Better Homes Realty

11/06/09

Mediocre property management

by temescalien at Citysearch

I hope these guys sell a lot of houses because they don't manage properties very well. There are actually 2-3 businesses operating out of this same space in addition to the Kevin Brown agency of "Better Homes Realty" - all the businesses are named for Kevin Brown in some way (Brown Management, Brown Commercial, Brown Realty, etc.). In addition to commercial and residential realty, they also manage properties (both their own as well as some belonging to other owners).

Currently, these companies "manage" the building where I rent an apartment. As far as I can tell, this "managing" consists of collecting rent and making the cheapest repairs possible.

While I love supporting local businesses and the interactions with the Better Homes staff have always been professional, this company is clearly engaging in a concerted effort to save money by cutting corners on things like cleaning, painting, and maintenance between tenants. On several occasions, the company has resisted doing simple things like replacing missing light fixtures and paying for reasonable security improvements to the front door after a break-in.

I know the economy isn't great, but I'm not sure that nickel and diming your customers is really the way to ensure the future of your business.

• Pros: Local business, local staff, local properties
• Cons: Cheap, stingy about repairs/security