Marsh Real Estate Agency - Your Property Management Specialist in Metro Manila, Philippines

Marsh Real Estate Agency
Philippines Property Management Branch

Marsh Real Estate Agency was founded in 2007 to service the ever-growing demand for rental management and leasing services (non-management rentals) in the Metro Manila markets.

Over these past few years, we have grown to serve the entire Metro Manila region and especially Makati, Fort Bonifacio/Global City and Ortigas/Pasig as an integral part of the ever growing Real Estate and Retirement Industry in the Philippines. Currently, we have many “Balikbayans” who are living and working overseas that have contracted with us to manage and maintain their rental properties here in the Philippines for them.

Our commitment to excellence and professionalism, as well as responsiveness and adaptation to market forces, ensures that we provide the highest caliber of service to all our clients.

We succeed only when our clients achieve their investment goals through effective counsel and management of their Real Estate properties.

Why do I need a Property Manager?

Since you are living thousands of kilometers away from your property:

Ask yourself the following questions:
• Do you or your relatives in the Philippines have experience managing rental property?
• Are you familiar with all the fair housing and landlord/tenant laws in the Philippines?
• Do you have sound relationships with reputable repair vendors or contractors that can ensure you could get 24 hour service at reasonable prices?
• Can you afford to travel to the Philippines regularly to manage and care for your property?
• Do you have a reliable means to determine the Fair Market Rent on your property?
• Do you know about and have the proper notices and legal process to deal with non-paying or troublesome tenants?
• Do you have a current, professionally crafted Lease Agreement and other related agreements/forms/documents used in the Philippines to minimize your exposure to liability should a tenant sue?

If you answered “NO” to any of the above questions, it might be prudent to hire a Professional Property Manager. The cost of one bad decision could more than offset the cost of hiring a professional manager to help you avoid the pitfalls of rental property ownership.

What is Marsh Real Estate Agency Property Management Branch?

Marsh Real Estate Agency is owned and operated by a licensed REALTOR®, Rossanna Marie Nisperos, REBL # 19377® - 08. Anna is an active member of the Philippine Association of Realtors Boards (PAREB), which is a member of the National Association of Realtors (NAR) in the USA. She is also an active member of the MLS Committee on her local board, the Pasay – Makati Realtors Board (PMRB). Anna’s American husband, Doug Marsh, is a retired U.S. Marine, an Electrical Engineer and a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). He brings many years of experience and knowledge as a Project Manager in the Construction Industries worldwide, to be able to affectively manage and maintain your properties and deal with local suppliers and vendors for repairs, renovations and/or replacement items.

Why is this important?

The Philippine Real Estate market is extremely competitive. Over the last several years, demand for housing has “grown” and the “supply” has tightened in the markets we serve. Many of the unlicensed “Colorum” sales agents that still abound in the Philippines have moved to small-scale rental/lease management. As a landlord, dealing with someone who is only managing 2, 5, or even 10 properties sounds good until you understand the differences between these unlicensed property managers and the ones we have at Marsh Real Estate Agency.

To complicate matters even more, Real Estate sales and management have the same licensing requirements. Even though Property Management is very different from sales, a Real Estate license allows agents/brokers to do either—or both if desired, but this can be over-taxing for them. In recognition of the significant differences between sales and rentals, Marsh Real Estate Agency is divided into two branches; Sales Branch and the Property Management Branch. This allows our licensed and trained staff to focus on one area only to provide our customers with the best care and solutions to their needs.

Our property managers devote a tremendous amount of time and energy to staying current on rental laws and court practices. They participate in property management seminars, training courses offered by universities and other professional organizations, to stay current on fair housing laws, the Pag-ibig Fund, housing subsidies and loans, and a myriad of other issues affecting property owners.

Colorum Agents who “do rentals” part-time frequently forgo this ongoing education in favor of playing the odds that “it won’t happen to them”. Most fair housing cases that go to court stem from rental situations. You never know when a well-meaning but inexperienced or under-educated sales agent and their landlord-client will be defendants in a fair housing case. Judgments in fair housing actions can range into the hundreds of thousands or millions of Pesos! A significant number of cases stem from rental activities and can result in huge awards to plaintiff/tenants.

Can you afford not to hire an experienced, professional Property Manager?

The bottom line: Experience and education count! Our Property Management team has the experience and resources to deal with situations quickly, efficiently, legally, and with minimal exposure to liability for our landlords.

Why use Property Management?

A Rental Home or Condominium is a big investment. With all the regulations, legal issues and liabilities, it is in your best interest to hire a professional Property Management Agency.

Marsh Real Estate Agency, Property Management Branch, has an experienced, educated and dedicated professional staff and the best accounting system now available on the market.

We are the largest single family dwelling property management division in Metro Manila for a reason – we have the extensive, up-to-date property management services available in our markets.

Pets – Should you allow them?

Roughly 50% of tenants have a pet of some kind. Denying pets reduces your pool of potential renters.

Pros:

• Pet owners are normally required to provide additional security deposits.
• Pet owners may stay longer as other property available to them is limited.
• Two or more pets can actually be better than one – since they provide companionship for each other and are less likely to cause damage and noise due to boredom or anxiety.

Cons:

• Pets can create odor and damage problems if not properly supervised by their owners.
• Items such as carpets and sofas generally require more frequent replacement in pet friendly properties.
• It can be difficult to obtain reliable references on pets from former landlords.
• Pet damages sometimes exceed the amount of deposits and it can be difficult to recover the excess from former tenants.
Recommendation:

As with most such issues, each case is different and comes with its own set of risk versus reward considerations. The following are some factors to consider in making your decision:

• Do you have pets or have pets previously been in the property?
• Does the property have older carpet?
• Do you intend to occupy the property yourself at some point? Would you likely upgrade many items in that process anyway?
• Do you have allergies that might be aggravated by pet odor/dander?
• Would allowing pets provide significant reduction in projected market times?

