Q1: I just sent in my signed property management contract, how long will it take to
get my property on the market?
A1: This depends on several factors. If you are still living in your property, your manager will
need to know when you plan to move out and if the property is in clean enough condition to
take photographs for marketing. Typically, marketing will not begin until you are within 2
months of moving out of your property. If you don’t want prospective renters to view your
property while you are still living there or it is not in viewing condition, Northpoint will wait to
start marketing until you are ready. If your property is vacant and clean the approximate time
is about 2-3 business days. This will allow Northpoint to take photographs, put a sign in the
front of the property and lock box on the front door, and enter all the necessary facts in our
accounting systems.
Q2: My property is vacant; how frequently should I expect to get updates about the
progress of finding a renter?
A2: Your property manager will contact you approximately every 7-10 days to provide you with
an update. However, if Northpoint finds an acceptable renter after screening, your property
manager will contact you within 24 hours to review the renter’s candidacy and gain your prior
approval to sign a lease agreement (unless you have given prior authorization to sign a lease
agreement without your prior approval).
Q3: It’s after the 10th of the month and I have not received my rental proceeds from
my property. Why would this happen?
A3: Northpoint’s policy is to directly deposit rental proceeds or mail out proceeds on the 10th
of each month; it could take 24-48 hours for the direct deposit to process/post to your bank
account (varies by bank). Rent is due on the 1st and late on the 5th, if Northpoint has not
received the rent from your property by the 5th, the next steps are that Northpoint will contact
the renter by phone, email, and in person if necessary. If rent has still not been paid by the
8th of the month, a late notice will be sent by mail or a 3-day pay or quit by certified mail or in
person if there are repeated late payments from the renter. If the renter calls in and has a
reasonable explanation, a payment arrangement will be made. If there is continued non-
payment or no correspondence by approximately the 11th of the month, Northpoint will begin
an eviction. So if you have not received your rental proceeds by the 10th, you will know that
the above procedure is in process.
Occasionally, a renter may have paid the rent but for some reason it was not collected due to
lost mail or because there was a mistake in the accounting. These are rare, but if it happens
Northpoint works hard to quickly correct the issue.
Q4: I have a friend that lives near my property and told me there is a problem with
my property. Why didn’t Northpoint contact me about this problem?
A4: Northpoint provides inspections to the property approximately every 90 days. With some
properties, Northpoint will provide inspections more frequently if there are preexisting
concerns. In between those inspections, the only way Northpoint would know about problems
at the property are if the renter called to report the problem or some other person such as a
friend noticed the problem. Typically, Northpoint is able to catch and address the majority of
concerns that are not reported by the renter through the inspections. However, there are
issues that arise in between inspections. If your friend has reported an issue, please simply let
your property manager know and he or she will address the issue promptly.
Q5: There is a charge for maintenance on my accounting statement that I did not
authorize. Why would this happen?
A5: Every contract has a monetary figure shown on the second page that represents a
maintenance and repair amount under which the property manager will not gain your prior
approval and over which will gain your prior approval. Northpoint tries to be exact, but
sometimes since it can be hard to know the exact amount an issue will cost, a repair or
maintenance cost may occasionally slightly exceed that figure in the contract. However, this
should be rare.
Also, if there was an emergency, such as a flood or fire, Northpoint will act quickly to save your
investment by ordering the repair immediately without your approval.
Finally, sometimes there can be mis communications between you and your property
manager. The manager may have thought he or she gained your approval because of a
conversation about the repair or maintenance, but to you, it was just a discussion and not
formal approval. Also, your property manager may have communicated with your spouse or
another person who is involved and received approval. Northpoint trains managers to be
aware of these mis communications and do what is necessary to avoid them, but they do
occasionally take place. Northpoint is committed to reinforcing good and frequent
communication.
Q6: There is a charge on my accounting statement that does not look correct. What
should I do?
A6: It is infrequent, but occasionally there are accounting errors. Please contact your
property manager to report your concern and he or she will contact the accounting department
to address the concern. If there was an error, it will be quickly corrected. If there was not an
error, you can expect a full explanation so that it makes sense to you.
Q7: I don’t feel like my manager contacts me enough. Why and what can be done?
