What type of rental properties do you manage?
We specialize in the management of single-family
homes and condominiums.
What areas
do you handle?
We serve the greater Contra Costa areas
including Alamo, Clayton, Concord,
Danville,
Lafayette, Martinez, Moraga, Orinda, Pleasant
Hill, San Ramon, and
Walnut Creek.
What professional organizations do you belong
to?
We are members of the following organizations:
National Association of Realtors, California
Association of Realtors, Contra Costa
Association of Realtors, California Apartment
Association, and the National Association of
Residential Property Managers (NARPM). Our
broker, Walter M. Welti, has served the local
chapter of NARPM as their President.
Why should I choose American Property
Management?
APM has a reputation for providing “outstanding”
service. We have been in the business of
professional property management and leasing
since 1984 and we have the experience and
“know-how” to make your real estate investment a
success. You can expect the very best management
solutions when you hire us, and we will make
every effort to earn your trust. There is no
better choice for your investment and peace of
mind.
Are you the least expensive company in town?
Probably not. It seems there is a new property
management company starting out every day,
trying to beat everyone else's prices. Our
management fees are very competitive and we
certainly are not the most expensive. On the
other hand, we charge a fair fee for a
tremendous service. For example, we believe that
resident selection is very high on the list of
priorities. A poor resident can cost you
thousands of dollars. We are experienced and
committed to finding the best resident for you
at a rent that will keep that resident. When ALL
fees are considered, we are actually less
expensive than most companies.
How long will it take to rent my property?
It is impossible to predict exactly how long it
will take to find a qualified resident for your
property. A number of factors are involved: the
size, location and overall condition of the
property, the asking price relative to that of
comparable properties in your neighborhood, and
the time of year. If a property is priced
correctly, it will usually rent within 30 days.
If a property does not rent within this length
of time, it is generally a sign that the
property is overpriced relative to its size and
condition. The rental market does not care that
you may have a negative cash flow, and it will
punish with extended vacancy those owners who
overprice their rental homes. When you hire us,
we will look at the rental market in your
particular area, survey the competing homes, and
make sure your home is priced right so that it
will be viewed favorably against the
competition.
What will you do to market my property?
We employ aggressive state-of-the-art techniques
to lease your rental quickly, and to the right
residents. In addition to newspaper advertising
and use of the Multiple Listing Service, a large
part of our strategy includes the Internet. Your
rental appears on numerous websites, including
our own website, HomeRentals.net, Rentals.com,
CraigsList, HousingMaps, HotPads, SnapRent, USAHomeRentals,
and Places4Rent. To make
your property more attractive, we also post
photos and slideshows at no extra charge to you.
How do you qualify an applicant who wants to
rent my property?
In general, we look at an applicant's past
behavior and assume their future behavior will
be the same. An applicant must demonstrate a
history of being a good, responsible resident or
homeowner and must meet our income and credit
requirements. We process all applications
in-house and verify information on each
application. We contact the applicant's employer
to confirm length of employment, status, and
monthly income. An applicant must earn at least
3 times the monthly rent in gross income to
qualify for a rental property. We personally
talk to current and past landlords and ask
detailed questions about the applicant's
performance. We crosscheck landlord references
with local property tax records to confirm that
the landlord listed actually owns the property.
The property tax record crosscheck is what
reveals most of the fraud attempts encounter by
landlords. Our computer system has a direct
connection to the Experian credit reporting
service so we can immediately obtain a credit
report. The credit report reveals the
applicant's current and past performance in
meeting their financial obligations. It also
tells us their monthly debt, credit score, and
shows their previous addresses (which we compare
to each address listed on the application).
Nobody in Contra Costa County screens rental
applicants as thoroughly as we do.
Why is good credit history so important to APM?
Over the years, we have found that residents
with good credit history are generally more
reliable than those who do not have good credit.
A reliable resident will usually take better
care of a property (in addition to paying rent
on time). Our job is much easier when we have
good residents who pay rent on time and take
proper care of our properties.
What happens if the resident does not pay the
rent?
If rent is not received in our office by the 5th
of the month the resident is called immediately
and a follow-up notice is sent to the resident.
If we still do not receive the rent we will
serve the resident with a three-day notice to
pay or quit. In the event the resident still
does not pay rent pursuant to the notice, legal
action will begin. Evictions for nonpayment of
rent in California are fast and certain when the
steps are executed properly. Full evictions,
when necessary, can usually be completed within
3 to 4 weeks.
