Owner FAQs

Answers to Your Frequently Asked Questions

• How soon can Brandyco start managing my property?

  We can start the process immediately. Contact us today so we can find out more about you and your property and see if we are the right property management company for your needs. You can email us at brandycorentals@gmail.com or call us at 254-634-4837.

• How much are the fees?

  Our management fee is a percentage of the monthly rent depending on the rental amount. There is a minimum management fee if the property is rented. Monthly management and leasing fees are due and payable when rent is due.

• What needs to be done to prepare a property for rent?

  The property should be in the best possible condition to attract a quality resident. Paint should be in good shape with marred or dirty areas touched up. Neutral colors for walls and floors are best. Blinds or shades are ideal window coverings. The home should be "detailed" clean and the yard in mowed & edged.

• Can I choose to disallow pets, smokes, large families, etc?

  We comply fully with the Fair Housing Act. This means that you cannot choose to disallow anyone that is a member of a protected class under the act. You can choose to disallow pets and not permit smoking in your home, but you cannot deny a service animal.

• Are you a licensed property manager?

  Brandyco Rentals Company employs licensed Realtors and is a member of the National Association of Residential Property Managers. There is no "Property Management License" requirement in Texas, but professional property managers must have a Texas real estate license in order to charge commissions.

• How do I know if my property is performing?

  Financial performances are within your reach on the "Owners Portal"

  With operational performance; we believe that you hired Brandyco Rentals Company LLC to manage the property for you, not to assist you in managing it yourself. We offer a turnkey style of property management service which is most appreciated by those property owners who prefer to be "out of the loop" on all,  but not the most important matters related to the management and leasing of the property. We don't worry  you with small details, questions, information or "updates" about your property or tenants, except for those matters which will have a significant impact on your monthly cash flow. Instead, we simply take care of the things you have entrusted us to handle on your behalf.

  For some property owners, our system is not a good match, and we understand. We are very up front about the fact that we do not want you to hire us if you expect to be involved in minor details or decisions related to the management and renting of your property. We simply have not designed our systems and procedures to accommodate that level of involvement by owners. 

  Our general rule of thumb is this; if something has happened, or is about to happen, that will disrupt your ordinary monthly cash proceeds we will let you know about it.  Otherwise non-emergency items will be notated in your monthly statements. Of course, we encourage you to contact us anytime you have a question or wish to discuss something.

• How do you market the property?

  FOR RENT SIGNS: Posted at the property with our website and phone number clearly displayed. Prospective Tenants can find out very easily the price and size of your property and when it will be ready for move-in.

  INTERNET LISTINGS: Our available homes for rent on our website, local periodicals, Zillow which spiders out to various sites including Trulia and AHRN.  We market our properties with complete photos, maps and property details.

  WORD OF MOUTH / REFERRALS: Current and past tenants, friends of our tenants, referrals from other agents that we network with.
  CORRECT PRICING: Even the best homes will not lease quickly if overpriced. We make sure your rental home is priced correctly in the neighborhood and according to our current market conditions

  Partnership with Local Agents
  Brandyco Rentals Company LLC has partnered with real estate agents. We send all leads to local agents. Potential clients are responded to quickly and scheduling showings around the client’s timeframe is easier with this format.

  Showings and Applications
  Brandyco Rentals show all rentals by appointment only.  This guarantees that all properties will be secured after showing and will be shown by a representative of our company who can handle any questions a prospective tenant might having  while viewing our properties.  Brandyco Rentals Company LLC utilizes an online application. Any prospect that would like to submit an application can do so 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The prospect pays for the application with a credit card at the time of submission.

• What are some of the detrimental decisions a new owner/investor could make?

  • Purchasing a property in poor condition. Even though the purchase price may be attractive, the amount of corrections required to make it inviting to potential tenants can consume every bit of profit made available by a tenant occupying the property.
  • Demanding a rent amount that is too high. This mistake leaves you with long term vacancies while generating no monthly income. Tenants in the rental market have a good idea of what current rents should be. Take advantage of our Comparative Rent Analysis report.
  • Not keeping an open mind regarding applicants. The changing economy has forced us to make decisions and review tenant applications differently. On average, tenant prospects have lower credit scores than the applicants from a few years back.
  • Failure to take advice from your property management company. The rental property business is complex. But years of experience have introduced us to almost every obstacle ownership may present. Trust in your management company. We are here to protect your best interest.
  • Not addressing tenant concerns in a timely manner. Failure to respond to tenant requests can create additional issues for a homeowner. The rental market is highly competitive and tenants within your complex talk with each other. Failure to respond can lead to a search for better-managed living opportunities.

