed. No matter what type of residential property you own, you will become all too familiar with these issues. When one tenant moves out and leaves your unit in shambles, you are the one who is responsible for cleaning up and making the unit ready for the next occupant.

Painting, cleaning floors, replacing dirty, worn carpets and minor repairs such as hardware on cabinets, repairing broken drawers, closet rods, towel racks and other necessary make ready issues will be expected of you. Insuring that the appliances work, from the stove to the garbage disposal is all part and parcel of the responsibilities of ownership when it comes to property management maintenance . Plumbing issues must be considered, as well as pest control measures. Insects and rodents are sly critters, and they will spread throughout your property like wildfire if left to their own devices. Cleanliness of the overall unit is an important factor here. Plants such as mint and marigolds are effective natural insect repellents. If you must use chemicals to control insects, use the most environmentally friendly pesticides that you can find. Ongoing attention to this matter will keep your property bug free and your tenants happy.

It is helpful that anyone who is in the position to carry out property management maintenance has a general working knowledge how to fix things. At the very least you should be eager and ready to learn what needs to be done. When an ice maker in someones refrigerator goes on the fritz, they will no doubt be calling you in a hurry. Just as you do not like your tenants being late on their rent, so do your tenants dislike you taking your own sweet time to come and make repairs. Timely service begets timely tenants. It takes two to make this partnership work effectively.