Rent Payments This Christmas!

Make sure tenants don’t over indulge and underpay rent this Christmas!

Christmas should be a fun time, and it is no fun suffering the stress and worry that comes with mounting arrears over the Christmas period.

For tenants there can be serious pressure to buy gifts and entertain friends and family over the holiday season. Given these pressures, it is an unfortunate reality that some households choose not to pay their rent so they can prioritise other spending. Research from Shelter UK shows that one in 12 tenants are prepared to forgo their rent payments over Christmas, there is a significant risk that your arrears figures could grow.

Everyone takes a different approach to arrears, some taking a harder no tolerance line, some taking proactive steps to help ensure their tenants get their rent paid to avoid eviction. Either way at the end of the day if we can avoid eviction it is better for all parties involved. Whilst the majority of your portfolio may be good rent payers, this is the time that some of them will slip, and this is also a time that a repeat offender is more than likely to re-offend.

Some options to combat arrears at this time to minimise our stress include:

• Running a marketing campaign in the build up to Christmas that aims to deter from tenants falling behind, to see some examples of Christmas arrears marketing campaigns click here.
• Offer a financial support and advice service through assistance with budgeting plans. Some company’s provide a flyer with budgeting advice, some will go so far as offering a financial planning helpline to call.
• Implement Rewards/Incentives to ensure all payments are on time:
• Running a competition for all who keep their rent up to date
• Offering movie tickets for all who are two weeks in advance over the period
• Providing special personal warnings to repeat offenders, almost to let them know that we’re going to be watching their arrears very closely over the period to make sure they stay on time.
• Some agencies even offer the tenants an option to pay extra throughout the year to help them get a bit ahead for these tighter times.
• Reminding tenants of importance of maintaining positive ledger, instead of threatening termination, let them know you want to help them maintain a positive rental ledger to assist with future rentals (and even mortgage repayments as these days some lenders are requesting this information)
• Utilise your blog, newsletters and social media to educate and share the message

Be sure to choose what works for your agency and your brand. Don’t forget to score some brownie points with the owners and let them know what you’re doing to ensure they don’t have missing payments over Christmas! What other ideas do you have for keeping your arrears low at Christmas time? Please share them below!

For our Real Plus members be sure to check out our Christmas Letter template on your portal and stay tuned for more Christmas tips in your daily property management hints.

Hermione Gardiner 

Hot Potato Hot Potato

Are you passing the baton or throwing a hot potato?

Remember the game “hot potato” when we were kids?  That game which involved a circle of people tossing a small beanbag or tennis ball to each other while music played?  The player who is holding the “hot potato when the music stops, is out!”

Many tasks, issues, queries and complaints fly across our desks every day that need to be addressed. Often we may not be the correct person to address or solve these tasks and issues, and I’m sure we’ve all been guilty of throwing a hot potato onto that person. And when that music stops, they are left holding the hot potato.  Perhaps we’ve been the person left holding the hot potato - the unresolved issue or angry client.

It’s time to stop throwing a hot potato to your team mates and start to look at how you can turn property management into a super efficient baton pass.  Remember the relay team that train for hours to ensure the timing, speed, release and capture all run seamlessly for a perfect handover? 

We need to bring the baton pass into property management, helping our team mates, managers and even clients by taking responsibility to ensure that all of the information and intelligence is handed over to the correct person, quickly, efficiently and seamlessly. 

By taking responsibility and spending a few extra moments to capture and relay more information (ensuring we’ve done all we can from our end), we can actually save time for ourselves and the other person.  This way they won’t have to come back to you asking the questions, or spend time picking up the pieces later, in turn saving ourselves some stress along the way.  Not to mention saving potentially the client having to re-explain themselves over and over again. 

I challenge you to ask yourselves this week as tasks and issues are handed over and allocated across your team and even to your clients, are you throwing a hot potato or passing a baton! 

If you missed last weeks 'To Do List', simply click here for a copy!

