What do you do first when I hire you?
We serve owners in St. Mary’s, Charles and Calvert Counties. Owners ask us two questions: what do you do, and what do you charge? This page answers both.
When we first get a signed contract, we visit your house and walk around. We see the property’s condition and what maintenance is needed. We give recommendations, and you can handle the work or our maintenance team can. Once the property is ready to rent, we run a comparable analysis to tell you what it should rent for. That analysis uses the market, location, property condition and local competition. See market rent.
How do you find a tenant?
We take pictures of the property and put it online. As a national company, we have listing agreements with major sites including Trulia, Zillow and Military Listing by Owner, and the other places renters look. We list on the MIRS, so any Realtor in the state of Maryland can show your property to their clients.
When someone applies, we screen the applicant. The steps are:
- Run credit and criminal background checks.
- Verify income.
- Check court records for any eviction filed for nonpayment of rent or for not following a lease. Not every company does this.
- Discuss the applicant with you, including any risk.
You make the final call on who gets placed. With your approval, we draft the lease, collect the security deposit and schedule the move-in. See our tenant screening guide.
What happens on move-in day?
We walk the property with the tenant and document anything that needs attention. We take pictures and upload them to our online portal, where you can log in and see the state of your house. The move-in inspection gives both sides a record.
What happens while the tenant lives there?
We collect the rent. If a tenant doesn’t pay, we take steps to get your money, and if necessary we file for eviction. We inspect periodically, depending on the management package you choose. We also coordinate maintenance. If something breaks, we take care of it.
How do repairs and approvals work? We hold a maintenance reserve in your account. If a repair comes in under the reserve amount, we email you to say what is needed. If it is over, we get you an estimate for a repair, and if you like it, you authorize us to proceed. See maintenance reserve.
What about emergencies? Emergencies such as a flood, a fire, or anything that makes the house dangerous or puts you at liability, we handle right away. If insurance will cover it, we file a claim for you. If you have a warranty, we work with that too.
What happens at the end of the lease?
We go back to the house, take pictures and inspect it again. We compare the condition at move-out with the condition at move-in and charge the tenant for any damages. Then we hand the property back to you if you are selling, or we rent it out again. We want to keep your property rented, and we turn it over quickly. See normal wear and tear.
What does property management cost?
There are two basic charges from any company you choose.
| Charge | What it pays for | Our rate |
|---|---|---|
| Leasing fee | Renting out the property | 6.9% of the 1-year lease total, once, after move-in |
| Management fee | Daily operations | 8.9% (Silver), 10.9% (Gold) or 12.9% (Platinum) of monthly rent |
On Gold, you also get a 29-day promise that we will rent your property, and a 365-day promise: if a tenant breaks the lease and leaves, we re-rent the property at no additional leasing cost to you. We inspect quarterly and post pictures of your house, so we know whether the tenant follows the lease and takes care of the home. Read the full fee breakdown.
Next step
For more about our services or pricing, request a free assessment at Contact us or call (301) 392-2172. You can also read our educational blog about Southern Maryland property management.
Frequently asked questions
What happens first after I sign?
We come to your house for a walk-around to see the property's condition and what maintenance is needed. We give recommendations. You can handle the work, or our maintenance team can. When the home is ready, we run a comparable analysis to set the rent.
Who decides which tenant moves in?
You do. We screen each applicant, discuss the applicant with you, tell you who would move in and whether there is any risk. With your approval, we draft the lease, collect the security deposit and schedule the move-in.
What happens if a tenant does not pay?
While the home is occupied, we collect rent. If a tenant doesn't pay, we take steps to get your money and, if necessary, we file for eviction.
What are the two basic charges?
The leasing fee pays for renting out the property, and the management fee covers daily operations. Our leasing fee is 6.9% of the 1-year lease total. The monthly management fee is 8.9% for Silver, 10.9% for Gold and 12.9% for Platinum.
What happens at the end of the lease?
We return to the house, take pictures and inspect it again. We compare move-out condition to move-in condition and charge the tenant for any damage. Then we hand the property back to you if you are selling, or we rent it out again.
