Sand Seeker Realty is a family-owned and locally operated business. Our clients work with us to experience a management team that is very personable while also always professional and trustworthy. Being licensed REALTORS®, we are held to the highest standards of the Realtor Code of Ethics. These guide REALTORS® and also shows the public the level of commitment, education and dedication to their profession that each member of the National Association of Realtors possesses.
Management Fees
We never forget that a big part of our success depends on both the time saved and extra money earned by property owners using our services.
- 10% of gross monthly income only
- No long-term contracts
- Fast disbursement of funds to owner bank accounts
It is our job to provide property owners the highest possible profit and return on their investment. Our property owners can have confidence knowing that their investment is in the care of able professionals. Our owners are free from the day-to-day stresses of having to deal directly with tenants or with the property itself.
Marketing: What will you do to rent my house?
Finding good tenants is one of our highest priorities. Even during vacancies, we know that owners still have mortgages, taxes and insurance to pay. During vacancies, the cost of utilities are also charged to the owner. There are often additional expenses — for example, lawn care that would otherwise be the responsibility of the tenant now becomes an owner expense. If necessary, we will recommend cosmetic repairs to enhance the appeal of the property in order to better attract tenants and get a better rental rate. Once a property becomes available, we immediately promote it on the Multiple Listing Systems MLS to alert the thousands of real estate agents helping tenants find a place to live. We also post on Craigslist, YouTube, Zillow, Trulia, realtor.com, hotpads.com, and numerous other active real estate sites targeting renters. In the case of tenants who are moving out soon, we begin this process no less than 30 days before they move out. Once a property has been listed, owners will receive a detailed report on the number of showings their specific property is getting, including valuable feedback from agents and their customers.
Leasing
Our current leasing contract complies with Florida real estate commission (FREC) and Florida Bar and attorney-approved. Our contract provides owners with legal protections and assurances against every circumstance we have experienced or could possibly predict.
Tenant Screening
Anyone can find a tenant. But we won’t let just ‘anybody’ sign a lease and rent our properties. We adhere to a careful screening process to assure a quality tenant! Naturally, we only want to lease to tenants who will take care of the property, make their rent payments on time, and not create extra costs by continually requesting unnecessary or unwarranted repairs. Our thorough tenant screening process serves to provide high
confidence that the tenant moving into the property will be the kind we want.
There is a reason why banks and lending institutions rely heavily on credit scores before lending money. This is because a good credit score is the single greatest predictor of a tenant making timely rent payments into the future. Except for unusual extenuating circumstances, and unless the owner specifically authorizes an exception, we will always deny a tenant applicant whose score does not reach a specific target. Our thorough tenant screening includes criminal background searches and employment verification processes. We especially look for the following criteria:
- Credit checks and credit scores
- Criminal background searches
- Employment verification
- Criminal sex offender registry
- Prior evictions
Before accepting a potential tenant’s application, it is our policy to give a full report and recommendation to the property owner for final approval.
How do you make sure tenants are taking good care of my home while renting?
We have found that there is a very high correlation between timely rent payments and good care of a property. Still, we recommend an inspection once a year. During our inspection we check to make sure that tenants are abiding by the lease and that there are no threats to the value of the property. We also check for such infractions as additional persons, unauthorized pets, maintenance issues, potential fire hazards or other potentially suspect conditions. Every property we manage must comply with minimum standards for health and safety. We also strictly adhere to laws regarding fair housing.
What happens if tenants do not pay their rent?
We make sure our tenants know we represent a landlord who expects rent payments on time. We also make sure they know that we have a zero-tolerance policy on late payments. Our leases clearly state that rent is due on the first day of the month. Florida law allows for tenants to pay by the fifth day of the month, without penalty. However, any rent not paid by the fifth incurs a penalty. Payments not received by the tenth day will trigger court action. We do not hesitate to file a case with the District Court, and a judge will send out the sheriff to personally post a notice ordering tenants to appear in court on a specific date as ordered by the judge. Tenants who experience this once or twice usually get the message and change their behavior.
Maintenance
The proper handling of all real estate requires periodic property maintenance. Timely maintenance ultimately delivers better profits to owners, wisely avoiding greater future expenses. For example, plumbing leaks should be addressed immediately, before bigger problems develop. Another example is the wood trim around windows, which should be painted when showing signs of cracking and chipping, thus avoiding weather rot, which will require entire replacements. While we respect different policies or preferences of owners regarding the maintenance of their properties, our job is to point out recommended repairs to the owner; and money is never spent without the owner’s approval.
Inspections
Every Sand Seeker Realty lease contains wording that allows for periodic inspections of the property. Typically this is done once a year or more often as may be indicated to ensure the property is being well maintained, and to alert us to any maintenance items that may be required in the near future.
Legal Compliance
Landlord/tenant laws are constantly evolving with evermore federal, state, county and city regulations. It is our job to minimize owner liabilities by making sure every property and lease is in compliance with the law to protect owners from legal complications. This includes issues related to health, safety, zoning, and landlord/tenant law. Sand Seeker Realty makes sure to stay in compliance with the updated housing regulations and to keep our owners informed of relevant issues.
Evictions
We are proud of our track record of identifying and leasing to stable and faithful tenants, resulting in an eviction rate of less than 1% on tenants we place in our properties. Nevertheless, when evictions are necessary we know exactly what to do. We have a zero tolerance policy on late rent payments, and we make sure our tenants know it. We are rarely called upon to take legal action, but we are always ready if warranted.
Accounting
All funds are tracked and accounted for in separate property ledgers, owner ledgers, and tenant ledgers. Owners have access to their personal property ledgers anytime 24/7 through an online password-protected login procedure. Once rents are received, funds are direct deposited into an owner-designated account.
24/7 Emergency Service
An emergency contact number monitored 24/7 is provided to tenants and owners in the event of any urgent situation.