Hermione Gardiner

Corded windows compliance - How does it affect your agency?

There has been a big increase in the number of enquiries in regards to Corded Window Compliance, with Agencies asking us what they need to do.

We can all probably agree that something is required to prevent strangulation of young children.

Since 2001, eleven children have lost their lives due to strangulation of a cord attached to a fitted blind or window.

Due to this potential hazard, particularly affecting young infants and toddlers the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (‘ACCC’) have updated the current legislation nationwide in relation to Internal Corded Windows. As of the 01/01/2015 all new installations of any window coverings or blinds in domestic dwellings must be met with the new mandatory safety standards.

This new legislation states that any loose cord within the residency cannot form a loop 220mm or longer at less than 160cm above floor level, and that all coverings must be installed as per the installation instructions in order to meet the necessary requirements for cord safety. Cleats or similar devices that are used to secure or wound a cord are strongly recommended but must be attached to wall or other structure measuring at least 160cm above floor level.

Landlords or agents failing to comply with the new legislation are in breach of the ‘Trade Practices Mandatory Safety Standards’ and can face loss of license and penalties up to $220,000 for individuals and $1.1 million for companies, as well as the possibility of compensation claims.

The Legislation is specific to New Installations of window coverings and, at this stage, there has been no sunset clause that is requiring all existing properties to meet the code.

SATS have looked at all the legislation to make sure that the comprehensive service that we currently offer, not only meets current legislative requirements, but also the changes that are anticipated in the future.

We are already providing this comprehensive service to many agents across Australia and as well as to some Government housing contracts.

The SATS Corded Window Compliance Program is $99inc GST that includes an Annual inspection, including all fixtures and fittings, and also an additional inspection at Change of Tenancy, to ensure the property is safe for ingoing tenants and their guests.

Article provided by SATS

Please contact 1300 416 667 or visit https://www.sats.com.au for an Australia-wide service.

A lease break doesn't have to be a headache

Hearing the words “I want to break my lease” can bring fear and terror into even the most experienced property manager. These words can almost always predict a headache in one way, shape or form and it can become a stressful situation for the tenant, landlord and of course us as the property manager.
It seems that tenants, and even landlords, breaking their leases are becoming far more common these days. The break of lease situation is not something we are immediately taught to handle, and has traditionally been left unspoken about as nobody wants a client to break their lease.
I learnt very quickly from some mistakes I made when dealing with a lease break, so this week I ran a webinar on this exact topic to share everything I have learned to make the situation the least stressful as possible. In preparation for my webinar session I delved down into how to best handle a break of lease situation, create a procedure and communicate this effectively to your tenants and landlords to reduce stress for all parties involved. 
Beyond the legislation side of things, a few of the main points to take away included:

• A strong procedure – Your break lease procedure needs to be set in stone and consistent across all staff in the business. I need to be able to walk into your business and sit in the property managers seat and know exactly how to deal with it at every step of the way. When you know the procedure it makes it much easier to train on it, communicate it to your clients and leaves less room for grey area.
• Transparency – Being transparent to all parties on their obligations and risks is key, ensuring the person breaking the lease agrees to all the terms in advance in writing and is aware of any risks. Why not even provide the tenant with a break lease form from the sign up meeting (along with a normal vacate form) so the tenant knows exactly what they need to do if a situation does arise. This also keeps communication lines open and hopefully they will be open to talking to you ahead of a potential lease break, and know that you have a process to deal with it.
• Communication – You may think you communicate well normally, however in a break of lease situation you need to step this up even further. Lease breaks are one situation where you need to over-communicate with both parties. Remember to keep both the landlord AND the tenant updated across the leasing process.
• Understanding – Remembering that generally speaking, no one has started their lease planning to break it. There are some really difficult and challenging situations that cause people to have to break a lease - financial, relationships, relocations and more. We need to put ourselves in their shoes and do what we can to make it less stressful. When they are getting fired up, remember where they are coming from and it will help you respond in a better way.
• Keep good records - Keep records of everything from copies of notices down to the number of enquiries received each week, price reductions, reasons for applications not being accepted, comparable properties and more. Keep everything in one place (for a free copy of my checklist on what evidence to keep in-case the break lease escalates click here)
•  Mitigating Loss - Our main duty in the break of lease situation is to minimise any potential loss to landlord and mitigate the tenants potential loss. This means that the methods we usually rely on to get a property leased may not be sufficient. What more can we be doing to assist in finding a replacement tenant? Additional marketing? Rent reduction with the tenant paying the shortfall? 