• How do I determine the rental amount?

  As your management company we will run a market report to see with the market and the competitive rental ranges are for your home. If the home is marketed too high the home will be vacant much longer. If it is marketed too low, it may be one or two years before the price becomes competitive again.

• How long will it take to rent?

  Vacancy periods depend on the market, economy, location & condition of the property as well as the rental price. Location and price effect vacancy as well. We will begin marketing your home the moment it becomes rent ready or as soon as the current residents give us their notice of their intent to move out we will begin marketing 30-60 days prior to the tenants vacating.

• Who holds the tenant security deposit?

  By law, the security deposit is not the owner’s money. It is a deposit on the property. Brandyco Rentals Company LLC holds the security deposit in our deposit trust account.

• What are the policies regarding Pets?

  Our company has seen that between 75-80% of renters own pets. Restricting pets reduces the number of available qualified residents. Our company has a very strict pet policy. We require applicants and tenants to pay a $500 nonrefundable fee that is payable to you the owner. The tenants are required to have all flooring professionally cleaned and pet treated and provide a copy of the receipt.

• What about smokers?

  Smoking is prohibited on the exterior of the property. This does not significantly reduce the marketability of the property.

• What do you do if they are not taking care of my property as they should, or you discover unauthorized pets?

  Your property manager gives the tenant an opportunity to correct the situation and usually they will. If a problem persists, we will make a decision based on that specific situation.

• What lease do you use?

  We use the Texas Apartments Association Residential Lease Agreement forms.

• What happens if the rent is late?

  We do not tolerate the late payment of rent. We are careful to explain this policy to new residents in order to avoid any misunderstanding that might arise later. You can expect that we will make every effort to collect rents on the 1st of the month. Our collection policies are as follows:

  • All rents are due on the first of each month.
  • Any remaining residents who have not remitted their rent by the 3rd of the month will be served a Notice to Vacate, which is required prior to commencing with the eviction process. All Owners are contacted prior to us filing eviction. While it is doubtful than an eviction will be necessary with our qualifying criteria financial hardships do arise requiring prompt collections attention.
  • All paperwork, (including, but not limited to) copies of the lease, and the Notice to vacate are filed with the appropriate Justice of the Peace.
  • We will appear in court as your managing agent for the eviction hearing.
  • In our local counties, delinquent tenants can usually be evicted in about 3 weeks’ time. We take a firm position in our belief of "No pay, no stay".

• When are monthly funds distributed?

  We provide direct deposit to all of our owners between the 7th and the 9th of the month. This eliminates any delay with the postal service and will be deposited into your designated account within 48 hours of the transaction.
  
  We provide income and expense statements on the property after we have completed the monthly disbursements usually around the 10th of each month.

• Who handles maintenance requests for both emergencies and non-emergencies?

  • We take care of all the repairs that are necessary on your property, both large and small.
  • If the cost for the repair exceeds the management agreement threshold limit we will contact you for approval prior to having the work completed.
  • We will deduct the cost of the repair out of your rental proceeds  
  • Our office has a designated phone number for all emergency calls. When a tenant calls in after-hours the reach our answering service.  We will call the tenant back and may times handle the situation right then on the phone to solve problems which reduces "the emergency" and thus saving the Owner's an additional expense.

• What is the average length of tenancy?

  Our rental agreements are for 12-months. At the end of the lease term the owner can decide to renew to the resident (if the resident wishes to remain), vacate the resident, or allow the resident to remain month-to-month. If the market has changed the owner can raise the rent at lease end.

• What happens if the resident leaves before the end of the lease?

  The resident is responsible for the rent for the term of the lease. If residents leave before the termination date they will be charged for rent until the home is rented. We, on behalf of the owner, will do everything possible to rent the home and minimize the cost.

• If I have a concern, whom do I call?

  Any member of our staff will be glad to assist you with any concern you might have.

• Can I reach you after hours?

  Brandyco Rentals Company LLC has a 24 hour answering service that will contact us after hours. Our property manager will contact the resident to determine if the issue is an emergency or just a standard maintenance request.

• If I decide to sell my property, can you help?

  Definitely!! We will be glad to assist you with the decision process as well as help you achieve the best selling price possible. We will work closely with you to make sure you get the quality of service you deserve. If you came to us through another Agent we will ask that you consider using that agent as a professional courtesy. If you choose not to use that Agent we will notify the Agent that we have been hired by you also as a professional courtesy.