f.a.q.
Why do you need a professional property manager?
A property manager is an asset to any investors team and we provide full property management services in Austin, TX. We deal with those unwanted headaches that can arise from difficult tenants, frequent turnovers, maintenance calls and complete year end and monthly accounting tasks. Our vendor relationships also ensure you are getting the best price on potential costly repairs and trusted laborers to do the job. Not to mention a professional property manager know the state and local laws relating to the Texas Property Code and tenant/landlord rights. Most investors have day jobs and the minimal cost to hire a manager is well worth the time saved.
How long has Austin property team (apt) been in business?
APT has been in business since 2009. Husband and wife, Brent & Susan Bockholt have managed their own investments for over 10 years. Their experience in property management in Austin and surrounding areas and their integrity and honesty toward their clients makes them an asset to any investor’s portfolio. They have both been licensed realtors since 2005 and lived in Austin for 35 years.
How big is your firm?
APT consists of husband and wife, Susan & Brent Bockholt a full time property manager, a full time maintenance technician and a contracted leasing agent. We are not a large firm with 100’s of properties in our portfolio. We intentionally keep a manageable portfolio which allows us to pay closer attention to our owner’s investments. Our processes and procedures are streamlined and efficient which saves time and ultimately money for our clients.
To what professional organizations does APT belong?
APT is a member of the National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM) and the Austin Board of Realtors (ABOR). By being part of these organization we have an ethical obligation to uphold which gives our clients reassurance that we are honest and committed to making our relationship a success.
What is your philosophy of management and what involvement an owner has in the process?
Our firm believes in regular communication with our owners. We have some owners that are completely hands off and others that like monthly updates. Through our website we have a portal that owners can login to and see their statements, work orders and other relevant information about their properties. Either way we can accommodate these different investor types.
Do you let owners have communication with their tenants?
No. we ask that our investor have absolutely no communication with their tenants. Below are several reasons why:
- Tenants will go directly to owner and not Management Company for issues but owner expects management company to fix them.
- Loose creditability with tenants because they communicate directly with owner and our guidelines are not followed.
- Rents should be deposited through us directly so ledger reflects appropriate balances when/if trial is necessary
- Correspondence between tenant and owner can be used in court and we won’t have all that from owner prior to court.
- If rent is deposited directly to owner we can not take out maintenance costs related to previous month and then have to try and collect from owner.
- If rent is not collect by management then late charges cannot be collected either. If tenant refuses to pay late charged management can allocate portion of rent towards late fees and evict based on non-payment of rent. Evictions cannot be made on late fees or utilities alone.
Can an owner hold the security deposit?
No. Below are a couple reasons why:
1. Liability (judges have awarded tenants and fined management companies even though they never held the deposits)
2. At move-out we need to be able to distribute the funds accordingly and must comply with time frame of 30 days per Texas Property Code.
What types of properties do you manage in Austin?
APT handles all types of rentals from Single Family Homes, to duplexes, fourplexes and apartment complexes. We are selective with the properties we take on and understand that our processes may not be the right fit for every investor.
What areas of Austin do you offer management services?
We manage properties in Central Austin as far West as Lake Travis area, North to Round Rock, South to slaughter and East of Austin. If you address is within the Austin or Round Rock city limits we can handle it.
How do you determine a rental amount for my property?
APT is comprised of licensed Realtors and with that comes access to the multi-listing system (MLS). This database is a valuable resource when determining rental rates in a certain area. The MLS provides a true outlook on market consumption and not a speculative or non-factual number determine by one of the popular search sites such as Zillow. After we determine a starting point based on the recent leased properties in your area we add or substract based on condition of the property (ie carpet, paint, exterior,etc)
It is our professional opinion that pricing a rental at a slightly below market value is a better option than over pricing the market and losing rental income on a daily basis. The longer a property sits the more money an investor loses or doesn’t make.
We provide extensive marketing online and through yard signage. We are members of several online rental sites. Statistically most renters frequent the sites we post to when searching for a place to lease. A few examples include rentalhomepros.com, hotpads.com, austinrentals.com, rentals.com, rentbits.com, etc.
How are tenants screened and qualified through your firm?
APT provides extensive screening with criminal and rental history checks through National Tenant Network (NTN). We also do employment verification with the applicants current employer and rental verification with their current landlord or management company. In addition, we like to personally meet each of our tenants to get a feel for their personality and if they may fit into the property they are seeking to rent.
Where do you get your lease agreements?
We use a legally written Texas Association of Realtor lease agreement which adequately protects both the landlord and tenants from misconduct or abuse of the rental property.
How do you handle repair requests from a tenant?
APT offers our tenants several avenues for maintenance requests. Through our website each tenant is given portal access which allows them to post maintenance requests. In addition, they can email the request directly to us or hand write the request and drop off at our office. Either way we require all non-emergency requests to be put in writing before we address the issue. If the maintenance request is an emergency we have a number they can call which is promptly answered by one of our associates or quickly returned if tenant leaves a voicemail.
When dealing with maintenance requests a manager is sometimes caught between the tenant wanting the repair completed ASAP and the owner sometime reluctant to spend the money on the repair. If a tenant has not paid rent for the month all non-emergency repairs are delayed until rent is paid in full.
What are your rates for management and maintenance?
APT base’s their management fee on the condition of the property, location and rental amount. Our rates typically average between 7-10% of the gross monthly rents collected. Obviously discounts are provided for multiple properties and large apartment buildings. Our leasing commission is 80% of the first month’s rent which is typically split 40-40 with a tenants leasing agent. We charge a flat fee of $150 for lease renewals. We provide an on-staff maintenance technician at $30/hr for handyman work. If the repairs required a “specialty” technician such as HVAC, electrical or plumbing repairs the invoice is passed directly to the owners without additional fees from APT. The advantage of a full time maintenance technician is most repairs can be performed by us which saves an owner on more costly repairs from “specialty” service providers.
What is the next step if I decide to use APT?
First of all, we would discuss our solutions over the phone and answer any questions you may have that haven’t already been answered. We will then work up our management agreement and all supporting documents. Once all these documents are signed we will collect keys, any existing leases, security deposits and all correspondence between current tenant and owner. We will then post a change of management at the property and request you notify the tenant in writing that you have hired APT to manage the home. We will do our initial walk through and provide an “Inventory & Condition” report about the property. If there is no tenant occupying the property we will begin our marketing efforts to procure a leasee.