Some Landlord Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: What do I get for my monthly management fee?
A: Among other things, your management fee buys:
• The market presence and reputation of Marsh Real Estate Agency.
• On time Rent collection and tenant relations.
• Up to date accounting program to keep our clients updated on their properties.
• The expertise of one of the best property management teams in Metro Manila.
• Twenty-four hour access to a wide array of licensed, insured maintenance vendors.
• Professionally crafted and legally tested leases and related documents.
• Access to competent, effective landlord/tenant and Real Estate Attorneys.
• Peace of mind.

Q; How long will it take to rent my property?
A: Many factors affect the speed with which a property rents including supply/demand, time of year, location, and condition. We will recommend a market rent based on our expertise and all these factors on a case by case basis.

Q: Why do property management companies charge leasing commissions? How are these different from management fees?
A: Monthly Management Fees pay the managing company and your property manager for the day-to-day tasks associated with conducting your rental business and upkeep. Leasing Commissions are offered as an inducement to get the property marketed and shown as quickly as possible. It does cost us to advertise and market to attract the best tenants possible. Our goal is to maximize exposure for your property and encourage all Licensed Real Estate Brokers (who number about 1,800 here) to bring qualified tenants to the table. This is accomplished here in the Philippines by splitting the Leasing Commission, which is usually the equivalent of one months rent, between the Broker who markets the property and the Broker who brings the tenant to the table.

Q: Can Marsh Real Estate Agency make my mortgage payment monthly?
A: Yes, provided the following basic conditions are met: (Detailed info is available upon request and on a case-by-case basis only)

1. A minimum of four month’s mortgage payment is held as a “minimum balance” or “funding” in your property account.
2. You agree to pay an additional one-time set fee equal to 50% of one months rent for handling of the monthly transaction during the course of a 1 year lease.
3. Sufficient funds are available to us when the payment is due.

Q: Can Marsh Real Estate Agency pay a vendor or my Association Dues/Fees if my account balance is insufficient when the bills are received?
A: No. Real Estate regulations preclude any real estate company from advancing its own funds to settle an owner’s expenses. Bills are paid when the available balance in the property account is equal to or exceeds the amount(s) owed. For this reason, it is important to ensure your account balance is always sufficient to pay all anticipated expenses.

Q: I asked several Property Managers and found a lot of variation in fees. Why is that?
A: Real Estate companies operate completely independently of one another and set their fees according to what they consider reasonable returns for their efforts. There are no “standard” fees for particular services. At Marsh Real Estate Agency, the emphasis is on quality and we work hard to attract and retain the best management talent. We believe our program provides excellent value to our investment property owners. Our philosophy is to gain market share by consistently delivering an exceptional range of services to our landlords and tenants alike.

Q: My property manager has suggested that I paint, replace a few rooms of carpet, and have the house power washed before placing it on the rental market. I’m not selling—why should I go to all this trouble and expense for tenants?
A: A well-maintained property attracts better tenants, leases in a shorter time, and generally brings higher rents. Well-qualified tenants realize they are sought after and shop for homes that are in good condition and offer the best value for their rent dollars. The money you “save” by not having the property in top condition will be spent on longer vacancies and the problems associated with attracting lesser qualified tenants.

Why should I invest in Real Estate in the Philippines?

Real Estate in the Philippines has created more self made millionaires than literally any other investment available in today's society. Whether you are looking to purchase rental properties, or you are looking to rehab properties for quick profit - real estate investing can put profit in your pocket.

With the world’s economic downturns and the constant fluctuation in the stock markets, it is more apparent now than ever, that Real Estate is a much more desired investment.

There are several reasons why investment properties are the best investment out there.
When compared to stocks, bonds, and money market accounts, real estate is by far the most profitable investment. What kind of a return is 2% - 7% from stocks, bonds or Mutual Funds? Not a very good one. With Real Estate you can invest a small amount of your own capital while reaping large rewards.

What is “Equity”?

Equity is the difference between what you owe on a property and what the property is worth. Equity may be accessed when you sell a property or when you refinance the property. It may be used to pay off higher interest loans, to reinvest, or any other reason you see fit. If you buy the right property for the right price you should have equity the day you buy it.

Over time Real Estate goes up in value. In recent years the value of Real Estate in the Philippines has increased at dramatic rates. Buy a property low today and receive equity through time.

If you are purchasing a rental property, one of the major considerations you must take into account is the amount of cash flow this property generates. This is the difference between how much this property brings in each month and the amount of money the property costs you per month to own and operate. A good rental will pay for itself while putting extra cash into the owners pocket each month. This is what we strive to achieve for you at Marsh Real Estate Agency.

For more information on what Marsh Real Estate Agency Property Management Branch can do for you, please contact me or my husband Doug Marsh personally. Our e-mail is: marshrealestateagency@yahoo.com, or marshrealestateagency@gmail.com. Our Vonage VOIP phone number with Voice Mail in Los Angeles, CA is: 1-(562)-366-4272. Our Direct Dial numbers in the Philippines are: (632) 692-3027, (632) 571-3057 and our Tel/Fax number is (632) 571-3067. Our Fax is manual, so you have to call and ask for a Fax tone first.

Let Marsh Real Estate Agency, give you “Peace of Mind”