Now that the new year has arrived, we can all look at things around us in both our personal and professional lives as a clean slate – tabula rasa. The magical thing about the new year is that new goals can be created and hopefully accomplished over the course of the next few months.
If one of your goals as a property owner, property manager, or landlord is to cultivate a positive community, today’s blog is for you.
The benefit of managing and living in a positive community is seen on both sides. For tenants, a sense of community can mean attention to needs such as community security or prioritizing maintenance. For managers, a sense of community can mean less turnover of units which can be a hassle to fill regularly.
Let’s take a look at three ways property managers can help cultivate a positive community to the benefit of all. 
Be Proactive
Staying on top of maintenance concerns or property issues should be the top priority for most managers or landlords.
To do this, many adopt the practice of maintaining impeccable repair and maintenance records. Knowing how long it’s been since a part has been replaced and what plumbers or electricians have quoted as a lifespan of a system or appliance means property managers can be proactive in scheduling much-needed repairs.
For instance, if an HVAC professional mentions that the furnace will need to be cleaned prior to the winter, property managers can use software to remind them of the need and make sure it is scheduled before the temperatures drop in your region.
Pro-tip – Keep communication with unit owners and residents open. They can discuss concerns and issues they may not want to bother you with until it becomes more urgent. However, those conversations can be keys to understanding the health of the community.
Use Technology
As mentioned above, technology can be a property manager’s best friend. The newest software allows residents to pay rent online, request repairs via an online portal, and communicate with managers about issues that have arisen.
Pro-tip – Keep multiple forms of technology open. For instance, not all of your tenants will be computer savvy. They may need more traditional forms of communication to express their concerns. 
Prioritize Communication
Property managers need to be good communicators. After all, they will be dealing with people from all different walks of life and it will be necessary to juggle many needs all at once.
To keep lines of communication open, you should have multiple methods which can be used to contact you such as your community’s portal, email, texting, calling, and good old snail mail. Be sure to put parameters on when customers can reach out or for what reasons it is appropriate to call or text outside of that time. Obviously, emergencies take priority on calls and texts but have regular hours daily that your community members can reach out to you.
Pro-tip – Send out a digital newsletter that lets everyone know announcements such as the anticipated arrival of a big snowstorm and when cars will need to be moved for plowing in your parking lot.