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For dedicated, family-owned Newcastle Property Management, choose Arnold Property.
Accurate, obligation-free rental appraisals based on 30 years of local experience.
Choosing the right Property Manager in Newcastle
Enjoy the benefits of property managers that care about you and your investment.
Newcastle Owned
We understand the Newcastle Property Market better than anyone, because we’re local.
No Compromise
You don’t want to compromise on your property management, and we don’t compromise on our service.
Routine Inspections
Save yourself time, money and stress. Regular routine inspections mean no risk.
Smart Management
Peace of mind with modern property management software providing accurate information.
Family Business
We’ve got over 30 years experience in managing property. Become part of the Arnold family today.
Property managers Newcastle landlords rely on
With decades of local experience, our property management services are second to none.
Through integrity, dedication and excellent service, the team at Arnold Property have earned our reputation as the property management specialists Newcastle residents trust. Whether you have an extensive portfolio or you’re managing your first investment property, our extremely professional team provides expert service across Newcastle and its surrounding suburbs.
In today’s property market, you need the right team to manage your assets. Our real estate agency has evolved over time to provide expert, personalised service across our range of clients. With unbeatable local knowledge and a down-to-earth, results-driven focus, we’re the partners you can trust.
Contact our team today.
We’re selective about your tenants
Having the right tenant is important to you and us.
When it comes to property management in Newcastle, we’ve seen it all. There’s a fine balance to the tenant selection process. If you’re too strict, then you run the risk of your property being left vacant when it could be earning an income. If you aren’t selective enough, then it may end up costing you in the long run with rental arrears, property damage and broken leases.
As property managers, our selection process aligns with the John West slogan – “it’s the tenants that Arnold Property rejects, that makes us the best”. We thoroughly screen and cross-check potential tenants against our own databases, as well as TICA and RP Data information.
We have streamlined our processes so that there are no unnecessary delays. We also check references, employment and financial security, and then we furnish you with all the information to make the right decision.
It also helps that we have been in the business for over 30 years, we’re local, and we know our tenants better than anyone!
Arnold Property is the family-run business local Newcastle residents choose for all their property management, maintenance and DIY landlord services. Get in touch with our team today.
Our clients are our biggest advocates
We’ve helped customers achieve what others couldn’t, read for yourself.
Arnold Property are the best in the business. They are so knowledgeable, always offer polite and friendly customer service and provide great attention to detail in everything they do. My wife and I would happily recommend Arnold Property to anyone who is considering renting, buying or selling.
New lambton HeightsIssac
Having spent so much money, time and effort renovating our lovely little house, we were quite nervous handing it over to others to manage. 2½ years later, I can safely say we are very happy. The professionalism, efficiency and friendliness of the whole team at Arnold are second to none.
IslingtonMichelle
My wife and I have been dealing with Arnold Property for the past year and we cannot fault their property management skills. Michael Arnold managed our Newcastle home whilst we were living overseas and, despite a large time difference, the communication has been excellent.
GeorgetownMichael
How to choose the right Property Manager
Finding a competent Property Manager is a matter of knowing the right questions to ask.
Being in a ‘small town’ like Newcastle, you're bound to have friends recommend agencies – but it helps to do your homework as well. You’re on the lookout for a good partner who will look after your needs, attend to the small details and generally have your best interests at heart. What you don’t want is indifference, unreturned calls and problems swept under the rug.
So how do you find that special person – a good Property Manager?
Landlords should interview at least three property managers before making a choice – and fees shouldn’t be the main criteria - after all, you want the best one, not the cheapest one. Make your selection based on who you think is going to give the best service. If you don’t have a good impression after speaking with them, don’t go with them just because they’re cheaper.
For an investment of at least half a million dollars, you should pick the best person you feel is the most professional agent to manage the property.
Questions to ask your property manager
In our opinion, a property manager can’t competently manage more than 150 properties without assistance. For example, an agency with 1,200 properties needs eight property managers to maintain them. If they have four or five, it’s not going to work for you.
