A small group of motivated volunteers is a powerful thing, but sometimes it’s nice to rely on the experience of a professional.
If you’ve recently volunteered for your Strata Council and feel like the finances, bylaws and interpersonal negotiations are more than you wish to endure, you might be considering a property manager. Then again, someone on your Strata Council might say, “We tried that before, and our agent never answered our calls.”
“It’s amazing how often I hear of a Strata Council that can’t reach their agent,” says Erik Churlish, Managing Director of Pemberton Holmes Strata Property Management.
The Pemberton Holmes Victoria team is compact, which means you won’t have to wade through complicated systems or administration to get things done.
“We’re in regular contact with our owners. If you have an issue, we’re easy to reach.”
3 Reasons to hire a property manager
- Experience: When a winter windstorm damages the roof on three units in your Strata, there’s a lot to take care of — and quickly. Use the 24-hour emergency line to get help screening and hiring independent contractors and consult with the experts at Pemberton Holmes to understand insurance and other finance paperwork. “Our job is to get those owners back in their homes as quickly as possible. If you don’t have professional support, your Strata Council is left to figure everything from scratch,” Churlish says.
The team at Pemberton Holmes brings a range of experience to their services that goes well beyond property management.“We are fortunate to have a team with a diverse collection of skills and draw on experience that extends beyond Strata management including, retail banking, project coordination, and other aspects of real estate” Churlish says.
- Influence: The small Victoria property management team is nimble enough to avoid lengthy procedures but carries the clout of Pemberton Holmes when communicating with contractors and other businesses. “We have longstanding relationships with other businesses and bring that with us when advocating for our clients,” Churlish says.“We also have the added benefit of collaborating with the Commercial and Residential divisions on matters which cross over, as they often do.”
- Conflict resolution: Neighbourly disputes can be difficult, however, often a reality when living in a multi unit property, — let your property manager assist these situations. “We’ll administer the bylaw process, write letters and insulate the council a little bit,” Churlish says. If an owner is behind on their fees or making too much noise, your Pemberton Holmes agent can mediate the conflict and solve issues.
Strata property ownership can be more affordable and more attractive than buying a home, but it does mean the building will need to be managed by someone and sometimes that means extra work for everyone. Navigating the Strata Property Act can be a daunting task, particularly if issues have not been navigated accurately. Hiring a property manager to handle these responsibilities can be well worth the cost.
It’s important to find a service level, company and agent that work well with your needs, so both your finances and your relationships stay strong.
To find out more about Pemberbon Holmes property management visit stratamanagers.ca, email strata@thepropertymanagers.ca or call 250-478-9141. The Pemberton Holmes property management team serves the Capital Regional District from Sooke to Sidney, including downtown Victoria.