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

Memorial Property Management

The contact I spoke with was a lovely lady named Robin, and here are her answers to the usual questions.  First question everyone’s interested in is the monthly management fee, which is 10% or $85, whichever happens to be greater.  In case of emergencies, a reserve is held to handle any issues quickly, and Memorial Property Management requires $500.  (Something interesting, with any worthwhile Houston investment property, the monthly rent should cover the mortgage payment, management fee, and leave a little extra for the owner.  Memorial Property Management can make the monthly mortgage payment for you, and if you choose to have them do so they hold the mortgage payment in addition to the $500 reserve.)

Finding a tenant while outside the Houston area can be difficult, so for the first month’s rent, this company can find a tenant for you.  Before any lease is signed, background checks are performed to find the ideal tenant for your Houston investment property.  These checks include credit, criminal, employment, and checks with previous landlords.  After these checks are completed Memorial Property Management can even give a reccomendation based on the results.

In case of emergencies, a 24 hour phone line is monitored, and for electrical or plumbing problems there is staff on-hand 24 hours a day to handle.

This company specializes in single family homes, and should you be interested in having them manage your Houston investment property feel free to use the contact information listed below.

Memorial Property Management
10190 Katy Freeway, Suite 370
Houston, Texas 77043
Contact: Robin
Bus: 713-973-1001
Fax: 713-973-1002