A Better Property Management Review

A Better Property Management is one of the popular names in the California rental market. Our A Better Property Management review will evaluate the services that the company provides, analyze the fees that they charge, and look at the locations and property types that they cover. The article will also check what current property owners and tenants think about their experiences with the firm. Finally, we will decide whether A Better Property Management is worth it or California landlords should look elsewhere.

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What Is A Better Property Management?

A Better Property Management Company Co, Inc. (ABPMCO) a local, full-service property management company. The firm serves landlords in the Southland area of the State of California and works with different kinds of residential properties rented out on a long-term basis.

Steven Moffett and Rebecca Reid Moffett founded A Better Property Management in 1979, with headquarters in Long Beach, CA. This starting date makes them one of the oldest property management firms not only in the area but also across the US.

The company is family-owned and managed. The team aims to be better informed than competitors, to produce continuously better tenant relations, and to constantly surpass their name.

At the moment, the property manager works with over 150 rentals of different types and sizes.

Where A Better Property Management Operates

A Better Property Property Management has experience in more than 75 cities in the Southland area of California. Among these markets, the company is mostly focused on:

• Long Beach
• Huntington Beach
• Alamitos Beach
• Naples
• Belmont Shore
• Belmont Heights
• Seal Beach
• Lakewood

This narrow geographical coverage makes ABPMCO one of the top California property managers as a result of their specialized expertise on the local market.

However, the market focus is rather limited when comparing the company with other best property management firms in the US, which is a major disadvantage for owners investing outside the State of California.

A Better Property Management Services

ABPMCO provides comprehensive property management services to California real estate investors that include:

• Market survey of similar vacant units
• Making vacant units rent-ready
• Rental listing on the company’s website and 20+ rental websites (Zillow, HotPads, Padmapper, Craig’s List, etc.) via integrated software
• Property advertising including professional yard signs, publications and periodicals (Gazette), and printed fliers
• Tenant screening and qualifying including running a credit report, U.D. screening, and and all needed verifications
• Executing rental agreements and leases
• Security deposit collecting and handling
• Rent collection
• Issuing 3-day quit notices
• Owner funds disbursements via direct deposit or check
• Access to the Appfolio software
• Effective handling of tenant-related issues
• Review and payment of operating bills including utilities and maintenance
• Payment of trust deeds and HOA fees
• Payment of property taxes and landlord insurance
• Ordering minor repairs
• Securing bids and negotiating contracts for major repairs
• Eviction procedures coordination

A Better Property Management Guarantees

Our review of A Better Property Management shows that the company does not offer any explicit guarantees and protections to rental property owners who work with them.

A Better Property Management Property Types

A Better Property Management works with a wide range of residential properties including houses, townhomes, condos, duplexes, and apartment complexes. Depending on the market, properties can be rented out on a monthly, 6-month, or annual basis.

This makes ABPMCO a convenient choice for California landlords with mixed rental portfolios.

A Better Property Management Costs

The property management fees charged by ABPMCO depend on the property type, the rental location, the expected monthly rental income, and the expected difficulty associated with managing each property.

The monthly management fee for houses, townhomes, condos, and duplexes is 6%-7% of the monthly revenue, and the fee ranges between 5% and 7% for apartment buildings. The owners of multiple rentals benefit from discounted rates.

The A Better Property Management website does not mention additional leasing fees and lease renewal fees, while charging them is a standard practice in the property management industry. So, interested investors need to ask about this before moving forward with ABPMCO.

A Better Property Management Terms

The website of A Better Property Management does not specify the terms of the management agreement that investors need to sign. It’s not clear whether the company works with monthly or annual management contracts and what is required to cancel an agreement.

Landlords considering hiring this firm should ask for a copy of the contract to review diligently prior to making a final decision.

A Better Property Management Reviews

There are more than 170 online reviews of A Better Property Management on third-party websites that show mixed overall ratings and contradicting experiences by property owners and tenants.

