“I would say the most defining aspect of our company that makes us different than other management companies in Boston is the close relationship we have with our residents.”

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Hodara Property Management was founded in 2009 by Alex Hodara, Vincent Vomero and Jeffrey Zucker, all graduates of Boston University.  Hodara Property Management specializes in the sale, management and rental of income-producing investment properties in the Greater Boston Area.

Hodara Property Management offers investors and property owners the ability to own income producing property, hassle free.

Creators of Making Moves web series.

MO: What is your tenant retention policy or program?

Vincent: At Hodara Property Management (HPM) we don’t have a particular policy or set of rules to follow when deciding whether to allow a resident, or group of residents, to extend their stay. Each is evaluated on a case by case basis. I know which of my residents consistently pay late and which have caused problems with the neighbors or with other residents in the house, without even having to look at my notes. In addition, I spend a lot of time at our properties. This way I know who keeps their apartment clean and who doesn’t. All of these factors come into play when deciding if we want to allow them to stay on for another year. We only want to keep the best tenants. Those that are clean, pay on time and are respectful to others around them.

MO: Did you start the business while in college? Was that difficult?

Vincent: I started my business, along with Alex Hodara and Jeffrey Zucker, the summer before my senior year at Boston University. The thrill of starting a business made that summer was one of the most exciting summers I have ever had! But, the thought of my final year was always in the back of my mind. The upcoming year was going to be my hardest year, even before starting a business! Senior year was filled with graduate level biology classes and senior projects, all of which had to be balanced with starting, running and growing Hodara Property Management. If I had not already learned good time management skills then, I did so my senior year. Throw in something that hardly resembled a social life and my amount of free time went to0!

MO: As far as maintenance, are you doing repairs at the properties?

Vincent: Maintenance is like a living, breathing beast. Currently, seasonal and preventative maintenance are being performed. Things like making sure gutters are free of leaves and debris, checking weather stripping on exterior doors and having all heating systems tuned up and checked for proper functionality are all being performed during these fall months. It is important to perform these to reduce, or eliminate all together, costly emergencies, i.e. no heat and leaks caused by clogged drains, during the winter months.

MO: What is different about your company compared to a traditional property management company?

Vincent: I would say the most defining aspect of our company that makes us different than other management companies in Boston is the close relationship we have with our residents. We stay in close contact with them via email, text and phone. I personally stop by each of our properties at a minimum of once a week to make sure things are running smoothly and I have meet all of our residents at least once. We send out monthly newsletters to our residents which contains useful seasonal information for renters, like “5 Ways to Reduce Your Heating Costs This Winter” as well as information on local events. This is just another great way to provide a little something extra to our residents as well as support local businesses and entrepreneurs through promotions featured in the newsletter. In addition, we are currently putting together a discount program, available only to Hodara Property Management Residents, to receive discounts or free items at local restaurants and shops.

MO: What is your opinion of where rental real estate is headed?

Vincent: The rental real estate market is only headed up. Here in Boston, increasing enrollment at universities, for both undergraduate and graduate degrees, has increased the supply of renters. In an urban setting, schools don’t have room to build additional housing, forcing students to move off-campus. I recently read an article about the gap in wealth between Americas young and old. It stated that this is, at least in part, due to the huge amounts of debt that today’s young graduates carry. As a result, large amounts of debt may push back the purchase of a first home, therefore extending the rental period.

MO: Can you tell us about the web series you have created?

Vincent: Our web series, Making Moves, was created, in part, to chronicle what we as young entrepreneurs were doing in our office, but more importantly to feature other young entrepreneurs and to provide them with support. Many people in and around Boston University had learned of our business and its success. They would contact us asking for help and advice and thus Making Moves was born. Having proved a successful model in the Boston area, we have now been in discussions with several production companies and networks in an effort to bring the show to national television. Keep an eye out for Making Moves in your cable TV guide!