Got a property that won't lease?

Tearing out your hair with a property that won’t lease? Freaking out at the days on market creeping up? Having trouble convincing an owner to reduce their prices? You are not alone. Many of our members and clients around the country are experiencing some tougher times in leasing at the moment and are frustrated in getting their owners to reduce their rents to meet market conditions.

If the property is in good condition, marketed correctly, and available to be shown, as agents we usually know it’s the price that needs to shift. Price adjustments typically aren’t easy and often you will feel like you’re fighting against your owner at this stage of the property management process (despite the fact that effectively you are both on the same team, both wanting to get the best possible rent in the least amount of time).The important word to note here is “possible”.  Securing the best possible rent doesn’t always mean the highest rent the property has ever received. What this means is securing the best possible rent for that particular point in time, given market conditions, tenant options and situation.

The first problem is that often landlords have an assumption that the rent should continually be going upwards. There is a lack of education to these clients surrounding the time of year, market conditions, recent data, and a realistic comparison of their property to others on the market.

The second issue is that because the rental market moves so quickly, the price from a few weeks ago may not be accurate today - but we aren’t educating them along the way so they know this, we assume they know what we know, and it’s usually weeks into marketing the property before we start to speak to the owner about reducing the price to meet market conditions.

In markets like this it’s often not enough to rely on your normal renting tactics – list property online, take enquiry, show apartment, receive application, hey presto -  apartment rented!
You may need to use a few new tactics to communicate smarter with the owner to ensure you can get faster results:

1. Use your data – There is a plethora of data available to you in the property management world that is underutilised at all stages of the leasing process. Days on market, vacancy rates, registered tenants, properties leased by your agent, properties leased by other agents, number of comparable properties currently on the market, properties leased by agency each week, applications, enquiries, property visits. Data doesn’t lie and can be used to paint a very effective picture to your client from the get go, sharing this data means they can go on the journey with you & be more prepared to agree on price adjustments. Most of us have access to this information, but it’s how you use it that will make a difference.

2. Know your numbers – Know exactly what it will cost the owner to wait one more week for a tenancy. Being able to explain the cost of having no rent coming in versus dropping a few dollars a week over the course of a 6 or 12 month tenancy may help them see how important it is to get a tenant in rather than wait for the top dollar in rent. One of my favourite pieces of dialogue surrounding this comes from Andrew Reece of Inspect Real Estate “Mr Landlord – your property is currently rented for $0 per week..” that should get them thinking...

3. Preset your adjustment dates In relationships we all hate to hear the words “we need to talk”. And the same negative emotion can surround the discussion with the owner around “we need to reduce the price”, especially framed weeks into the marketing campaign. Explain to the owner from the initial stages of leasing that you conduct regular reviews of the market and WILL be recommending price adjustments along the way to ensure we achieve the best possible rent for you in this market in the least amount of time. Using the words adjustment, rather than reduction should help your cause too.
These are some points you can use to improve your process surrounding price adjustments in order to get a faster result, but there are many more great ways to think outside of the box to get your properties leased faster. We have a handy checklist guide to give away to you this week.

Click here to get your free copy of the “It Won’t Lease Checklist” and good luck! 

What is property depreciation and how can it help you?

Properties and the plant and equipment assets contained within them all go through a process of wear and tear.The Australian Tax Office (ATO) allows property investors to claim tax deductions based on this wear and tear. This claim is called property depreciation.

