What To Look for in Property Management Virtual Assistants

benefits of using a property management virtual assistant

A property management virtual assistant (PMVA) is one of the many types of virtual assistants popular today. PMVAs work for property managers and owners of property management companies. A PMVA is also called a real estate virtual assistant, virtual property manager, or virtual property management assistant.

Hiring a virtual assistant to help with property management saves up on the cost of paying salaries and overhead on in-house employees. It also helps lighten the workload for property managers, allowing them to focus on growing the property management business.

Keep reading to learn about the roles and responsibilities of a property management virtual assistant. You’ll also read about the qualifications and required backgrounds for hiring a PMVA.

How To Use a Virtual Assistant In Property Management?

Not all PMVA roles are the same. Depending on the size and type of property management company or business they work for, PMVAs can perform a combination of the following tasks and responsibilities.

Manage Calls And Provide Urgent Solutions

Handling communications and providing immediate solutions are critical in the property management business. A PMVA deals with calls, emails, or messages regarding customer issues, inquiries from prospective tenants, lease questions and updates, and announcements to tenants or employees.

Schedule And Maintain Calendars

A property management virtual assistant aids a property manager in managing their time. This task includes setting up appointments for visiting or viewing properties and meeting potential tenants, real estate owners, or contractors. A PMVA also organizes your schedule and lets you do your tasks more efficiently, ultimately saving you time and money.

Prepare And Organize Files

Property management involves a considerable amount of paperwork. PMVAs create documents, prepare reports, and file them for future reference. Property managers can also assign a property management virtual assistant to write memos, instructions, surveys, and minutes from meetings with clients or tenants.

Assist With Handling Maintenance Requests

Property management also deals with repair and maintenance requests and a PMVA helps manage them. These tasks include receiving maintenance requests, contacting technicians and contractors, preparing budgets for approval, procuring materials, scheduling maintenance schedules, and making follow-ups on services rendered.

Manage Property Management Services

Aside from maintenance and repairs, property management also requires overseeing other areas of real estate, such as security, marketing, accounting, and compliance with regulations and taxes. A property management virtual assistant can assist property managers with ensuring these services are provided satisfactorily and within budget.

Work With a Virtual Property Management System

Property managers also hire a virtual assistant if they need help working with a property management software to update and perform basic data entry. Using this system, a PMVA can set up virtual tours, monitor and record online rent payments, execute remote leasing, access tenant and client information, and many more.

Update Social Media And Website

Having an active social media presence and an updated website improves the visibility of a property management company. A PMVA’s task is to create content for social media posts and website articles. 

In addition, a property management virtual assistant also replies to comments and interacts with clients, tenants, and the local community, thus promoting the business and increasing its reach.

What To Look For In a Property Management Virtual Assistant

Below are the qualifications and background that make an effective property management virtual assistant.

Relevant Educational Background

Virtual assistants come from different educational backgrounds, but some property owners or managers may need a PMVA with a bachelor’s degree in business or sales. With enough experience, however, the educational background of a PMVA matters very little.

Experience With Property Management

If the applicants for your virtual assistant position have no relevant educational background, they should at least have relevant experience. Property management requires first-hand knowledge of rental properties and the rental market. A property management virtual assistant with this knowledge will surely be an asset to your company.

Time Management And Organizational Skills

With the varied tasks and multiple roles that a PMVA is responsible for, you need someone who has the ability to manage and organize them. Virtual property management also needs immediate action, and the PMVA you hire has to always be on top of things.

Expert User Of MS Office Tools

You need a property management virtual assistant with a solid working knowledge of managing information using Excel and other MS Office tools. Virtual property management requires preparing data and information with these tools. PMVAs produce organized and accessible information for their managers, clients, and tenants.

Experience In Leasing

A PMVA with solid leasing experience will make it easier to turn over your leasing tasks to them. This way, you don’t need to technically train your PMVA in preparing or executing leasing contracts. You can also rely on your PMVA to collect and double-check leasing requirements.

Experience In Being a Remote Team Member

Being a remote worker will be more challenging than being present in a physical location. Hiring a property management virtual assistant that’s already used to remote work will result in a short transition period, meaning you can get your PMVA working for you and your team faster and with minimal training.

Background In Design

If you plan to assign your PMVA to graphics-related tasks, you need someone with design experience or qualifications. A PMVA with design skills is useful in preparing logos, social media or website graphics, editing photos and layouts for product listings, and many more.

Experience With Social Media Management

Social media presence is critical in both traditional and virtual property management. And a property management virtual assistant with experience in social media can help you improve your social media presence. They can increase engagement, promote brand trust, and build an online community, ultimately resulting in growth for your business.

Remote Solutions From Remote Raven

If hiring remote workers is not your forte, let Remote Raven help. Let us know what property management tasks you want to delegate, and we’ll match you with your ideal property management virtual assistant. You leave the time-consuming searching and hiring process to us so you can do what you do best.

Remote Raven has an excellent track record of matching remote team members to property management companies. We have an extensive network of qualified and experienced virtual assistants ready to help you achieve your business goals.

If you need remote solutions done right, you need Remote Raven. Contact us for a free consultation today!