Q: Why do you charge a minimum fee of $125 on the months when the property is vacant?
A: This is the time when we are working harder than ever. When your property is vacant we are busy showing your property to property, arranging for repairs and preventative maintenance. We won’t place unqualified tenants in your property in order to earn a commission more quickly.
Q: How do you handle major repairs?
A: We are happy to arrange for regular repairs to maintain your property as part of our property management service. We are also willing to obtain estimates for larger repairs such as painting or flooring repairs or upgrades from contractors whom we regularly use. We utilize outside contractors who are not our employees, and we choose contractors who respond promptly, price fairly and are respectful to your tenants. Many times these contractors will require an advance deposit, which you may need to provide if there isn’t enough money in your reserve account.
Q: Why do you recommend we consider a home warranty plan?
A: While these plans might seem like an unnecessary additional annual cost, we see them as the insurance policies that they are. The Arizona Landlord Tenant Act requires us to repair basic services such as an air conditioning, heat, hot water, cooking facilities, etc. promptly and you may not have the extra funds available on a day that we call to tell you that your air conditioning system is broken and can’t be repaired. These plans offer a deductible in the range of $85-$125 with the insurance plan covering the balance of the repair. We generally are not going to recommend using this for small insignificant repairs that a handyman can repair for less than the deductible. These are meant to cover those large repairs such as HVAC equipment, appliances, water heaters, etc.
Q: Why do you require the owner to provide pool service when there is a pool? Why not let the tenant care for the pool?
A: Even the best tenants won’t care for a home the same way as an owner would, and a pool that is ignored for even a few days during monsoon season can turn into a green mess quickly. The eventual cost to drain and apply an acid bath to a swampy pool far exceeds the cost of monthly pool service.
Q: Why do you have minimum rental property standards?
A: We want to attract the type of tenant who will properly maintain your home. We’ve found that when people aren’t picky about the home’s condition and will accept dirty walls, damaged carpeting, or a yard without finished landscaping, is an indication that they will not maintain the property to proper standards either. A dirt backyard will turn into a muddy mess during monsoon season. A home without proper window coverings means tenants will attempt to hang inexpensive curtains, often leaving damaging holes that need to be patched and repainted. We’ve found that when we lease clean, well maintained properties to qualified tenants, there is far less damage, excess wear and tear, and less expense to the landlord.