Property Management Archives

The Cost of Injury: Improving Trash Room Safety

Keeping tenants, customers and employees safe is top-of-mind for business owners and property managers alike. On-the-job employee health concerns such as falls, back and shoulder injuries, and sprains are common and costly. One way to prevent risk of injury is eliminating the manual process of having multiple employees push and pull heavy loaded dumpsters from point A to point B.

Reduce the Risk – Boost the Reward

Did you know, the trash room is the number one area of risk in a multi-family property? Another alarming fact: a single employee injury can cost thousands of dollars in workers compensation claims. The WasteCaddy Dumpster Mover keeps your employees out of harm’s way and automates the process, allowing one person to safely and easily relocate heavy trash bins. Benefits of choosing battery-powered WasteCaddy Dumpster Mover:

Reduced risk of an injury from manually pushing or pulling heavy dumpsters
50% efficiency boost for trash room duties (one person can do the work of what previously required at least two people)
Lower workers compensation insurance premiums
Improved cleanliness for multi-family properties & businesses

If you have questions or would like more information, contact us. Or give us a call at 1-800-686-2651 to inquire about our demo program to try the WasteCaddy.

Efficient Property Management Boosts the Bottom Line

Let Us Take Care of You and Help Your Business Flourish.

As the nation’s economy continues to recover from the recession, demand for apartments and condominiums has grown. More and more owners are finding that knowledgeable and professional property management teams help optimize their investment by minimizing costs.

Providing Benefits from Day One

A property management team can pay benefits beginning in the pre-construction phase. They work with developers to design marketing strategies such as on-site amenities that appeal to the desired market and provide advice on construction legal requirements.

Once construction starts, the property management team crafts a detailed operational structure for the project, saving the developer from the time-consuming process. Elements include everything from billing systems and insurance to welcome packages for new tenants.

Meeting the “Green” Challenge

Green buildings are a major priority in today’s residential structures, and property management teams have experience in cost-effective methods to comply with energy ordinances. They find resources for loans and other financial incentives to offset the high initial costs.

First Service Residential, a Chicago property management firm, recently implemented a creative cost-savings program in their properties. They ran a promotion offering prizes to teams of managers and staff that uncovered the largest savings in air venting and filtration, piping and steam traps in their corresponding buildings.

Reduce Expenses with Tugs and Movers for Commercial Properties

Efficient trash management is one of the biggest everyday responsibilities for property management companies. Save time and money while reducing workplace injuries by using tugs and movers for commercial properties from DJ Products. Visit our website to learn more about our WasteCaddy, a battery-powered tug that moves dumpsters up to 5,000 pounds.

Multi-Family Housing Trends for Property Managers

For today’s renters, the appeal of apartments and condos heavily centers around amenities. As a property manager, you are probably either thinking about what features you can feasibly and affordably add, or you are attempting to compete with a flashy new property in town.

Multi-family housing trends continue to focus on urban lifestyles and luxury amenities. An Avalon property in New Jersey, for example, has added a “bike spa” for storage and repairs.

Attracting today’s Millennial renters and charging higher rents can be accomplished by offering luxury services as well as improving the community feeling through better common areas.

Adapting for 2017 Housing Trends

Property managers have several options for improving the tenant experience, even without a major remodeling. Instead of building new features, many apartments and condos are partnering with nearby businesses like gyms, salons, and even chef schools to offer tenants high-end services and recreation.

Lowering operating costs are also part of the equation. If you can cut energy bills or reduce maintenance staff with automation, you might be able to afford a flashy new amenity.

To that end, property managers are adding tools like “smart” lockers that accept packages and send text alerts to the tenant. A property manager might add a dumpster mover or powered equipment cart to reduce the physical demands of garbage disposal and other daily tasks.

A dumpster mover can help your employees accomplish more, which can lead to benefits like faster maintenance ticket response times and cleaner common areas that boost tenant satisfaction. If your multi-family building needs solutions for more efficient management, check out our WasteCaddy and other dumpster mover solutions.

Tech Will Never Replace the Personal Touch in Property Management

Why Have More Do Less? Make Your Workplace More Efficient.

Today’s technology has developed to what was once considered the stuff of science fiction movies. Sleek, powerful devices like tablets and smartphones have become indispensable in both our personal and professional lives. But how is digital equipment for property managers compatible with the personal interaction that the job requires?

Property Management in the Digital Age

In one sense, high-tech devices are a perfect match for the business of property management, where customer service is a priority. Managers are more accessible than ever, allowing them to easily communicate with tenants and promptly handle requests.

