This complex is a small complex of just 12 units. You can tell that we haven’t had a hand in the property – from the high body corporate levies, to the presentation of the property externally, to the quality of tenants over all in the complex. Worst of all, both of these units that are for sale have just been signed up for 12 month leases at $170 per week! We are getting $185 per week for a bedsit, so why on earth would you give it away at $170 for a bigger and nicer unit, in a better area?
We are walking through the first unit, and my eyes are lighting up with what we can do internally with very little upgrading. It is a good sized one bedroom unit and the potential is there. The unit is just as good as the first one. Even better the owner has just put in a new hot water system and the stove is being replaced – that on its own is worth at least $2500.
Firstly, there is no way on earth we would have let these properties rent for $170 per week – we would have upgraded the property and had it rented at $200 per week.
Secondly, we would have got involved with the body corporate and this would not be the worst block in the street.
Thirdly and this I believe is the most important one, there is no way we would have let our owner sell this property for the price our buyers got it for. Being conservative, having a poor property manager and in turn a poor sales agent has cost this owner at least $10,000 per unit – and that is just on the sales price! It has also cost him a minimum of $40 extra a week, every week that he has owned it.
So yes, on paper we may appear to be more expensive than your franchise property management company, but those few dollars extra you pay for us really is worth it.