If agents are managing more than 150 properties on their own, you’ll find that they don’t have enough time in the day to service their clients. You want your property to be important to the agents, not just be ‘another number’ for their business.
Another question that should be high on a landlord’s list is how long your prospective manager has been doing this type of work.
Managers with 5 to 10 years or more experience can often identify a bad tenant at ten paces. It’s important that your agency has a good blend of experienced property managers, blended with the flair of youth, and that they all work in unison.
It’s also worth asking if your property manager enjoys their job. Being a property manager can be a high-stress job, especially if you get tenants who complain and landlords who won’t fix things. This stress can be spread to other clients properties and the overall management can suffer.
If they don’t enjoy it, it can show in the service they provide and it may not be the kind of service you want. Unhappy agents can create unhappy tenants and, in turn, unhappy landlords.
If the agent has worked with a tenant, their rental history will be in the agent’s tenant database. This is a powerful tool when vetting potential tenants as can tell if a potential tenant is the right fit for your property.
A tenant database also gives you a great sign of an agency’s experience, quality of service, and how successful they are at their roles.
What criteria does the property manager use to qualify a potentially good tenant? They should be looking at things like:
- Rental history
- Financial position
- Employment details
- References
- Residency or visa status
The last thing you want is to lose a tenant halfway through a tenancy and be out of pocket as the landlord. Worse still, find out that your property is damaged and you have to foot the bill.
How often does the property manager perform inspections and property maintenance? Your property inspections should be happening every quarter. In our experience, the first inspection is very important to set the standard to expect from the tenants for the rest of the agreement. Agents should always let the tenant know if they have breached the agreement.
Inspections identify things like:
- Unapproved occupants
- Unapproved pets
- Smoking
- Mould
- Untidy gardens/lawns
- Damage by tenants
- Maintenance not reported by the tenant
Photos should be taken of any issues and shared with yourself. The photos are also useful as evidence if you end up at the tribunal.
Do you have the opportunity to attend one of these inspections with the agent? This provides transparency and also your own peace of mind.
Rent reviews are a fine balancing act. You should be asking any property manager what their process for rent reviews is.
During a rent review, the agent should look at the market rate in your area, along with the property and tenancy. They then advise you if any opportunity to increase your rent exists. There shouldn’t be any cost increases performed without your permission.
Be aware that increasing rents too frequently may result in losing a good tenant. Having a property left vacant often results in more lost revenue than the rental increase may have returned.
Typically, rent reviews can be performed at the following times:
- At the time of lease renewal
- After an inspection has been completed
- When a tenancy has ended
Changing Newcastle property management
Know your rights and get the best service
Like all relationships, the one between a landlord and manager doesn’t always run smoothly and sometimes the landlord wants to switch providers.
Many landlords are under the false impression that when they sign a 12-month tenancy agreement with a tenant, they have also signed an Exclusive Management Agreement. As a result, many landlords wait until the end of the 12 months to change managers when in fact they can change as soon as the Exclusive Management Agreement has expired.
The Exclusive Management Agreement is designed to cover the letting period. The standard agreement is a 30, 60 or 90-day authority but 30 days is probably the most common. Once this has expired, you simply need to provide the required amount of notice to your current property manager (usually between 30 and 90 days).
From here, the process of changing managers is simple.
All you have to do is sign an authority with a new agent who will inform the previous agent that they have taken over management. The new agent will send over a standard fax to the previous agent advising that they have taken over management on behalf of the landlord and to have the file ready for collection within 48 hours. This procedure avoids awkward conversations between the landlord and the former property manager.
This notice in writing voids the previous authority.
Property Management FAQs
A property manager is responsible for the day-to-day operations of a rental property. This includes finding and screening tenants, collecting rent and maintaining the property. It also covers responsibilities such as managing evictions and move-outs, showing vacant properties, conducting rent reviews, and organising repairs when necessary.Each property will have slightly different requirements, but the core responsibilities of a property manager remain the same for most clients.
Your property manager should provide you with regular updates on the status of your property, as well as any issues that occur. They should also arrange regular property inspections to ensure your assets are in good condition and your tenants are upholding their responsibilities.