A7: Property managers are trained to know what to do without bothering the owners. One of
the most challenging parts about property management is for property managers to adjust to
the preferences of each property owner. It may take a few months before your manager really
understands your preferences regarding communication. Please convey to your manager
what you are expecting as far as frequency and kinds of communication. Northpoint is
committed to quality communication and if you feel after working with a manager for a few
months that the communication is not sufficient for your needs and preferences… please
convey this concern to one of the managing broker/owners and they will provide a solution that
will work for your needs and preferences.
Q8: I think my property has been on the market too long and Northpoint has not
found a renter for me yet. Why and what are my options?
A8: Northpoint is very aggressive when it comes to leasing properties. Our philosophy is to be
“hands-on” and so we make every effort to frequently update ads online, answer the phones
when prospective renters call, show the property as many times as necessary, and screen
tenants thoroughly to avoid problematic tenants. Some of the most common reasons for
properties sitting on the market too long are (1) during the holiday months such as November,
December, and in many cases January and February, (2) the property has maintenance
issues that have not been resolved and prospective renters turn to other properties even
despite attractive rental rates, (3) the price is simply too high and prospective renters can rent
almost the same product for less, and (4) the property is furnished or there are other
irregularities such as size or location that greatly limit the amount of interested prospective
renters.
Despite these issues, Northpoint is not afraid to take on a challenge and will eventually, with
your cooperation, secure a tenant for your property. Your manager is well aware of these
issues and will advise you to adjust prices, conditions, or advertising to provide the right
marketing solution for your property.
Having said all of this, Northpoint has an incredible track record of leasing properties quickly
and thoroughly. Our entire portfolio is approximately 94% occupied!
Q9: My property manager was not physically present when one of the prospective
renters viewed my property. Why would this happen?
A9: Northpoint’s normal policy for property managers is to be present when showing a
property. If the property has valuable items such as furniture or very high-end finishings, the
property will not be shown without a manager physically present. However, sometimes
properties are shown without the manager’s presence if the property manager can not be at
the property at the time the prospective renter can be at the property. This might happen
when prospective renters call while directly in front of the property and desire to see the
property immediately or in response to scheduling conflicts. When this happens, Northpoint’s
managers take time to talk to the prospective to per screen and to evaluate why viewing the
property can not wait until the manager can physically be present. When viewing the property,
the lock box code is given and the prospective renter is required to remain on the phone with
the property manager until the keys have been correctly returned to the lock box and all doors
have been properly locked.
Q10: I’m concerned about the transfer process of my utilities from my name to the
tenant’s name. What should I expect?
A10: Each city’s utilities can have different procedures and regulations. Typically, tenants are
responsible for all utilities; however, your property manager may negotiate with the prospective
tenant differently. For example, if you prefer a 12 month lease but the prospective renter only
wants a 6 month lease, your property manager may agree on your behalf to pay for the water
bill if they agree to a 12 month lease. In any case, gas and electric utilities can be placed into
the tenant’s name so that if they fail to pay the bill it would only affect the tenant’s credit and
not yours. However, some cities will not allow public utilities, water, trash, sewer, etc. to be
held in any other name except for the owner on the title of the property. If this is the case,
then there are two ways to handle those utilities and be aware that it can take several months
to stabilize:
a) Monthly Average: Find the average of those bills (i.e. $125 in March, $175 in April,
$105 in May, etc…) by adding all previous 12 months together and dividing by 12 months to
find a set monthly average. This amount would be added into the rent due each month from
the tenant. If the tenant’s rent is $1,500 and the average utilities are $150 per month, the
lease would show $1,650 of rent due each month. You would then call your utilities and have
the bills sent to Northpoint’s accounting department and those bills would be paid on time each
month out of the rent received by the tenant. Or you can continue to pay these bills on your
own.
b) Sent to Renter to Pay: You would call your utilities and have the bills sent to the renter
in your property. Even though it remains in your name, the renters are responsible to pay this
bill each month. Be prepared for these to sometimes be paid late or not at all. Northpoint will
follow up with the tenant as many times as necessary to ensure the tenant pays the utilities,
but it can often be a frustrating experience for the owner of the property.
Q11: A friend/neighbor believes an unauthorized individual is at my property and
that it is unlocked. What should I do?
A11: Your first step should be to contact your property manager and verify whether
or not they are aware of someone who is at the property. If the person in the home is unknown,
the next step is to contact local law enforcement, which can be done on your behalf by your
manager. In the case of situations where there is unauthorized entry and/or unlawful
habitation, law enforcement, not the manager, is best equipped to handle it.
get my property on the market?
