Houston Investment Property Guide

Purchasing Houston investment property, or property in general with current prices being so low is a good decision.  Most investors are sinking their money into long term investments, knowing that the bubble has more or less popped on short term gains like flipping a house or condo.  Out of town, and even out of country, buyers are becoming more savvy, knowing better deals are to be had outside of their comfort zones.  For these individuals a wise choice would be to have a property management company watch after your Houston investment property.  For small fees a management company takes care of all the headaches while allowing you to build on your investment.

West by Northwest Property Management

West by Northwest is a management company working out of a RE/MAX location, and has offices in Houston, Cypress, and Katy.  In addition to managing your property, they can also help you find one.  Most property managers offer the service of finding Houston investment properties, and some even offer discounts when they can provide you both services, so please make a note of this while you’re interviewing realtors and property managers, as it could save you money in the long run.

Starting with the monthly fee, this company comes in low at $75 per month, per unit.  Now after calling to check this with the West by Northwest office, they said there were certain cases for this, and suggested speaking with the owner, Greg Comer at 281-770-5510 for the exact specifications.  After speaking with Mr. Comer he has assured me that it is a flat rate of $75 per month, per property which is the lowest I’ve found in my search of Houston property managers.  The one downside is that for multiple properties the rate is still $75 per unit, however I’m sure a savvy Houston investment property owner could negotiate a mutually beneficial deal once a certain number of properties is reached, lowering the per property management fee.  (Mr. Comer also mentioned the monthly fee included a drive by the property once a month to check the outer quality of the property.)

Once your Houston investment property is found, finding the proper tenant can be a chore.  West by Northwest can find just the tenant for a leasing fee equal to 75% of the first months rent.  There are also a number of background checks done on potential tenants including criminal, credit history check and verifications of employment, rent, and income.  Some problems arise due to Murphy’s law, and a reserve is set aside as a security deposit held in a trust account where it remains for repairs.  This amount is something the owner and West by Northwest can work out.  In th event the tenant or owner has an emergency they can call the office.  Outside of normal business hours (keep in mind the office is open Saturday and Sunday from 10 to 4) a third party service answers phone calls and contacts the proper West by Northwest staff.

West by Northwest seems like a wise choice for managing your Houston investment property, but as always take your homework to the next level to find out about one time fees, set up costs, etc.  None were mentioned at the time of my screening the company, but a wise investor checks everything out to make sure the apples are indeed being compared to other apples.  For more information please contact Greg Comer at:

West By Northwest Property Management
17315 FM 529
Houston, TX 77095
Direct: (281) 550-9433
Fax: (281) 596-4370