Answers to your frequently asked questions
The Regions Most Experienced Property Manager
-
How long have you been in the property management business?
24 years. -
What kind of insurance does your company have?
$4,000,000.00 liability policy, and workers compensation on all employees.
(Some companies do not have both liability and workers compensation get proof in writing that they have both workers compensation and general liability insurance.) -
Does your firm have a Real Estate Broker’s License?
Yes, Required for anyone that manages for more than one client. -
What is the market value of the portfolio you manage?
Approximately $100 million -
How big is your team?
Approximately 50 and growing. This includes our leadership team, our office administrative team, our tenant relationship team, our in-house maintenance technicians and project managers, and we also have a close network of subcontractors that includes local attorneys, engineers, HVAC, licensed electricians, licensed plumbers, pest control, masons, ect. -
Do you have a team approach to management?
Yes we believe that our team should only do what they are great at, so each team member has a dedicated role within our company that utilizes their strengths and abilities. -
Can I only pay for the services I need?
Yes, we will just need to discuss the options we have available. We offer four options full service property management, brokerage services, maintenance only agreements, general construction management agreements -
Do you have a finance department?
Yes, we have a finance manager and comptroller that oversees all statements and direct deposits to ensure they go out on time. -
Do you just manage, or do you sell too?
Our sister company Expert Realty Advisors LLC. is a full service real estate brokerage.
We currently have hundreds of real estate investor clients, and some of them are always looking for more properties to grow their portfolios. We may already have a buyer for your property if you choose to sell. -
What rental price do you recommend?
We always want to rent each unit at market price. This way you don’t have to increase your rent every year. We will provide a rental market analysis and discuss pricing options before place the property on the market. -
How long do you think you will take to lease my apartment?
Vacancies are a loss of revenues, so our goal is to rent it ASAP, our average days on the market are 30 Days. -
How quickly do you schedule showings?
We use software that screens the potential tenants and if they are pre-approved the software will automatically schedule a showing with one of our leasing agents. This helps save time and is very efficient because we receive over 6000 inquiries per month. -
What is your lease renewal policy?
120 Days before the lease expires we send out a renewal, if we do not receive it back within 30 days we contact the tenant to find out if they are renewing or planning on moving. If they are moving, we start showing the property in their last 45 days. -
How much move-out notice do you require?
60 Days -
Who holds the security deposit?
All CASH security deposits are credited to the owners account and held by the owners. -
Do you provide a copy of the lease to the landlord?
All documents will be in your owner portal which you can log into and view at any time by going to our website. -
What is the length of your lease?
One year management agreement but you can cancel at any time with 30 days written notice. -
How do you handle rent ready repairs / turnovers?
When you have a tenant that moves out, we will do an inspection of the unit, and if there is any work needed we will provide pictures and a written estimate. If the property is rent ready we will get it on the market right away. -
Do I still need to have communication with my tenants?
Starting on day one we will take care of all communication with your tenants. YOU WILL LOVE THIS! -
How does your firm screen tenants?
This is the most important aspect of our business. We take it very seriously when we hand over keys to a client’s property. We have the most thorough tenant screening available which includes:- Verification of employment
- Verification of rent for the last three years
- National eviction search
- Background check
- Credit check
- Inspection of current residence
- Most recent utility bill
- Current landlord verification through tax records and asking questions they would only know.
- What are your minimum requirements for leasing?
- Required Income –3x the rent (minimum income requirement.)
- Example: $800 monthly rent, need $2400 Gross month income
- Required Information – Government issued ID, 2 most recent pay stubs (or 2 years tax returns & 6 months bank statements if self-employed), pet photo taken with applicant (if applicable). Landlord contact info for last 3 years.
-
Is your leasing department available on weekends and after hours?
Our leasing department is available seven days a week and we set up after hour appointments for potential tenants. -
How do you handle past due rent?
We send out a reminder email before the first of each month, after the fifth we begin collection efforts. 95% of our tenants pay on time. -
What do you advertise to find prospective tenants?
In this day in age 99.9% of your tenants will find your property online. So the photography has to be excellent. We advertise on 100 sites such as (Zillow, Trulia, 518renter.com, apartments.com, and many more!) We receive over 150 inquiries a day from potential tenants. -
How many tenants did you have to evict last year?
We evict less than 1% of the tenants we place. So on average we are evicting less than a handful monthly. -
What is your turn around time on phone calls and emails from owners?
This is the biggest complaint in the real estate business! In most cases your portfolio manager will return your call/email the same day. Because of different time zones sometimes you will receive your call/email the next business day. -
How do you handle communication with owners?
For most things email works very well. Sometimes a call or Zoom meeting is needed. On rare occasions a meeting in one of our offices or at the property. -
How do you handle communications when I have a vacancy?
Every Monday we send you a report that shows all interests in your property, including showings and applications that are pending. -
How do you handle after hour emergencies?
We have a 24/7 call center to answer all emergency calls. -
Do you troubleshoot with the tenants when they call for emergencies?
We use a call center that only works with property management companies and they are trained to walk the tenants through minor repairs. An example of this is when a tenant calls about a breaker tripping. -
What do you consider emergencies?
Anything that would compromise the safety of the tenant or cause damage to the property. -
How is your company with technology?
Award winning property management software. Tenant payments can be paid by auto debit to ensure timely rent payments. Ipads are used by outside staff for scheduling, inspections, pictures, and communications. Owner’s funds can be direct deposited into their account of choice. -
How fast can you start managing my property?
In most cases, as soon as you sign our agreement.