MARKHAM – Many residents of York Region and the GTA are already familiar with Living Realty from seeing our “For Sale” signs in front of homes, our ads in local papers or even having worked with our agents. What many might not realize is that the Living Group of Companies offers comprehensive services to property investors – even after the sale closes.
We sat down to speak with Mark Fenson, General Manager at the Living Group’s property management firm Living Properties, about what makes the company a great choice for property owners or condominium boards who require professional and certified property services.
What’s the story behind Living Properties?
Living Properties was formed by the Living Group of Companies in 1983, with the goal of offering “full service” to its clients.
“By offering thorough after-sales support, Living Properties is able to help investors enjoy the income generated by their properties – without the stress of having to manage the properties themselves,” Fenson said. “We work with a diverse mix of clients, but real estate investors a
re a big part of the company’s business.”
A fully-licensed member of the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) of the Greater Toronto Area, Living Properties’ team consists of certified, experienced managers.
“Because we are a third-party manager, the properties and buildings themselves are our managers’ number one priority,” Fenson adds.
These days, Living Properties’ management portfolio is comprised of over 300 properties, including some local landmarks such as Pacific Mall and Scarborough’s Centro Condominiums.
Property Management Services and Clients
There are four types of clients who generally seek out Living Properties’ services. Each type of client has a specific agreement that they sign with the company before the management work begins:
- Condominiums – Living Properties deals directly with the Board of Directors, whose members represent the owners of units in the building(s).
- Multi-Unit Residential Property (apartment building) landlords.
- Owners of commercial properties, such as shopping centres.
- Living Properties also manages residential houses and individual condominium units on behalf of landlords.
Living Properties tailors the specifics of each arrangement to meet the needs of that type of client – for example, the services offered to a commercial property owner differ greatly from those provided to a condominium board.
Services Provided for CommercialClients
- Collection of rent from commercial tenants.
- Negotiating contracts for periodic and seasonal maintenance, such as landscaping, window cleaning, waste removal, snow removal, landscaping.
- Implementing repairs whenever necessary, as well as taking on responsibility for all regular servicing – including emergency servicing.
- Dealing with insurance matters including maintaining coverage, obtaining quotes, processing claims and more.
- Tenant relations, including processing applications, attending to requests/complaints and more.
- Administration and monitoring of commercial leases.
Services Provided to Multi-Unit Residential Owners
- Collection of rent from residential tenants.
- Coordinating dealings with the Landlord and Tenant Board.
- Handling tenant applications, coordinating moves, and handling various other matters with respect to tenant relations.
- Supervision of superintendents and on-site staff.
- Monitoring, preparing and arranging the re-rental of vacant units.
Services Provided to Condominium Boards
- Collection of common expenses.
- Full service management and maintenance of the building itself.
- Keeping accurate accounts of all financial transactions, and presenting a budget to the Board annually.
- Enforcement of condominium rules and regulations.
- Attendance at monthly Board of Directors meetings.
- Preparation of Status Certificates.
Living Properties is also happy to manage individual units on behalf of landlords – for example, an investment condo that the owner would like to rent out.
The Living Properties Difference
There are many property management companies in the GTA, but there are a few key differences that set Living Properties apart.
- Properties are the Priority. Many property management companies are also juggling other areas of business, such as construction and development interests. At Living Properties, management is the sole focus –allowing us to devote full attention to our clients and their buildings.
- A Professional and Experienced Team. Living Properties’ full-time team of trained and certified property managers is always at clients’ disposal. This is a good alternative to smaller property management firms, who do not have the same resources and expertise.
- The Third-Party Advantage. Living Properties isn’t interested in acquiring properties – their specialization is in delivering quality management results that allow the company to build strong partnerships with owners.
- Living Properties’ professional and efficient Full-Time Accounting Staff is headed by a Certified General Accountant – helping provide added peace of mind for clients.
- Peace of Mind – Living Properties provides a 24/7 emergency hotline to better serve clients.
The team at Living Properties is standing by to help provide property management solutions for any kind of building. Contact them today if you’d like to see how they can help you.
