Owner FAQs

Answers to your frequently asked questions

• What type of properties do you manage?

  We manage single family homes, multi-family homes, small apartment buildings and small commercial buildings.

• How long does it take to rent a property?

  Many factors go into play when it comes to days on market for a rental property in the South West Florida area; such as: asking price, seasonal factors, HOA required approval, acceptance of pets, vacant or currently occupied, and local inventory levels. With that said, we lease a vast majority of our homes in 3 weeks or less.

• How is maintenance handled?

  This all depends on if the property is currently tenant occupied or if it is vacant. For tenant-occupied homes, the tenants will submit a maintenance request via their online tenant portal through Property Meld; a first-class software specific to maintenance and property management. Our tenant portal allows tenants to submit a work order request at any time of the day or night. Once there, tenants will be prompted to provide a description of the issue as well as upload any photos, when appropriate. This request is then sent over to the property manager for review; owners will also receive a copy of the work order request to their email. Our goal here is full transparency of everything happening with your property(s).

  When a request comes in, your assigned property manager will review it and decide if it needs immediate dispatch, or if we can troubleshoot the issue directly with the tenant. There are many common repair requests that our team is trained to troubleshoot. If the issue needs to be fixed, we assign the work order to one of our preferred vendors. Property Meld technology enables the vendor to directly set up a time with the tenant for the repair. Our vendors will complete the repair, take before and after photos, and submit an invoice to our company for approval.

  We make sure the cost of the repair is fair and that the work was completed satisfactorily. Our management agreement allows us to approve any repair up to $500, without having to interrupt you for approval. Larger repairs, anything over $500, require owner approval. If this is the case, your property manager will email you for approval (note, this communication is all done via the Property Meld software). Exceptions to the $500 approved maintenance limit include emergency maintenance and habitability issues. If we have to act quickly to protect persons or property we will do so, to protect our owners best interest.

  Once a repair is completed and invoiced, Property Meld sends a survey request to the tenant asking them to rate their overall experience with the vendor and repair. This helps us ensure that our vetted vendors are performing to our high standards. From there, the invoice is then billed to you and reflected on your monthly statement.

• Can I do repairs myself?

  If the home is vacant, yes you can; however, we do highly advise against it. Should you choose to do all of your repairs in the event your property is vacant or hire a 3rd party vendor, you will be responsible to oversee the entire process. Once the property is leased, we require the use of our preferred vendors. We have carefully vetted all of our vendors to ensure that they are properly licensed and insured and can adhere to our strict criteria and meet required deadlines. We choose our vendors carefully so that their skill sets can help preserve your investment(s) for years to come.

• How do you handle maintenance emergencies?

  Maintenance emergencies are not a matter of if, but when they will happen. This is why we have a straightforward process to handle these situations when they arise. Upon move-in, tenants are given a maintenance emergency phone number that is answered live 24/7. If the situation is life-threatening, tenants are instructed to call 9-1-1 and report back to us once the situation is under control and authorities are on the scene. If the situation requires an emergency repair, the correct vendor is dispatched to quickly resolve the issue. Your property manager will then get a hold of you at the earliest convenience and explain the situation further with you and discuss next steps, should any need to be taken.

• Do you sell real estate too?

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• How do rent payments work?

  Does the tenant pay you, then you pay me? Rent payments work as follows: Tenant pays rent to Rentifi Property Management. We take out our management fee and pay any outstanding bills or replenish your maintenance escrow (if applicable). The remainder of the rent is then sent to you via ACH to your bank account provided to us at time of signing. This process is generally done between the 11th-14th of each month and you should see your money reflected in your account within 1 business day.

• Should I accept pets?

  Simple answer, YES! Studies show that over 80% of renters own a pet. If you choose not to allow pets in your rental(s), you are eliminating 80% of quality renters for your property. You can, however, dictate the pet policy; for example, only dogs under 25 pounds or only 1 pet accepted.

  Our office has a pet policy that does not allow puppies or kittens or any dogs deemed an aggressive breed. We also require a pet application be submitted prior to approval. This application is essentially a background check on the pet. For more information on whether you should accept pets, read our blog post about it or watch our video.

• How are security deposits handled?

  Rentifi Property Management will handle the security deposit for your tenant. According to Florida state law, there are special requirements for the handling of deposits. We keep the deposits in a separate, non-interest bearing account. We conduct a move-in condition report of your property prior to the tenant moving in; we do it again when they move out, so we have a before and after picture and can lawfully deduct any damage over and above normal wear and tear on the property.

• Can I rent my property furnished?

  Rentifi Property Management does manage a few homes that are fully furnished. Should you choose to rent your property(s) furnished we do ask that you be flexible, as the annual rental market typically does not command furnished rental properties. Furnished rentals typically stay on the market 3 times longer than their unfurnished counterparts.

  Another option that you may explore for your furnished rental is to rent it out seasonally or short term. If this is a route you’d like to explore, you may call our office and we can refer you to a short term rental specialist.

• How do you advertise your properties?

  When a property is sitting vacant, we understand that this can be the most stressful time for you, the owner. This is why we have instituted a marketing plan for vacancies to ensure that we find the best quality tenant in the quickest amount of time.

  The first step we take is to take pictures and film a walkthrough video of the property. We then create a marketing description, set a price, and input this information into our property management software. This software then feeds the information to over 30+ top rental websites across the internet. We also share the listing to MLS, Facebook Marketplace, and other local Facebook pages. You can also opt into Boosted Facebook posts to get your vacancy in front of the most eyes. This ensures the most exposure for your rental property.

  We also utilize the best in class technology, Tenant Turner, to assist with the pre-screening, scheduling, reminders, follow-up, and feedback from all interested parties. This allows renters to have the quickest service in scheduling showings, thus, allowing them to view properties quicker and getting them rented faster. To top it all off, we will also email you a report every Monday about the statues and any feedback received while your property(s) is vacant.

• Are you licensed?

  Yes, we are fully licenced and insured.

• Can I reach you after hours?

  We have an emergency hotline available 24/7 for our residents.

• Do I get to see the lease or sign it?

  We will upload a copy of the signed lease to your owner portal; however, Rentifi Property Management will sign all leases on your behalf since we are the agents for your investment(s).

• Do you also sell Real Estate?

  Rentifi Property Management primarily specializes in property management. With that said, we are fully licensed real estate agents or brokers and we have helped our investor clients buy and sell properties in the past. We have also assisted in the sale of a rental directly to the tenant.

• How soon can you start managing my property?

  Today! The onboarding process is very easy and we can handle most everything the same day.

• What type of insurance do I need?

  Your normal homeowners' insurance does not extend to you the same coverage you will need when you rent out your house. You need comprehensive public liability insurance also known as DP3 - Dwelling Property All Risk. It still gives you the fire coverage you get from your homeowners but adds extended coverage since you will have a tenant living in the house. Expect this added coverage to increase your premium some. We recommend you speak with your insurance agent before you rent out your property.