When done correctly, managing commercial properties can be a profitable venture. But in order to reap the rewards, you are expected to put in the time to plan and build a deeper understanding of the industry. Explore the best practices and strategies that have come from property managers before you so that you can excel for your tenants.

Commercial real estate is complex, so you cannot jump in blindly. Instead, if you want to attract and retain high-quality tenants, you will need to educate yourself on the wide range of skills you are expected to have. Check out the top tips of commercial property management experts in Austin to get you started on this career path.

MAKE SURE TO SCREEN YOUR TENANTS

You are going to need to do your due diligence when a potential tenant applies for your commercial property. This means more than just ensuring that they are able to pay rent. It means that they will pass a trustworthy background check. You might find that they aren’t necessarily a good fit for you as the property manager.

With that in mind, understand that it is completely okay to be picky about your tenants. In order to be successful with commercial property management in Austin, there has to be a level of mutual respect between you and your tenants. Otherwise, they won’t care as much about your rules and you won’t feel as motivated to resolve their conflicts.

MAINTAIN COMMUNICATION WITH TENANTS

Once you have established a relationship with your tenants, you cannot simply drop off the face of the Earth. You should position yourself as a friendly face in the rental community. This is what is going to make people have more faith in you as a property manager. They want to know that they have someone by their side who genuinely cares about fulfilling their needs, and when you do that, it increases tenant satisfaction.

A good idea for commercial property managers in Austin is to send surveys to your tenants. Ask them about their expectations for the building and your level of service. This will help you gauge how much more you should be doing. It also makes it clear to your tenants that you want to increase their lifetime value.

STAY INFORMED ABOUT THE MARKET

Being highly knowledgeable about your industry and relevant real estate spaces is necessary as a commercial property manager in Austin. This allows you to maximize investment returns for property owners and tenants. You are able to identify potential risks and opportunities that could impact a property’s value, along with its performance. Staying in the know about the market essentially allows you, as the property manager, to take more appropriate actions.

A big part of these actions includes mitigating risk. You should know how to adjust lease terms and develop contingency plans, among other things. By demonstrating your expertise in the market, you establish credibility. This translates into earning more business opportunities in the future and stronger relationships with those you represent.

USE TECHNOLOGY TO ENHANCE THE EXPERIENCE

We live in a world that is full of technology, and we can utilize it in a variety of ways to streamline our workflows. A critical part of commercial property management in Austin is technology-backed analytics. With analytics, you have insights that empower you to offer better services. You can discover patterns and establish complex connections by measuring tenant behavior and forecasting revenue.

Technology helps to automate, and ultimately simplify, your company’s tasks, as well. It will take less than no time to collect rent, respond to tenant inquiries, and schedule maintenance. This gives you more time to focus on building your client relationships, on top of reducing the likelihood of errors.

Did you know that you can even use smart building systems to optimize energy usage? By 2026, approximately 90% of smart building spending will be going toward non-residential properties!

ALWAYS MAINTAIN ACCURATE RECORDS

You will find that property management involves a considerable amount of paperwork. There is business documentation, vendor information, resident information, and so much more. With modern software programs, it is easy to access, read, and sign documents. It is also easy to track, manage, and store those documents. You can seamlessly organize files according to the tenant and what they relate to. For example, you can keep all things related to a specific property’s maintenance together.

By maintaining your records, your operations as a commercial property management professional in Austin run more efficiently. It is also a way to manage risk. Given how common legal disputes are in property management, you want to have all of your documentation on hand. Pay attention to local laws so that you can be especially prepared.

PERFORM REGULAR PROPERTY INSPECTIONS

One of the biggest priorities of commercial property management in Austin is maintenance. But you cannot simply be reactive, meaning responding to problems as tenants make you aware of them. Instead, you should be proactive. By taking a proactive approach to maintenance, you reduce the amount of time that will be spent dealing with significantly bigger problems down the line. This will protect both you and your tenants from things like:

• Faulty equipment
• Electrical issues
• Fire hazards
• Slips, trips, and falls
• Plumbing issues
• Poor indoor air quality

CONTINUE TO UPGRADE OVER TIME

Now, it may sound expensive to make regular upgrades to your property. But the truth of the matter is that your bottom line is sure to be positively impacted. If you want to stay competitive in the ever-evolving market, you need to make updates. Along the way, you should be keeping track of these updates in your property maintenance plan.

That isn’t to say that you have to do full-scale remodels every few months, just that you should be making effective changes. This could be as simple as getting new light fixtures, smoke detectors, and printers. With each upgrade you make, the goal should be to improve the experience for tenants. Keeping them happy in the little ways will make a big difference.

Are you ready to kick off your journey with commercial property management in Austin? Commercial Industrial Properties has you covered! Our team has several decades of experience in the field of commercial real estate. We are more than capable of helping you identify potential opportunities and designing an effective strategy. If you want to facilitate a seamless closing, know that there is no one more committed to your success than CIP. Send us a message so that we can discuss your hopes for diversifying your portfolio.