Owner FAQs
Answers to your common questions
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What is included in the leasing fee?
- Prepare the property for rent.
- Determine the fair market value.
- Market property.
- Receive inquiries about the property.
- Prescreen potential tenants.
- Show the property.
- Try to obtain feedback from all showings to share with the owner.
- Distribute and accept applications.
- Screen applicants (verify income, complete background checks, obtain landlord references, confirm payment history for previous housing, also screen pets)
- Send adverse action letters to denied applicants.
- Accept security deposit to hold.
- Draft and execute lease agreements and addendums.
- Complete move-in survey.
- Setup tenant portal and rent payments.
- Transfer utilities.
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What is included in the management fee?
- Accept maintenance requests and assign them to approved vendors.
- Ensure tenants comply with the lease agreement.
- Maintain a list of reputable vendors for maintenance and repairs.
- Bookkeeping (receiving monthly rent, running monthly owner statements, paying owner)
- Deal with late rent and legal documents.
- Evict bad tenants.
- Record tenant communication.
- Complete move-out survey.
- Professionally clean house, clean carpet, and rekey locks.
- Disburse security deposit.
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What is not included in the management fee?
On-site management, property sales, preparing property for sale or refinancing, modernization, fire or major damage restoration, rehabilitation, attending HOA meetings, and eviction coordination. -
What area do you provide property management services?
We manage properties all over the Greater Nashville area. (Currently in Davidson, Williamson, Sumner, Wilson, and Rutherford counties) -
How is market rent determined?
We use 7 factors from two different independent sources to determine what we believe a fair rent range is for a property. First, we manually filter our multiple listing service (MLS) based on property type, number of bedrooms, number of bathrooms, square footage, quality of the rental, location, and extra amenities. Second, we run the property through our RentMatch feature in our management software, which compares comparative data by aggregating anonymous actual rent information from other professional property managers in our area. We use that information along with our knowledge and expertise of the local market demand to determine a rent rate to maximize the owner’s return. -
What if there is an emergency at my property?
We have a maintenance team that is available 24/7/365. Tenants can enter maintenance requests via the online portal or call / text the call center directly. The call center representative will help diagnose, troubleshoot, and assign the appropriate urgency and vendor based on our company policy and procedures. The average time from a work order being received to dispatching a vendor is 3 minutes. -
How are utilities and lawn care handled?
Normally, tenants are responsible for all utilities and lawn care during the term of their lease. Utilities will be opened in our corporate accounts and transferred to tenants. The owner is financially responsible for utilities and lawn care during vacancy. -
How often do you check in on the tenants and my property?
Property surveys are completed annually (move in inspection, lease renewal inspection, or move out inspection). On average, we are on site quarterly completing repairs or maintenance. -
Who holds the security deposit?
We hold the tenants’ security deposit in a brokerage trust account. -
How is the security deposit disbursed?
After the tenant has completely moved out, we will do a comprehensive survey of the property to identify any damage that the tenant is liable for. The cost to repair damage is quoted by an approved vendor in order to make the property rent ready again. Frequently, owners have to make contributions in order to cover expenses while the security deposit disposition is being finalized. After all repairs have been completed and all invoices are paid, we will issue funds to the owner and tenant. -
Can you pay my monthly property bills for me?
The owner is responsible for any and all HOA fees and assessments, property taxes, and mortgage payments related to the property. -
How are repairs and maintenance handled?
Tenants can enter maintenance requests via the online portal or call / text our maintenance call center directly. The call center representative will help diagnose, troubleshoot, and assign the appropriate urgency and vendor based on our company policy and procedures. The average time from a work order being received to dispatching a vendor is 3 minutes. Routine maintenance and repairs are usually completed within 3 days. Vendors invoice us directly and we pay all bills weekly out of your owner’s reserve account where we hold $500 per door for our clients. We maintain strong relationships with vendors to handle all needed maintenance and repairs on our properties. All work will be completed by one of our approved vendors. We do not allow owners to choose vendors or perform work on the property themself for liability reasons -
Do you charge a management fee if the property is vacant?
No, we only charge a percentage of the rental income received. -
What do I have to do in order to get my property to rent?
We will only market a home that is ready to rent. This is to ensure we get the best return for your investment. We will compile a list when we visit the property and send a vendor to complete the work. -
When do owners receive statements and disbursements?
- Monthly by the 10th of the month, if rent is received by the 1st of the month.
- Monthly by the 15th of the month, if rent is received by the 5th of the month.
- Monthly by the 20th of the month, if rent is received by the 10th of the month.
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When do you serve notices? Who handles evictions?
Eviction is rarely necessary. Our eviction rate is less than 2% per year. A late fee is posted to the tenant ledger and a late notice is sent on the morning of the 6th. A second notice will officially be sent to the tenant on the 10th of the month. If the tenants have not contacted the office and no payment has been made by the 15th of the month, an eviction will be filed. The brokerage handles eviction coordination with our attorneys. -
What is your pet policy?
Over 60% of renters have pets and animals and of that 60%, 91% are classified as ordinary household pets. We see these facts as revenue opportunities for owners and recommend allowing pets in order to market to all potential tenants, optimize rent rates, and reduce vacancy. We utilize a 3rd party company to thoroughly screen all pets and to validate reasonable accommodation requests for Assistance Animals. Our standardized pet policy process also reduces liability and screens out common dog breeds restricted by insurance companies. -
How are applications handled and tenants screened?
Applications are handled on a first come first serve basis. When a tenant application is received, they have until the end of the next business day to provide all required information for us to complete their tenant screening sheet. Our tenant screening sheet provides an unbiased numerical score based on the number of tenants on the lease, credit score, income, rent / mortgage history payment, landlord references, and more. If an applicant scores our minimum score, they are offered the property. -
Keys and property visits?
We rekey the property between every tenant and do not provide keys to the owner to reduce liability. We discourage owners from visiting the property while a tenant is in place. The tenant has the right to a “peaceful” enjoyment of the property and the owner gives us some rights by leasing it out. We can schedule owner visits during turnovers when the property is vacant. -
Do you work with home warranty companies?
We charge a coordination fee to work with home warranty companies. They increase the difficulty of clear communication with the tenant and can extend the time it takes to get a job completed. If there is a home warranty on the property when we take over management, we will only work with it until the current term of the agreement expires. -
Are tenants required to have renters insurance?
Yes, all tenants are required to purchase $100,000 of liability insurance. Tenants are automatically enrolled in landlord liability insurance upon moving into the property and they can discontinue it if they provide proof of purchasing their own insurance. -
What compliance measures are considered when renting and managing my property?
TREC, Fair Housing, Service and Support Animals, Local & State Codes