Top 5 Property managers in Hamilton

Most investors don't have spare hours in the day to manage their investment property.

Why? Because fielding calls about the broken tap, missed rent, or a tenant’s personal issues can be a full-time job.

That's why many investors hire a property manager to look after the property for them.

But how can you tell who's a good property manager, from who's a not-so-good one?

It's hard to tell from the outside. We here at Opes Partners have our own property management company – Opes Property Management.

But Opes doesn’t manage properties in Hamilton. So investors often ask “who do you recommend in Hamilton?”

Because we're in the industry, we know what to look for in a property management company.

So in this article, you’ll learn our top 5 picks for property managers in Hamilton. These are in no particular order.

#1 Waikato Real Estate

First on the list is Waikato Real Estate.

Since 1985, this family-run business has focussed purely on property management.

Many of the team are property investors themselves. Together they manage 1300 properties throughout the Waikato region.

Most of the team have worked for the business for a long time. Some have been with the company for 17 years.

Business development manager. Michelle Pearson says the team uses "out the box" thinking to actively help investors develop portfolio.

For instance, all landlords are profiled before joining.

This means asking big questions like: "What are your future investment goals?"

But also including the smaller stuff like: “How do you like to be contacted?”

This helps Waikato Real Estate deliver the right service for the right investor.

And property investors seems to like it. Most landlords stick with Waikato Real Estate for about 7.5 years.

The business has a 4.5 Google rating with 224 reviews.

Waikato Real Estate hosts numerous property investor seminars for its clients. These events cover topics like:

• developing potential in Hamilton
• how to maximise your rental return

Waikato Real Estate have won several awards over the years. This includes Property Management Company of the Year in 2020. A competition for both New Zealand and Australia businesses. They were runners up in 2021.

Their management fee is 8.25% (+GST) and is all inclusive.

This means they do not charge for inspections, repairs and maintenance. This is different to the other names you will find on this list.

#2 Ray White Hamilton

Next up is the well-known Ray White. This is a large nationwide business with 196 offices throughout NZ.

Ray White is full service. This means they deal with property sales and property management.

Fraser Coombes and Mark Keesom lead the Ray White Hamilton City office.

The team gets an outstanding 4.6 stars on Google from over 500 reviews.

That includes reviews both for their real estate sales team and their property management business.

Cameron Glen, one of the 62 employees of this branch, is often mentioned.

For example, one review said:

"Consistently, Cameron Glenn as my property manager at Ray White Hamilton provides me with very professional assistance."

"He's always on top of his tasks, and his open and honest communication is very much appreciated. His service has been outstanding."

Like others on this list, their management fees are 8.5% + GST of rent collected. But they also charge $50 per inspection.

#3 Lodge Real Estate

Next is Lodge. This began as a family-owned company in 1969 (53 years ago).

They operate across Hamilton in all suburbs.

Lodge is full-service. As well as property management, they also have real estate agents. So they help people buy and sell properties.

Lodge started to specialise in property management in 1982. They manage over 3,500 properties, collecting $60 million in rent a year.

The property management arm of the company is Lodge City Rentals.

Recently half of Lodge was sold to Barfoot and Thompson. They are a large real estate company from Auckland.

Peter Thompson – a big name in the real estate world – joined Jeremy O’Rourke as a director.

Lodge's management fee is 8.5% + GST of the rent.

#4 Quality Rental Management

Derrick and Robyn Marsters started up Quality Rental Management in 2010.

They were frustrated with a lack of quality property managers in the area.

Now, they manage a team of 12 out of their office in Hamilton, covering properties from 1 bedroom up to 4+.

Quality Rental Management offer a service guarantee.

If they don't deliver the advertised service, they'll give you 3 months' free management.

Quality Rental Management’s fees are 8% + GST of the rent collected. This is competitive in the Waikato (and the cheapest on this list).

The team get 4 stars on Google from 167 reviews.

#5 Glasshouse Property Management

Glasshouse Property Management looks after properties throughout the Waikato. But it has 2 offices based in Hamilton and Cambridge.

The team of 18 employees, gets an outstanding 4.6 stars on Google from 242 reviews.

Jeremy Baker says when he saw how badly his grandmother’s investment properties were being looked after, he was compelled to lead a change.

And it was this desire to care for both landlords and tenants led the creation of the business.

It’s secret that well-cared for properties attract tenants. And that’s what Jeremy and his team focuses on.

The ethos of "care" is at the heart of this company, and is what has grown their client base from 1 to 1000 in just 8 years.

This sentiment is proven true in the countless reviews from clients. Almost all say the service from the team is astounding.

One review says:

“Glasshouse property truly stick with their golden values. From the first meeting to patiently helping me become a tenant!”

The management fee is between 8.5% and 12% (depending on the property).

A separate maintenance fee of 8% is charged, as well as an additional placement fee of $515 (+ GST)

Which property management company is right for me?

Choosing the right property manager is important. That's because:

• Your property needs to be looked after
• You'll need to get along with whoever you choose ... at least in a work capacity.

You'll likely have a relationship with your property manager for many years. So the chemistry and the communication, have to be right.

Here are some questions to ask a property manager when seeing if they're right for you:

• What’s your process for finding a tenant?
• Is there anything I need to be aware of with this property about Healthy Homes or other legislation?
• How often will you contact me with updates and maintenance reports?

Also, don’t forget the finicky details of:

• How much do I have to pay you?
• What do you charge extra for? E.g. inspections/maintenance.
• It’s also a good idea to ask what contractor they use for maintenance and repair.

It’s common for property managers to stay with one contractor forever. That means they might not always get the best deal when it comes to you having to pay for maintenance.