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| Frequently Asked Questions |
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What needs to be done to my house before it is ready for rent?
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Remember that a first impression is the hardest to change! TMG has developed Property Standards to get the most out of your investment property! |
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A crisp, neatly manicured yard, fresh bark dust and a clean front door is a great place to start! Tenants are required to maintain the yard, whether they contract with a landscaping company or maintain it on their own. Talk to your property manager about providing lawn maintenance in exchange for a slight increase in monthly rent. |
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Your home should be clean and in good condition to attract the best tenant possible. TMG's Maintenance Department follows strict standards when preparing the home for a new tenant. |
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Walls & ceilings should be painted if they are dirty or marred. Paint colors should be neutral. |
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Nearly all rental properties have window coverings. Blinds or draperies in neutral colors are best. It is not a good idea to leave window coverings that match a custom bedspread or sofa. |
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Talk to your property manager about leaving any personal belongings, appliances or equipment on or in the property. Depending on the type of property refrigerators are usually provided but washer & dryers & lawn equipment are not. |
How much will my property rent for?
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In order to determine market rent for your property, we would set up a Property Consultation at the property were we would establish a proposed market rent, and advise on anything that might need to be done to the house to get it ready to market. |
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We then compare this to similar rental homes in the same area with the same features. |
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We are usually able to give you a rental range at our initial meeting and then a specific market rate after seeing your home inside and out. |
How do you market my property & how long will it take to find a tenant?
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Your property would be immediately added to our Available Property List and to our web site. |
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We would feature your property on our availability list on our client PC station located in our Relocation Center. Your professionally designed page would feature all of your properties amenities, an attractive photograph, detailed description, rent, deposits, a map, and directions. |
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TMG has its own Relocation Department whose goal is to secure tenants for all TMG managed properties. Our Relocation Specialists work directly with the Personnel Departments & Relocation offices of corporate firms who are transferring employees to the area. |
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We will also feature your property on our web site and Craigslist and our large display ad that runs in The Columbian 2 days each week directs prospects to our website. TMG's Relocation Department works closely with area Realtors & provides them with our Available Property List weekly. |
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Your Property Manager will put up a For Lease sign at the property. It take approximately 2 to 6 weeks to rent a home depending on the rental price of the property & the time of year.Typically it may take a little longer to place a tenant in the property in the wintertime. |
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When a tenant gives notice that they will be moving, the property is immediately put on the Available Property List and on our web site. |
How soon do I receive my rental proceeds?
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Rent is due on the 1st and late after the 3rd. |
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A late charge of $50.00 is assessed on the 4th + 5.00 per day until the rent is paid. |
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Rent is processed within 24 hours, bills are paid & the proceeds are forwarded on to you, generally by the 6th of the month. |
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Your monthly financial statement is also generated & mailed or available through the website at that time. |
Do I have to take pets at my property?
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No, you don’t have to accept pets at your property, however, excluding all pets reduces a large percentage of potential tenants! |
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TMG’s pet policy is that the pet must be not more than 24" high & weigh 35 pounds or less. Most properties accept only 1 pet. |
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The standard pet fee is $150.00 refundable deposit + $150.00 nonrefundable for a total of $300.00. This does vary depending on the rental range of the property. |
How do you qualify the tenant for my property?
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We have specific criteria that an applicant for your property would have to meet in order to qualify. |
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We complete a credit check, verify employment, verify income, and review rental references, or mortgage payment history. |
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The applicants are provided with the criteria they must meet in writing when they receive the application. |
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The property will remain available on the market until an approved applicant has paid their security deposit and non-refundable processing fee. |
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In the event that we have more than one applicant, who are equally qualified, the first one to pay the deposit and fee will be entitled to rent the property. |
Who is responsible for the cost of maintenance?
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As owner of the property, you would be responsible for the cost of repairs due to normal wear and tear. |
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You would establish a $250.00 repair reserve when we set up your account. This would be used to cover routine repairs to the property. |
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Should we need to make a major non-emergency repair, we would contact you in advance to review the need, and cost of the repair. |
What happens when my tenant leaves before the end of their lease?
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Residents are required to give proper notice, as per Washington/Oregon law, and pay a termination fee equal to two months rent to you, the property owner, for early termination of their lease agreement. |
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Residents are still responsible for leaving the property in the same condition as when they moved in, with the exception of normal wear and tear. |
How often will you inspect my property?
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Our property managers will periodically do drive by inspections to assess the exterior of the home for overall cleanliness and detail of the lawn care. |
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In addition, our maintenance technicians will advise the property manager of the condition of the interior of the property when they enter the home for maintenance repairs. |
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We also complete a detailed annual property survey prior to offering a lease renewal. The maintenance technician completes a four page detailed survey covering the physical condition of the property. |
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You will receive a copy of this report, and any corrective action taken by your property manager. |
What if there is an emergency at my property?
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In the event of a maintenance emergency, the tenant would contact our office for assistance. We have a professional maintenance technician on call 24 hours per day. |
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The maintenance technician would determine if our staff could handle the repair, or if we needed the services of an outside vendor. |
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All necessary steps would be taken to protect and preserve your property. If a major repair were made, your property manager would alert you the next business day to the scope of repairs. |
To hear about TMG's services and our specific fee structure, call (360) 397-0297. At the end of the recording please leave a message for Alicia Smith, Department Manager, Single Family.
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