Frequently Asked Questions

• Are you licensed?

  Yes. We operate under a State of Alabama Real Estate Company license.

• Can I reach you after hours?

  Yes. We have a 24/7 answering service. They can reach the on-call manager with any emergency, 7 days a week.

• Can you put the money directly into my account?

  Yes. We require to have ACH for all owners. This allows us to get your payments out sooner than if we had to cut a paper check and mail it.

• Do I get to see the lease or sign it?

  We are glad to provide you a copy of the executed lease if you would like an electronic copy.
  
  We will approve an applicant based on our criteria and any reasonable special requirements that you provide.

• Do you sell real estate too?

  Druid City Properties does not, but we would be happy to give you suggestions on realtors in the area as we work closely with them on a regular basis.

• How and when do I get paid?

  We process owner payments the first full week of the following month.

• How is rent collection handled?

  We collect almost all rent online via ACH payment or debit/credit card (tenant pays convenience fee). We also work diligently to make sure that all rent is paid and collected.

• How long of a lease do you sign?

  We require a 12-month minimum lease. We are glad to do a longer lease, but would make sure landlord was ok with that before we agreed to it.

• How much security deposit do you charge the tenant?

  Security deposits are $200 less than the rental rate.

• How soon can you start managing my property?

  Immediately once the management agreement is signed and all required documents are received.

• What happens next after I sign my management agreement?

  Once you express interest in management, will visit your property to perform an inspection. We will provide you with a list of any needed repairs or changes needed to get the property to our “rent ready” standards. DCP can do any repairs or changes needed once the estimated cost is paid in full. If you would like to do them yourself, we will wait to hear from you to inspect the property again. Once that step is complete, we will send the agreement for signing. Once signed, we take pictures and video and begin marketing the property on our website, social media, and many other third-party sites (Zillow, Rent.com, Trulia, etc.).

• How much will my property rent for?

  That depends on the location, size, condition, and time of year (summer is best). We are glad to discuss this with you anytime. We also adjust pricing on an ongoing basis when the market allows/demands.
  
  You can call and speak to us in the office or visit Free Rental Analysis to get a rough estimate of your property.

• What type of properties do you manage?

  Single family homes and individual condo units. We handle traditional properties and student properties.

• What type of reports do I get and how often?

  We provide an owner statement monthly and an annual summary. You will receive a quarterly inspection report as well. We provide a profit and loss statement summary on multi-unit properties.

• Who holds the tenant security deposit?

  We hold all tenant security deposits in a separate bank account per the Alabama Real Estate Commission’s requirements

• How fast can you rent my property?

  Quickly, but it is based on time of year, property condition, and pricing.

• What are your fees?

  Once rented, we charge 8% of collected rent or a minimum of $100 monthly. If we do not have your property leased and rent collected, we do not get paid. Our leasing/procurement fee is equivalent to 50% of one month’s rent with a minimum of $500. This is not paid upfront – we will take our fee out of the first month’s rent. We charge $250 the first month of the new lease should the current tenant renew.
  
  Please visit Pricing for a quick summary. Contact us for bulk pricing.

• Can I review your management agreement?

  Yes, we are glad to send it to you to review anytime.

• How do you screen tenants?

  • Require a copy of government ID
  • Verify income and employment (combined gross income must be 3x rental rate/month)
  • Check Credit
  • Check for Evictions, judgements, and landlord collections
  • Check background (Per new Federal Requirements)
  • Check Landlord reference
  • Require co-signor for students (same application and screening process; however, co-signers’ income requirement is 6x monthly rent gross income)

• How is Maintenance handled?

  We receive most request via our online tenant portals. We also have a 24/7 answering service. After we identify the problem we determine if it is tenant caused or not. We try to handle all service calls within 24 hours or less. We only use licensed and insured contactors.

• Can I do my own Maintenance?

  Unfortunately, no. We require licensed, insured and 24/7 service providers for all repairs.

• Do I have to allow pets?

  Yes. We require tenants with pets to pay monthly pet rent ($30 for first pet, $10 for additional pet). We understand that pets can cause damage, but studies show that over 50% of all renters have pets. We also make sure that we screen pets, require extra fees, and have plenty of guarantors and deposits to cover any damage. We also offer inspections to verify property conditions.

• Where do you advertise my property?

  We use over 50 different websites including Zillow, Realtor.com, and many other rental based websites. We also use social media, the University of Alabama’s housing website, Tuscaloosa Apartment Guide, and other offline methods.

• What type of tenants do you rent to?

  We will rent to any type of tenant per Fair Housing. We do rent to students and non-students. When we rent to students, we do require a guarantor from each student. We DO NOT accept Section 8 though.

• Can you help me if my property is already leased?

  Yes, we are glad to take over a property that is already leased. We will need a copy of the current tenant’s application, lease, and ledger.

• Can you help me if my current tenant needs evicting?

  Yes. We are glad to help get your non-paying tenant back paying, to move out of the property, or handle coordinating the eviction process. We use a very good local attorney that specializes in landlord tenant and eviction issues. They are able to complete this process in around 30 days in most cases.

• Do I pay a management fee when my house is vacant?

  No, we only get paid when your property is leased and the rent is collected.

• What all do you need from me to begin managing my property?

  We will need the following:

  • Signed management agreement
  • 3 Sets of Keys and 2 garage door openers
  • Druid City Properties listed as additional insured on your insurance that includes $500,000 in liability coverage.
  • Complete owner’s info and property info sheets