As buyers, we need to do our research before jumping into any agreements.
As consumers we hear a lot of offers for both products and services that make us question if it is too good to be true. Many times the answer is buyer beware. If it sounds like it’s too good to be true, it probably is.
People make careers out of researching, testing and reporting on this stuff trying to save us the headache. And yet, we still buy into the hype.
In the world of real estate, the place that investors get hit the most is through contractors either taking your money and not doing the job or taking short cuts and then refusing to fix it because the short cuts were a part of your low price. There was a recent story where a woman found a painter on Groupon, hired the guy at a ridiculously cheap rate and allowed him to paint the inside of her personal home and then found out afterwards that he came in and took off with her jewelry.
So how do you be sure that you are going to hire a reputable person or company? Do your research. Don’t just hire based on the 1st interview, but on research.
What should you be doing when you’re doing your research? Here are a few things that we suggest.
Removable car magnets with a cell phone number may be a sign of non-commitment.
1. Is their company vehicle a personal truck with a peel-off magnetic sticker with a cell phone? It might be a sign of a lack of commitment. Look for literature about their business and physical location.
Make sure to ask to see their certificate of insurance.
2. Ask to see their current certificate of insurance and be sure that it covers EVERYONE that works for them. What’s going to happen if they have insurance that just covers them and then they bring Joe from around the corner to help and Joe falls off the roof of your house? Chances are pretty good Joe will be looking to come after you.
Make sure you check the references of anyone you may be looking to hire.
3. Ask for references. Customers they worked for from their last several jobs. Why? Because anyone can give you the names and numbers of people that like them.
Don’t be afraid to visit the potential contractor at a current job site or their offices. It will show you how they truly operate.
4. Visit them at their facilities or job site if you can. This will give you a better feel for the infrastructure they have built and how they operate when they are on the job.
The more research you do the more confident you can be that you aren’t hiring someone that is ultimately going to let you down.
If you are interested in OneSource’s repair and support services, feel free to visit us online at www.onesourceips.com and please feel free to come past and visit us anytime. We love visitors!