Do you accept rental applicants with pets?
No. We don't allow pets into managed properties
unless you direct us to do so, or unless not
doing so is resulting in an unacceptable length
of vacancy. Nothing good can result from
allowing pets into your property.
How much security deposit do you charge the
resident?
In general, we usually charge around one month's
rent for deposit, rounded up to the nearest
hundred. This is equivalent to what most
landlords charge in Contra Costa County.
Can I hold the resident's security deposit?
Yes. The property owner holds the resident’s
security deposit. If you prefer, we can hold the
deposit in our trust account.
Will I know what is going on with my property?
Yes. We will communicate with you throughout our
agreement and keep you aware of any issues that
may arise. We will contact you at reasonable
times to discuss repairs and notify you of the
residents notice to move.
How often are inspections done at my property?
Before a new resident moves into your property,
we will complete a detailed move-in checklist
with the resident, which provides written
documentation as to the condition of your
property. Thereafter, each year we send a
written notice to our property owners to
recommend a safety and maintenance inspection.
If approved by the owner, a certified home
inspector
is scheduled to inspect the property. During
this inspection, the inspector will make sure
the smoke alarms work, test for plumbing leaks,
check the caulk and grout in the bathrooms,
examine the exterior painting, and complete an
inspection report. Reports are mailed to you as
they are completed. The inspector charges our
owners around $90.00 for each inspection report.
How do you handle maintenance requests?
Residents may phone, fax, or mail their requests
to us, and they can request maintenance online
at our website. After we receive a repair
request, we may contact the resident and ask
them questions, which will help us determine the
exact nature of the problem before sending a
service technician. If the resident has a
legitimate problem, we will schedule the repair.
Most repairs are scheduled within one business
day. Comfort items such as air conditioning, no
hot water or heat, receive the highest priority
and are usually attended to the same or next
business day. If we think a repair might exceed
$200, we will call you and let you know what is
happening, what we think should be done, and
what the estimated cost might be.
Do you handle problems late at night and during
weekends?
Yes. Residents can page us 24 hours a day and 7
days a week to respond to emergencies. We will
then talk with the resident to determine how to
proceed. Many times we can solve the problem
over the phone, saving you the cost of an
emergency trip charge.
Does APM make any money on repairs?
No. We believe that it would be a conflict of
interest for a property management company to
have its own maintenance division to generate
additional income, or to receive percentage fees
based on the cost of maintenance and repairs. As
a professional property manager, it’s our duty
to obtain the best prices available on
maintenance and repairs for our clients.
Will I save any money on repairs?
Yes. Our clients save big on maintenance and
repairs, because we maintain a pool of qualified
repair people who offer us very competitive
prices, due to the large volume of business we
can offer them. We also include copies of any
invoices with your monthly statement.
When can I expect to receive my monthly
statement?
Our monthly statements and owner payments are
usually mailed out by the 4th of each month or
as soon as the rent is received. Most months,
you will have your check and statement in hand
by the 7th.
Can you deposit my rental proceeds into
my checking account?
Yes. We will be happy to send your check
directly to your bank for immediate deposit
while sending the statement to you.
Can you pay my monthly property bills for me?
Yes. We can pay your Mortgage, Insurance,
Homeowners fees, etc. There must be sufficient
cash flow from the property to cover such
expenses and we will ask you to advance us any
necessary funds for this purpose.
Does your management agreement give you
exclusive right to sell my property?
No. Instead, we will refer you to a Realtor who
we know that has a strong commitment to honesty,
integrity and experience.
How much is your property management fee?
Our management fee is 6% of the monthly rent,
with a $120 monthly minimum and $180 monthly
maximum. If your property rents for more than
$3,000 per month, the management fee is $180.
How
much is the leasing fee?
Our leasing fee is one-half of one month's rent.
The newspaper advertising costs are passed
through to owners, and we absorb all other costs
of leasing the property including MLS fees,
Internet marketing, for rent signs, lockboxes,
etc.
Are you licensed?
Yes. We are licensed by the California
Department of Real Estate.
Can you start managing my properties today?
Yes. We can start the process immediately.
To set up a no-obligation consultation to
discuss your property in detail, please
Contact Us.
If we have not answered your question, please
email us at:
info@apmproperties.com
Owner
Frequently Asked Questions...