Tenant Procurement and Move-In Management
Finding a Tenant
Tenant procurement is the terminology used by property managers for finding a tenant. How hard can it possibly be to find a tenant? Anyone with tenant procurement experience will tell you that finding a responsible and well qualified tenant is a time consuming process—hence the rates charged by leasing agents. A successful tenant procurement entails more than just putting an ad on Craigslist, fielding phone calls, showing the property, screening applicants, executing a lease, and moving in the tenants. There are important details every step along the way that can impact the transaction now or in the future. Hiring a professional management company to represent your property greatly minimizes the risk associated with renting your property.
Marketing
After preparing the property as a rental, the process of finding a tenant begins by marketing your property at a competitive rate and with quality photography. Lindsay Leasing provides you with comparable property analysis to determine the rental value. We will also take high resolution marketing photos of the property. If your property is seasonal or large enough to warrant a 360 degree panorama virtual tour, we can create one at no additional charge. The listing is then marketed on MLS which feeds into a syndicated network of over 100 websites. We screen all inquiries, conduct showings to qualified prospects, and provide you with feedback.
Qualifying
With an unreliable and irresponsible tenant, your rental property can quickly become a nightmare which is why we are extremely thorough with our tenant screening process. Once an application is received we process credit checks, background checks, employment verification, and call previous landlords for feedback. A good faith deposit is collected at time of application which later becomes a security deposit when the application is approved. In most cases a full offer is made and the results of the application are reviewed with you. If you approve the applicant we order a lease which is prepared by an attorney specializing in Florida tenant and landlord law. If the property is offered seasonally we prepare a reservation agreement instead of a lease.
Managing the Move-In
In many cases there is a home owners association (HOA) which requires an additional application and processing fee (usually two weeks prior to occupancy). We manage the collection of all data and fees and provide a complete packet to the HOA. In addition, we collect all move in funds such as first and last month’s rent and a pet deposit 5 business days prior to move in. Prior to occupancy we also conduct a walk-through of the property with the tenant, video and/or photograph the property condition and take notes on any pre-existing issues.
Seasonal Properties
For seasonal properties we collect all funds 60 days prior to occupancy. This includes sales and tourism taxes for any lease less than 6 months. We then remit these taxes to the state and county on behalf of the owner.
