A free rental analysis can be forwarded to the owner showing pertinent management & leasing information on the subject property or properties. Recommendations are provided regarding repairs, appearance, marketing, and rental amounts. In order to begin management of the property, a tour must be set up to allow our property managers to view the property, possibly meet the owner at that time, or have the tour arranged differently if the owner is not local. The property owner provides the management company with a $500 owner's reserve (for most single family dwellings) to be held in the trust account when management begins. If the owner lives out of town, all paper work can be handled through fax, email, or mail.

The most effective advertisements utilized in the Real Estate market today are the Multiple Listing Service and the Internet. All homes, whether for lease or sale, are listed on the Houston Association of Realtors MLS system giving all area Realtors information on your home(s). The homes are then automatically placed on TWO internet networks: www.HAR.com (Houston Association of Realtors) and on WWW.WOODLANDSLISTINGS.COM (a Realtor.com network). The next most effective form of advertising is our eye catching yard signage. Our Real Estate signs are comprised of vivid red and white lettering over a royal blue background that can be seen one block away. In addition tenants are attracted by way of property flyers that are placed outside of each property.

Woodlands Sales & Management Services performs a four-point background check on each applicant, which includes a Credit Check, Employment Verifications showing a total household income of at least 3 times the rental amount, Criminal History, and Rental References.

Tenants are required to pay a "repair deductible" at a cost of $50 to $100 depending on the size and rental amount of the home. Most single-family investment homes require a $100 repair deductible. The deductible is paid by the tenant for each and every repair after the initial two weeks of their lease. This assists the owner in keeping the maintenance & repair costs at a minimum. Only licensed contractors are called to make repairs on major air conditioning, heating, electrical and plumbing repairs. Property owners are notified of any repair that exceeds $500, except in cases of emergency.

Renewal leases are negotiated with the owner's best interest in mind. Renewal rates are set based on market conditions, quality of the tenant, type and marketability of the property, and time of year. Our best tenants are offered renewal rates at just below the market rate proving to the tenants that we would like to keep them "on board" and also proving that it would be in their best interest to renew. Handling lease negotiations in this manner has allowed us to maintain a higher than market occupancy rate!

All rents are paid by the tenant to Woodlands Sales & Management by the 3rd of every month. Any expenses are deducted and the remaining proceeds are mailed to the owner by the 15th of the current month! The owner keeps a $500 reserve fund for expenses in the trust account. Tenants are required to pay a security deposit equal to one month's rent in most cases. These deposits are kept in the trust account so that any tenant deposit refund can be sent in a timely manner at the end of their lease. By law, a security deposit refund must be made within 30 days after the move-out date. Tenants who have not paid their rent by the 3rd of the month are sent a notice to vacate. Although evictions are rare, Woodlands Sales & Management
will arrange for the tenant to be removed when necessary using the eviction courts system usually within 45 days. Our late charge policy is strictly enforced.

Computer generated reports and rental proceed checks are mailed or emailed to the owners on or before the 15th of the current month! These monthly reports show all deposits made, expenses paid out, and any owner contributions. Rental proceeds can be deposited into your bank account by ACH (electronic transfer) or mail. Also, end of the year reports are sent to all owners for tax purposes. Consult with your tax accountant to obtain information on tax advantages of owning investment property.

• Total Renovations
• Expatriate Home Management
• Acquisition & Sale of Investment Properties
• Resale Homes & New Home Sales
• Insured Repairs/Claims
• Evictions
• Property Tax Protests