
But what's the step by step process to become a property preservation vendor?
- 1. Check the state and local license requirements in your area. Not all states require licenses. ...
- 2. Check out the competition. ...
- 3. Apply for property preservation contractor positions ...
- 4. Go through the hiring interviews. ...
- 5. Apply for all relevant licenses, insurance types and certifications. ...
- 6. Purchase some property preservation supplies. ...
- 7. Go through training. ...
- Seek certification by taking courses or programs with learning institutions. ...
- Inform yourself about government guidelines.
- Approach major banks and apply with the REO department.
- Develop a preservation contract.
Why don't preservation businesses go to job boards?
Most preservation businesses who are just starting out won’t go directly to a national directory or job board due to the large amounts of paperwork and the required investment to execute jobs that might be out of their league.
What is PPE in property preservation?
Especially Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). As a property preservation, professional, you’ll be exposed to abandoned properties, run down houses, hazardous trash, and you need to take care of your team. Even simple things like mowing the lawn can be dangerous, and you need to be covered.
How to get attention of banks that are interested in selling foreclosure properties?
In order to gain the attention of large banks that are interested in selling foreclosure properties but must first prepare them for sale, you must usually establish a company with a formal structure such as an LLC or corporation. You should at least have basic liability insurance and a license to conduct business in the geographic area where you do business.
Do lenders hire their own preservation managers?
Some lenders employ their own property preservation managers, while many outsource to experts for repair work involving floors, walls, roofs, kitchen, plumbing and a variety of other specialties. One of the great things about launching a business in this day and age is that it’s much easier and quicker to learn a vast amount ...
Who sets the guidelines for foreclosures?
Industry guidelines and regulations are set by government agencies HUD, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and Veteran’s Administration (VA). While investors may be interested in purchasing foreclosures for rentals, banks prefer selling rather than managing properties.
Do you need a license to be a property preservation contractor?
Not all states require licenses. Property preservation in itself doesn’t require a license, but the jobs you do might: general contractor licenses, plumbing licenses, roofing licenses, electrical licenses, etc. Some counties and cities will require local licenses like a local contractor license instead of a general contractor license. Some states require specific certifications also, like mold certifications. So be sure to do your due dilligence before deciding to jump into the industry.
How Can I Become a Property Preservation Repair Vendor?
One of the first steps to becoming a Property Preservation Vendor (or PP Vendor) is to sign up with some of the nation’s leading National Property Preservation companies as a Repair Vendor. DO NOT SIGN UP AS A MAINTENANCE VENDOR – that is an entirely different position.
How Can I Learn About Property Preservation?
If you’re serious about getting into this great industry, the best thing you can do is educate yourself . The Education & Training page of this website has numerous areas and links to information that can help you succeed. You can learn about:
How to get more business for foreclosed properties?
Google search property preservation in your states or counties and find out what the most-needed services are; gear your business toward those particular services and banks will be knocking on your door to give you business for their foreclosed properties. Make sense? Bidding on jobs is an excellent way to get more business. The best way to do this is to:
What do you need to do as a repair contractor?
As a repair contractor, you will have to give a repair estimate and, if your bid is approved, either complete yourself or arrange to have someone else complete the various repairs required at residential properties. These repairs could include but are not limited to: roof repair or replacement; repairing damages caused by theft, water ingress, vandalism, or other disasters; and total refurbishment. Lately, I have been doing quite a few repairs to damage caused by water and mold such as drywall and carpeting.
How to be a successful repair contractor?
As a repair contractor, you will need to know how to use basic estimating software; be able to give accurate start and finish dates; and have access to all the necessary equipment, workers, and subcontractors you might need to complete these repairs as quickly as possible. Construction knowledge is therefore essential if you want to be a successful repair contractor.
Where is the HUD home preservation center?
HUD also has homeownership centers in: Atlanta, Georgia. Denver, Colorado. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Santa Ana, California.
When you start a property preservation business, should you take the jobs you can handle with limited personnel?
When you first start out in the property preservation business, you should only take the jobs you can handle with limited personnel, doing them well and rapidly to make a name for yourself. As your business grows, and word-of-mouth or marketing does its job, you may want to take on larger jobs.
What Do I Need to Start Up a Property Preservation Business?
Like every other business, property and preservation businesses require a few startup plans to thrive. Some of the necessary steps to follow include;
What Qualification is Needed to Startup a Property Preservation Company?
There is no academic qualification required. The only prerequisite is your business license and general liability insurance. You can also acquire other property preservation certification to boost your chances of getting contracts.
What are Property Preservation Companies?
The companies which are responsible for cleaning and maintaining foreclosed properties are known as property preservation companies. When government agencies, banks, mortgage lenders, and other financial institutions foreclose upon a property, they need the help of a property preservation contractor to clean up the property, rehabilitate it, and maintain it for sales.
What Kind of Services Do Property Preservation Companies Offer?
A property preservation contractor is asked to perform different tasks and sometimes you wonder if these tasks are actually part of your job description. You could be asked to clean up a toilet or break in into a locked building and you are stunned, thinking about what you have got yourself into.
What to consider when selecting a property preservation company?
Consider the work to be done, the number of contractors on your team, and the price of other property preservation companies.
When did the property preservation industry start?
