So you’re a property investor. You’ve got all these properties. And, you’ve decided it’s time to hire an accountant. Now what?
How do I find the right accountant?
Do I hire a firm or an individual?
Do I look local or search nationwide?
How do I tell a good accountant from a not-so-good one?
How do I tell a good accounting firm from a not-so-good one?
How much am I willing to pay for this service?
Then I come full circle with the same question I’ve had for all these years …
“What do I need an accountant for anyway?”
But, today it’s different. I’m serious. It’s time to make the move. Get an accountant.
The search is on … let the fun begin!
By the way, I don’t have the “end-all, be-all” answer. Does anyone? I don’t have a ten step sure fire formula.
I do have an accountant. But, I found him rather by chance. He was recommended by a trusted source. And things have worked out well over the years.
But, I’d like to suggest something … may I?
Thanks.
I would suggest that finding the right accountant is similar to finding the right property manager.
“How so?” you may ask.
Well, let’s see. Here’s a basic flow process:
- First, you talk to a bunch. Then you interview the final contenders. And, then you hire one of them.
- Next, you monitor their performance. If satisfactory, then all’s fine. If not, then repeat steps above.
- Finally, keep doing this until you arrive at a winner.
Now, what do you ask at the interview?
Well, here’s where I go for outside help. I did some looking around and after reviewing a bunch of sites, I found one that seems to stand out. And, I found an article that goes a long way to answering the question, “How do I find the right accountant?”
The website is called www.gaebler.com and it’s for entrepreneurs. Aren’t property investors entrepreneurs? After all, if you treat your property investments as a business, then you’re running a business; you’re an entrepreneur – right?
I particularly like this article because it appears to capture all walks of property investors even though it’s written from a United States perspective. Doesn’t matter what country you’re in … doesn’t matter how many properties you have … doesn’t matter what your business background is … the article works. You may have to change some of the jargon for your particular situation, but – no matter – it should go a long way to answering two big questions as follows:
- What do small business/entrepreneur accountants do anyway?
- What questions should I ask a prospective accountant?
The article is How to choose an accountant. It should put you on the right track to finding the right accountant for you and your situation.