As a property investor looking for the right property manager in Newcastle, you are flooded with options. Knowing how to find the right property manager amongst the sea of corporate real estate agencies, semi-online services and genuine property management specialists is difficult. 

Much of the challenge comes from the fact that most property management businesses tell you the same things. Do these points sound familiar?

- "We look after your property as if it was our own"
- "We'll always call you back"
- "We look after landlords and tenants alike"
- etc...

We have previously questioned the relevance and validity of property management statistics often cited by agents, including the "Number of properties leased this week", "% of properties occupied" and "Number of new management agreements signed". 

Each of these stats are great for a quick Facebook post or a stylish icon in a glossy ad, however you need to look deeper to determine what these figures mean to you as a landlord (if anything). Now, we are seeing questionable statistics appearing regarding rental arrears performance, and we wanted to raise some key points to consider when next you are presented with a company's arrears status. 

Winter is prime-time for property maintenance. The cooler wet weather and winds can bring rise to property maintenance issues which may have gone un-noticed during the warmer months. 

For the sake of tenant safety, and also financial savings, it is better to focus on repair prevention rather than cure. Following are the key areas prospective landlords, current landlords and tenants alike should consider assessing around their property as maintenance season looms.