Hopefully, you are not someone who had to learn the hard way that all property managers are not alike. There are some out there who do not take the needs of their renters seriously which can lead to some unfortunate situations.
Below we are going explore 5 things you should look for when renting to be sure you are protected and using a reputable company.
Contracts
It goes without saying that having a rental agreement is important. What is more important as a renter is that the lease you sign protects you as well as the owner.
The lease agreement should be easy to read and if not the property manager should be more than willing to explain any section that you need clarified.
Deposits
In the state of Florida, there are laws governing how security deposits are handled. That money must be held in an escrow account for the duration of your lease.
During the recession of 2008, many renters found the homes they were living in had gone into foreclosure and they were being evicted. To compound matters, the owner had not held the deposit in escrow as required and they did not get that money back.
A good property management company can account for every penny! This is good for the owners and the renters.
Payments
Having a secure way to pay your rent not only ensures your money gets to the right place, but that there is a record of it being received.
No one wants to spend extra money because their payment is late because there was a glitch in the payment processing system.
You want security and a receipt to be sure the transaction went smoothly.
Repairs
It won’t take long to research if you have a landlord who is not getting repairs done. That will bring them bad reviews and lots of them.
In Florida, the landlord has 7 days to make a repair. If your air conditioner goes out in August that could be a very long week.
You want a property management company like Nest Finders who has existing relationships in place so you don’t have to wait a week for repairs.
Communication
You might have all the other topics covered with your property manager, but if they don’t return your calls that is an issue. You should be able to reach someone during business hours or at least get a timely call back.
Nest Finders has a dedicated line just for current renters so you never have to wonder if someone got your message.
There is peace of mind in knowing that you are working with the best. Nest Finders cares deeply about its renters and owners. They are both equally important to running a successful property management business.
By ensuring that both parties are happy and well cared for they ensure good working relationships that last. That is what matters to the Nest Finders team.
