Five key steps Guideline follows to ensure their investor’s properties achieve returns better than the norm
1. Unique ‘3-Tier Management System’
We have developed a ‘3-tier’ management system to ensure the following four steps are always taken and never overlooked. A quick read of the ‘3 tiers’ (see below) makes it clear that much of our success is due to good old fashioned ‘taking care of details’ – something most individual property investors do not have time for.
- We establish a wide contact base, skills and experience right from the time of negotiating the acquisition and through the years of management. This has seen the establishment of an effective set of systems and protocols still being used today.
- We involve an independent ‘joint-manager’ and specialist advisors specifically to ensure that all decisions have the benefit of contestability arising from two sets of skill and experience.
- We have also set up a contingency team selected from professionals with a long association with Guideline – to advise periodically and more importantly, to form a team in the event of an emergency which could impede Guideline’s ability to operate.
What other business has gone so far to benefit its clients and protect them?
2. Look after the tenants
The tenant is the key driver of increased value, sometimes more so than the property itself! Which is why we spend what some say is an excessive amount of time finding out the tenant’s needs and doing their best to meet them.
Tenants who get what they want, are often prepared to pay more, while disgruntled tenants may resist rent rises and shy away from negotiating longer leases
3. Look after the property
A shabby property attracts shabby tenants and makes it harder for tenants to build their business. But a well tended property attracts better tenants, higher rents and helps the tenant succeed.
We are continually evolving plans for improvement on ALL buildings they purchase for their investor groups. After approval from investors, we action the plans and then report back on physical improvements, – increased rental returns and increases in the overall property value.
The more successful the tenant, the more likely they are to stay and may even urge the property’s owners to negotiate a longer lease. When this happens, the ‘proof of a good management system really is in the pudding’.
4. Plan years ahead!
Looking after the tenant, adapting the property to suit their needs and looking after the property is NOT just a here and now matter for Guideline. We prepare plans that map out those activities for each property over a 5-10 year period.
5. Keep your expectations realistic!
In our ‘book’, having REALISTIC expectations means not expecting too much – or too little!
Many commercial property investors make the mistake of sitting back and waiting for their investment to grow – as a result they have no real plan (vision) and the growth of their investment, although it may please them, is well below what is realistically possible. To counter this possibility, Guideline maps out a strong vision for each of our investor’s properties, then insists on pursuing that vision.