Depreciation deductions will significantly improve a property investor’s cash flow. Research shows the average investor can expect between $5,000 and $10,000 in deductions in their first year’s claim alone. Despite the potential returns, research shows 80% of property investors fail to claim depreciation.

Investors can claim two types of property depreciation. Capital works deductions are available for the structural elements of a building; such as roofs, windows and doors. These deductions can be claimed against the building’s historical construction cost at a rate of 2.5% each year for up to forty years.

There are some restrictions however. Capital works deductions only apply to residential buildings constructed after 15^th of September 1987. Despite this fact, the owners of older buildings are eligible to claim depreciation deductions for the plant and equipment items contained within the property as well as for any more recent renovations completed.

Plant and equipment depreciation can be claimed for mechanical or removable assets. Examples include carpets, hot water systems, blinds and light fittings.  These deductions are calculated based on an individual effective life assigned to each asset by the ATO. A dishwasher for example has an effective life of ten years and will be depreciated at a rate of 20% each year.

By educating your clients about property depreciation, not only will you assist their cash flow, but you will also add value to your own service. In turn, investors will be more likely to use your service again when expanding their investment portfolio.

BMT Tax Depreciation offers a complete range of complimentary services for property professionals including training, educational material, webinars, estimates and articles. To find out more visit the BMT Property Professionals page by clicking here. Alternative you can contact one of our friendly staff on 1300 728 726.

Article provided by BMT Tax Depreciation. 
Bradley Beer (B. Con. Mgt, AAIQS, MRICS) is the Managing Director of BMT Tax Depreciation.  

Please contact 1800 661 662 or visit www.bmtqs.com.au for an Australia-wide service.

Want to know your best marketing weapon?

Beyond the latest designer website, past the shiny DL cards, afar from the perfectly designed brochures, away from the beautiful window display is one very important marketing tool that is often forgotten and overlooked - yet it is the easiest to manage, the lowest cost, and the most effective tool......

Have you guessed it yet?

It’s YOU.

You are the most powerful marketing tool you have at your disposal right now. The way you speak to people, the way you present yourself, the way you appear in the market place, can be ten times as effective as a marketing tool compared to some of the latest and innovative ideas in the industry.

It’s been very interesting for me being on the other side of the property management transaction recently as a prospective tenant looking for a rental property in my local area. I’ve been able to review how fast enquiries are responded to, the conduct of the leasing consultant at the open, the manner of the property manager processing the applications, right through to the sign up process and moving in.... There have been some very impressive dealings, and also some left a lot to be desired. I’m pleased to say I’m lucky enough I’ve ended up with one of the best.

I would imagine that many of these agencies with the less than desirable service to prospective tenants are at the same time probably trying to grow their businesses through marketing, prospecting and new business tactics, without looking at what is actually happening on the front line. From this experience I know which agencies I will be recommending to friends and family and which agencies I won’t.

We need to remember that prospective tenants may not only one day be our future clients, but they also currently know our future clients (their friends, families, colleagues, circles) and of course we want them to be speaking positively about us and our service across their networks!

This got me to thinking if we only realised that the best opportunity we have to market our service, is actually how we conduct our service and ourselves, how much easier it would be to grow our businesses?! Instead of spending thousands on marketing campaigns, what if we spent that time and money investing in improving, training and developing our own skills.

Remembering that YOU are the most important marketing tool that you have at your disposal and that the way you conduct yourself, present yourself, and treat your clients will ultimately provide endless positive marketing, referrals and business for years to come. 

Don't miss our webinar next Wednesday where we'll give you fresh ideas to help you generate buzz around your brand and put the 'marvellous' back into your marketing.

Who is wearing your t-shirt?

Who out there is raving about you? Who is singing your praises? Who is recommending people to you when you’re not there to sell yourself or your service? Who is wearing your t-shirt proudly and being an advocate for your business?

