Who is Darla Andrew? The Person Behind the Business

Property management is about so much more than the bottom line. It’s about a place to put the Christmas tree every holiday season, a yard for the kids to play in, and a coffee shop across the street with the best cinnamon buns in town. It’s about connecting tenants with a place they’ll love to call home, and working with investment property owners to foster long-term and meaningful partnerships. From managing a single unit to a dozen buildings across the area, we believe in keeping a strong focus on people, because people make our business possible.

When shopping for a property management company, it’s easy to think of the business as faceless, nameless–heartless. That’s why we put the name and face of our company, Rent Portland Homes by Darla Andrew, front and center where it belongs. We’re not just a business card and a check in the mail. Instead, we believe in a more personal approach to a business that really matters. We care about people, from our tenants to our clients, and we’d love for you to get to know the person behind the company! 

Rent Portland Homes Rose To Meet A Need

The Portland metro area’s rental market can throw a lot of curveballs–let alone amid a life-changing global pandemic. But Darla Andrew’s business rose from the aftermath of crisis, and that’s what gives Rent Portland Homes its edge. Darla was a realtor when the market crashed in 2008, and saw the terrible consequences for owners and investors firsthand. 

As people desperately struggled to sell their homes, Darla found people asking her time and time again for a referral to a qualified property management company. Unable to find one, Darla took the initiative and decided to start one herself. Ever since then, she’s worked hard to build a flexible and resilient business that can survive in the face of adversity. We’d like to think that our experiences throughout the COVID-19 pandemic have proved that her hard work paid off. We continue to rise to meet every challenge with innovation and enthusiasm.

We Place Our Business Values Highly

Our company’s two highest values are ones we’ll never compromise on: integrity and communication. We know how vital these two pillars are because we’ve seen the effect of their absence in other companies. When we tell a tenant or owner that we’ll take care of something for them, we always get it done. There’s no room for doubt or uncertainty in a business where the stakes are so high. That’s why we make sure to act quickly and considerately. Policies like our 48-hour maintenance guarantee give our tenants and owners the security of knowing the property will be well taken care of, no matter what. 

We’ve heard complaints from clients who came to us from other management companies with tales of never being able to get in touch with their management company or being given the run-around rather than having an open and honest dialogue. Darla knows how frustrating that can be, and has worked hard to create a business where all of our clients know they can contact us any time they have a question or concern. We stay in constant contact with our tenants, owners, and vendors through phone, email, and text, so you never have to worry about anxiously checking your phone for a callback that never comes. 

Our Team Makes Us Great

In a business centered around people, it’s little wonder that our stellar team members are the core of what makes our business great. Darla structured her company around finding team members with valuable skill sets and diverse backgrounds. We’re not just a “team” in name alone. Rather than a collection of talented individuals, Darla’s hiring process focuses on finding people who will mesh together and work in tandem for a harmonious work environment. 

With our employees as well as our property investments, our focus is always on the long term. That’s why Darla keeps an eye out for employees who are in it for the long haul and can stay with our business for years to come. We love the fact that our employees get to grow along with the company. After all, property management is a long-term business. We prefer to have a solid team whose names you can come to know and rely on.

What Makes RPH Special?

Over the years, Darla has heard from many owners with almost the same story: their previous property management company let them down, ignored their emails, made empty promises, and dropped the ball. That’s not how Darla does business. We at Rent Portland Homes aren’t about empty bluster. Our onboarding process isn’t a sales pitch that will fall flat within the first quarter. We sit down with you to make a plan and then follow through on that plan every step of the way. If market conditions shift or your priorities change, then we’ll be right there to reevaluate and chart a new course that makes the most sense for your property investment. 

Our adaptability has kept us ahead of the curve in the Portland rental market. During the 2008 market crash, Darla learned what makes or breaks a property management business. Since then, she’s continued to make sure that Rent Portland Homes stays flexible and adaptable. That strategy that has helped our business and owners weather the trials of COVID-19. We quickly implemented video tours of rental units during the pandemic. This feature proved popular even as restrictions eased because of its convenience for renters from out of town. Rather than fighting change, we embrace it. And no matter what, we actively work to make sure our processes involve owners and tenants as much as possible.

Contact Us Today

Our business model doesn’t just involve clients and tenants; it’s built on partnerships. We love getting to know our owners and tenants so we can meet their individual needs. We believe in working with people, whether they’re employees, owners, or tenants; people are what make our business possible, and they’re what make our company strong. If you’d like to hear more about Darla, our business model, or how we’re working one-on-one with property owners in the Portland rental market, we would love to hear from you. You can call or text us at (503) 515-3170, or fill out the contact form on our website anytime.