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02 May Property Management in St. Louis
Hiring a Property Management Company in St. Louis
Property management companies provide benefits to both property owners and renters, especially in an area as diverse as the greater St. Louis metro area. Not only do these companies provide administrative services to property owners, but the boost the bottom line through knowledge and expertise. At the same time, they provide security and reliability to the renters.
Hiring a property management company is a good investment for owners looking to rent their properties. The first thing a property manager will do for an owner is a market analysis on the available properties. Because property managers are also familiar with rental properties in many of the different neighborhoods in St. Louis and market data readily available to them, it is much easier for them to hone in on the rental value of the property, automatically making it more marketable. In addition, property management companies know the best advertising venues, giving them the ability to cater to a target market of potential renters for the property and the neighborhood. Property managers perform most of the administrative aspects of renting, like showing vacant units, screening potential tenants, and collecting rents. They will also perform periodic inspections during occupancy and the move out inspections, along with arranging any necessary maintenance and repairs.
Property management companies provide benefits for renters, too. They make finding the perfect unit easier, since they typically list their available units together on a website or in advertising. This allows potential tenants to search by price point or location or both when they are looking for a new place. They will also guide renters in selecting a neighborhood that fits their taste and interest, when the renter is new to the St. Louis area. Property managers add a feeling of security for renters because they are part of a company hired to perform tasks associated with the rental property. It is their business to make sure rents are credited appropriately and properties are maintained according to local building codes. Property management companies are available 24/7 and prepared for the middle of the night emergency maintenance calls that an individual may not be as ready to address, as well.
St. Louis boasts 22 property management companies accredited by the Better Business Bureau. Since those companies offer so much to both property owners and renters, using the services of a property manager is a smart move on both sides of a lease.
Why Rent in St. Louis
Spanning parts of 16 counties in the heart of the Midwest, the greater St. Louis metropolitan area offers its residents as much diversity as it does geography. In addition to offering so much, it is a very affordable place to call home. All of these aspects combined make St. Louis an even greater place to rent.
With so many choices in rental units, neighborhoods and cultural activities, renters should consider consulting with experts in the area before making their choice. Property management firms offer the kind of expertise that helps a renter hone in on the perfect location for their tastes. The key is selecting a good property manager and the best place to start is with the 22 Better Business Bureau accredited property management firms in the greater St. Louis area. Deciding what is important in their lifestyle will help renters select from this list of property managers, due to neighborhood expertise and inventory of the different firms.
Affordability is at the top of everyone’s list and St. Louis will not disappoint. The combination of several large corporate employers, including Emerson Electric and Monsanto just to name two, and a 2011 cost of living almost ten points below the national average gives St. Louis the affordability many cities lack. Coupled with that, St. Louis has an abundance of reasonably priced rental units. According to City-Data.com, the 2009 rental rates in the St. Louis area ranged between just under $500 and just over $650 with over 78,000 units. In fact, over fifty percent of the population takes advantage of the rental housing opportunities in the metro area.
Steeped in the history of being a river town in the steamboat era, it is a charming combination of warm antiquity embodied in Laclede’s Landing, complete with brick streets, and the trendy, eclectic style in the Central-West End. In addition to the innate ambiance of the city, St. Louis is easy to navigate with a comprehensive Metro system, which combines both trains and buses that reach virtually every point in the metropolitan area. The 2010 average commute time between home and work was just under 25 minutes point to point, according to the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association.
St. Louis is a city that has it all. It offers affordable rental housing, easy navigation, and plenty of entertainment options for every taste, including sports, arts, history, and science.