In addition, a good property manager will secure potential tenants, provide you with local and industry knowledge, make recommendations for your property, determine the rental income of your property, take care of bills and manage unexpected repairs on behalf of landlords or tenants.
In Australia, routine inspections can only be conducted a maximum of four times per year. This provides enough insight into your property and security for your investment without overhandling your tenants, which can put a strain on the landlord/tenant relationship.
If we identify issues with your property such as unsanitary conditions or poor upkeep, we will inform your tenant of changes that must be made and arrange a re-inspection. Re-inspections aren’t included in four annual inspections.
Your property manager should be able to advise you on how to best handle any breaches by tenants. They should also be able to provide evidence of any breaches if needed. By trusting us with your property, we’re able to take the strain of managing your portfolio off your shoulders and ensure your investment is being properly maintained by your tenants.
Rent reviews should be handled carefully, as increasing rents too frequently can result in losing good tenants. Your property manager should be able to help you determine when and how often rent reviews should take place depending on industry factors.
Yes. While we recommend using a property manager for your investment property or portfolio of properties, you can manage your properties on your own.
Using a property manager has a range of benefits including insight into local laws, understanding of property legislation and knowledge of the local property area. Your property manager can also conduct inspections, keep track of any damages, manage repairs, organise maintenance, give great market advice and handle any bills, paperwork and reports on your behalf. This is a huge bonus for property owners managing tenants across multiple properties.
Yes. If you’re unsatisfied with your current management, you can switch to a new management provider.
While the process must be followed correctly, you can switch providers at any time at your discretion – for example, if you’re unhappy with your current property management fees or the quality of service being provided. You simply need to provide the required notice to your current provider (usually 30-90 days) and ensure that the Exclusive Management Agreement has expired.
Get in touch with Arnold Property for more information about switching management providers.
If your tenant damages your property, your property manager will take several steps to ensure your investment is looked after.
Firstly, your property manager will record photos as evidence of the damage. This is essential in case legal action is required down the line or if repeated damages occur.
Next, your property manager can send a formal demand in writing (known as a breach notice) requesting that any damages be repaired within a set time limit. This allows you and the tenant to resolve the damages without involving another party or taking legal action.
Property damage can affect your rental income per property, so it’s essential that all damages be fixed by the responsible party. If your tenant refuses responsibility for the damages, your property manager can take further legal action on your behalf.
A good property manager can take the strain out of managing your tenants. For example, if your tenant is not taking proper care of your property, a property manager can inform your tenant of any changes they need. This includes small improvements like making sure the kitchen and bathroom are regularly cleaned. It can also include safety concerns like removing potential fire hazards or electrical risks introduced by the tenant, like using faulty and unsafe electronic equipment.
Your property manager will ensure there are no unapproved pets, animals or other tenants living on your property. Tenants are increasingly effective at concealing unapproved tenants and pets from landlords. However, a good property manager knows exactly what signs to look for to ensure your agreement with the tenant is being upheld.
In addition, having a third party manage the communication between you and your tenant can help prevent any conflicts and keep your relationship on good terms. This not only saves you time and hassle but can help you hold onto reliable tenants – a must-have in today’s competitive market.
A Managing Agent Agreement is a legally binding contract used when an agent or agency is managing a particular property on behalf of its owner. This agreement must be negotiated between both parties – the property manager and the property owner – as it determines the terms and conditions for the property’s management.
Resources for landlords
At Arnold Property, we make the real estate process easy for all our clients. Take a look at our resources for landlords online.
An appraisal from Arnold Property Real Estate will give you a pricing guide for your selling or renting your income. This is essential for landlords to know the amount of rental income they can generate on their property. Lodge an appraisal request with our expert real estate team today.
Looking to manage your own property? From advertising to inspections, documentation, tenant services and more, our team has all the knowledge you need to become a DIY Landlord in Newcastle.
Get the ball rolling and manage your investment property today.
View your managed properties, access reports, locate contact details and more with our handy owner portal.
Need more information? Contact our agents today.
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