According to the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM), use of digital devices has resulted in a 45% increase in productivity and a 44% improvement in efficiency. Technology also provides helpful solutions such as online banking and virtual building tours that streamline many day-to-day activities.

While modern technology has become an indispensable element of property management excellence, it’s no replacement for the face-to-face interaction that has always been at the heart of the job. Rather than replacing personal contact, digital devices help property managers produce the efficiency expected by tech-savvy residents while freeing them up to spend time developing relationships.

Save Time, Money and Energy with Battery-Powered Dumpster Tugs

When it comes to equipment for property managers, battery-powered dumpster tugs from DJ Products should be near the top of your list. They enable a single member of your maintenance team to easily maneuver dumpsters across any type of surface, even inclines. Call 800.686.2651 or use the handy chat feature on our website to learn more from one of our helpful sales engineers.

Weichert Launches New Property Management Company

Property Management

Known for providing top quality customer service to home buyers and sellers, the Weichert Family of Companies announced recently that they will consolidate their property management businesses into one entity called Aureus Property Management.

The gold standard

Headquartered in Morris Plains, New Jersey where it was founded in 1969, Weichert Realtors has grown to be a leader in residential and commercial real estate transactions by going beyond “full service.” They make it clear with the company name that they want to be the gold standard for residential and commercial property management. Aureus was the name of the gold coins that were the main monetary unit of ancient Rome.

Aureus offers a wide range of property management services for property owners and renters. The company helps relocating employees and long term tenants with their housing needs. Services for property owners include marketing, screening tenants, rent collection and maintenance services.

Property manager equipment

For the best waste container and dumpster movers, check out the DJ Products line of efficient, battery powered pullers and waste caddy haulers. Regardless of your property manager equipment needs, we have the electric or motorized cart tug solutions to help your company operate efficiently and reduce the risk of injury to your employees.

According to Greater Media Newspapers, Mike Williams will serve as president of Aureus. Williams was previously president of Penn Property Management and has 15 years of experience in the industry.

At DJ Products, we also strive for gold standard customer service. For information about waste bin movers and other motorized systems, call one of our sales engineers and follow our blog for property manager tips.

Property Managers Now Look More Like Asset Managers

Has the decision-making process changed in recent years at your property? Condo, apartment, and other rental property managers have expanding roles these days — shifting from the traditional operations role to growing strategic positions.

Property managers have more and more in common with asset managers, says Lori Burger, president of the Institute of Real Estate Management.

The New Look of Property Management

Property managers are still largely in charge of day-to-day operations. Core functions will always include ongoing tasks including the execution of waste collection, landscaping, and monthly expenses.

The difference Burger points out is that property managers now have a voice in strategy. They can provide boots-on-the-ground recommendations to improve a property’s financial outlook.

The asset management style of property manager includes:

Use of software and data to provide financial reports and analysis

Constructing or providing input for long-term business models

Creating new policies to drive financial growth

In other words, property managers should be striving to make better financial decisions — not just execute the status quo.

For example, for waste management a property manager would typically serve as contact point and bill payer. Now the role may include evaluating and replacing the current system entirely. Bring in dumpster moving tugs to allow any employee to easily maneuver the equipment across the property, and management may be able to reduce staff hours or streamline the process with less labor, fewer injuries and incidents, and greater profitability in the end.

Consider whether your property group’s bottom line can benefit from strategic initiatives overseen by the property manager. A great first step: ergonomic equipment solutions such as dumpster moving tugs from DJProducts.com.

Technology Becomes the Property Manager’s Best Friend

Property managers are using technology more and more — to streamline operations, reduce operating costs, and provide a better experience for tenants.

According to some of Chicago’s leading property management executives, technology affects virtually every type of operating expense. REJournals.com interviewed Lee Kotler of Crossroads Partners and Bob Quast of Lincoln Property Company, and the two discussed property manager tips to handle this change:

New products and services may be less expensive or reduce operating costs. Re-open bidding and purchasing to find more cost-effective solutions.

Automate, automate, automate! From online tenant applications and work order systems to the labor of property management, the more you can use technology to automate, the better you can control costs.

Say yes to tenant requests and provide services to retain tenants. Explore how technology can make it less expensive to provide a better atmosphere.

The best property manager tips all boil down to doing more with less.

As Bob Quast told the journal, the significant expense of janitorial is entirely labor-driven. Market wages and various factors make it difficult to control this cost directly.