A1: This depends on several factors. If you are still living in your property, your manager will
need to know when you plan to move out and if the property is in clean enough condition to
take photographs for marketing. Typically, marketing will not begin until you are within 2
months of moving out of your property. If you don’t want prospective renters to view your
property while you are still living there or it is not in viewing condition, Northpoint will wait to
start marketing until you are ready. If your property is vacant and clean the approximate time
is about 2-3 business days. This will allow Northpoint to take photographs, put a sign in the
front of the property and lock box on the front door, and enter all the necessary facts in our
accounting systems.
Q2: My property is vacant; how frequently should I expect to get updates about the
progress of finding a renter?
A2: Your property manager will contact you approximately every 7-10 days to provide you with
an update. However, if Northpoint finds an acceptable renter after screening, your property
manager will contact you within 24 hours to review the renter’s candidacy and gain your prior
approval to sign a lease agreement (unless you have given prior authorization to sign a lease
agreement without your prior approval).
Q3: It’s after the 10th of the month and I have not received my rental proceeds from
my property. Why would this happen?
A3: Northpoint’s policy is to directly deposit rental proceeds or mail out proceeds on the 10th
of each month; it could take 24-48 hours for the direct deposit to process/post to your bank
account (varies by bank). Rent is due on the 1st and late on the 5th, if Northpoint has not
received the rent from your property by the 5th, the next steps are that Northpoint will contact
the renter by phone, email, and in person if necessary. If rent has still not been paid by the
8th of the month, a late notice will be sent by mail or a 3-day pay or quit by certified mail or in
person if there are repeated late payments from the renter. If the renter calls in and has a
reasonable explanation, a payment arrangement will be made. If there is continued non-
payment or no correspondence by approximately the 11th of the month, Northpoint will begin
an eviction. So if you have not received your rental proceeds by the 10th, you will know that
the above procedure is in process.
Occasionally, a renter may have paid the rent but for some reason it was not collected due to
lost mail or because there was a mistake in the accounting. These are rare, but if it happens
Northpoint works hard to quickly correct the issue.
Q4: I have a friend that lives near my property and told me there is a problem with
my property. Why didn’t Northpoint contact me about this problem?
A4: Northpoint provides inspections to the property approximately every 90 days. With some
properties, Northpoint will provide inspections more frequently if there are preexisting
concerns. In between those inspections, the only way Northpoint would know about problems
at the property are if the renter called to report the problem or some other person such as a
friend noticed the problem. Typically, Northpoint is able to catch and address the majority of
concerns that are not reported by the renter through the inspections. However, there are
issues that arise in between inspections. If your friend has reported an issue, please simply let
your property manager know and he or she will address the issue promptly.
Q5: There is a charge for maintenance on my accounting statement that I did not
authorize. Why would this happen?
A5: Every contract has a monetary figure shown on the second page that represents a
maintenance and repair amount under which the property manager will not gain your prior
approval and over which will gain your prior approval. Northpoint tries to be exact, but
sometimes since it can be hard to know the exact amount an issue will cost, a repair or
maintenance cost may occasionally slightly exceed that figure in the contract. However, this
should be rare.
Also, if there was an emergency, such as a flood or fire, Northpoint will act quickly to save your
investment by ordering the repair immediately without your approval.
Finally, sometimes there can be mis communications between you and your property
manager. The manager may have thought he or she gained your approval because of a
conversation about the repair or maintenance, but to you, it was just a discussion and not
formal approval. Also, your property manager may have communicated with your spouse or
another person who is involved and received approval. Northpoint trains managers to be
aware of these mis communications and do what is necessary to avoid them, but they do
occasionally take place. Northpoint is committed to reinforcing good and frequent
communication.
Q6: There is a charge on my accounting statement that does not look correct. What
should I do?
A6: It is infrequent, but occasionally there are accounting errors. Please contact your
property manager to report your concern and he or she will contact the accounting department
to address the concern. If there was an error, it will be quickly corrected. If there was not an
error, you can expect a full explanation so that it makes sense to you.
Q7: I don’t feel like my manager contacts me enough. Why and what can be done?