Do you have any t-shirt wearers? Do you have raving fans who would happily spread the good word of your business without being prompted to do so? Word of mouth is the most valued means of advertising and a cost efficient way to boost your business and referrals.

For myself, I know when I find a new product or service that I love, I immerse myself in it and find ways to drop it into every possible conversation. I like to share my knowledge and help other people see all of the benefits of said product/service (possibly somewhat annoyingly so). So much so that sometimes I feel I should be on commission for the latest service, app or product I am pushing.

This got me thinking what it is about those products or services that gets me wearing the t-shirt for that brand. Most people think that word of mouth is just about good customer service. But it’s much more than that. Good customer service is of course important for the success of any business, but if you expect customers who are ‘averagely happy’ to talk a lot about you, think again.

The sad reality of business is that people are more likely to talk about you when they are unhappy, than when they are happy or satisfied. We also need to remember the face of “word of mouth” advertising has changed a lot in the last 10 years with the added share-factor of social media and the internet. It’s easier for people to complain about something and for more people to hear it, than ever before. Therefore good customer service generally just reduces the possibility of negative word of mouth.

We need to take extra steps beyond good customer service to get our customers raving about us and singing our praises. So how do you get people to wear your t-shirt and become brand advocates for you? I believe it comes down to one or more of these three areas:

1. Your product or service makes their lives easier, simpler and faster – Your service makes dealings with you easier, having their property managed by your makes their life simpler, receiving information from you makes their life faster. They don’t have to worry about a thing because of your product/service.

2. You make them feel important and valued – you and your company take extra care to ensure your client is taken care of, respected, involved and listened to.  They are made to feel like their opinion matters.

3. Your perks and benefits are worth writing home about – the cool features and bonuses they receive as being a part of your business are worth telling others about, what do you offer that others don’t?
Remember though that the above is futile if you do not do the basics right. No matter how easy you make it, how special you make them feel, or what perks you offer – if you don’t provide the basics required of a service, you may as well not bother as they will not erase bad service.

Take some time out to have a planning session to work out what you can do to turn your customers into raving t-shirt wears and advocates for your business. Put yourself in their shoes and think what it is that would actually make you rave about your service.

Join our webinar on Wednesday – Gaining Referrals in New Business for more great tips on building your business through referrals. 

How do you stay sane when the pressure is on?

The week ahead of a conference is one crazy time for us here at Real Plus. So it seemed appropriate to discuss how to stay sane during the craziest, busiest times in this week’s blog. Imagine for a moment those times when the clock is ticking and people are counting on you, which wire should you cut?! The red or the blue!?

Whilst most of us don’t have to deal with the life or death dilemma of diffusing a bomb, everyday situations can sometimes feel like this. The landlord is breathing down your neck, you have three ingoings to complete before tomorrow, the computer you’ve been writing your report on just crashed, you’re running late for your open for inspection – our property management dilemmas can often be just as stressful relatively.

Learning how to remain calm in times of stress will not only have immediate composed effects, it can also over time, help you lead a happier healthier life. Here are our steps to take to keep your cool when the heat is on:

• Identify the Stress – Is your heart racing because some crazy driver just cut you off? Or is it really because of the major tribunal happening tomorrow. Think for a moment, what is really bothering you?
• Choose your response – Even if you can’t change the source of your stress, you can choose how you respond to it.  The appropriate response should depend on what’s causing it, most things can be resolved. Ask yourself some questions, will this matter in a week, a month, a year? How much control do I have of the situation?
• Take Action – Face your stress source head on as soon as you’re ready. Getting stressed or sitting around worrying or procrastinating isn’t going to resolve anything. Sometimes the hardest part is just getting stuck into it, once you’re into it you’ll be far less stressed and wonder what you were so worried about. 
• Make a Plan – Sometimes resolving a situation will take several steps, or you may have several things to get done. Write out a plan with attainable goals and time for completing each task. Then, just take one step at a time and just put one foot in front of the other.  (Think about how you can plan better for next time)
• Shake it Off – If a situation is beyond your control, or if it is not that important, then no use worrying about something you can’t change. Try deep breathing, distracting yourself with something else that makes you happy, visualise relaxing things, physically remove yourself from the location of the stress.
• Become Realistic – If you continue to be stressed, perhaps you aren’t setting yourself realistic goals or timeframes for completion, or expectations with your clients. Sometimes it can be hard to accept that we can’t do everything. Reduce the expectations on yourself either from yourself or those around you and learn from your experiences.
  
