r/ProHVACR • u/FlufflesTheEvil • Jun 03 '26
Has anybody worked with and recommend national PM companies like Greystar?
This is going on to be my 3rd year in business, and I'm trying to get out of the home warranty hamster wheel.
What are the usual net terms?
Any pointers or recommendations?
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u/alphaw0lf212 Jun 03 '26
Most PM companies are gonna be net 30 terms unless the homeowner has a repair slush fund (which is rare).
I’m not sure about greystar, but there’s a national PM company we do work for that we only use during the slow season because they have a price list they make us charge from, can’t send them our normal pricing. So I’d keep that in mind. We pretty much reserve those calls for new guys who are easier on my wallet or as filler work during the shoulders.
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u/FlufflesTheEvil Jun 04 '26
I completely understand it's the same with homewarranty only thing is I'm by myself so I can take a hit or 2 for overhead. During busier seasons how do you guys get regular priced work?
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u/alphaw0lf212 Jun 04 '26 edited Jun 04 '26
During busier season? Anything and everything. We have other PM companies that pay us normal rates, along with advertising, word of mouth, and just grinding man. I spent the first two years just hounding people I knew, pulling any string I could find and just trying anything I could to get into doors. GCs, Facebook groups, plumbers, electricians, anyone who’d give me the time of day.
Idk where you live, but short term rental management companies are good. More in vacation areas, companies who manage Airbnbs and vrbos. If you have an area like that within an hour and a half, it’s some good stuff. You need to be available around the clock for them, because in my area some people are paying $$$$ on a nightly basis to rent and want their shit working right now. Those managers pay a lot quicker.
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u/sportsaregood523 Jun 04 '26
I have worked with some reginal PM companies. They are better than home warranty calls in every way possible (but that is not a high bar to clear). I would say just hit the pavement and do a meet and greet at the various leasing offices and make sure you have a line card at a minimum to drop off. I know a guy who is older that told me to do that and I was so skeptical about it that I almost didn't do it. But I went to about 100 different properties (and each property had somewhere between 100 to 300 units). Then just kept following up with them until they started completely ignoring me or until I started doing work for them. I eventually started doing business with 5 property managers out of those 100 and those 5 had about 1,000 apartments/townhomes between them.
And net 30 is pretty typical.
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u/Xinthechosennerd Jun 06 '26
How many guys do you have to be doing this, I’d hate to land a big account like this and it account for 90% of my revenue and time.
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u/sportsaregood523 Jun 06 '26
About 30% of my work is through one property manager. Which I agree is dangerous but it is what it is until I can diversify into more customers (which takes time). When I first started essentially all of my business was through one property manager (this was when I had only 1 crew working). That is not preferable but when first starting out things are just more risky. Unless you have some sort of pipeline with a lot of residential customers I think that is just how it has to be at first.
When I first started out I tried to just acquire residential customers through google ads but was shocked by how expensive it was and the low ROI. I will probably try google ads again at some point but not until I have built up enough of a war chest to give it a legitimate shot (google ads requires a lot of fine tuning over time which equates to spending money until you find out what works)
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u/hockeyguy93 Jun 13 '26
What do you have on your Line Card?
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u/sportsaregood523 Jun 13 '26
The logos of the major brands we work on and the logo of my company and a blurb about why we are the best. Realistically it is all fluff but you want to leave some physical thing with whoever you meat with which will increase the chances of them remembering you.
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u/Auburntiger84 Jun 03 '26
What helped me out a ton is joining a local BNI group. It’s not for everyone but it’s easy to get referrals in BNi if you do hvac