Powered carts and dumpster movers are one form of technology that can streamline and control janitorial and property management costs. The WasteCaddy from DJ Products, for example, helps any employee move a dumpster across the property. This can help minimize the wage you need to pay for a certain position, or help that employee get the job done in less time.

DJ Products has technology for property management, including a variety of motorized carts and dumpster tows. Follow our blog for property manager tips and visit DJProducts.com for more info.

Property Managers Cut the Fluff to Get Bottom-line Results

Out of lean economic times has grown a new era of lean management for both residential and commercial property managers. Although occupancy and rent collection have the greatest impact on revenue, reducing expenses has become the new market trend that drives profitability.

According to the Nevada Business Journal, some commercial property manager tips for improving the bottom line include:

Maintain service quality for issues that directly impact tenants, while trimming expenses behind the scenes.

Provide value without adding to costs by connecting tenants with outside services for things like tax assistance and financial services.

Be transparent with commercial tenants and open a dialog about operating expenses to get a clear picture of which services are providing real value.

For residential, we have property manager tips that reduce costs while pleasing tenants in a very competitive market:

Work with HOA clients to maximize the amount of upkeep required of homeowners while still providing a high level of service.

Make reasonable investments in new technology to automate and streamline operations including janitorial, trash collection, and landscaping.

Use online systems for applications and rent payments to minimize office labor.

Property management still boils down to getting the basics right — down to details like making sure the garbage gets collected. On that front, property managers have automated technology available such as dumpster movers that reduce the required staff from three or four people down to just one employee.

When you want to “do more with less,” you need the right tools. For information about waste bin movers and other motorized systems, visit DJProducts.com — and follow our blog for property manager tips.

How to Choose the Right Property Manager

Property Managers

Property managers execute day-to-day operations while also offering strategic insight. The right individual will perform reliably and suggest new methods of reducing costs or improving market value.

Lock down the nitty-gritty details to make sure that your new property manager will do the job as you see fit, and conform to your expectations. Recommendations from condo expert Marilyn Lincoln include:

Check references in the manager’s portfolio

Look for candidates with ideas to improve operating efficiency and market value of the property

Address decision-making authority and delineate the chain of command in the contract

Agree to method and timeliness of communications

Have a lawyer review the contract

Hire a manager who performs well under pressure and goes “the extra mile” to find solutions

You want a property manager who can implement money-saving solutions that improve your own bottom line. For example, our dumpster movers can be used to automate the task of pushing a dumpster across the property or to the collection area. Motorized dumpster movers can be operated by virtually anyone. Could this automated solution reduce the number of employees you need? Would an employee injury due to stressful physical labor cripple your budget?

Great property managers conduct this sort of problem solving and cost-benefit analysis everyday. Make sure you hire a managerial brain, with ideas about how to improve property management effectiveness.

At DJ Products, our battery-powered dumpster movers and waste bin tows represent an incredible source of value for your condo or apartment complex. Talk to us about the solutions we offer, and make sure your next manager investigates solutions for boosting efficiency and reducing worker injuries.

Property Manager News: Tenant Management Moves to a Smart App

Apps are The Future For Property Management

Online rent payments have streamlined things for property managers for years, and now there’s an app to handle even more tasks. Landlords in Washington, D.C. and its Maryland neighbors can use Atlas Lane to conduct a variety of business:

communicate with tenants

let tenants confirm their own repair visits

collect rent

receive Schedule E tax forms

renew compliance documents

evaluate prospective tenants

Do You Need a Smart App for Tenant Management?

Apps like this can negate the need for more time-consuming and costly measures like paperwork, managing emails and voicemails, and other more manual tasks. Atlas Lane is only available in the D.C. area for now, but the national market appears prime for distribution.

The cost for using Atlas Lane is 8% of monthly rent. If that seems high, consider how much you already spend on property management tools, and more importantly, the cost of your time.

Because an app can track and record a service request, there’s no risk of forgetting about a repair call. Back-and-forth gets reduced because you can ask the tenant follow-up questions through the app. And the tenant confirms the appointment, meaning a few less phone calls for you.

Automation is Key for Property Managers

The more you and your staff can automate. It’s the same principle behind our motorized dumpster tugs — if an employee can use dumpster tugs to move containers rather than using strenuous, dangerous physical force, the job gets done safely and quickly. For property managers, automating your paperwork and communications through an app does the same thing.

For more info about dumpster tugs and other ergonomic equipment, contact DJ Products.

Tag: Property Management