Owner FAQ

Once you make a decision, it usually take a few days to a week to sign contracts. The preparation process to list a rental can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks depending on the condition of the property. However, our team will ensure your listing is ready as soon as feasible by engaging our trained staff of tradespeople which include handymen, plumbers, electricians, and HVAC specialists.

Once the home is listed with professional pictures, it is usually a quick process to begin showing the property. However, we will work with homeowners to ensure we’re attracting the right type of tenants for your needs. This could include families, tenants without pets, or more specific requirements.

The prospective tenants will be fully responsible for paying the application fees which will cover the credit and background check.

Harper Properties uses Doorloop, which is a cloud-based, all-in-one property management system where tenants can pay their rent via ACH or credit cards and setup automatic payments.

Harper Properties will use comps within a similar geographic region and property characteristics to determine an average price per square foot. Once we calculate the average price per square foot, we will use this information to create a proposed rental price. The home owner always has the final decision about pricing strategy which is informed by the competitive analysis.

Harper Properties performs credit checks, background checks, income verification, and landlord verification on each tenant.

Owners have the option of retaining their current insurance or adding a rental rider to minimize risk.

Tenants must pay their initial month of rent, deposit, move all utilities, and provide proof of renter’s insurance.

California Association of Realtors and Silicon Valley Association of Realtors leases do not offer a cancellation provision. However, if the tenants vacate the premises prior to their lease end date, they will be responsible for the term of the lease until the property is re-rented.

Typically, I visit each property at least quarterly to ensure that there are no lease violations and to ensure proactive property maintenance. Depending on the tenants, Harper Properties might provide the owners with pictures of property to verify condition.

As part of the pre-listing process, Harper Properties will work with the owners to determine which utilities for which the tenant is responsible. Prior to their move in, Harper Properties will ensure that utilities have been changed into the tenant’s names to shift financial responsibility.

While this is a relatively uncommon occurrence, if a tenant doesn’t pay their rent, Harper Properties will communicate with the tenant to determine if there is a delay in their rent payment. If Harper Properties is unable to obtain payment, a 3 Day Notice to Quit of Pay Rent will be filed to begin the eviction process. Usually, this is enough to obtain payment. If this still remains unsuccessful, Harper Properties will engage legal counsel after discussing next steps with the owners.

Wear and tear is the damage or deterioration that occurs to something due to its normal, everyday use. Landlords cannot charge the security deposit of a tenant for wear and tear. However, if an item is flagrantly damaged, this would be repaired at the cost of the tenants and typically deducted from their security deposit to return it to its original condition. Examples of wear and tear would be a handle falls off a refrigerator or a electrical receptacle stops working while examples of flagrant damage would be a large hole in a wall or throwing cooking oil down the kitchen sink drain.

Harper Properties uses Doorloop, which is a cloud-based, all-in-one property management system where owners can run over 20 on demand reports including the owners statement, balance sheet, profit and loss, cash flow statement, and transaction details.

California Association of Realtors and Silicon Valley Association of Realtors leases do not allow smokers. However, the decision to allow pets is the owner’s personal preference which can potentially increase the number of potential tenants. Owners should be cognizant that pets can increase potential damage to a property depending on the numbers and age of pets. Harper Properties will work with owners to discuss the pros and cons of allowing pets.

Harper Properties direct deposits all net rent payments into owners accounts on a monthly basis.

Hiring a property manager offers numerous benefits, including efficient rent collection, tenant screening, maintenance handling, and legal compliance, ultimately leading to a higher return on investment and reduced stress for the property owner. This does not lead to a loss of control as Harper Properties ensures efficient communication with owners.