A7: Property managers are trained to know what to do without bothering the owners. One of
the most challenging parts about property management is for property managers to adjust to
the preferences of each property owner. It may take a few months before your manager really
understands your preferences regarding communication. Please convey to your manager
what you are expecting as far as frequency and kinds of communication. Northpoint is
committed to quality communication and if you feel after working with a manager for a few
months that the communication is not sufficient for your needs and preferences… please
convey this concern to one of the managing broker/owners and they will provide a solution that
will work for your needs and preferences.
Q8: I think my property has been on the market too long and Northpoint has not
found a renter for me yet. Why and what are my options?
A8: Northpoint is very aggressive when it comes to leasing properties. Our philosophy is to be
“hands-on” and so we make every effort to frequently update ads online, answer the phones
when prospective renters call, show the property as many times as necessary, and screen
tenants thoroughly to avoid problematic tenants. Some of the most common reasons for
properties sitting on the market too long are (1) during the holiday months such as November,
December, and in many cases January and February, (2) the property has maintenance
issues that have not been resolved and prospective renters turn to other properties even
despite attractive rental rates, (3) the price is simply too high and prospective renters can rent
almost the same product for less, and (4) the property is furnished or there are other
irregularities such as size or location that greatly limit the amount of interested prospective
renters.
Despite these issues, Northpoint is not afraid to take on a challenge and will eventually, with
your cooperation, secure a tenant for your property. Your manager is well aware of these
issues and will advise you to adjust prices, conditions, or advertising to provide the right
marketing solution for your property.
Having said all of this, Northpoint has an incredible track record of leasing properties quickly
and thoroughly. Our entire portfolio is approximately 94% occupied!
Q9: My property manager was not physically present when one of the prospective
renters viewed my property. Why would this happen?
A9: Northpoint’s normal policy for property managers is to be present when showing a
property. If the property has valuable items such as furniture or very high-end finishings, the
property will not be shown without a manager physically present. However, sometimes
properties are shown without the manager’s presence if the property manager can not be at
the property at the time the prospective renter can be at the property. This might happen
when prospective renters call while directly in front of the property and desire to see the
property immediately or in response to scheduling conflicts. When this happens, Northpoint’s
managers take time to talk to the prospective to per screen and to evaluate why viewing the
property can not wait until the manager can physically be present. When viewing the property,
the lock box code is given and the prospective renter is required to remain on the phone with
the property manager until the keys have been correctly returned to the lock box and all doors
have been properly locked.
Q10: I’m concerned about the transfer process of my utilities from my name to the
tenant’s name. What should I expect?
A10: Each city’s utilities can have different procedures and regulations. Typically, tenants are
responsible for all utilities; however, your property manager may negotiate with the prospective
tenant differently. For example, if you prefer a 12 month lease but the prospective renter only
wants a 6 month lease, your property manager may agree on your behalf to pay for the water
bill if they agree to a 12 month lease. In any case, gas and electric utilities can be placed into
the tenant’s name so that if they fail to pay the bill it would only affect the tenant’s credit and
not yours. However, some cities will not allow public utilities, water, trash, sewer, etc. to be
held in any other name except for the owner on the title of the property. If this is the case,
then there are two ways to handle those utilities and be aware that it can take several months
to stabilize:
a) Monthly Average: Find the average of those bills (i.e. $125 in March, $175 in April,
$105 in May, etc…) by adding all previous 12 months together and dividing by 12 months to
find a set monthly average. This amount would be added into the rent due each month from
the tenant. If the tenant’s rent is $1,500 and the average utilities are $150 per month, the
lease would show $1,650 of rent due each month. You would then call your utilities and have
the bills sent to Northpoint’s accounting department and those bills would be paid on time each
month out of the rent received by the tenant. Or you can continue to pay these bills on your
own.
b) Sent to Renter to Pay: You would call your utilities and have the bills sent to the renter
in your property. Even though it remains in your name, the renters are responsible to pay this
bill each month. Be prepared for these to sometimes be paid late or not at all. Northpoint will
follow up with the tenant as many times as necessary to ensure the tenant pays the utilities,
but it can often be a frustrating experience for the owner of the property.
Q11: A friend/neighbor believes an unauthorized individual is at my property and
that it is unlocked. What should I do?
A11: Your first step should be to contact your property manager and verify whether
or not they are aware of someone who is at the property. If the person in the home is unknown,
the next step is to contact local law enforcement, which can be done on your behalf by your
manager. In the case of situations where there is unauthorized entry and/or unlawful
habitation, law enforcement, not the manager, is best equipped to handle it.
| New Client FAQ's Reference |