Frequently Asked Questions

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • How do you find a tenant for my home?
Upon listing the property, our managers work with you on implementing our marketing plan. We will then advertise on our Website, GAMLS, FMLS, Zillow, Realtor.com, our Agent Community sites and over 100 internet sites. We DO NOT list on Craigslist. Our marketing tools are included in our Leasing fees.

  • How do I prepare my home for market?
Our property manager will go to the home to do a walk-thru inspection. To get it “rent ready”, we will make recommendations to you to make your home as attractive as possible. In order to rent it at the most competitive rate, we also provide an owner checklist to help you prepare the home.

  • How long will it take to find a tenant?
Finding a tenant has many components which include condition, pricing, location, inventory currently on the market, and the time of year. We will recommend price adjustments if needed. It is our goal to find a tenant as quickly as possible.

  • Will you explain the screening process of tenant applicants?
We do comprehensive screening of all tenants. We review credit, criminal, rental and employment history, identity verification, debt ratios and any other areas we feel are pertinent to the applicant.

  • Do I hold the security deposit and how much is it?
We do require a security deposit that is generally the equivalent of one month’s rent. It may be more due to extenuating circumstances. We hold the security deposit in a trust account in our bank until the end of the lease. If you are allowing your tenant to have a pet, we require a minimum of $250 non-refundable pet fee.
  • How are your management fees paid?
Our leasing fee is normally one month’s rent, which is paid from the tenant’s first rental payment. Our management fee begins on the date the tenant’s move in, and each month during the lease. If a tenant signs their lease on a day other than the first of the month, we still require a full month’s rent, and a deposit equal to the rent to be paid. The tenants next month’s rent that is due will be prorated based on the days that they lived in the unit during their first month of tenancy. For example, if a tenant moves in on September 15th and their rent is $1000, they will pay $1000 for the first month rent and $1000 for their security deposit at lease signing. When rent is due on October 1st, they will pay a prorated amount for the 16 days that they lived in the property in September. You can expect your first owner payment to be lower than a typical month.
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  • What day of the month does the owner receive the proceeds?
Rent is due by the 5th and our bank requires 6 business days before owner payments; so we pay our owners in the afternoon of that sixth business day. Holidays and weekends cause the date to vary monthly. Our Accounting department notifies owners via email of the expected pay date at the beginning of each month. If Payments can be directly deposited into your bank account. You will receive a statement each month.

  • How are the utilities transferred to the tenant?
Tenants have 3 business days after signing their lease to transfer utilities into their name. If they fail to do so, we may charge them a fee and the owner may have them shut off. After the tenant has had them switched, you should receive your final bills from the utility companies. The owner is responsible for the utilities during the time the property is vacant as utilities must be on.

  • Why must you keep a reserve fund on my home?
As part of the management agreement you sign with us, we require a repair fund contribution for your property in the amount of $500 for repairs and emergencies. This can be paid in advance or taken out of the second month’s rent. This allows us to make minor repairs quickly, which is critical to tenant retention. You will receive a copy of all bills and repairs completed. We use only licensed and insured contractors.
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