A one-hour checklist: line up three property managers and realtors before year-end move-outs
Property managers and realtors send repeat cleanouts all year. An hour of work this week to get on three of their call lists before the end-of-year move-outs.
Most junk removal calls come from one homeowner who needs one load gone. That is good work, but it is one job at a time, and you pay to find every one of them. A property manager or a realtor can send you a dozen jobs a year without a single ad.
The end of the year is a busy time for move-outs, estate sales and listings that need to be cleared before photos. If you want to be on someone's list before that rush, the time to call is now. Here is a checklist you can finish in about an hour.
Before you start (5 minutes)
Have three things ready.
- A one-line description of what you do. "We clear out apartments, rentals and listings, usually same or next day, and we send photos when it is done."
- Your load pricing. Partners want to know roughly what a full unit or a garage will cost before they call. If your prices are not written down yet, the pricing and quoting guide shows a simple way to present them.
- Proof you are real. Your Google profile link, your website, and your insurance certificate as a PDF.
Make the list (15 minutes)
Open Google Maps and search for property management companies in your service area. Then search for real estate brokerages. Write down ten of each, with a phone number and, if you can find it, the name of an office manager or a lead agent.
Look for these signs of a good partner:
- Property managers with a lot of single-family rentals or small apartment buildings. Big corporate complexes often have national contracts.
- Brokerages that list estate sales or older homes.
- Agents who post "just listed" photos often. They clear houses before photos.
Pick your top three from each list. Six total. That is enough for today.
Make the calls (25 minutes)
Call each one. Keep it under two minutes. Here is what to say:
"Hi, this is Marcus with [company]. We do junk removal and cleanouts here in [town]. I am calling property managers because move-outs often leave a unit full of stuff. If you ever need a unit cleared fast, we can usually do it same or next day and send you photos when it is done. Who would be the right person to send our info to?"
That is it. You are not asking for a contract. You are asking who to send your info to. Most offices will give you a name and an email.
If you get voicemail, leave a short version of the same thing and say you will follow up by email.
Send the follow-up (10 minutes)
Within an hour, send each contact a short email.
"Hi Jennifer, thanks for taking my call. Here is our info for when a unit or listing needs clearing. Same or next day in most cases, photos sent when done, insured (certificate attached). Prices start around [your small-load price] for a small load and [your full-truck price] for a full truck. Text or call anytime at [your number]. Marcus."
Attach your insurance certificate. Include your Google profile link so they can see your reviews.
Set the reminder (5 minutes)
Put a reminder in your calendar for 30 days out. On that day, send each contact one line: "Checking in before the end-of-year move-outs. Anything coming up we can help with?"
Most of these relationships start on the second or third touch, not the first.
Why your reviews matter here
Partners check before they call. Across the 5,171 junk removal listings in our data, the median company has 44 Google reviews and 32.2% have 100 or more. A property manager comparing two haulers will pick the one with more recent, specific reviews. If you are below the median, ask every customer from the last month for a review this week, before you make these calls. The full spread is on the benchmarks page.
How to keep a partner once you have one
When the first job comes in, treat it like an audition.
- Show up when you said you would.
- Send before and after photos to the manager the same day.
- Send the invoice the way they want it, whether that is email, their portal or a paper copy.
- Leave the unit broom clean.
Do those four things twice and you are on their list for good. One property manager with a few dozen units can mean steady work in months when homeowners are quiet. The slow season guide has more on filling the winter months.
One hour this week. Six calls, six emails, one reminder. That is the whole task.
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Steven has spent the last several years running growth campaigns for local service businesses, junk removal and hauling companies among them, and builds the benchmark datasets on this site from public Google listings. About the editor