We took on a new owner and lost them inside the first 90 days.
The reason was communication.
The way we communicated did not match what the owner expected. And we didn't know what they expected, because we never asked.
We didn't have a systems problem.
We had an assumption problem.
The main lesson here is simple: a good system still has to be set up around the owner it's working for.
Good Systems Can Hide a Bad Assumption
Fowler has a way of doing things.
We have a process for how updates go out. How repairs get approved. Which vendors we call. Which decisions we make and which ones we bring to the owner.
Those systems work. I'm not apologizing for them.
Some owners hire us for exactly that reason. They want us to run the property our way, and they don't want to be involved in the details.
That's a good arrangement.
The mistake is assuming every owner wants it.
When we onboarded this owner, we put them into our process the same way we would anyone else. Nobody asked how they wanted to hear from us. Nobody asked what their priorities were.
So we were managing the property one way, and the owner was expecting another.
By the time we understood that, we had lost them.
Three Things We Ask Before We Manage Anything
The fix wasn't complicated.
We changed how we start.
Before we manage a property now, we go through three things with the owner.
- Pricing strategy. How do you want the rent priced?
- Communication. How do you want to hear from us? Call, text, or email? How often?
- Priorities and special instructions. What matters most to you about this property? Is there anything you want handled a specific way?
Then we set up the account around those answers.
It's one conversation.
"Just Run It Your Way" Is a Good Answer
None of this means an owner has to be involved.
If the answer is "run it your way," that's all we need to hear. We'll run our systems as they are.
Other owners want more say.
Some want a call first on routine repairs. Some want their own plumber or handyman used when it makes sense. Some just want an update after the work is done.
All of those work.
What doesn't work is us guessing which owner you are.
Flexible With Owners, One System With Tenants
One thing does not change.
Tenant communication goes through Fowler. Maintenance requests, lease questions, and issues come through one channel and get documented.
I've written before about what happens when an owner and a manager are both talking to the tenant. It creates two sets of expectations.
So the flexibility is in how we work with you. How the rent is priced. How you hear from us. What you want us to prioritize.
It is not in having two people manage the tenant.
How I'd Think About Your Columbia Rental
If I owned your place in Columbia, here's how I'd think about this:
I'd want those three things settled in the first week, whoever is managing it.
How the rent will be priced. How I'll hear about problems. What my manager knows about my priorities.
And if my manager didn't ask, I'd bring it up myself. It's a much easier conversation in week one than in month three.
If you're self-managing in Columbia, SC and aren't sure if your current setup is helping or hurting, I'm happy to take a look. Fowler offers a free Portfolio Review where I'll review your properties, your systems, and tell you what I'd change if I owned them.