Higgins & Welch Real Estate, Inc. represents many types of Landlords and tailors representation to the particular needs and ownership/management style of the property owner. We offer residential, commercial and community management services.

Higgins & Welch Real Estate provides full-service and a la carte property management services to owners with properties throughout the five counties in the Greater Philadelphia Area (Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery, Chester, and Delaware). We provide our clients with an array of services, saving you time and worry over marketing your rentals, collecting rent, handling maintenance and repair issues, responding to tenant complaints, pursuing evictions and more.

Two repeated statements by our management clients are “we should have done this years ago,” and “I have my life back.”

We are pleased to welcome diligent and conscientious Landlords as new clients to our portfolio and company. Our goal is to provide the efficient support and effective service to help you achieve success with your real estate investment portfolio. Our phone number is 215-247-5000. Feel free to call this number regarding any questions or concerns you may have. Our office hours are typically 9:00am to 6:00pm. Please note that the preferred method of contact is through our automated Landlord Portal System. This system ensures time-tracking and measures responsiveness not only for us but for you as the Landlord.

                                                                                                                                   Policies

Current Records: In an effort to maintain accurate information, we keep digital records uploaded to our secure web-based property management system as well as on our secure network and secondary backup servers. In many cases, we also retain printed records on file. Providing us with pertinent documents, updated contact numbers, and necessary data allows us to continue to retain comprehensive records.
Reliable Communication: Our management team serves as the first line of communication with tenants. We have several outlets to track communication and maintenance requests and pride ourselves on our ability to respond timely.
Team Approach: Each unit is assigned a property manager, maintenance manager and leasing agent who are supported with proficient administrative assistance.

                                                                                                                                    Value Added
Analytics and Reporting: Monthly reporting that can be customized and published to owner portal or sent via email.

Collaboration: Higgins & Welch brings the power of social networking into your property management solution to connect tenants, owners and management staff seamlessly.

Going Paperless: While we are not quite paperless, we eliminate the clutter in your office and ours, making us more productive and cost saving. Our web based program organizes all your documents and users can easily upload content and organize it by the appropriate record. These files can also be shared with residents and owners in your online portals. The result: Propertyware customers are more productive with happier customers.

Securing Data: in the event of a natural or data disaster we mitigate this risk by having your data and documents securely in the cloud. Your data is backed up daily in an SAEE 16 data center. Back Up Center Subject to Change without Notice.

Organized: Our program organizes all our property, tenant, owner and vendor information into one secure location that’s available to the management team anytime, anywhere. A powerful search engine then puts all of this information at our fingertips via smart phone application. Everything’s nicely organized, indexed and just one click away.

Visibility and Accountability: Gives our landlords real-time on-demand access into the performance of their properties with tools to communicate with our management team.

                                                                                                                                            Costs
There are three primary potential costs associated with our management service:
1) Tenant placement (i.e. rental listing) commission which is typically equivalent to one month’s gross rent. If you are transferring management with an existing tenant(s) this would not apply. When a tenant is needed, it is crucial that we are able to screen and approve a qualified tenant.

2) Management Fee is a percentage of gross rents collected and typically ranges between 6% and 10% depending on the type, size, and location of the property or portfolio. Large complex or community percentage and cost is available by quote.

3) Maintenance Fee – the tracking of maintenance requests and work orders is included in your management fee at no additional cost. In the event of a maintenance request you have the option to complete or facilitate that work yourself. In the event that you would like Higgins & Welch to facilitate, there is a 10% surcharge. For example, if a plumbing repair is $200, the cost to Landlord would be $220.

4) There is a written fee chart outlining some other potential property ownership costs that are not included (i.e. eviction costs).

Financial Accounting

Rental Income and Costs: Higgins & Welch will set up and maintain a management account on your behalf. This account is held at Bank of America and will maintain all of your operating income and costs.

Last Month’s Rent: When a tenant pre-pays last month’s rent those funds are typically held in an interest bearing account in the Landlord’s name and applied at the time the last month rent is due.

Security Deposits: Tenant Security Deposits are maintained per legal requirements in interest bearing accounts (unless waived) in a separate security deposit escrow account

Owner Draws: Owner draws are typically issued during the last week of each month provided the balance in your account is greater than the required minimum balance. These are typically sent in check form though an e-payment option is available.

Initial Owner Contribution: A one-time owner contribution (typically equal to one month’s rent) is requested at the time your account becomes active. This initial deposit establishes a minimum balance to remain in your account at all times; It is designed to set-up a “cushion” in the event of an unexpected emergency maintenance issues.

Tax Records: End of year Schedule E and Other Reporting available and included

Repairs & Maintenance

We encourage our clients to preserve value through providing safe and quality residences to tenants. We recognize the importance of monitoring tenant issues and communicating maintenance requests to owners. Any repairs over a certain agreed upon cost threshold must be approved. For smaller repairs and maintenance, an hourly contractor may be utilized to minimize costs. Larger repair and maintenance or renovation work may require estimates from multiple contractors. These can be obtained as needed or upon request.

Owner Portal

We offer an owner portal amenity that allows you to log into a secure website and access your account information. This automated system creates an interactive and streamlined relationship and will be the most effective and immediate method of contact.

The portal will allow you to:
• Update contact information
• Allow for Real-Time conversation and E-mail alerts
• Approve service requests and check status of the requests
• Access lease and property documents
• Receive notifications
• View account balance and transactions

Here’s how easily it works:
1. Please go https://www.propertyware.com/pw/portals/higginswelch/owner.action
2. Click on the sign up button
3. Fill in the required contact information
4. Once the information is submitted it will be sent to our office. At that time we will activate your account and send notice of your login information.
While our preferred method of communication is through this new tenant portal please know that we are always available outside of the portal via phone and E-mail.

Our Support

Higgins & Welch Web Based Management System provides us as your property manager advantages and allows us to:
• Enhance customer service
• Access your data 24/7 from anywhere
• Manage, track and reduce expenses
• Collect rent online
• Eliminate trips to the bank
• Automate daily operations
• Track work orders and maintenance issues
• Manage your files, data and communications online
• Manage online property rentals and publish vacancies with one click
• Integrated tenant background screening
• Schedule tasks and reminders

                                                                                                                                 Contact Information
We encourage you to contact us with any questions you may have at the following: 215-247-5000 ext.119. We can also be reached at propertymanager@welchgroup.net.

Emergency contact number: 610-331-7655

Please send mail correspondence to:
Higgins & Welch Real Estate, Inc.
709 Bethlehem Pike
Erdenheim, PA 19038
Fax: (215) 247-5001