The property preservation industry as we know it today was essentially born during the downturn of the economy in 2009-2010. Most people were unable to pay their debts or rents leading to the foreclosure of millions of properties. Mortgage lenders, banks, and other financial institutions were in dire need of contractors who are willing and able to clean up the properties and remodel them for new sales.
Is property preservation a new business?
Although a new line of business, hundreds of contractors are joining the property preservation business already. Quite competitive I must add but with the right knowledge, you are sure to excel in the industry, which is why we compiled this guide which aims at teaching you all you need to know about the property preservation industry.
What Is A Property Preservation Company?
Before you start your own property preservation business, you should first know what the industry is about.
What Are Property Preservation Services?
There is a wide range of services that a preservation company provides to its clients. The scope of the services are:
How To Start Property Preservation Business?
Being part of the Property Preservation Industry from 2014, where I have been helping out with processing services, has prompted me to write a few things. I have often come across people in different forums who have asked advice on how to start their own REO or a Property Preservation Company.
How To Handle Work Orders
Once your work volume starts to pick up and you are getting about 20 to 50 orders a month, you should hire a processing company such as us that provides work order processing services.
How Much Do Property Preservation Companies Make?
Contractors, before going into the property preservation business will often want to know how much does a property preservation company makes and if property preservation is still profitable.
What Is The Best Property Preservation Company To Work For?
As unfortunate as it may seem, there is no absolute "best" company to work for. Although MCS and Assetshield are relatively better, all contractors have had their fair share of grievance with every national that is out there. What is important though is that you know which nationals pay in a timely manner, and to work for them.
How Much Do Property Preservation Companies Charge?
The amount a preservation company bills for work they have completed can be divided into two categories: some work has fixed allowable rates determined by the national you will work for, and for others, you will use a cost estimator such as Repairbase or XactPRM to justify the price.
How to become a preservation contractor?
To become a property preservation contractor you will need to build expertise on government guidelines for banks that own FHA-insured homes. The Property Preservation Contractors Network and HUD can provide a comprehensive list of current guidelines, so familiarize yourself with these. The guidelines dictate how much a bank can spend on the preservation of a property. The maximum amount per property varies by state and the number of units in the building. Government regulations also stipulate that lender-owned property must be inspected regularly to deter vandalism and address weather-related damage. The inspector must produce inspection reports, photographs and documentation detailing damages.
Why do banks contract out for property preservation?
The banks contract this work out so the property maintains its resale value. Contractors should have property preservation experience, insurance, a vehicle and their own tools. You must register with the banks and asset management companies to get work because they only hire from a list of registered property preservation vendors.
Why Do So Many Small Property Preservation Companies Have Problems?from property-preservation.us
Because of this, national Property Preservation companies burn through tons of vendors on a regular basis. Here are a few tips to help you avoid the same fate.
Who sets the guidelines for foreclosures?from vrmco.com
Industry guidelines and regulations are set by government agencies HUD, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and Veteran’s Administration (VA). While investors may be interested in purchasing foreclosures for rentals, banks prefer selling rather than managing properties.
Why are nationals not only looking out for the best interests of their own companies, but they are also helping their vendors?from property-preservation.us
So contrary to the conspiracy theorists out there who think otherwise, these nationals are not only looking out for the best interests of their own companies, but they are also helping their vendors maintain the correct coverage. Because if a vendor doesn’t have the correct insurance policies then they will be held personally liable for the damages caused by them or their crew members.
How to get attention of banks that are interested in selling foreclosure properties?from vrmco.com
In order to gain the attention of large banks that are interested in selling foreclosure properties but must first prepare them for sale, you must usually establish a company with a formal structure such as an LLC or corporation. You should at least have basic liability insurance and a license to conduct business in the geographic area where you do business.
Do you need a license to be a property preservation contractor?from vrmco.com
Not all states require licenses. Property preservation in itself doesn’t require a license, but the jobs you do might: general contractor licenses, plumbing licenses, roofing licenses, electrical licenses, etc. Some counties and cities will require local licenses like a local contractor license instead of a general contractor license. Some states require specific certifications also, like mold certifications. So be sure to do your due dilligence before deciding to jump into the industry.

Starting A Property Preservation Business
Serving The Demand For Property Preservation
- You must first research your market to find out the demand level among real estate industry players for cleaning, transforming and maintaining properties in foreclosure. Lenders and investors outsource to experienced firms that specialize in fixing up properties for sale or rent. Firms that outsource may already have in-house property preservation team. Industry guidelines …
Establish Your Property Preservation Company
- In order to gain the attention of large banks that are interested in selling foreclosure properties but must first prepare them for sale, you must usually establish a company with a formal structure such as an LLC or corporation. You should at least have basic liability insurance and a license to conduct business in the geographic area where you do business. Here are additional steps you c…
Okay, But What If I Have No Experience in The Property Preservation Industry?
- If you don’t have any experience, starting your business right away might not be the best idea. Your main priority is to develop some experience and learn how things are expected to be done. Start out by searching for your local property preservation companies. Do a Google or Bing search and investigate what type of companies are already established in your area. Your goal should b…
Conclusion
- You don’t need a college education or any formal education beyond a high school diploma to become a property preservation contractor that fixes and maintains REO assets and other properties. It does require some research and reaching out to people that are in the business and to property preservation companies that are actively hiring vendors. VRM ...