Forum Replies Created
- OscarL wrote:Thanks for tip, have the same problem with LJ Hooker Brisbane end up selling the property. Do Dominic Jones managing in Clayfield area?
Yes, Dominic Jones do manage in Clayfield – we've just bought another property which is in Hendra and they are managing it too. Actually I just spoke with my property manager there, and apparently if you are with another agent, and your property is vacant.. when you switch to Dominic Jones, they'll pay your rent while they find you a tenant. I've never heard of any other agent doing this.. they keep impressing me! The guy I deal with is – Onez: 0404 048 061 if anyone is interested.Frankly I’m quite surprised we don’t hear more about this, in every other industry when a company does a bad job; the consumer (and in this case the investor) simply changes company. Then that company either has to mend their ways or go out of business. But here in Brisbane, and I suspect all over Australia; because everyone expects such a poor level of service our expectations are met, we shake our head, roll our eyes and say ‘pfft… real estate agents’.
Myself and my Husband have just one investment property here in Brisbane which had recently come up for rent with LJ Hooker, long story short; the property sat vacant for 8 weeks! At $400 a week.. to us.. that’s a lot of money. However you assume that the agents are doing all they can and it’s just ‘the market’.. That was until a friend of ours tried to inspect it.. and couldn’t get a call back. So we decided to go with another smaller agency who were offering lower fees and 100% Occupancy; I was sceptical.. however within FOUR DAYS we had a tenant. Once this occurred the other agents were shocked that we were no longer having them manage our property???? (The other agent was ‘Dominic Jones’ for anyone interested in Brisbane)
We were so furious, how can one agency have us vacant and costing us money; while another found us a tenant in less than a week? Its malpractice! When we bought the place the agent assured us that we should expect zero vacancy… and here we are $3200 down because some property manager was too busy to show people through our property; it would have been cheaper for us to take a week of work and show people through ourselves!
So whats the point of my rant? (other than of course blowing off some steam) – If investors don’t start expecting more from their property managers this is never going to change. I think a lot of people have been treading water with the ‘better the devil you know’ methodology; however I think the only ones benefiting from this are the large agencies who get our business because they have the big brand names.
Its time property managers start managing property.. rather than simply collecting the rent!
