Landlord Communication – May 7, 2020

Communication is a problem that many landlords have with their management company. We want to be as up-front and open with our clients as possible. Below is an email communication we sent to all owners.

May 7, 2020

I hope this email finds you safe and healthy!

As we continue to navigate our way through the effects of the global pandemic, it is my goal to continue to share good news whenever possible. That said, as of yesterday…May 6…91% of May’s rent has been collected. For April, we collected 98%.  I could not be more excited to announce these statistics in light of all of the media coverage and attention that has focused on our real estate industry since the Coronavirus erupted on the scene in March.  Many property management companies have anticipated resistance about rent and even experienced protesting from their tenants.  With all of this in mind, I reach out to you with overwhelming gratitude and appreciation for our results as well as for all of the people who have made those results possible despite our current circumstances.

First, I want to thank YOU, as an owner of the properties we manage!  More than ever, I now want you to know how very much I treasure the trust you have placed in us at Kunkel Wittenauer Group.  The partnership you have allowed us to foster ultimately proves to be priceless during times of crisis like these.  It is that very partnership to which I attribute our success, which includes the payment of rent during a global pandemic that has caused the country to shut down business, order employees to seek the safety of home and caused the economy to come to a grinding halt, rendering many without the ability to pay that rent.   We thank you for helping us to be the leader in our industry despite these times. In April, we were #1 in the market share renting 51.04% of reported rentals in Maris, which ranks the property management companies in our area by production.  Without your partnership, our #1 ranking on this report would not be possible. I want to celebrate our success with you and hope you know how very much we appreciate your help in making it happen.

That appreciation extends to the trust you have placed in our expertise and judgement regarding the market and how that market affects your property.  We work hard to price your property at a level that enables ongoing and consistent tenancy while ensuring the greatest return on your investment.

Likewise, that appreciation includes the trust you have placed in the recommendations we often make regarding the maintenance of your property throughout our management of it.  We know upgrades are often necessary at times when they are the least convenient or financially feasible, but we now find ourselves thankful for your acceptance of those recommendations during this time of crisis regardless of how inconvenient we know they might have been back then.

Second, I appreciate and request that you help us by showing your appreciation also to our tenants.  They too share in the partnership we have developed.  Their dedication to meeting their commitments is admirable.  Many are struggling, faced with concerns about their jobs, their families, and their health.  Many have had to make payments over time this past month to ensure their rent was paid in full.  We appreciate their honest communication about their situations and their struggles.  We all know those struggles are real during these unprecedented times and we are working hard to help them find ways to get through those struggles despite the hardships they cause.  Their resilience despite it all has been exemplary.

Third, I appreciate the team of professionals we have at Kunkel Wittenauer Group diligently working often in remote locations to coordinate all of this.  These team members continue to meet the needs of our owners and tenants despite adverse conditions to provide the very best customer experience possible.  Again, words cannot begin to express the appreciation I feel for my team and their dedication.  Without them, none of this would be possible.

To summarize, my heart swells with pride over the results we are bringing one another during times that we have never before experienced in our lives and we hope our children and grandchildren will never again have to experience in theirs.  Can you just imagine the possibilities once we are turned loose to reestablish the new normal associated with post pandemic times?  Nothing short of exciting in my opinion and I cannot imagine having better partners with which to share it.  I cannot wait for the day!  Thank you again for all you are doing to help us make all of this possible!