What Does A Property Manager Do?
If you own a rural or historic property, you might be thinking that having an extra hand around could be useful. Whether you’re no longer living on site, or you just can’t get to everything you need to, an experienced property manager or team can assist you in the day to day running of your property, ensuring that it is maintained and secure.
So what is a property manager?
A property manager is someone who oversees the day to day running of a property. This could take the form of one person doing all the legwork, or a team of people led by a site manager. There are two types of property management – live-in and by-the-hour. Live in property managers, sometimes known as caretakers, live on the property, usually in a designated caretakers residence separate from any main homestead. The idea here is to have people maintain the property, while also providing the added deterrent to vandals that there is a permanent presence on site.
By-the-hour property managers do not live on site, but instead come in at designated times each week to oversee the maintenance of the property. They’re usually paid by the hour on a job-by-job basis rather than having an overarching list of tasks and a weekly stipend that on-site managers would have. In both cases, property managers can perform a range of tasks to help look after your place, giving you piece of mind when you’re not around. What exact tasks does a property manager perform? Let’s take a look…
Outdoor maintenance
One of the biggest tasks that property managers take on is outdoor maintenance. For rural properties, this could include:
Lawn and garden maintenance
Spraying and management of weeds
Installing and maintaining rural fences
Maintaining orchards, crops etc
For historic properties, the main goal is to maintain lawns and gardens, including planting any new plants as required (and keeping them alive!).
Keeping things spick and span
For properties with dwellings or other buildings, it’s often part of a property manager’s job to keep things clean and fresh. This usually involves general housekeeping of residences on rural properties, and upkeep of all buildings on an historic site. From dusting to bathroom cleaning, a property manager can ensure that your dwellings are kept in tip top shape should you have guests, visitors, or if the owner is coming to stay.
General maintenance
Because property managers keep a site running, it’s their job to ensure that any maintenance jobs are reported and handled quickly and efficiently. For jobs within your manager’s scope, such as broken taps or cracks in walls, they will usually discuss issues with the owner and proceed to fix any problems themselves. In the event that a specialist needs to be in called in, e.g. a plumber or electrician, your property manager can source quotes for you and then liaise with the tradesman for a suitable time to complete the work.
Site security
Finally, in some instances property managers may form part of your security for the property. This is especially the case where the manager(s) live on site, and are largely held responsible for the security of the site. For by-the-hour caretakers, it is usually within their scope to look after security while they are on the property, ensuring that all buildings and gates are locked up upon leaving, however, alternative security arrangements are usually made for after hours.
Property managers can be a great asset to your site, and really take a load off when looking after large or heritage properties. Our Founders are highly skilled and experienced in both live-in and by-the-hour caretaking for both rural and historic properties. If you’re interested in finding out more contact us today.
Peter Trama | Founder & Operational Manager
Trama Restorations is Goulburn's leading historic restoration specialist. From historic work to modern renovation, our aim is to renovate, restore and renew spaces.
Ready for your next home-improvement or commercial property project? Get started with a free consultation today!