  Hope you stay cool as a cucumber next time the bomb is ticking! 

Are you getting the most out of conferences & training events?

Illustration: Oscar Ramos Orozco

With conference season in full swing, and of course ARPM 2014 (Australasian Residential Property Management Conference) just around the corner it is important to make sure that the time spent away from the office is both productive and effective. If you’re going to spend money to sacrifice a significant portion of valuable time that could be spent taking action, then we’d better make it worthwhile!

I’m a huge believer of taking time out to work ON the business instead of IN the business – but we get so busy keeping up day to day that we often forget to put time aside to develop and improve our service, systems and ourselves - time purely committed to getting better at what we do and how we do it.

So with this committed time, it’s important to me to be as organised as possible leading into the conference or training event so you can focus, actively listen and take in as much as possible; as well as ensuring that you walk away with tangible outcomes, projects to action and new ideas to implement.

Of course post-conference, we want to feel that we have got value for our money and time spent. So how do you measure the value of a conference? Is it the number of new ideas written down? Is it the number of business cards collected? Old relationships rekindled? Time spent brainstorming with your team? Are you just relieved to sit still and listen to someone else for a change?

The defining points of value may be different for everyone but to assist you in getting the most out of your next property management conference or training event I have a great handy document of the “Top 10 Tips to get the most out of Conferences and Training Events” – simply click here and we’ll shoot it over!

Why do relationships fall apart at the vacate?

One area where relationships fall apart time and time again is at the end of the tenancy. Across all of the agencies we work with, this is one area of property management that whilst a company might have a great internal system, the system fails when it’s not communicated to the tenant or landlord thoroughly.

As a result, much time is spend to-ing and fro-ing between the landlord and tenant arranging the vacate inspection, finalising payments, reporting on the inspection and finalising the bond.  A lot of client frustration and misunderstanding, and hence conflict comes from a lack of communication of the process. Often we know that things are under control, or what the next steps are but we are not communicating this to our tenants and landlords.

Clients are more likely to get frustrated with us when they feel like they don’t know what is going on or when delivery expectations haven’t been set. We know from our end that things are being taken care of and a system is being followed.  However, from the outside looking in, the clients don’t know what we do every day that makes up the process and may feel that areas that have not been communicated to them are areas that are not in control.

To lift your success and avoid stress in the vacate process:

• Automate – automate how your vacate process is communicated. Instead of just sending a letter confirmation, give the tenant a step by step guide of how the vacate process will run.
• Systemise – firm up your internal procedures for the vacate, when was the last time they had a review and you looked at how you can streamline the process?
• Over-communicate – Quick messages to the landlord and the tenant to tell them where things are up to, even if you know they are under control, will stop them chasing you for an update on things, saving you time and stress.

We’ll have many more tips on vacating and communication during our next educational webinar on Creating the Ideal Vacate – click here to register. 

If you are Real+ member, click here to visit Real TV where you can watch the webinar, 'Creating the Ideal Vacate'

Set expectations to improve client relationships

With every quality relationship, these guidelines are in place, often we call them boundaries or

expectations and to be effective must be understood and agreed to by both parties. Once you

have created your service offering and guidelines, you must ensure that not only is it known by

your team but also your clients.

 

Not sure if they know? A few questions will help you find out.

• Do you get complaints in your business about non returned phone calls or emails?
• Does your receptionist receive three calls from the same client in one day chasing the property manager?
• Do tenants regularly call following up on repair requests?
• Is your day taken up with 50% or more reactive activities?