You can find A Better Property Management reviews on:

• Yelp: Currently 2.8/5 stars based on 76 reviews
• Birdeye: Currently 2.3/5 stars based on 52 reviews
• Google: Currently 2.5/5 stars based on 33 reviews
• Facebook: Currently 4.6/5 stars based on 11 reviews

Happy California landlords and renters talk about the fantastic experiences, the excellent services, the provided guidance, the professional team, the comprehensive addressing of all questions, the quick tackling of maintenance requests, the great responsiveness, the awesome attitude, the efficient online systems, the straightforward pricing, the helpfulness, the respectful behavior, and the prompt communication.

Unhappy customers complain about bad properties, deceitful practices, unprofessionalism, dishonesty, incompetence, no intent to fix any problems, unpleasant interactions, discrimination, selective enforcement, vindictiveness, bullying, financial mismanagement, hostility, and lack of communication.

A Better Property Management Alternatives

Our A Better Property Management review shows that this company could be able to meet the needs of investors in limited areas of the California market. Nevertheless, because of the restricted geographical coverage and the number of negative reviews, it’s worth considering other options as well.

Some of the top A Better Property Management competitors available to California investors are:

HomeRiver Group

HomeRiver Group is the largest, third-party, full-service property management company in the US market, working with long-term rentals. At the moment, the firm takes care of more than 40,000 rental properties (including both single-family and small multifamily homes) and over 32,000 homes within HOA communities. The HomeRiver Group services are available in dozens of cities in 31 US states, including a strong presence in the State of California.

As the best rental property management company nationwide, HomeRiver offers all-inclusive services that allow investors to make passive real estate income from their rental properties. Moreover, the multiple positive reviews written on reputable third-party websites testify to the high quality of delivered services.

The property management fees charged by HomeRiver Group vary by market and number of properties but are always affordable and competitive, especially considering the comprehensiveness of services. The company charges a leasing fee, a monthly management fee, a lease renewal fee, and inspection fees.

Mynd

Mynd is one of the most popular property management companies offering full-service to landlords across the US. Unlike other property managers, Mynd focuses exclusively on single-family homes that are rented out on an annual basis, so it’s a good alternative to A Better Property Management for the owners of single-family rental homes. Currently, the company has an impressive portfolio of over 11,000 properties spread out in over 30 markets in 12 US states, including a few locations in California.

Mynd property management services are comprehensive, starting with preparing properties for listing and renting, all the way to conducting maintenance work. The company offers $5,000 Rental Income Guarantee and $5,000 Eviction Cost Coverage as additional protection for landlords.

Mynd monthly fees are flat, ranging between $75 and $199 per property, depending on the location and the number of rentals in an owner’s portfolio. In addition, the company charges a leasing fee and a lease renewal fee.

PURE Property Management

PURE Property Management is another national, full-service property management company working with various types of residential properties rented out on a long-term basis. The company serves multiple cities in 22 US states, including California.

PURE provides full-service property management, from evaluating properties before listing, to financial management and eviction protection.

In terms of fees, each PURE office applies a different pricing model, comprising a mix of flat fees and percentages of monthly rent. In general, fees are aligned with rates in the local market. Landlords are responsible for paying a leasing fee, a monthly management fee, a lease renewal fee, and other various fees. PURE offers discounts for multiple properties.

Poplar Homes

Poplar Homes is a nationwide, full-service property management firm. Similar to A Better Property Management, Poplar has its headquarters in California. Currently, the company manages more than 15,000 long-term rentals in numerous cities in 17 US states, with a particularly strong presence in the California market. Properties in the company’s portfolio include single-family homes, townhouses, apartments, duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes.

Poplar provides both leasing only and full-service property management packages for additional flexibility for property owners. The Poplar 360 plan offers truly all-inclusive management.

The fees charged by Poplar Homes vary widely, from 4% to 15% of monthly rental income, depending on the plan, the rental rate, and the number of properties. Leasing fees, meanwhile, are between 50% and 100% of one month’s rent.

Takeaway

A Better Property Management reviews reveal a potentially good company for landlords with different types of rental properties in their portfolio. The main disadvantages of this property manager include the limited market coverage (within California only), the unclear leasing fees and lease renewal fees, and the average overall rankings on trustworthy review websites.

Meanwhile, HomeRiver Group is the best ABPMCO alternative for investors looking for comprehensive services of high quality, at competitive prices. Other competitors whose services are available in California include Mynd, PURE Property Management, and Poplar Homes.