126 | Both tenants and owners looked after Bex and Brad Harris started Property Scouts Invercargill in 2015. T T Virginia Wright “There’s also a higher than usual number of family homes available at the moment, as many traditional family homes are not selling – owners are opting to rent them for a few years.” PROPERTY Propertyscouts - Dunedin The Propertyscouts franchise, which started in Dunedin in 2004, now has branches throughout New Zealand. Bex and Brad Harris started Property Scouts Invercargill in 2015, then bought the original Dunedin franchise in 2017. They sold Invercargill in 2020, having decided to move to Dunedin to give it their full attention. “The property market is different in each city, but we bring our own approach, which is really around a high level of communication with an emphasis on making the tenants feel looked after and respected as well as the owners,” says Bex. This particularly applies in the student market, where they choose to keep student property numbers to less than 20% of their portfolio. This is to ensure they can keep the student properties at a manageable level while maintaining a high level of service to their residential clients, as this is the main focus of the business. Not much is left to chance with properties under Propertyscouts’ management, even when there is a lot of movement in the market, as there is currently, with Bex seeing more activity from investors than in recent years. “It’s good for them, because investors tend to hold properties for longer and don’t become ‘accidental landlords’,” she explains, “which is a really good foundation for the long-term rental market. “There’s also a higher than usual number of family homes available at the moment, as many traditional family homes are not selling – owners are opting to rent them for a few years. “As pure investment properties they don’t usually stack up in terms of yield compared to multi-units and entry-level properties; however, for those looking for a good house to rent it gives them lots of options if they are looking around the $500 to $600 per week bracket.” As the name of the business suggests, Bex and Brad don’t just manage properties, but they also enjoy helping investors find the property they’re looking for. As property investors themselves, and having in the past had tenants in houses they had spent time and money fixing up that were of a higher standard than their own home, they wanted to increase the standard around property management. Bex works closely with investors, offering backgrounds and rental appraisals to help them assess what they are looking at. “This is a great way to build a solid foundation with our owners, as we are able to ensure they have independent advice and rental figures,” says Bex. Her hands-on knowledge of both sides of the rental market feeds into her particular approach to setting up a successful tenancy. “A huge part of the process is to match the tenant with the home. I liken it to a successful date; they need to be a good fit going forward. For us it’s really important that they have a home that suits them and likewise for the owner, the better job we do of pairing the house with the tenant, the longer they stay and the happier they are, which is good for everyone,” she says. They are right often enough in their pairing that they offer a four-week rent guarantee to property owners. They also ensure that they and their team of nine stay well abreast of the steady stream of changes and reforms that continue to hit the property market. They also keep their portfolio numbers realistic and work as a team to ensure that at no time is a property left unattended. Propertyscouts Dunedin works hard on your behalf whether you are a renter, an owner or an investor in the making. ALL TYPES OF PLUMBING GASFITTING DOMESTIC & COMMERCIAL DRAINLAYING BLOCKED DRAINS WATER FILTERS CALLOUT SERVICE REPAIRS & MAINTENANCE IQP & BACKFLOWVENTILATION One call does it all Oncore is New Zealand’s leading team for residential and commercial repairs, maintenance, insurance work, installations and decorating. Call us today to discuss your project 0800 33 66 55 www.oncoreservice.co.nz Gutter cleaning and repair Painting And much more! House Washing Roof Washing Healthy Homes Work and much more! Dunedin’s Heat Pumps, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Specialists Offering refrigeration, heat pumps and air conditioning throughout Dunedin and Otago. Our services include heat pumps, air conditioning, cool stores and commercial refrigeration. McClelland REFRIGERATION PROUD SUPPLIERS OF FUJITSU HEAT PUMPS IN DUNEDIN NEW ZEALAND’S FAVOURITE AIR® Call us today 03 477 0088 mcclelland.co.nz
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