If the answer is yes to any one of these questions then communication expectations have not

been sent, understood or agreed with by your client.

 

In order to reverse this, it’s time to review / create a documented set of communication

expectations, and a communication procedure.

1. Set response time scales – minimum standards of communication that clients can expect
2. Set response methods – what methods will be used to communicate, what proactive communication will occur.
3. Review systems – ensure communication points are dotted throughout every procedure keeping clients advised of activity on their property.

 

Feeling like there's not enough hours in the day?

“Many things aren’t equal but we all have the same 24 hours in a day. 7 days a week. We make time for what we truly want.”

Whilst planning for our next webinar on creating an ideal week for property management I came across this quote. It got the brain ticking and the more I thought about it the truer it rang. How often do we hear the phrases “I don’t have enough time” or “I’m too busy” in our property management world?

In property management we often feel overwhelmed as we battle between our ongoing day to day routine tasks as well as the huge variety of incoming urgent tasks. When these urgent tasks come in and take over our days it can feel like things are piling up in the background while we put out these fires.

While we are putting out the fires we are growing increasingly more stressed at the work piling up in our inboxes and in-trays that is less important. The seemingly less important tasks (that can often lead to further problems) can fall to the wayside, get pushed back or swept under the rug. And we all know what happens when we sweep things under the rug, the cracks will start to show sooner or later.

When the cracks start to show this leads to more urgent issues that need to be resolved and mitigated. Our stress levels increase even more. The busy hours turn into busy days where we are pedalling just to keep afloat and avoid the next angry phone call....

Starting to sound familiar? I’m starting to feel anxious thinking about it. Don’t despair. This is normal... it’s property management but it’s also life! It’s important to come back to this quote when things start to spiral into “I’m so busy” land or “I don’t have enough time” world. We all have the same hours in our day. It’s about how we plan them out.

When things are spiralling it’s time to take time out to create a plan, and figure out how to best use the hours you do have in a day. We are more likely to get more things done if we have a plan to aim for hence why it’s important to work towards an ideal week. Creating an ideal week in property management isn’t just about a fixed week that you’re supposed to stick to each and every week. It’s about continually redesigning the ideal way your days and weeks will run, depending on your circumstances, priorities, distractions and situation.

How do you do this? I invite you to sit with me for an hour next week and I’ll show you some ways to create an ideal week in property management, make time in your day for what matters most, get more done, feel more productive, and be less stressed. We’ll have some great templates to offer to everyone who joins us so don’t miss out.

If you are Real+ member, click here to visit Real TV where you can watch the webinar, 'Creating the Ideal Week for Property Management'

Do you have a learning culture in your business?

Having a learning culture in property management will take you one step beyond simply having the skills you need to deliver a good service. It will empower your staff to achieve dramatically improved results compared to traditional businesses. Because as you are enabling staff to anticipate and adapt to change, as well as grow through innovation, they will also become more energetic, loyal and goal orientated.

Creating a learning culture requires a change in the way you see the traditional real estate model – usually heavily focused on sales training. To develop a company wide learning culture, training must become a key focus in the overall business strategy and it needs to be seen as a long term commitment (not a quick fix). A true learning culture continuously challenges its own systems and way of doing things, ensuring continuous improvement for not just the business but the individuals themselves.

Training can be a strong motivating factor for your staff, for some property managers this progress and development will be more important than money, as it helps them grow and gain new skills. It will help their performance at work and make them feel part of something bigger than themselves. Your workplace can become a business that people strive to come and work for.

On a team management level it will also get everyone functioning together, trusting and complementing each other and through having common goals will be able to produce extraordinary results. To be effective, training needs the full participation and commitment of all staff, at all levels – especially you.

To get started on redesigning your learning culture, we have a great analysis tool that can help you to identify where your company is currently at in regards to learning culture, click here to receive the “Learning Culture Audit” checklist!

If you are Real+ member, click here to visit Real TV where you can watch the webinar, 'Team Management Tools'